davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1945-05-21
A Strike Paws Off

The settlement of the anthracite
coal strike leaves intact the Gov
ernment's unadmirable wartime rec
ord of defeat at the hands of John
L. Lewis.
Mr.. Lewis, through unhesitating
use of pressure tactics, has won sub
stantial concessions for the $4,000
anthracite miners. After prelimi-
nary negotiations had failed to pro-
duce an agreement, the miners went
on strike three weeks ago. The
Government took over the mines,
thereby invoking for possible use
the criminal sections of the Smith
Connally Act. But the miners did
not call their strike a strike. They
said that they were just staying
away from work-that $4,000 men,
acting independently and without
encouragement or assistance, had
simply come to the conclusion that
they would not dig coal. The At
torney General, after an investiga-
ton, could find no flaw in this con-
tention, and decided that there had
been no violation of the law.
In this situation, and despite the
fact Of the strike, or, perhaps one
should say, because of the strike,
Secretary Ickes suggested that the
dispute be settled on the basis of
daily increase in pay of $1.371a.
This was accepted, and, while the
details of the distribution of the
increase have not been announced, it
is expected that the settlement will
be approved by the stabilization au-
thorities, and that the public will
be called upon to bear the added
cost of mining coal.
There are at least three results OF
this settlement which may be worth
noting. With 1t, Mr.. Lewis has
secured for the miners a total aver
age weekly increase in pay of more
than 100 per cent since the begin
ming OF the war. A little more fuel
has been added to the inflationary
fires in this country. And the Gov
ernment, assuming final approval
OF the agreement, once more has
tacitly conceded that strikes nav
off
Evening star., 1945-05-21

slonally In horSe-drawn wagons They
are in civilian clothes, the men often
stripped to the waist, but scrutiny of
household goods reveals many SIS boots
or brown shirts amongst the bedding
and linen.
In villages where Germans from
bombed areas have pushed indigenous
inhabitants from their homes or crowded
them into back rooms, it is difficult to get
a political word from the local people.
They still are under the spell and domi-
nation OF the Germans, many of the lat
ter being young men of the SIS type who
seem neither to fear nor respect the
Americans.
In Salzburg's streets there are few
Austrian national flags and no signs of
Jubilation in the liberation from the
German yoke. Since we don't recognize
the national government in Vienna
under the Russians it is impossible to
rally them to anything of their own.
therefore the Austrian liberation takes
the form Of military occupation, not
differing from that of the neighboring
German territory, which is certain to
bind Austrians to Germans rather than
separate them.
Meanwhile balyhooing the Nazi gen.
erals, which elevates them as a center
OF interest, can easily be mistaken for
admiration and must utterly confuse the
Germans and Austrians. They certainly
realize that where there are Russians
the Nazis are vigorously dealt with.
There is no tendency to take Nal
small fry seriously, but the Nazi move
ment is overwhelmingly made up of
small fry and can exist without big
leaders-and here the people don't be-
leve, anyhow, that Hitler is dead.
have an impression, which is as vivid
and as strong as familiar smell. that
despite the total collapse of the armies
the Nazi movement still exists in an
organized form right under the noses of
the military police and that in our re-
slstance to Red Vienna" it is going to
organize itself to our utter confusion
unless we rapidly reach an understands
ing with the Russians,
Evening star., 1945-05-21
Quotes Isaiah on Peace

To the Editor of The Star.
On the day when Germany an
nounced her unconditional surrender.
rather significant statement appeared
In The Star credited to Columnist Dor
othy Thompson, who declared: TT NAV
seem strange that any journalist at the
climax of events in Europe, whers one
sensation follows another, should choose
to turn to the Middle East, but 1t has
been my practice to try to anticipate
rather than to follow events"
This was date-lined in Jerusalem.
Alexander Cruden, famous for his Bib
hcal concordance, declares that the
name Jerusalem means foundations OF
peace" And Immediately our search
leads us to consult the Book of Isaiah.
who previewed the efforts of men after
tragic war: The word that Isaiah
the son OF Amoz saw concerning Judah
and Jerusalem. - And many people
shall go and say, come ye, and let us
go up to the mountain of the Lord
for out of Zion shall go forth the law,
and the word of the Lord from Jerusa-
lem. And He shall Judge among the
nations, and shall rebuke many people:
and they shall beat their swords into
ploWshares, and their spears into prun-
ing hooks: nation shall not lift up sword
against nation, neither shall they learn
war any more" Isaiah, chapter ii, l, 3, 4,
Having learned the fearful lessons OF
global war, all eyes may yet turn to
Jerusalem. The prophet anticipates
such move. A famous columnist turns
up in the Middle East. And will the
foundations of peace" be laid there?
The careful reader will 60 on reading
the rest Of the chapter Men may seek
peace, but they will not practice it,
The human heart refuses to change,
and the lofty looks of man shall be
humbled, = = and the Lord alone shall
be exalted in that day"
CHARLES ALLEN RENTFRO.
Evening star., 1945-05-21
Value Of Foreign LANGUAGES

Dr. E. F. Engel of the University of
Kansas, writing in the spring issue
OF the Bulletin of the American As
sociation of University Professors
discusses the practical utility of the
study of languages in terms which
should be of interest to the public at
large, not merely to teachers and
students as specialized groups. The
problem to which he refers, un-
doubtedly, has been brought into
prominence by the Second World
War-if only because the destruction
of German culture has had the
effect of decreasing the potential
pragmatic value of spending years
attempting to understand the pecu-
liarities of the German tongue.
But DR.. Engel still believes that
there would be general agreement
that "the person who has sufficient
knowledge of foreign languages to
grasp Immediately the meanings and
connotations of words, phrases and
1dloms that come under his notice
has an exalted advantage over the
non-linguist, not only with respect
to clearer understanding of what
he reads or hears, but also in the
enjoyment that comes from the ex-
ercise of acquired personal powers"
He cites the historic saying: "An
individual multiplies himself by
the number of foreign languages he
knows"
Not everybody, however, desires to
be multiplied. The trend of current
times, it seems, is toward simpliica-
ton. An individual who knows
Latin and Greek certainly "is con-
scious of and enjoys a supplement-
ing. and Illuminating presence as he
catches Immediately the meaning
and often the extra significance of
words derived from those languages"
Yet DR.. Engel does not argue that
life should be series of pathological
or genealogical adventures. Cultural
cosmopolitanism can be carried too
far. A better policy, perhaps, is that
of a reasonable, not too narrow
conservatism.
And nature itself appears to sup
port that view. DR.. Engel points out
Evening star., 1945-05-21
Wild Strawberries

Small, rare and crimson as rubies in
the ,Dood-lot grass,
All but hidden from the sunlight, all
but lost,
These berries hold the sharper tang of
stpeet pild earth,
Flduor OF leaf mould, honey OF com.
pounded sun and frost.
Wnr-,Dtite or pdlest green, the unripe
fruits beneath the leaf,
Concealed tDith natural craft from
searching hand and eye;
Who plucks this fruit and eats piu
still kno,o hunger;
Crushed, this 1Dtld s,Deetness pill yet
ledpe him dry.
For here also In this flavor Is the taste
OF time,
The long remembrance of the long.
forgotten yesteryedrs;
Who eats here tDill recall a bright lost
day OF childhood,
Before eDer the heart learned bitter
laughter or dry tears.
FREDERICK EBRIGHT.
Evening star., 1945-05-21

1t appears that the Russian authori-
ties suspected him of being the "ear" of
the Vatican in the Russian capital and
that he was able, by some devious way,
to send to the Holy See reports which
should not have been sent abroad.
Whether these allegations are true or
not will unquestionably develop in the
trial. But so long as the Kremlin con-
sidered the Vatican friendly power"
Father Braun was tolerated by the
Russian authorities.
In recent months, however, diplo-
matte relations between Russia and the
Vatican have deteriorated. Russian
broadcasting stations have repeatedly
denounced Pope Pious for what they
described as a "pro-Fascist" attitude,
and these attacks are being continued.
Under these circumstances the trial OF
Father Braun on an assault" charge is
being watched by the foreign Offices of
most countries represented in Moscow.
Moreover, 1t Is reported that there
was Slight verbal conflict" between
the American clergyman and the Rus
sian comnlissar for religious affairs.
When 1t was announced from Mos
COW tnat freedom OF religion had been
fully re-established in the Soviet Union.
Father Braun Is said to have called
on the assistant commissar to ask
whether under the new religious laws
he could open Sunday school in Mos
COW.
The conlmissar informed him that
this was against the U. S. S. r. consti-
tuition. which prohibits religious teach
ings In schools. But he added that
this does not mean any curtailment Of
privileges which the Russian govern
ment intends to give the clergy Among
these he mentioned that the Catholic
clergy in all places under U. S. S. R. con-
trol-that is to say, in Poland and in
portions OF Germany-will be allowed
to elect their own hierarchy, which
includes bishops and cardinals.
Father Braun is said to have observed
to the Soviet officials that this was a
prerogative of the Vatican itself and
that the Catholic clergy depends en-
tirely on the Holy See. Things will
have to change" was the reply which
Is reported to have been given the
American clergyman.
The State Department is believed to
have instructed the American diplo-
matte mission in Moscow to watch care
fully and report to Washington i'm
mediately the developments of the trial,
which is being described by some Off
cials as diplomatic case
Evening star., 1945-05-21
This Changing World
By Constantine Broyn

A trial which may have wide diplo-
matte repercussions Is being held at
present in Moscow.
Father Leopold Braun, an American
priest who functions as a sort of chap
lain to Catholic members of the foreign
colony in Moscow, Is being brought be-
fore the Russian courts to answer
charges that last October he assaulted
a Russian workman in the French En-
bassy, where the father has been staying
since 1884.
The American Embassy is reported to
have asked permission for an official
representative to be present at the trial.
While the penalty which may be i'm
posed on Father Braun is not likely to
be severe, the action Of the Soviet gov
ernment has produced a stir in foreign
quarters in Moscow
When the former Soviet foreign COM
missar, Maxim Litvinoff, came to Wash
ington in 1888 to sign the protocol
whereby the United States ended IS
years of ostracism of Russia, President
Roosevelt insisted that tangible proof
be given to the people of the United
States that the U. S. S. r. government
would respect the religious freedom OF
the Americans
William Bullitt, jr., was appointed
Ambassador and on the basis of the
agreement between President Roose-
velt and Ambassador Litvinoff he
selected Father Braun, former teacher
at the Assumptionist College in Wor-
chester, Mass, to accompany him. The
French Embassy, which possesses a
chapel, offered him shelter and Father
Braun has lived there since 1884 He
himself is Of French descent.
While there are several Catholic
priests in the u S. s. R., Father Braun
is said to be one of the few who enjoys
the privilege Of celebrating mass,
privilege that resulted directly from the
arrangement between President Roose-
velt and Mr.. Litvinoff.
Father Braun never left the U. S. S. r.
after his arrival with Ambassador
Bullitt in Moscow because he realized
the difficulties which might be put in
his way when he sought return visa
II he went abroad on vacation.
The presence of Catholic clergyman.
who, while not having diplomatic i'm
munity, was held in high esteem by
the entire foreign diplomatic corps in
Moscow, Is said to have become so irk-
some to certain Soviet authorities that,
according to some reports, his name
formed a topic of converse ton between
Premier Stain and President Roose-
velt at Yalta.
Evening star., 1945-05-21
Letters to The Star
Library Memorial Committee
Offers Tentative Report

To the Editor OF The Star:
Two zone defense areas are turning
over to the Cleveland Park Memorial
Committee the money collected and
not used for defense purposes. They
believe the community memorial fea-
ture in the library which Cleveland
Park will have deserves the co-opera-
ton Of the community and that no
better use could be made Of the money.
Since many people in Cleveland Park
have inquired about the nature of the
memorial feature, this Is report to
them and to others who may be inter-
ested. There seems to be feeling that
such a feature should be in some form
which symbolizes the struggle for de-
mocracy and not merely list Of names
on a wall.
While this Memorial Committee can
not yet go into detail concerning the
eventual working out of this community
undertaking, it is fairly certain that
the memorial will be in form which
will forward the ideas toward which
many Americans continue to give
their lives.
The present intention of the commit
tee is to have the names of all service
people kept in large book in what is
expected to be the most attractive part
OF the library. 1t has been suggested
that special memorial alcove be built
that a fireplace and easy chairs be
there. and that the windows look out
on small but well-kept garden. It
Is hoped that some one will wish to me-
morialize son or daughter by foun-
tain for that garden.
While in the library alcove itself there
might, 1t has been suggested, be a COL
lection Of carefully selected books, in
which could be pasted the name and
service record Of an individual service
man or woman from this community.
The alcove and the books should be in
honor both Of the living and in memory
OF the dead In this way the influence
OF these individuals will be continued
indefinitely.
Meanwhile, the committee is pre-
pairing card index of names of all
service men and women from Kalorama
road, Cathedral Heights Cleveland
Park and the Connecticut avenue areas.
This is tremendous undertaking and
we shall be glad of help.
JESSIE BRYANT GROVE.
Evening star., 1945-05-21

by mere one-sided application of force
by an interested party.
Neither Great Britain nor the United
states has any particular interest in
Trieste. The interested parties are the
lnhabltantS OF Austria and Northern
Yugoslav1a, on one side, and to some
extent those of Czechoslovakia as we'll
and on the other, the Italian popula
ton of the city itself.
The commercial Importance of Trieste
is far greater than its military impor-
tance. 1t would, in fact, never have had
any military Importance at all if it had
not been for the desire of the Austro-
hungarian government to maintain a
navy in the Adriatic Sea capable of
balancing the Italian navy, and even so
the main Austrian naval arsenal was
at Pola, not at Trieste itself.
Today, with the Mediterranean a
British lake once more, with the Aus
trian navy gone long ago and with
Italian seapower unlikely to be per-
mltted to revive, it does not seem prob
able that either Trieste or Pola will be
OF any great military consequence.
The future of Trieste, therefore. must
be settled largely by reconciling the
political and economic factors involved.
But these factors will require careful
study by disinterested judges, in order
that the solution of the problem shall
be for the greatest good of the greatest
number of people. There can be no
wholly satisfactory solution: Whatever
the final decision, there will be some
who will not like it.
X *
But there is all the difference in the
world between such a solution, made,
after full discussion and full exanina.
tion of varying points of view, by agree
ment between all the interested parties
with the assistance of those who are
not interested parties, and a decision
imposed by one of the interested parties
who happens at a particular moment
to have force at hand to make a grab
regardless of other peoples rights.
Here is case in point which illus
trates the difference between the world
we are trying to build for the future,
and the world in which we lived In the
past; the difference between the re-
sponsible use of force only to support
law and justice, or at least some ap-
proach to justice, and the irresponsible
use of force to attain selfish desires
regardless of justice.
That is why Trieste becomes test
case, one of the first test cases In the
great process of nquidating the con-
sequences OF the European war.
tcopyrtsht lez6J
Evening star., 1945-05-21
Sweden Under Pressure

The Soviet government, in note
sent through it's Stockholm Lega-
ton, has asked the Swedish govern
ment to confiscate one issue of the
Swedish weekly periodical Obs, pub
lished by the well-known writer
Arvid Fredborg, because it carried
an article about Premier Joseph
Stain which the Soviet note de-
scribed as IAN insidious attack on
leading Russian personality and the
Russian people" The note went on
to ask the Swedish government to
prohibit in the future publication
of articles in the same vein.
The text of the offending article
has not been reproduced in this
country, though George Axelsson,
Stockholm correspondent of the
New York Times, writes that, to him,
the article seems quite objective,
certainly not terribly original in de-
tails hitherto unknown to the world"
However, a much larger issue is
raised by the Soviet demand that
the Swedish government prohibit fu-
ture publications which may not be
pleasing to Russian senSibilities.
This implies virtual claim on the
part of Moscow to censor the Swed-
ish press, and Swedish spokesmen
have pointed out that compliance
with the Russian demand would
necessitate the establishment of an
official pre-censorship. That is
something which has never been
done in Sweden or contemplated
even during the most delicate phase
of diplomatic tension with Nazi
Germany. The Swedes have the
same conception of freedom for the
press that we have in this country,
and any such limitations imposed
by foreign pressure would be deeply
repugnant to Swedish public opinion
as a surrender of a cherished ma
tional ideal.
The Swedish position should GER
tainly evoke sympathetic under
standing here and in Britain. 1t is,
to say the least, disquieting that, at
the very moment when we are stress
ing the necessity for the unfettered
publication of information in the
postwar world, Moscow should seek
to impair the process in a country
noted for it's enlightment and pro-
gressive standards.
The Swedish government has an
swered the Russian note by an ex-
preston of regret that the article
complained of by Moscow had given
an unfavorable impression. But, so
far az known, it has made no reply
On the matter Of censorship for fu-
Evening star., 1945-05-21

that English is the most notably
absorptive Of all languages, "the
most hospitable living" tongue.
Thousands of words from alien
sources already have been welcomed
into its dictionary. It therefore has
the most numerous contacts with
non-English-speaking communities.
Thus it may have the best possible
chance of becoming "the inter
national world language" and of
being studied universally as such.
Evening star., 1945-05-21
Urges Free Transportation

To the Editor of The Star:
1t was with great interest that I re-
Gently read in Washington paper a
letter suggesting reduced fares for serv-
icemen using Capital Transit facilities.
May I, as serviceman, say loud and
emphatic amen?
In fact, would dare suggest such
treatment of servicemen as is rendered
by Chicago-free public transportation.
Washington may not have much long
er to change the opinions many service
people now hold of this city. A generous
policy of reduced or no fares at all
would help considerably. A. Am.
Evening star., 1945-05-21

From the Topeka Capital.
Experimenting with thistle known as
safhower, the Nebraskans think they
have found dry-land crop, drouth-re-
sistant and suitable to soils of that re-
gion. 1t produces oils which can be used
in the manufacture of paint, and it also
makes an important contribution to
high-protein stock feeds.
Evening star., 1945-05-21
This and That
By Charles E. Traceuell.


Dear Sir:
Il find your articles on the birds In
The Evening Star very interesting and
delightful, and I am one who always
reads your column.
L want to tell you of a pigeon who
came to my windowsill one morning.
He had picked his head through a slice
OF bread and could not get himself
free, as the bread was too far back on
his head for him to reach, and there
ne was with collar of bread and no
way to free himself.
He looked so tired, and T wondered
what I could do for the little fellow. I
thought might get some water on the
bread to soften it and then it would
fall Off
But he would not let me come near
him. Then he would try to fly and
fall. How it all ended I do not know:
he disappeared and did not return.
Sincerely, N. c."
Evening star., 1945-05-21
Trieste a Test Case
By Maj. George Fielding Eliot

The problem of Trieste Is one which
falls in familiar and troublesome pat
tern. We have but to recall the names
of Fiume and Danzig to realize its
nature. 1t is the problem of seaport
which is inhabited by seafaring and
commercial population of racial origin
different from that of the agricultural
population of the hinterland served by
the seaport. In such case, each
claimant can make an excellent case
Trieste is an italian city. Easily
proven; look at the census. But Trieste
serves a great Yugoslav area-and in
cidentally a great German Austrian
area, too-which is very largely de-
pendent on its facilities for export and
import trade.
This is exactly the sort OF problem
which in the past has always been
settled by force, because it has been i'm
possible to settle it otherwise. Trieste
was populated by Italians, because the
italians were the seafarers and traders
of the Mediterranean area for centuries
and Trieste existed only as great COM
mercial port: it had no other reason for
existence. Yet it was under Austrian
domination for centuries, because the
House of Hapsburg ruled the area which
it served, and Austrian commerce gave it
its prosperity. The Slavs who inhabited
most of that hinterland were not sea-
faring folk, they were farmers. The
Germans of Austria did not turn readily
to the sea; as late as 1914 the imperial
and royal Austro-H Hungarian navy was
a mere appendage of the army. But
from the very hour of the unif1cation
of Italy, Trieste was part of Italia
Irredenta because of its Italian popula-
ton.
If you will consider the problem of the
German city of Danzig, founded by the
north Germans, the men Of the Han
seattle League, who were great traders
and great seafarers, but serving Slav
hinterland inhabited by Polish and
Lithuanian peasants, you will find con-
ditions almost exactly similar. And you
will find conditions which certainly
were disturbing to the peace Of Europe,
and which each side, as opportunity
offered, sought to adjust to its own
liking by force.
Now that is the sort of solution which
can no longer be admitted. II we are
to have world ruled by any sort of
justice, world in which the rights of
all are to receive due consideration, then
those In whose hands rests responsibility
because they have the power must not
allow decisions Of this sort TO be made