davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1945-08-08
This Changing World
By Constantine Broscm

When Gen. Charles de Gaulle comes to
, Washington the latter part Of this
month for delayed visit, he doubtless
will have many problems to lay before
President Truman.
The head Of the French provisional
government wanted to come here some
time back, but because preparations were
being made for the PotSdam Conference
Mr.. Truman could not devote any time
to him. Then, recently, Gen. de Gaulle's
constitutional projects have been turned
down by the French Consultive As
sembly, further heightening the danger
to his position.
Gen. de Gaulle is reported in dispatches
from Paris as being pleased with the
Potsdam declarations reference to
Frances future role in conferences on
German reparations and with Frances
winning place on the Council to write
the peace treaties of Europe.
Regardless of whatever disappoint-
ment Gen. de Gaulle may have felt over
not being given an active part in the
discussions at Potsdam, observers feel
that he should now feel encouraged.
They point to his troubles with Britain
several weeks ago In the Levant, the
'Roosevelt-De Gaulle incident" of sew
eral months ago, and cite the fact that
De Gaulle made long trip to Moscow
without reaping any noticeable benefits
from conversations with Premier Stain.
Gen. de Gaulle for number of weeks
has been under great pressure from the
French people to take definite steps to
guarantee better conditions next winter
than prevailed in 1944-5. Although
they. Of course, realized that military
needs came first, the people never did
feel that the general stood up too strong
Evening star., 1945-08-08

ly for them in the matter of obtaining
food and coal. There were many hun
cry mouths and cold hands and feet In
France last winter, and the people are
determined to see that the coming
winter will not be near so bad.
~ ~
For his part, Gen. de Gaulle is reported
anxious to confer with President Tru-
man to see If he cannot obtain more re-
lief from the United States Immediately
He Is expected to point out that, while
it is necessary-to guard military secur-
ity-to help feed Germany. large slice
of relief must 60 to France from this
country if bad internal situation, pos
sibly, even, leading to revolution, Is to
be avoided.
The French elections are scheduled
ports have told of rumors that De Gaulle
might resign, he is said to be deter
mined not to quit, preferring to leave
his fate to events Of the next few weeks.
France is very anxious for an early
settlement Of the territorial question Of
the left bank of the Rhine, the Ruhr
and the Westphalian coal basin. Sep
aration of these areas from Germany is
vital, in the eyes Of the French, and
the quicker the action is taken the bet
ter. This question Is, of course, closely
tied In with Frances needs.
If Gen. de Gaulle Is able to get definite
assurances from President Truman that
the United States will give more than
token assistance in the next few months,
he will return to his country In a much
better frame Of mind and probably can
quit worrying about the outcome of the
elections as far as his own future is con-
cerned.
Evening star., 1945-08-08
Jupun's Choice

The full extent of the damage
done by the first atomic bomb
dropped on Japan is not yet known
to us. But enough is known to
remove the last possible doubt as
to the nature of Japan's choice.
For the first time in history a great
nation must surrender or accept the
literal alternative of total destruc-
ton.
1t has been officially announced
that go per cent of the built-up area
of Hiroshima was completely de-
stroyed" by the bombs blast. There
was damage outside the destroyed
area, and there have been indica-
tions that the destructive conSe-
quences of an atomic bomb are not
limited to the effects of the eXplo-
sion itself. 1t is easy to speak of
a city being 60 per cent destroyed.
But when we say this it is not merely
a matter of f1attened homes and
shattered war plans. Somewhat
more than 100000 people lived in
Hiroshima until last Sunday. Now
the Japanese radio says there is not
living thing in the area. Whatever
the precise meaning of that, it is
more than probable that scores of
thousands of people simply vanished
In the swirling dust cloud which
sprang up over the city from the
terrible blast of the exploding atoms.
This is the fact which confronts
the japanese today. They must
choose, and choose soon, between
the cataclysmic repetitions Of the
Hiroshima experience which will
follow a refusal to surrender, and
the opportunity to survive as a
nation on the terms of the Potsdam
ultimatum.
The japanese have been warned
and the warning means what 1t
Says-that we can and will continue
with the atomic bombing of their
country unless there is prompt
capitulation. This prospect is a grim
one. But for us, the choice is be-
tween needless sacrifice of American
lives in a prolonged war and the
unrelenting use of the new weapon
which science has placed at our
disposal. In his forthcoming ad-
dress, the President undoubtedly will
make it entirely clear that we do
not intend to sacrifice American
lives to spare the people of Japan.
Evening star., 1945-08-08
Whut Will Turkey Do?

The complete silence on problems
of the Near and Middle East in the
Joint communique concerning the
big Three" Potsdam Conference
has heightened the tension in Rus
so-Turkish relations. The tension
began last March. when Moscow
suddenly informed Ankara that it
would not renew unmodif1ed the
treaty providing for mutual nonag-
gression, neutrality and co-opera-
ton which has subsisted for the past
20 years and which expires next De-
cember. This basic instrument was
strengthened by confirmatory pro-
tocol in 1881 and by mutual decla-
ration made early in 1941, under
which the signatories, reaffirming
their loyalty to the original non
aggression pact, pledged themselves,
in case one of them was attacked,
to maintain an attitude OF complete
neutrality. This declaration, made
less than three months before Ger
many's attack on Russia, was one OF
the diplomatic bases under which
Turkey maintained its neutrality
under heavy Axis pressure. And the
value of this neutrality to the Allies
was attested by the categorical as
surances given in August, .1941. by
Russia and Britain to respect Tur-
keys territorial integrity. Turkeys
diplomatic position was further
strengthened by its declaration of
war against Germany last February.
a month before Russia's denuncia-
ton of the nonaggression pact. This
war declaration entitled Turkey to
participate in the San Francisco
Conference and become a charter
member of the United Nations.
Although Moscow's demands upon
Turkey have never been made pub
lie, and have perhaps not been spe-
cifically formulated In q diplomatic
note. they are reliably understood. !.
to be twofold. The first point con-
Germs a change In the status Of the
straits connecting the Black Sea
with the Mediterranean. now gov
erned by an international instru-
naent known as the Montreux Con-
Evening star., 1945-08-08
On the Record
BY Dorothy Thompson

"The Allied armies are in occupation
Of the whole of Germany and the Ger
man people have begun to atone for the
terrible crimes committed under the
leadership of those whom, In the hour
of success they openly approved and
blindly obeyed."
The plan issued from Potsdam for
the treatment of Germany is in some
RESPECTS a final peace treaty, and in all
respects viii be determinant for world
developments.
1t rests on the presumption of the
guilt of all Germans. This is necessary
for Justification of the sentence, for no
other could be found. That is its weak
ness.
Even Judgment of guilt is not SUM-
cient to support the justice or wisdom
of any sentence, particularly if passed
on generations yet unborn and certain
to ricochet upon some, If not all, of
the judges.
The German people are without
benefit Of counsel. Policeman, prose-
cutor, judge. jury and witnesses are
the same. There Is not a single refer
ence to the millions of them who suf-
fered in concentration camps for their
failure to approve or obey, nor for the
hundreds who died the deaths Of
martyrs for active resistance.
do not share the concept of "parti-
ceps criminis" which presumes that
state and people are one. 1t is bad
American doctrine. Nevertheless, it
holds a warning. IF, in the moment of
3o; toe
in what history may reveal to be crime,
then you and I, If we openly approve,
or even blindly obey, share equally in
the guilt.
believe that the Big Three agreement
in Potsdam may, unless modified by
practice. turn out to be crime-against
principle, civilization, humanity, history,
common sense, the interests of Europe,
and the security and prosperity of the
United States. I find in it passages
of ineffable hypocrisy. Neither you nor
I will escape the results of it, but exactly
to what extent are We responsible?
Without public debate or discussion,
as the result of secret meetings to whose
deliberation the American press and
public have been completely barred,
without even an attempt to justify its
decisions in reason: with the exclusion
of the nations most concerned-those of
Europe-we have been committed to
a policy which we shall now have to
enforce.
We must openly approve and blindly
obey.
In view of the Potsdam judgment of
guilt, it is well to take note that while
the peoples through their representa-
tives Increasingly participate in the
decisions of their governments, their
governments increasingly put the re-
Evening star., 1945-08-08
Major Bono

To large section of the American
public. Major Richard L. Bong came
to symbolic the best of our youth
whose courage, amazing resourceful-
ness and skill have made our fighting
forces invincible.
He was not a professional soldier.
He was clean, fine Wisconsin farm
boy who went from State Teachers
College into the Air Corps, won his
wings and went away to the wars.
When he first became an ace and
his astonishing exploits as a fighter
pilot began to get into the headlines,
the world smiled with him in its
discovery that he had a sweetheart
Waiting for him back home. People
everywhere shared the pride of his
own family, vicariously suffered
parental anxiety during those last
weeks in the Leyte campaign when,
already past the Rickenbacker record
OF twenty-six planes, he ran his
string to thirty-eight while serving
as an instructor" then added two
more before sailing home to marry
the girl.
At twenty-four, he had become
one Of our most decorated heroes
and his assignment as a test pilot
in development Of the new jet planes
was not merely to utilize but to
preserve-out Of combat-his know
how" and skill as a pilot. In the
light Of his achievements in battle,
there was irony as well as tragedy
in the manner that death, evaded
so many times, finally took him, as
II in some grim demonstration Of
the price that progress exacts from
those who make 1t possible.
Evening star., 1945-08-08

their war lords to the bitter end now
the announcement of the atomic bomb
and its first use against Hiroshima.
We may assume that the atomic bomb
will hasten the end Of the war, at least,
If it does not terminate it abruptly.
What then?
The free peoples of the world now
have in their possession a weapon SO
terrible that for the present, at least,
nothing can stand against it. The saw
ing grace in this situation, the outward
and visible sign of Gods merciful prov
idence, Is that this weapon is in the
hands of the American, British and
Canadian peoples, and not in the hands
OF Hitler or Japanese war lord.
In this connection, the closing words
OF President Truman's statement are
OF immense significance: Under present
circumstances 1t is not intended to di-
vulge the technical processes of produc-
tion or all the military applications,
pending further examination of possible
methods Of protecting us and the rest
of the world from the danger of sudden
destruction. I shall recommend that
the Congress consider promptly the es-
tablishment of an appropriate commits
sion to control the production and use
OF atomic power within. the United
States. shall give further considera-
ton and make further recommenda-
tions to the Congress as to how atomic
power can become powerful and force
full influence toward the maintenance of
world peace"
The immense responsibility which now
lies on the shoulders of those peoples
whose representatives must make the
decisions suggested by the President can
hardly be overemphasized. We must
realize what this responsibility means.
No scientific discovery, no mere instru-
ment will save us from ourselves If we
are false to our duty, If we are as q
nation too stupid, too hesitant or too
Indifferent to make use of what we have
analysis, the basic factor is still the
human factor.
Free we are, and free we are deter
mined to remain. But we can not re-
main SO just by saying so. We have
seen the sacrifices which our freedom
has demanded of us In two great wars
because we had not the wit and the
energy to take the steps which might
have prevented them. We have had
our lesson, we have paid bitter price
for 1t, and now we have q new and
awe-insptring opportunity to establish
peace and to defend 1t. But to do that,
we must rise superior in our hearts and
our souls to the frightful forces our
minds have unleashed on this shrinking
planet forces which may be turned to
our use or to our destruction. The
choice is ours.
sCopyright 1o4S.l
Evening star., 1945-08-08

vention. under which Turkey forth
nes and controls the straits. with spe-
cific regulations governing and limit
ing the movement of warships and
merchant vessels through the straits
in both peace and war. Turkey con-
tends that any change in the present
status must be made, not by bilateral
agreement between itself and Rus
sia, but by another international
conference. The second Russian de-
mand is reputed to be for the retro
cession of the districts of Kars and
Ardahan, taken from Turkey by Rus
sia after the war of 1878 but retro
ceded voluntarily in 1921 by the new
ly established Soviet government as
part of its policy to establish cordial
relations with its Asiatic neighbors.
Ankara is reported to be taking
firm stand against any tampering
with its territorial integrity and
sovereign rights. even at the risk of
war.
Legally. Turkeys case appears to
be perfect. So, if it chooses to stand
pat, coercion would seem to fall
under the head Of aggression" as
defined in the United Nations
Charter. OF course. Soviet Russia,
under the Big Five veto clause, could
prevent the Council from taking ac-
tion. But this would so discredit
the Charter in world opinion every
where that 1t would be a major Dip
lomatic disaster. Here, If ever, would
seem to be a clear test of the Char
ter's efficacy in keeping the peace
and promoting a new world order
based on security and justice for all.
Evening star., 1945-08-08
Boy in August

4 small boy is sure to be broDn as a
berry
When August tMnds bso,o and tor
grass is high
And days are hours longer tast so he
can taTy
With brolDn elbotps akimbo and face
to the sky. ~
The sky is pasture and tnhfte clouds
are sheep
And the boy is thear, ,driuer and sings
them a song,
Hefding them toanard hin cloud that
Is steep.
With his tauorite Iambkin heel-tag.
ging along
The street that he Hues on Is one block
utD1y
And If he raised up he could see ths
!. brick school
Buf he is a tDesterner for this one day
And his road leads direct to hedpen-
blue pool.
With sepen-Iedgue boots he leapes the
for grasses.
AxS yet he Is stiH spra,Dled out on the
ground,
A an bog turned lazy to any who
passes.
M herding . flock, nor making q
sound. ANOBEL ARMOUR
Evening star., 1945-08-08

sponsibility for results upon the people.
This Is absolutely true in dictatorshipS,
where no government falls, whatever its
errors or crimes, while the revealers Of
the crimes are purged. 1t Is becoming
so In the democracies. In one case the
critic goes to Jail; In the other he does
not go-or get - anywhere. BY the
time he knows what is up it is too late
to change.
As the people under relationships give
away their free responsibilities bit by
bit to the point where they cannot turn
back, so we have been giving away ours
by refusal to insist that our Government
submit its decisions to the test of pre-
viously agreed on principles.
When we accepted unconditional
surrender" we surrendered our own
chance to affect the conditions of peace
The surrender of our enemies was no
less blind than our own.
When Mr.. Churchill surrendered the
principles of the Atlantic Charter in
respect to Germany and Japan he also
surrendered them in respect to Poland
Now nothing can guarantee a "tree and
independent" Poland, and we compound
ing that failure Is success.
Our public life has become so subject
to political coups d'etat supported by
postpropaganda that we are becoming
afraid to utter an honest word. Thus,
though many think the Potsdam COM
munique appalling, the attitude is: ''The
best deal we could make" Then why
present 1t as the sermon on the mount?
1t is time to stop calling deals justice,
suppressions reform, grabs for power
atonement. dictatorship democracy. One
OF these days nobody may know the diff
ference, then we shall be sunk.
In forthcoming columns I shall an
alyze the communique in detail, in sup
port of this reaction. 1t has antiquities
and gaps that offer little hope
But the guilt or innocence of the
German people did not concern the
Potsdam conferees.
What concerned them was how to
avoid frictions with each other. Ger
many is the guinea pig for testing COL
laboration between the great powers
The program outlined hands, as usual,
the aces to the Soviets. One more Big
Three meeting and Russia will get
Canada.
Yet all the time we have held the
trump-American idealism which we
chose to exchange for the wretched
deuce of realism" With that we have
broken the confidence of millions of
people, the strongest force on earth If
magnetized toward a focus of liberty
and hope.
All we can now do is to recapture our
humanistic ideals and behave according
to American principles, leading, not fol-
lowing, and refusing to gid stinkweed
and call it a lily.
Evening star., 1945-08-08
Old Soldiers as 'Serfs'
To the Editor of The Star:

To the Editor of The Star:
There are hundreds of activities now
being carried on by the Army which are
in no way connected with the war
against Japan. refer to hundreds of
newspapers which are being published,
dozens of expensive and extensive sur
veys which are made, hundreds Of post
exchanges which are operated, hundreds
Of films produced, etc. The Army JUS
tifies these activities on the basis of
morale. Let me point out that the best
thing for q soldiers morale is his dis
charge-the sooner the better.
There Is no earthly reason why thou
sands Of older men with families and
children and financial responsibilities
should be retained in the Army in order
to carry on the Armys civilian ac-
tivities. These men are willing to fight
the war: they are unwilling to serve
- serfs in uniform for the benefit Of the
Army's oficer caste.
MRS. EvALYN CARLSON.
Evening star., 1945-08-08
The Choice Is Ours
By Maj. George Fielding Eliot

The harnessing of atomic energy to
the uses OF man may well prove the
most important scientific discovery Of
all time. For good or Ill it may well
alter the history of the human race.
But for the moment, the industrial and
hence the social changes which may
be brought about by this primal power
lie well in the future. With its military
uses we are Immediately concerned, be-
cause 1t is to military ends that its dis
covery is first of all being turned.
The military uses of atomic power may
be considered under two heads: Cd Its
immediate application to the Japanese
war; (2) its effect on the maintenance
of peace by the United Nations or
ganization.
Its effect on the Japanese war seems
likely to be in proportion to the degree
to which 1t can be brought to bear on
Japanese targets. In the first use Of q
new weapon, decision always has to
be made as to the time OF its employ
ment against the enemy. The conten-
ton on this point is always between
those who want to begin experiment as
soon as the thing is at all usable, and
those who want to wait until suffi-
cient stock Is in hand to gain a great
advantage If 1t works as advertised, thus
reaping to the full the effect of sur
prise
On the one hand, it is always urged
that laboratory experiment Is never as
good a test as actual use in the field,
so that the earlier field experiment
begins, the more rapid the subsequent
application of the new weapon viii be;
on the other hand, it is always con-
tended that the first use gives the enemy
information of what is in store for him
and he begins at once to work out coun-
termeasureS.
Whether this latter contention has
much validity in the present case is to
be doubted, for 1t would seem q matter
of great difficulty, If not impossibility,
for the Japanese in their present straits
to work out any worthwhile defenses
against the terrible weapon with which
they are now being assailed. Hence 1t
Is quite possible that we have made a
small beginning, which Is indeed further
suggested by the fact that the first i'm
portant test In the United States took
place on July is, and the first atomic
bomb was dropped on Japan only about
three weeks thereafter august 5, Ameri-
can time).
It looks as though the atomic bomb
attack on Hiroshima is part of q
scheduled operation directed against the
will to tight of the Japanese people
first the three-power ultimatum, then
the japanese refusal then the scheduled
bombing Of japanese cities "by roster
then the Potsdam communique outlining
the fate which the German people
brought upon themselves BY obeyins
Evening star., 1945-08-08
Macarthur and japan

General MacArthur'S assumption
of command over the Ryukyu Is
landS-his first direct control Of
conquered enemy territory-comes
as no surprise. The move was fore
shadowed as long ago as last April
when our joint chiefs of staff di-
vided top authority in the Pacific
between him and Admiral Nimitz.
It's main significance is that it
makes virtually certain that he will
have charge of the invasion Of
Japan.
1t would be inaccurate at this
time, however. to liken, General
MacArthur's position to the one held
by General Eisenhower in the war
against Hitler. Thus. although he
controls General Kenney's Far East
ern Air Forces and apparently is to
lead the invasion, the Navy and the
strategic air forces (the Super For
treSses) still operate under the sep
arate commands of Admiral Nimitz
and General Spaatz. Moreover. the
command in China is on it's own,
and in the Southwest Pacific it ap-
pears likely that Admiral Lord Louis
Mountbatten will be vested with ad-
ditional authority for independent
operations against Singapore and
the Dutch East Indies.
Geographically. logistically and
In many other respects the vast,
sprawling Pacific Asiatic theater
differs so markedly from Europe
that unification of command-air,
sea and land-muSt be proportion
ately more difficult. Undoubtedly,
as General Macarthur builds up his
invasion force from the great semi
circle base" running from the Phil
ippines to the Ryukyus. the lines of
authority for the final drive will be
more clearly defined, and the prob
ability is that an overall commander
AS urged by General Doolittle-
will be named, with Macarthur the
likely choice. But even then, owing
to the enormous distances and
widely scattered fronts of the Pa
cific, there may have to be inde-
pendent set-ups = such as one for
Mountbatten-in combat zones sec
ondary to and far removed from
Japan proper.
To the Japanese. however. specu-
lation over the working-out of this
command problem must seem more
or less academic, if not pointless. 1t
is enough for them to know that the
man they once drove from the Phil
ippines the man who vowed he
would come back and who came
back, and who then smashed them
There and cried "On to Tokyo!-is
today in control of the Ryukyus,
S25 miles from the homeland. Like
Nimitz and Halsey, Macarthur has
been very special nemesis Of theirs,
and now that 1t seems certain he
viii be in charge Of 1t. they say an