davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1945-03-15
Peacetime Conscription Opposed

Peacetime Conscription Opposed
To the Editor Of The Star:
Peacetime conscription has come to
the fore In campus discussions. We think
that 1t Is Of such vital concern that
every citizen should study the facts and
come to his own unbiased decision
I believe that permanent peacetime
conscription Is unwise and impractical.
It is incompatible with our hopes for
peace through world organization. To
assume that we need peacetime con-
scription for security against the Axis
is to admit defeat. And If we aren't
arming against the Axis, is 1t expected
that the Allies are to be fighting among
themselves so soon?
We would be little better in the eyes
of the world than Germany when she
militarized her youth. The world looks
to the United States for leadership and
If we adopt this measure, all other
nations either will arm themselves to
the teeth or feel that they are being
dominated by the United States.
Finally, military conscription In peace
time is contrary to our democratic, nom
military tradition. It is the Hitler way.
Domination by q military hierarchy dis
courages self-discipline and individu-
ality. MARY ANN BROWN.
Wooster, Ohio.
Evening star., 1945-03-15

to be beaten after Germany goes
down tends to complicate the situa-
ton, but the rule applying to Britain
is presumably meant to apply gem
orally, with lease-lend being adjust
ed among all the United Nations in
accordance with changing military
requirements.
This is as 1t should be. The vast
job of relief, rehabilitation and re-
construction belongs to UNRRA, the
projected world bank and similar
agencies already existing or being
planned. Lease-lend, as its own
formal title declares and as the new
House amendment reaffirms is
strictly war measure designed to
last no longer than the war itself.
To use it as something more than
that would be to violate its avowed
purpose, play Santa Claus and delay
the return of normal international
economic processes,
Evening star., 1945-03-15
Hitler Reoppeors

One of the most noteworthy
events within Germany is the re-
appearance of Hitler in the public
eye. During recent weeks the Of
ficial German news agencies have
carried stories of his doings and fea-
ture pictures of Der Fuehrer on in
spection tours along the front, while
exhortations to the Wehrmacht and
the German people urging resist
ance to the utmost are delivered by
him personally over the radio or are
published under his name.
All this is in striking contrast to
the long seclusion into which Hitler
dropped after the attempt on his life
last July. For months thereafter
nothing was seen or directly heard
from the leader of the Third Reich,
and speculation was rampant as to
whether he was badly injured, men
tally deranged, or even dead, either
from wounds inflicted by the assas-
sination bomb-blast or by the action
OF the ruthless Himmler who might
wish Hitler out of the way The rea-
sons for that long seclusion never
have been explained. But, whatever
they may have been, Der Fuehrer is
out in the limelight once more.
This sudden change cannot be
an accident. The Nazi leaders never
shift their political and propagan-
da tactics without deliberate mo-
tivation, so we may be certain, that
Hitler's studied temperance has
some major significance. Perhaps
the most reasonable explanation is
that 1t is a supreme bid to the IA
naticism of the Nazi party and the
Hitler youth. In the eyes OF his
votaries, Adolf Hitler still is the in
carnation of their quasi-religious
creed, which thus makes him the
best bet for Himmler. Goebbels and
the other party big shots who have
everything to gain and nothing to
lose by prolonging resistance re-
gardless Of its effect upon the fate
OF Germany and the future of the
German people as whole.
Such resistance may take two
forms, either alternatively or In COM
bination. The first Of these is last
ditch fight In the extensive noun
famous region stretching from
Southern Germany through most OF
Austria to Northern Italy, and the
likelihood of such a stand is indi-
Gated by the tenacity OF German
resistance in Italy and on the Austro-
Hungarian border when the troops
there are SO desperately needed in
Germany itself The other form
would be well-planned under
ground activity, terrorizing the peo-
pie OF an Allied-occupied Reich and
making the conquered country diff
ficult to govern or reconstruct
Chronic chaos, coupled with a Hitler
legend" akin to the old Barbarossa
myth. would suit Nazi theology for
an eventual comeback in a shat
tered, anarchical Europe For so
diabolical plan. Hitler would seem
to be the instrument best suited.
Evening star., 1945-03-15
Limit on Leose-Lend

In its overwhelming vote extend
Ing the life of the Lease-Lend Act
for another year. the House has
adopted a wholly pertinent amend
n1ent barring use of the act for post
war relief. rehabilitation or recon-
struction. The size of the vote
1854 to 28-is tribute to the excel
lence of lease-lend as a weapon es-
sential to victory, but the restrict
ing provision makes clear at the
same time that congressional senti-
'ment is strongly opposed to having
the measure operate beyond the
point of military need.
Enacted originally to promote the
defense of the United States, lease
lend, both in intent and function,
has been military project from the
start. and as such, operating recip-
rocally among the Allies, it has
played powerful and decisive role
in making certain the ultimate de-
feat of the Axis. But though its
purpose and application have thus
been clear, there have been some
misgivings of late that it might be
employed in such a way as to make
this country kind of Lady Bounti-
full in the immediate postwar period.
The amendment passed by the
House serves, accordingly, as time
ly restatement of what the measure
is meant to be. so that neither here
nor abroad should there be any
mistaken notion about it.
Though advanced by Republicans,
the amendment was promptly ac-
cepted by administration leaders. Ac-
tually, the administration itself has
declared on more than one occasion
that the act will cease operating as
soon as hostilities come to an end,
and just few months ago Joint
London Washington statement an
nounced that lease-lend shipments
to Britain would probably be cut in
half this year and that the British
would pay cash for supplies not re-
lated to the prosecution Of the war.
The fact that Japan still will remain
~
Evening star., 1945-03-15

n those who would lead the American
ground forces into Japan and China.
According to available information, no
definite decision has yet been taken
regarding the supreme command In the
Pacific, which In the next few months
will become the principal theater Of
military operations. But 1t is known
that Admiral Nimitz already has indi-
Gated that he does net desire this assign
ment. He Is satisfied with the command
Of al the naval forces which viii be
called to play preponderant role In the
war against Japan, but he does not wish
to undertake the command Of the land
forces.
Gen. Marshall has proved his mettle
asa splendid organizer and planner. He
could have become the overall COM
mander Of the Allied forces across the
Atlantic had he desired to command
armies in the field. He had preferred,
however, the less spectacular but more
important job of organizing the forces
from America and is not likely to have
changed his mind at this stage of the
war
Gen. Eisenhower is scheduled to re-
AA404l WltAA lAAC tCV,VVV Ol AsOVVsVVU fAA1lCA
lean soldiers in Europe and complete
the cleaning-up job In Germany from
his future headquarters in Berlin. Both
generals, Of course, will accept any
responsibility which President Roosevelt
might wish to give them.
But 1t is pointed out that neither Gen.
Marshall nor Gen. Eisenhower has had
any practical experience In fighting the
Japanese, who are not likely to give up
even II the American flag is placed over
the imperial palace In Tokyo. From the
available reports, the Japanese already
have organized their industries in occu-
pied China, where they hope to prolong
their resistance after their own home
land is invaded and occupied.
The war In the Far East is likely to be
protracted and costly affair even after
we have occupied Tokyo.
Under these circumstances 1t would
not be surprising If President Roosevelt
ordered Gen. Macarthur, after the COM
pletion of the task entrusted him in 1912,
to assume the command Of the land
forces which will operate against the
Japanese in their homeland and on the
Asiatic homeland.
Evening star., 1945-03-15
Munpower FinuIe

Inc successful euOTG Oh aOuSe
leaders to send the May bill to
conference brings the two-year
struggle to set up some kind of
legislative manpower control to its
final stage. The May bill and the
Senate's version OF manpower legis-
lation are far apart. Hence, the
conferees, in all probability, will
reach some sort of compromise, and
the measure upon which they agree,
for better or worse, will become law.
This being the case. the deter
mined stand by administration
leaders in the House is encouraging.
Opponents OF the May bill tried
without success to have the House
conferees instructed to support
so-called voluntary control measure.
Had that been done the Senate view
assuredly would have prevailed. AS
the matter stands, however, assum-
ing that the representatives of the
House will have full administration
support in conference, the conferees,
If unable to agree on the May bill,
should at least report out something
better than the Senate's O'Mahoney-
kilgore measure.
In the House debate, opponents of
the May bill tried once again to
raise the false issue of slave labor
versus free labor. But the essential
fact is that both measures are
pointed toward the same objectives.
The difference is one Of method and
of candor in dealing with the
American people.
The May bill and the O'Mahoney-
kilgore measure are both designed
to hold workers in essential Jobs,
and to shift others from non
essential to essential work. Under
the House measure this would be
done by methods that are precise,
with specific penalties for all who
refuse to comply. The Senate meas
ure relies on blunderbuss technique
which, as the New Bedford expert
ence demonstrates, is wasteful of
labor. It also processes to be volun-
tary SO far as employees are con-
cerned. The fact is, however, that
1t applies compulsion, as does the
May bill, but in the case of the
Senate measure the compulsion as
applied to workers is economic in
character, and it is claimed that it
does not exist.
There is one other point which
might be emphasized Neither the
House bill, with its frankly COM
pulsory features, nor the Senate bill.
with its pretense at voluntarism, will
AFFECT that vast majority of patriotic
Americans who are rendering dis
ttnguished service in the Nations
war effort. Both bills are aimed at
systematizing the assignment of citi-
zens to vital jobs in war production
and preventing turnover in war
plants. Hence, the real question
before the conferees is not one
OF slave labor versus free labor. but
how best to reach the relatively
small number of people who are not
contributing their just share to the
prosecution of the war.
Evening star., 1945-03-15
The Political Mill
By Gould Lincoln

ments, with private industry working
hand In glove with governmental
agencies in estimating needs. Further,
it Is his opinion that the Government
housing construction should only sup
plement that undertaken privately, and
be carried out only where private in
dustry fails to make the necessary pro-
vision.
During the 10 years preceding the
war, Senator Ellender points out the
yearly average Of house building in this
Observation-Disclosures 275,000.
As he sees it, in the first 10 years after
peace comes there should be constructed
], 500 900 houses each year if the Amer
ican people are to be adequately housed.
OF this total, he believes that public
housing, including slum clearance pro-
grams, should not undertake more than
250000 to 100000 units. And there
should be public housing programs only
where private resources are not able to
do the Job. It Is his view also that
the average home owner should select
the kind OF house he desires, without
any dictation from government. The
only regulate will be his ability to
finance, with loans guaranteed by the
Government where necessary, the house
which he wishes to have as Z home.
Obviously the plans which are In the
making for great postwar housing
program are expected to take care Of
a great deal of labor after the war
industries have been largely, retired
from operation. This is one Of the i'm
pening reasons advanced for the
planning now under way. But aside from
that entirely, the housing needs of
the people are enormous. Not that peo.
pie have no roofs over their heads,
as . whole, but that they are not In
q vast number Of cases adequate.
Here are some Of the fundamentals
laid down by Senator Ellender: First,
the National Housing Agency, under
which some 16 governmental agencies
dealing with housing have been con-
solidated, should be improved and made
permanent. Second, the National Hous-
ing Agency should be In q position to
stimulate private enterprise to do as
large part Of the construction as may
be. Third, the Federal Government
should not build houses or conduct
direct housing proRramS
Evening star., 1945-03-15

Congress Is about to tackle the post
war housing problem In this country
huge program will be essential II the
needs are to be met. Senator Ellender
Of Louisiana, a student Of public hous-
ing and an advocate, Is authority for
the statement that the whole program,
including both private and public, viii
necessitate an outlay of seven or eight
billion dollars year. He lays especial
emphasis, however, on the part which
private industry must play In this re-
building and new building to meet Mr..
and Mrs. Americas needs. The Louisi-
ana Senator, IN conjunction with Sen
ator Wagner Of New York, is about to
introduce a comprehensive bill, placing
Government squarely behind such a pro-
gram.
The Special Committee of the House
on Postwar Economic Policy and
Planning is conducting hearings on
the postwar housing problem, too, pre-
paratory to making recommendation
for legislation. It Is going particularly
into the roles which public works and
private construction will play in the
postwar period.
Literally millions of people In this
country have not been able to build
or to buy new homes during the war
years. Lack of materials and labor
have been the main reasons-for more
people have had more money during
this period than ever before Once the
war Is ended, the demand for homes
and for housing OF all kinds, including
business, will be tremendous. The pur-
pose Of Senator Ellender, Senator Wag-
ner and others in Congress Is to bring
about adequate, overall planning for
this great mass OF construction. One
part Of this planning has to do with
adequate credit for the prospective home
builders, with loans at comparatively
low rates Of interest. This is where
the Government can be Of assistance.
Not by making loans direct, but by
guaranteeing loans made by banks and
other financial institutions.
It Is the hope Of Senator Ellender
that the housing plans will come, not
from Washington, but from the 10
calities where the housing Is needed.
thus decentranzing the whole picture.
As he sees the proposition. zach 10
cality should present its own require
Evening star., 1945-03-15
How Much Lonoer?

Yesterday, for the thirtieth con-
secutive day, Germany felt the ter
rible lash Of our Allied air power.
So big was the American attacking
force that the number Of men In
1.-THE pilots, gunners, navigators
and bombardiers-equaled an entire
infantry division. And as this
mighty calvacade struck, a fieet OF
British Lancasters, as II to give
preview OF the end OF the world,
unleashed for the first time in the
war fearsome rain OF eleven-ton
bombs, by far the heaviest ever
known before.
Never has any country been sub
jected to such punishment as this.
Day after day, night after night, the
fire and birthstone have come down
on the cities Of Germany. Cologne,
Dresden, Berlin, Madgeburg, Dort-
mund, Munich, Essen-they are all
little more than rubble now, and
they are but a handful OF the total
caught in the fury Of our unending
air offensive. The news pictures
have given us some idea of the vast
destruction wrought: The Luftwaffe
sowed the wind, and now the Ger
man people are reaping the whirl-
wind on scale that makes the blitz
of 1940-41 seem almost gentle by
comparison.
And this whirlwind promises to
mount in intensity beyond even the
worst that has gone before. The
introduction of the eleven-ton bomb
gives clear notice of that: Germany
and its people will be battered and
pulverized until they learn that It
is better to surrender to the Allies
than to let Hitler and the Gestapo
terrorize them into continuing the
senseless resistance. How much
longer can they stand it? How much
longer can they take these hammer
blows from the sky and stand up
against our ground armies? Not
much longer, 1t would seem, unless
they are resolved on national suicide
Evening star., 1945-03-15

these troops can hardly be well sup
piled with ammunition, the japanese
have found it necessary to cause "in-
dependence proclamations" to be issued
in the names of the Emperor OF AMMAN
and the King of Cambodia-an obvious
If somewhat tardy bid to native as
pirations In what seems to be an at
tempt to line up native support against
the French and against a possible Allied
move from outside to support the
French. This does not seem likely to
have much success, as the natives Of
French 1ndo-China are noted for Z
sense Of humor.
AZ to the possibility Of an Allied
landing in Indo- China, it may be well
to take this rather seriously. There is
no reason why 1t could not be done,
especially II any worthwhile assistance
could be obtained from the French
forces already In the country. A new
short route to Running could be opened
II the port of Haiphong could be cap
tured and the railway from that port
into the Province Of Yunnan could be
brought into Allied possession. The ter.
rain Is formidable, but here again 1t
Is necessary to point out that no terrain
means very much as military obstacle
unless It Is defended by adequate forces.
Probably the naturalization of jap
anese air bases In the island of Hainan
would be 4 necessary preliminary to any
landing In the vicinity Of Haiphong, but
this should certainly not be beyond the
power. Of Allied carrier-based aircraft
II the operation Is thought otherwise
worth while.
Whether this Is 20 depends very large
opening another supply lane to China
that =. as IN aid TO operations Of
larger scope directed toward the even-
tual establishment Of strong Allied air
bases on Chinese territory and relief
to the hard-pressed Chinese themselves.
It d not to be expected that Allied
commanders Will undertake operations
which have no purpose except to re-
take territory from the Japanese unless
such operations make direct contribu-
tion to the big job Of smashing Japan
once and for al.
One further remark may be justinAd
at this tirne-as the japanese position
Ia Southeast Asia groWs weaker, the
Tokyo government may have IN OPP
poTtuntty 10 learn from sad expert
ence Just what value Is to be placed
on the fidelity Of their Thai allies. It
i the sa.me lesson which the Germans
leaxned Id Romania and Bulgaria. Very
possibly the advantages of the co-prcs-
peeity sphere do not appear II quite
the sane lieht at 1anSkok g "a the
Sood old days of loA.
(cspvSlo1A 1olS.l
Evening star., 1945-03-15
Fingerprintinq

thousands OF people are familiar
with the theory and practice of
f1ngerprinting, but only few are
acquainted with the background of
scientific observation and research
which now makes identification
relatively as simple procedure as
elementary mathematics.
Professor Johannes Evangelista
Purkinje of the University of Breslau
was the pioneer dactyloscopist. AS
early as 1928 he developed a sys-
tenatic classification of fingerprints
in nine basic groups, and from that
codif1cation all modern work along
similar lines has descended. But
tremendous impetus was given to
the whole subject by Sir Francis
Galton of the University of London
who, beginning in 1888, published a
number of stimulating and provoca-
tive studies OF the papillary ridges
and other markings of the bulbs of
human fingers. His methods are
followed by most Investigators Of
the present day.
But many other men have con-
tributed to the essential discoveries
OF the science of dactyloscopic iden-
tification. Sir william Herschel.
head of the Civil Service in the
Hooghly district of Bengal, employed
one or two digital impressions as a
substitute for written signatures in
1883. Sir Edward Richard Henry
at first in India and subsequently
while chief commissioner Of the
London Metropolitan Police, ..'use-
fully adopted fingerprints for the
detection OF crime" The authentic
worth of the system was demon
strated in dramatic manner in
1892 when Francisco Rojas, an
Argentinian woman who had accused
a neighbor Of numbering her sons,
was found to be the assassin her
self, the proof OF her guilt being
established by bloody impressions
OF her hands left on the jamb Of a
door.
South American interest In the
matter had been promoted by Juan
Vucetich Of La Plata, q disciple Of
Cation. In the United States Gilbert
Thompson Of the Geological Survey
utilized his thumb impression to pre-
Evening star., 1945-03-15
Murch Night in the Gurden

Tonight there Is no malice II the aniMa;.
The garden lies beneath tts touch,
OF an xn,oonted ktndNess n the ar
Where many shfUerts0 moons hoVe
,Ddnsd and thtnmed.
Here, through the naked brdachss Of
the oak,
With cruel beauty the great stars
hare bl0zed
Like frebrasds In mighty hand
4 hand that threatened, but utthhsld
the stroke.
The stdrs are geHtlsr NON. Along d path
Dtscerned from nsemory of sunny
hours,
stumble, dreaming Of the birth 81
NoiCers
whsrs storms hare lstf % bleak ss
aftermath,
And feel once more springs Quickexing
ecst6sy
ST. i1 the tDaittxg garden ana n NJ.
ME1 BARCLAY KIRBY..
Evening star., 1945-03-15
Letters to The Star
Favors Red Cross Distribution
OF Undelivsred Packa8es

NJ oH0SltNOISQ I3Cku&SU
To the Editor Of The star:
am very much interested In the
article on the front page Of The Star
for March Is: millions OF Christmas
Parcels for Yanks in Pacific Unclaimed"
Ny son Is aboard 1 destroyer escort.
doing convoy duty In the Pacific, max
ing port somewhere In the islands every
few weeks and yet he has not received
q single package Of some six or eight
that were sent to him for Christmas.
It would seem that the Navy certainly
knows when and where these ships will
next make port and the mall could be
there when they arrive.
know it is gigantic task to keep
UP with the millions Of men now In
service but 1t doesn't seem reasonable
that the officers and men OF any ship
should have to 60 two months or more
with no line from home. which has been
the case In this instance. aside from
not receiving the packages In question.
write my son four to six letters every
week. to keep up his morale, but II
they are not received, what's the use?
Let US turn this matter over to the
American Red Cross, which feel will
make an earnest effort to get the pack
ages to the addresses and. II this Is
impossible. to see that some one gets the
use Of them, and that they are not
Just allowed to rot In the rain. This
task added to the already innumerable
ones being done by the Red Gross Is one
more reason for us putting our all into
the current Red Gross drive.
ALFREDA M. CONWAY.