davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1945-07-31

cisco also must give their approval.
Three Of these signatory nations, Mica
ragua, Ell Salvador and Costa Rica,
had already ratified when the Senate
acted here.
1t is the plan of Britain, according
to dispatches, to ratify the Charter
before the adjournment of the House
OF Commons now set for August "a.
What the Russian government will do
has not yet been disclosed, but that 1t
will ratify is regarded as a foregone
conclusion. Russia's vote for the Charter
in the San Francisco Conference and
It's subsequent signing make this cer-
tain. Russias ratification can be by
the Supreme Soviet-and the hope is
expressed here that course will be taken
although treaties may be ratified in
that country without that particular
formality. In France 1t is expected the
Charter will be laid before the Con-
sultative Assembly for ratifcation-al-
though that body is now engaged in
making plans for constitutional revision.
The alternative would be to await the
fnal decision on the governmental
framework, with action on the Charter
awaiting action by the new setup.
y
The guess has been hazarded here
that the next one of the great powers
to ratify the Charter will be China.
The Chinese government is strongly
favorable to the new proposed peace
organization. Its delegation at the
United Nations Conference in San Fran
cisco was representative of all parties
in the country, including the Commu-
mist. And the delegation was extremely
cooperative in bringing about the final
draft Of the Charter. to which it had
made its own contributions
Provision was made at San Francisco
for preparatory commission" with
membership from all the United Ma
tions. to work out plans for the first
meeting OF the General Assembly, fixing
time and place and writing a proposed
agenda for discussion. This commission
is to meet in London this summer, It
has much work to do.
Now that the United States has off,
cially cracked the ice. the belief exists
here that adherence to the United Ma
tions organization by the other nations
will follow rapidly. II 1t does, a first
meeting Of the Assembly certainly need
not be delayed beyond late fall or early
winter.
Evening star., 1945-07-31
Premier Suzukii's Reply

The United states ana lJS Allies
must accept at face value Premier
Suzuki's rejection of the surrender
ultimatum to Japan. We must
assume, when the enemy Premier
says the ultimatum is unworthy OF
notice, that he means what he says,
and that Japan will fight to the end.
1t still is possible that events will
tell different story, that time and
remorseless punishment will melt
the determination of Japan, or at
least of Japan's leaders, to accept
the destruction Of the nation in
preference to capitulation. But as
we have seen the individual Japa-
neSe soldier choose death in prefer
ence to surrender, we must be
prepared to assume the burden Of
dealing with national fanaticism as
our troops have dealt with the in
dividual fanatic. If Suzuki has
stated Japans final decision; if,
instead Of surrender on the terms
outlined in the ultimatum, he pre-
fers the alternative of prompt and
utter destruction" of Japan, there
is nothing left for us to do but carry
out the threat which we have made.
In the situation which confronts
us, the ultimatum has served de-
sirable purpose. 1t has given the
Japanese a decent opportunity to
end the war on conditions which
would have permitted the nation to
survive. 1t also has stated with
complete clarity what the alter
native to surrender would be. Hence,
If a whole nation is to be destroyed
by Shellfre, bombs and starvation,
the record will show that Japan,
though given an opportunity to live,
deliberately and knowingly chose the
alternative of national destruction.
Once this process OF destruction
has been finally set in motion there
ought to be no turning back, The
Japanese may believe that we will
be unwilling to pay the cost of in
vaSion and total conquest, or they
may hope that even after we have
achieved the goal Of full military
victory, our humanitarian instincts
will deter us from literal insistence
on the destruction of their country.
But it is essential, in the long view
that there be no weakening of pur-
pose on our part. To achieve the
utter destruction" Of Japan will be
a grim business, for us and for them.
Yet we must demonstrate to Japan,
and to all potential aggressorS, that
we mean what we Say-that a
criminal war pursued to the bitter
end cannot bring a moderate peace
and a chance for reconstruction, out
can lead only to total ruin.
Evening star., 1945-07-31
Good News From ItoIy

Italy has come through the war
with relatively little loss of the art
treasures of the past of which she
is custodian for mankind at large.
Virginia Lee Warren, writing to the
New York Times from the head
quarters of the Monuments, Fine
Arts and Archives Branch of the
Allied Commission in Rome, reports
that there has been less damage
than the outside world had dared
to hope" 1t is her opinion that mo
more than two per cent" of the
structures considered first class"
has been "irreparably destroyed"
OF course, it is not denied that
serious losses were occasioned both
by the Axis forces in their retreat
and the armies of liberation in their
advances. Most of the Allied damage
was caused by aerial bombardment,
when areas marked to be spared
were hurt accidentally in legitimate
endeavor to hit strategic targets.
Nobody deliberately tried to destroy
the famous Church of the Eremitani
IN Padua. 1t contained frescoes by
Mantegna which ranked with those
OF Michelangelo but which neces-
sarily were blasted to pieces when
the neighborhood was attacked from
the sky.
The same observation applies to
Vicenza Cathedral, the Palazzo del
Trecento and the cathedral in Ire
viso, the university library in Turin,
the Pincoteca and the Teatro
Farnese in Parma, the Palazzo
Canossa in Verona, the Collegiate
Evening star., 1945-07-31
MorveIs of Transportation

The third anniversary OF the Army
Transportation Corps provides op-
portunity for review of some OF the
stupendous undertakings by this
youngest branch of the Army Serv-
ice Forces as we'll as a preview of
troop movements in connection with
redeployment.
Our railroads are pretty we'll
jammed now But the peak Of troop
movements is not expected to be
reached until November, when some
million and half men will be
moving over railroads in groups of
forty or more. Today finds some
10000 American soldiers on the
high seas throughout the world,
another 100000 redeployed troops at
Transportation Corps ports of en-
barkation, staging areas, reception
stations, personnel centers or on
furlough. More than 635 900 troops
embarked from Europe to the Pacific
from May IL through July 13-
slightly over 100000 of them going
direct to the Pacific, the others by
way of the United States. BY the
end of this year, nearly two million
troops will have been returned from
Europe to the United States and less
than 100000 will remain for trans
portation home in the first four
months OF 1916.
Major General c. p. Gross, chief
Of transportation, attended the
Potsdam Conference and was able
to report that redeployment-the
greatest transportation job ever
undertaken-is we'll ahead of sched-
ule. 1t Is ironic that this ability to
surpass estimates has brought crit
icism because Of the unexpected load
it imposed on facilities at home. 1t
should be matter of great pride
that efficient organization Of the
Transportation Corps has enabled
1t to do far more than the experts
anticipated. Regardless of new
hardships imposed by taxed civilian
transportation facilities, our citizens
will bear in mind that the quicker
redeployment Is completed, the
sooner the end Of the war.
Evening star., 1945-07-31

to keep information from the news
papermen. Behind it all. however, lies
the fact that the Russian government
has insisted on undercover diplomacy.
Premier Stain realizes the power Of
public opinion In the United States and
Great Britain. He remembers we'll that
his plans regarding Poland came near
to being upset because the press in this
country and in England knew too much
about the truth Of the Yalta agreements.
The post-Yalta indiscretions which
brought out prematurely that President
Roosevelt and Prime Minister Churchill
had agreed that Russia should have
three votes in the new peace organiza-
ton caused a stir In this country, which
under different circumstances might
have been detrimental to Soviet inter-
ests. The White House maintained COM
plete secrecy about this matter but there
were TOD many in the American delega-
ton who knew what had been decided
and ever ually the information leaked
out. The enforcement of secrecy at
Potsdam gives suffcient guarantees that
the public will know only what the Big
Three have decided that 1t should know
and nothing more.
While there Is no question that Presi-
dent Truman would like to take the
people of the United States into his con-
fidence and tell them everything that
has been decided it is highly unlikely
that he will be able to do so.
The British delegation. which has a
new man among its policy trainers in
the person of Foreign Secretary Ernest
Bevin, is pledged to the same secrecy.
And although the plain-spoken Mr..
Bevin has announced that he will do
away with double meaning diplomatic
talk and will use the language of the
common man, it is improbable that he
will reveal much of what has been ac-
complished at Potsdam
The reason this secrecy policy is deeply
regretted by political observers is that
the conference does not deal with war
matters as the previous meetings at
Casablanca. Teheran and Yaita but with
question Of vital importance to the
future of the world. Long-range poll
cies affecting hundreds OF millions OF
people are to be established and agreed
on. Yet, judging from the atmosphere
established at PotSdam, 1t is unlikely
that the world will know more than the
Big Three wants 1t TO know
Evening star., 1945-07-31
Defensive Dry-Rot
By Maj. George Fielding Eliot

The inelorious end of the Japanese
fleet teaches rs once again the lesson
that navy. like an air force. is fatally
handicapped when 1t Is used defenSively.
The very quality of strategic mobility,
which gives fleets and air forces their
great offensive power and creates for
them their opportunities, is thrown
away when the dry-rot of defensive
thinking begins to take hold of the
minds of the high command. 1t has
always been so, and there is every reason
to believe that it always will be SO.
Consider the fortress fleets" of Spain
in 1898 and of Russia in l904-5, regarded
as mere appendages to the defense of
their bases, and lost without accomplish
occasioning their opponents more than
trifling loss and certain inconvenience
and delay.
Consider the German high seas fleet
of the World War built at vast ex-
pense, but used for no better purpose
than to tie down the British Grand
Fleet in the North Sea, where, by its
mere presence. it assured the sea COM
munications of the Allies and enabled
them to bring to bear against Germany
the resources a all the rest of the world.
Defeated in its one irresolute sortie, the
German Navy at the close of the war
could do nothing but come out and sur
render; yet it had absorbed resources In
men, material and energy which. If
otherwise applied, might have brought
Germany victory on the battleflelds OF
true decision.
Consider the German surface navy in
this war, built for commerce raiding but
not even used with offensive spirit and
determination for that purpose, and
suffering in the end the piecemeal
destruction for which such defensive
handling foredoomed it.
And then consider the Imperial Japa-
nese Navy. heir to the offensive tradi-
tions Of the Yalu and Tsushima, sup
posedly the spiritual child Of Togo, and
yet failing miserably to meet the test
of war. When did the defensive dry
rot begin to creep into the bones Of its
spiritual structure? We do not know,
but We do know that it was there, and
being there the end was as certain as
the setting of the sun.
Whatever the cause, 1t was the de-
fensive idea which ruined the Imperial
feet. OF course the individual ships
and the task forces Of the Japanese
Navy fought well, took all sorts of
chances; there was offensive spirit and
to spare In the junior oficers and men.
But there was no real conception Of
Evening star., 1945-07-31

at San Gimignano, the church of
San Fedele and the CASTILLO
sforzesco in Milan-all listed as
casualties.
On the other hand, however,
literally thousands of cultural
shrines and sanctuaries have es-
capped injury altogether. Remem-
bering Monte Casino and certainly
having no wish to minimize the
havoc which modern warfare en-
tails, 1t still is possible to say that
Italy has been fortunate in the
survival Of the art of previous times.
That means that the whole human
race has something to be thankful
for. Much greater damage was done
in Germany, in France, Holland,
Belgium and England.
Evening star., 1945-07-31
Daily Dromu

The sun has gone away
Behind the highest hin.
Although the sky Is brapely blue,
All suddenly is panic still.
From forests turning black
Behind the Dhite birch,
A cry, I'VE cannot find the sun,
No matter hotp or tohere zoe search %
There is solemn hush.
The sun ,Diu rise for men.
A thousand idce-,ptnged creatures here,
Will neper see the sun again.
Fragile and brief, they jail;
DroDn In the chilling detr.
4 night a long and cold. The bFds
Are tc6rned. rrotc solemn too.
MARGERY MAEsT!rf .. 9
Evening star., 1945-07-31
Reconyersion Report

In its report on reconversion, the
Senate War Investigating Commit
tee rightly emphasizes the import
ance of speed and adequate overall
direction In the task OF changing
over to peace-time production AS
matters stand today, it declares,
there is real danger of imitation and
widespread unemployment-a dan
ger likely to become acute should
Japan suddenly collapse.
The pace of reconversion, accord
ing to the committee, has been un-
necessarily slow for several reasons,
including delay in planning, delay
in announcing and making cut
backs, lack of both raw and semi
finished materials and tools, inSuf-
ficient information available for in
dustry to make plans far enough in
advance, and lack of manpower" In
key fields like numbering, trans
portation, coal mining and cotton
textiles.
These deficiencies, together with
slowness in disposing of surplus
properties and the failure of the
Government to devise work pro-
grams, have caused, says the report,
serious uncertainties among manu-
facturers. have increased the infia-
tionary threat because Of all the
money in circulation and the rela-
lively small amount of purchasable
goods, and have raised the prospect
of joblessness on a large scale In
case of an early end to the Pacific
war
Except for the working out OF con-
tract examinations and the War Pro-
duction Boards alertness to the
situation, the report finds little to
praise in what the Government has
done so far, and it is especially criti-
cal of the Army's policy regarding
the release of a limited number of
men whose services the committee
regards as essential to expeditions
reconversion. Accordingly, several
corrective steps-including a more
careful review of military needs
are suggested. the chief recon-
mendation being that the Office of
War Mobilization and Reconversion
be "put on a supervisory operating
basis with direct control over the
other war agencies" planning and
issuing orders instead Of confning
itself to umpiring inter-agency
disputes.
The Senate committee apparently
would make the OWMR stronger in
the executive sense than the Baruch-
Hancock report envisioned. and in
Evening star., 1945-07-31
H. This Changing World
Bv Constantine Broign

The Big Three conference at Pots
dam has entered the final phase and
1t is expected that 1t will be concluded
within the next few days.
The discussions among the three heads
of state and their stats of experts have
been the most carefully guarded secret
OF this war. In order not to offend the
American press a number OF reporters
were permitted to 60 to the general area
OF the conference. but were kept away
from the actual site. Judging from lne
amount of information they have been
able to obtain so far, they could have
just as well covered the conference from
the United States or China.
According to a French Journalist who
has found it more convenient to cover
the conference from Paris the reporters
have been able to gain only such "fasci-
mating inside information" as the news
that the American Army has made 245
corkscrews available to the wine butler
at the San Souci Palace at Potsdam
And the Frenchman is wondering what
the butler can do with so many cork
screws
So far as the American delegation Is
concerned, the secrecy is more water
tight than ever In our diplomatic MIS-
tory. All members of the delegation and
their STATS had to take an oath not to
divulge to anyone anything that has
come to their knowledge. In order to
make the secrecy perfect, the right hand
does not know what the left is doing.
Members of the various committees
know only what is going on In their
particular organization and are pledged
not to discuss their problems with coll
leagues handling other matters.
Thus the experts who are examining
the Near and Middle Eastern problems
cannot even talk about what they are
doing with those working on matters
connected with the Balkans, for in
stance. or with the organization OF a
new government In Germany. In order
to prevent leaks" the highest State De-
partment officials in Washington are
kept in complete ignorance of what Is
going on at Potsdam.
81 y 4
In fairness to President Truman IL
must be said that this unprecedented
secrecy is not Of his own making. Be-
cause important developments are ex-
pected soon in the Far East, the words
military security are being used again
Evening star., 1945-07-31

the strategic offensive in the minds OF
the high command. They were unwill-
ing to take the risks that the strategic
offensive demands Invariably, they
sent boy to do a mans work.
y
Came at last the great challange, the
American invasion of the Philippines
Now if ever, the Imperial Navy must
act. For once. for the only time in the
war, in fact, 1t threw its major power
into co-ordinated action, though even
so something was held back. But once
again, there was evident the dry-rot
OF the defensive idea: The northern
task force fled at the first contact, the
central task force-with a great victory
actually in its grasp. even at heavy
cost-turned tail from a far inferior
American concentration which was re-
lentlessly but rather hopelessly attack
ing 1t: the southern task force allowed
itself to be decoyed into a trap that .
first-year midshipmen should have for
seen and was wiped out.
These are not the only instances where
the defensive idea has shown itself in
Japanese naval operations, but they
serve to illustrate the point. Appar-
emily. the higher-up policy was not to
take too great risks. to save the ships
to keep something in hand for defense
of the homeland. This was tempered
by a reckless, ill-co-ordinated offensive
rage in the hearts of the subordinate
officers, which often led to local disaster
The net result was inevitable: The
American naval forces marched straight
across the Pacific Ocean, step by step,
to the gates of Japan. taking full ad-
vantage Of every offensive opportunity
and never hesitating to take risks when
a commensurate advantage was offered.
To this American progress, the oppo-
sition offered by the Imperial Navy
might almost be described as negligible:
yet never did any navy In any war have
such a chance as the Japanese success
at Pearl Harbor afforded to the sailors
of Nippon.
They chose to take the defensive. and
the final act of the results of that de-
cision has just been played out by the
destruction of what Is left of their fleet
under the hail Of Jocko McCains bombs
in the very heart OF the empire their
fleet was supposed to defend.
Let us remember this the next time
we are told that we must build a navy
for the impregnable defense OF the
North American Continent. 1t cannot
be done, and in that sort Of thinking
are the seeds Of defeat and ruin
tcopyrisht, 1s45J
Evening star., 1945-07-31

this and some other recommends
tions has raised debatable points.
But its findings on the whole con-
stitute convincing argument for
the promptest possible action to i'm
prove and accelerate the reconver-
sion program before we have a first-
rate economic mess on our hands.
Up to now. as the committee shows,
the job simply has not been done
well-a fact that can lead to a great
deal OF muddfe and grief unless cor
rective measures are taken without
further delay.
Evening star., 1945-07-31
Another Plea for Armenians

Another Plea for Armenians
To the Editor OF The Star:
The article by Jane Fades nj The Sum-
day Star forces me to think back to the
end of the First World War. At that
time there were approximately 1000 900
Armenians living in Turkey, half OF
whom perished through the Turkish
atrocities. The other half were driven
out and scattered all over the world,
in Europe particularly with the hope OF
returning to their homeland because OF
the promises and treaties of the big
Allies of that time, namely the British,
the French, the Italians and the Amer
leans.
These Armenians were still in Europe
when the Second World War broke out.
The fortunate ones who have identifica-
ton cards probably will 60 back to their
adopted countries What will happen
to the countless ones who are without
identifications? Those Armenians right
fully belong to the group to be sent home
first. --.
The only solution of the problem is
that the territory belonging to these
unfortunates should be taken away
from the Turks and incorporated in
the U. S. S. r. Armenian Republic.
v. KAVALDJIAN.
Evening star., 1945-07-31
Plug for the Eorthworm
From the chicaso Daily News.

From the Chicaso Daily News
without the earthworm, fertile soils
would be less fertile, marginal soils would
be barren. Charles Darwin explained
the earthworms essential part in the
biotic balance nearly a century ago. But
we have never had any Friends Of the
Earthworm" societies.
Instead, we have societies glorifying
his mortal enemies, the predatory wren
the ravenous robin and the raucous
turtle dove. What q low opinion the
gentle earthworm must have Of the So
called human race!
Evening star., 1945-07-31
Plenty Uncomfortable

From the ct. Louis Post Dispatch.
So now it will be fewer seats and more
standing room In st. Louis busses,
thereby enlarging the inalienable right
Of citizens to be uncomfortable for their
money
Evening star., 1945-07-31
Advocates Device Inspections

Advocates Device Inspections
To the Editor Of The Star:
This is in reference to your item about
the Octopus accident at Glen Echo
printed in The Star for July %.
According to your account, Mont
eomery County Building Inspector J. s.
Eaton said There was no violation of
safety regulations the device was
inspected and approved by county en-
gineers two years ago there is no
periodic inspection of these devices and
conditions governing their operation are
left pretty much to the park manage
ment."
Assuming that Mr. Eaton's statement
is confirmed as correct, 1t carries several
important implications. First. II there
was no violation Of safety regulations,
that would indicate that existing regu-
lations do not guarantee the physical
safety of the many child and adult
visitors who enjoy the various devices
at Glen Echo. Second, II the devices are
not being inspected periodically by
county engineers or other authorities,
this fact should be called to the atten-
ton of visitors. This could be done by
notices posted at the entrance of each
device or in each carriage in the same
manner as it is indicated in elevators
that they have been inspected at given
date Nevertheless. don't believe that
it should be decided by each visitor
whether a device Is safe or not. 1t seems
that new safety regulations are needed
to insure reasonable security at the
various amusement places. N. Law.