davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1945-08-17
Churchill VS.. Churchill

One point of interest In Mr..
Churchill's address to the House
of Commons yesterday was that it
| foreshadowed what may become, in
time, the debate OF the century
the debate between Mr.. Churchill
as leader of his majesty's opposi-
ton and Mr.. Churchill as Prime
Minister
Last December, reporting to the
House as Prime Minister, on the
fixing of new boundaries for Poland,
Mr.. Churchill said:
Thus have set before the House what,
In outline, is the offer which the Rus
slams make to the Polish people.
cannot believe that such an offer
should be rejected by Poland. II has,
of course, to be accompanied by ~disen-
tanglement of peoples in the west and
north and transference of several mil
lions of people would have to be effected
from east to west or to north, and be-
cause that is what is proposed, the total
expulsion of Germans from the areas to
be acquired by Poland in the west and in
the north, for expulsion is the method
which, SO far as we have been able TO
see, will be most satisfactory and lasting.
am not alarmed at the prospect
OF the disentanglement of population
nor even am I alarmed by these large
transferences which are more possible
than they were before through modern
condition. Nor do see that there
should not be room in Germany for the
German people of East Prussia and
other territories I have mentioned. After
all, six million or seven million Germans
have been killed already in this dreadful
war into which they did not hesitate
for second time in this generation to
plunge all Europe and the world.
Voicing a skepticism characteristic
OF the leader of his majesty's op-
position, Mr.. Churchill yesterday
expressed considerable doubt as to
the grounds for the former Prime
Minister'S optimism regarding the
"disentanglement of populations"
He said:
I am particularly concerned at this
moment with reports reaching us of con-
ditions under which the expulsion and
exodus of Germans from new Poland
have been carried out Between eight
million and nine million persons dwelt
in these regions before the war. The
Polish government say that there are
still 100000 of these not yet expelled
within their new frontier OF these
other millions most have taken refuge
between British and American lines, thus
increasing the food stringency in our
sectors. Enormous numbers are unac-
counted for. Where have they gone and
what is their fate? A similar condition
may reproduce itself in modified form in
numbers of expulsions of Sudentans and
other Germans from Czechoslovakia.
Guarded accounts of what has happened,
what is happing, have filtered through,
but it is not impossible that tragedy on
a prodigious scale is imposing itself be-
hind the iron curtain which at present
divides Europe in twain. should well
come any statement which the Prime
Minister can make, which will relieve
us or inform us on this very anxious
and grievous matter.
Evening star., 1945-08-17
On the Record
BY Dorothy Thompson

the United States wants confederation
OF Europe, which for the sake of Eu-
rope is long overdue. But a United
States of Europe, with the populati ton,
resources and industrial capacity it
possesses, would be a great power it
self; added to any other of the great
powers 1t would upset the triumvirate;
therefore, it must be kept weak, and
that is the sum total of the great power
policy vis-a-vis Europe.
This is also the only policy toward
China which would keep the great
powers together, and the latter is alone
decisive in the world as it is, since it
is on this that our future peace is
founded
The Chinese revolution began in 1911.
1t has never ended; the Far Eastern
war was part of it, and foreign inter-
ventlons played an enormous role
throughout this entire generation The
fau OF the Manchu Dynasty resulted
after a brief period of four years in
dlslntegratlon of the Empire, with its
various parts practically independent,
under various generals. These generals
were backed by various foreign powers.
The United States had little part in
this. The game was played by Russia,
Japan and Great Britain.
In the first period of Chang Kai-shek,
in the middle of the thirties, an at
tempt at unlfcation looked promising.
But the domestic anatgonisms and am
oltlons were too great, and soon the
old struggle started again. When the
Japanese attacked China a precarious
settlement was made between the two
main forces; those of Yenan, the So
called Communists. of Russian orienta-
ton, and those of Chungking of-not
American or British-but anti-Russian
orientation. When the end of the war
approached, the truce began to dis
solve. and with the end of the war
there is good chance of civil war.
We have in China only the name of
central government There are three
zones: Chung King China Communist
China; and something that might be
called Vichy China-the collaborat tors
OF Japan. The fight right now is over
who gets Vichy first. We don't want
either side to get it, but want peace
through government reform, and re-
Cancellation through compromise. If the
Russians want the same thing, we can
probably enforce it,
Evening star., 1945-08-17
The Petuin Verdict

The outcome of the long Petain
trial is about what had generally
been expected. The 89-year-old
defendant, found guilty of treason
and intelligence with the enemy"
is sentenced to death, but with a
recommendation by the 24-man
jury that the sentence be not car
ried out because of his great age"
Since a legal appeal to a higher
tribunal is impossible because of the
special composition of the trial
court, this puts the matter up to
General Charles de Gaulle, and,
despite the latter's uncompromising
theology. it seems more than prob
able that the head of the present in
terim French government will accede
to the jurys recommendation by
committing the death sentence to
term of imprisonment that, in the
nature of things, cannot be pro-
longed. 1t is thus unlikely that the
grim precedent of 1893 will be re-
peated, when another Chief of State,
King Louis XVI, was sent to execu-
ton. That violent deed was one of
the prime factors which produced
split in French national life that
never really healed and contributed
to the collapse of France in 1910.
In similar fashion, the execution of
Marshal Petain would render him
martyr in many French eyes and
would leave an evil legacy of Bit
terness and recrimination.
From its very beginning, the Pc
tain trial was obviously political"
in its nature. More than the aged
marshal was involved, because he
exemplified an attitude and ideas
shared by millions of his fellow
countrynnen during the black years
of German domination. The prose-
cution failed to prove that the
marshal had usurped power by de-
liberate conspiracy. Since his au-
thorlty derived from legal processes,
the charges had to be restricted to
the uses he made of it. And much
of the testimony adduced by the de-
fense, including that of Admiral
Leahy, American diplomatic repre-
sentative to Vichy regime which
Washington recognized. was to the
effect that Petain acted in accord
ance with what he deemed to be
Frances necessities, however mis-
taken the marshal may have been
in estimating French interests from
a long-range point of view.
The trial was, in itself, an un-
fortunate necessity. It would have
been far better If Petain had sue
cumbed to the infirmities of age and
the humiliations OF his enforced
Evening star., 1945-08-17
Surrender Delay

All signs indicate that the Japa-
nese could not complete arrange
ments for the surrender conference
which had been scheduled to take
place at Manila today. The fact
that General Macarthur granted
their request for a poStponement is
good evidence of that, but his latest
directive to them to avoid any
stalling makes clear that he is not
overlooking the possibility of
treachery.
In all probability, the japanese
found a delay necessary in order to
make sure that their surrender mis-
sion would be able to give General
Macarthur complete guarantees.
To do this, they must first see to
1t that all their army and navy
commanders in the vast Pacific
Asiatic theater understand and obey
the cease-fire instructions of the
Emperor, and in the event that any
fanatics refuse, Hirohito's ennis
saries to Macarthur presumably
will so inform him and take what
ever steps may be needed to cope
with the situation.
japanese forces are stretched out
thousands of miles from Manchuria,
through the home islands, through
Korea, China, Indo-China, Burma
and Malaga, down to Singapore, and
thence through the Southwest Pa
cific. Even in this age of swift COM
munications, it is not simple thing
to effect a complete surrender all at
once in all these areas, particularly
in view of the character of some of
Japan's commanders. In an effort
to insure that there will be as little
disobedience as possible-if any
members of the imperial family
must back up Hirohito's capitula-
ton orders by personal visits to
every front.
The situation clearly is one re-
quiring time to unwind. On the
strength of General MacArthur's
postponement of the surrender con-
ference. we may assume that he felt
a brief extension of time could be
tolerated. but dispatches this morn
ing indicate that he is mindful Of
the possibility of something more
than necessary delay.
Evening star., 1945-08-17

The instructions received on Wednes-
day by Gen. Macarthur from the White
House give him complete latitude in his
dealings with the Japanese and make
him supreme commander in the surren-
dered areas, in fact as we'll as in name.
Gen. Macarthur has been given a
free hand to handle the japanese. The
representatives of the other powers will
have only consultative voice. High
ranking British, Russian and Dutch Of
flcers, together with whatever token
forces these governments may wish to
send to occupy Japan. will be under
Gen. MacArthur's Jurisdiction. They
will be kept posted of the decisions Of
the supreme commander and their OBJ
servations and wishes will be taken into
consideration. But there is no question
that the show" in Asia will be run by
the American representative.
The possibility of some further fight
ing against groups Of Japanese who may
refuse to obey the orders of the Emperor
has been envisaged and it Is up to Gen.
Macarthur to make the necessary dis
positions to crush these groups.
In some sectors far from the Ameri-
can operational bases, such as the Dutch
East Indies, Indo-China and Manchu-
ria. the responsibility for further fight
ing-if this should be necessary-will
be placed on the Allied forces available
there. Gen Macarthur will decide how
much additional American support may
be needed in such an emergency. This
is particularly true about China itself.
1t. Gen. Albert C. Wedemeyer may have
to be strongly reinforced with troops
and aviation from Gen. MacArthur's
bases. where American forces had been
poised to strike at Japan before Sep
tember Is if Hirohito had not surren-
dered. The supreme commander now
has sufficient troops available to ham
die any emergency
* X
While some treachery may still be
expected from individual japanese units
in the japanese islands, it is assumed
that on the whole the resistance to our
landing before the end of the month
will be negligible. Gen. Macarthur is
confident that the word of the Emperor,
together with the arrival of American
troops, men of war and sWarms of
planes will have a SOLDERING effect on
the most hot-headed japanese militia
rists. But there is a possibility that
some stiff resistance may be encoun-
tered in the Dutch East Indies and in
China proper.
1t is also suspected that some of the
local Japanese commanders In the lat
ter area may wish to take advantage
of the rivalry between Chungking and
Yenan and in spite of Generalissimo
Chang Kai-shek's orders. they may sur
render their modern equipment to the
Evening star., 1945-08-17
New Legend in Making
By Maj. George Fieidine Eliof

The desperate attempts of Japan's
military leaders to save face" contain
an element of danger for the future un-
less they are drastically dealt with Ic
is already clear, from the text of the
imperial rescript announcing Japan's
defeat, and from other Japanese Official
utterances, that the surrender of Japan
is going to be represented to the Japa-
nese people as having been due prin-
clpally to the atomic bomb-a devilish
device sprung by surprise, which the
Japanese did not have time to find the
answer to. But this is Temporary"
says the chief of the japanese overseas
Radio Service, and the rescript itself
closes with an injunction to keep pace
with the progress of the world" In
other words, we've lost for the time be-
ing by reason of this American treach-
cry, but just wait until we have had
time to catch up
Now here is the making of a new
legend OF the "undefeated army" such
as that which Hitler built upon so
shreWdly to reverse the defeat of 1918.
1t will be one of our major tasks,
therefore, to see to it that the Japa-
nese people are thoroughly informed
dUOuJ tlle COURSE OF tQe war ana the
exact nature of the struggle in which
their armed forces were SO thoroughly
defeated.
X 4
They must be told how their navy
was wasted and dribbled away in defen-
sive operations and useless raids. They
must be given a clear, factual under
standing of what happened on the occa-
sions when any considerable Japanese
naval force went into action. The bat
ties of the Coral Sea, Midway, Guadal-
canal, the Santa Cruz Islands, the
Philippine Sea and the final great bat
tie of the Philippines must be explained
to them in such fashion that there
can be no question as to the inferiority
OF Japanese material and japanese
leadership. The rusting hulks of the
sunken ships in Kure Harbor should be
preserved as lasting reminder Of the
fate Of the last remnant Of the imperial
navy.
Likewise, the Japanese should have It
impressed on them how badly, on the
Evening star., 1945-08-17

whole, they handled their air power:
they should be shown in simple but
crystal clear explanations the indispu-
table proof that neither Japanese air.
craft, nor Japanese flying personnel,
nor Japanese handling of air power as
a whole, even approached the standards
attained by the air forces of their OPP
ponents.
Finally, the japanese should be made
to realize that their army was also badly
outclassed; that on the occasions when
it met western armies in the open
field, in large scale operations, it was
badly beaten (as in Burma and Man
churia), or it refused battle (as in
Luzon); that when it attempted defen-
sive stands it was invariably unable to
make good it's hold on any position we
chose to attack The boasts of such
japanese generals as Yamashita should
be contrasted with their actual accom-
plishments.
In short, there should be no stone
left unturned in a thorough campaign
of diScrediting the Japanese military
and naval leaders with the Japanese
people. This is what they promised you
this is what they tried to do-and this
was the result. They overpowered weak
and distant outposts, they seized an
empire, and then they tried to defend
it; not once after we really began to
move upon them in strength did they
win single victory, despite all your
sacrifices and your courage; they were
just not in our class.
If we can in this manner break the
prestige of the military rulers of Japan
the bloody legacy of the Samurai, the
rule of the soldier which has been vir-
tually unbroken in Japan for centuries,
ever since the rise of the Tokugawa
Shoguns more than 300 years ago-if
we can do that, we have made a be-
ginning toward the possible emergence
of a new Japan from the ashes of pres
ent humiliations, a Japan in which the
common man may at last come to have
something to say about his government
and its policies, q Japan which may not,
after all, seek a war of revenge but may
instead turn to peaceful paths Of prog
ress.
Copyright. 194Bl
Evening star., 1945-08-17
Farm Lund After Rain
The day is cool and clear as honey NOM.

The day is cool and clear as honey nop-
The Uinds,Dept fury of the rain IL
oDer;
Large silper drops jestoon each dark.
ened bough,
The sun is bright upon the Deighted
clouer.
The toedther-Ddne stands firm against
the sky
There is scent OF shingles moist and
SUeet,;
A farmhouse DindoD stures iDith ferv
eye
Beyond the brilliant field OF nodding
tDhe1t.
The noisy birds fly stpift on ru1aed tpings
No,0 that the crushing summer storm
is past:
This shining sense OF calm renewcl
brings
The promised certainty OF peace at
last. REID CROWElL.
Evening star., 1945-08-17
This and That
By Charles E. Traceuell.


Templeton Jones couldn't quite make
up his mind.
While the world labored with mighty
problems, Jones had a very simple one
but 1T took him almost as long to
solve it.
The question was-and many another
will sympathize with him:
Shall I wear shorts?"
Temp Jones is a young fellow no
longer. He has long passed the age
when he does things without thinking
about them.
He tries (mostly without success) to
use such brains as he has in all prob
lens which arise.
To wear shorts, or not to wear shorts,
that was the question, whether 1t were
better to struggle along in trousers in
the hot weather around home. or
whether to buy a pair of shorts and be
done with it.
A handsome military gentleman had
moved in down the block, and the
bloke wore blue shorts.
They look all right on the colonel"
sighed Jones, but how would they
look on me?"
They looked cool, and Jones pined
for pair, but something in his long
history held him off.
Wasn't it true, he regretfully told
himself, that in recent years he had
always come to the wrong decision?
In fact, his rule of life had come to
be to decide what he didn't want to
do-and then do it.
Many people will sympathize with
him on that one, too.
X xk
II don't see why you don't get your
self pair, if you want them" said
helpful Mrs. Jones.
he replied.
People don't care about mems legs"
said the Missus.
Eyes, that's true, but when I think
of all the mosquitoes"
Think how nice they would be for
moving the lawn"
Jones grinned.
That's what I'm afraid Of" he an
swered.
IF I bring you home a nice pair,
will you wear emp"
Templeton Jones said he would, so
not many days later, there hung a
neat pair of blue shorts over the chair
in his bedroom.
He picked them up gingerly.
why" he exclaimed, they are moth
ing but bathing trunks!'
THE man said they were the same
thing, and besides, see how nicely they
are made"
"They look pretty blue" Jones said,
obviously
"Just to be on the safe side, got
you pair of khaki shorts, only longer,
said Mrs. Jones, Immediately producing
them, as a magician does rabbit out
of hat.
Jones held both pairs gingerly.
"T1l bet I'll look like fool in 'em,"
he hesitated-
Mrs. Jones assured him that he would
not, that he would look as well as any
one
"As the colonel?" he grinned.
Gas the colonel"
When Templeton Jones came down.
stairs in his new blue shorts, topped
| by a silk shirt from Hawaii, he got q
burst of applause at the foot of the
steps.
"There!" exclaimed his lady, II said
you would look all right"
They flare out nicely" said Jones.
"Are they cool?" she asked.
Very COOL" he agreed. II guess I'll
cut the grass"
A few minutes later, when she heard
the cutter whirring, Mrs. Jones went
| to the window.
There was the man of the hour, now
ing the grass all right but he was
| wearing trousers!
Evening star., 1945-08-17
British Labor and Liberty
rom the Montreal Star.

4oHl tuc dOQtTeal star.
The lesson of cooperation is plain
now, if it was not plain before. For
mutual protection, for the furtherance
OF those common purposes shared by the
democracies, Britain and the United
States must stand together in peace as
they now stand in war. This cooper
alton does not, or should not, depend
upon changes OF government. There is
much heart-searching in the United
States right now because Britain has
gone over to a Labor government with
a frankly Socialist platform. But we
may be sure that a socialism imposed
on a people with the British tradition
OF individual freedom will not be the
socialism of repression Europe has seen,
II the Labor party, in the implementa.
tion of its platform, should find it nee
essary to cut across this tradition Of
freedom, we may be sure the people of
Britain will repudiate it with that vigor
which earned them liberty and kept
tyrantS in their place.
Evening star., 1945-08-17

The negotiations for the surrender
OF Japan revealed that the United
States has become the leading Pacific
power. Britain, Russia and China en-
powered us to negotiate for all four,
and the military government of Japan
will be under the command of an
American - Gen. Macarthur This is
not simply the result of the atomic
bomb. The Pacific war, unlike the Euro
pean, was mainly fought by us, and
ours Is the Navy and the fleet that
controls the Pacific Ocean. President
Truman's announcement that we shall
have island bases means that we in
tend to stay there and permanently
exert an influence.
AS consequence we cannot escape
dealing with major Asiatic problems,
and the first of these is at hand: "A
civil war in China, which only the
common fight against Japan has kept
in any kind of allegiance. There are two
possibilities: Intervention or noninter-
vention. The latter means that the
civil war will be carried to its ultimate
consequences-until one or the other
side has completely defeated its oppo-
nent.
If the Chinese Communists should win,
an inevitable alliance between the
Soviet Union and Soviet China would
dominate Asia, and our power would be
limited to the oceans and the islands of
the Pacific.
total victory of Chang Kai-shek
would, in the Russian view, hold the
danger that the enormous Chinese
population could be organized at some
future time, against the Soviets who
are building UP their main industrial
area in Siberia.
The personalities and ideologies in
volved are not decisive, but play some
role. Chang Kai-shek is versatile
politician. At one time or another, he
has played on many sides. The poten-
tiallties of China are much greater
than those of Japan, and by and large
there is no general desire to build up
another great Asiatic power, with
unknown future aims
So we face the same dilemma as in
Europe-a dilemma which has pre-
vented any rational program for the
solution of the European problem as a
whole. Neither Russia, Britain nor