davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1945-02-23
"VeH Touoh"

Two Jima is mere speck of land
only eight miles square, but the
battle now raging there towers in
violence over all past battles in the
Pacific. According to General Hol-
land M. Smith, commander of the
Fleet Marine Force, the casualties
have not been greater than antici-
pated and 1--WE expect to take this
island" but I'VE are up against a
very tough proposition" most
difficult problem with which the
Marine Corps has been confronted
in 1853 years"
The very smallness of the island
and its peculiar terrain are largely
responsible for this There is not
enough room, as General Smith in
dicates, to maneuver ground forces,
and SO the japanese must be at
tackled head-on in their fortress po-
sitions-positions looking down on
the area held by our marines, posi-
tions from which a constant rain of
fire can be maintained to make any
advance costly. Mount Suribachi,
the extinct volcano to the south,
reaches height of SAG feet and is
maze of tunnels and caves oristling
with guns, against which young
Americans have just fought their
way to the top. To the north is a
rocky and barren area studded with
cliffs and hills, notably Mount Moto,
which rises 358 feet and is COM
pletely surrounded by wave-cut ter
races. All this is hard on the at
tackers, and their task is made
bitterer still by strong winds and
rough seas and landing area where
deep volcanic sands impede the un-
loading and movement of supplies
and equipment.
But terrain is not the only thing
that is making the Two Jima battle
so savage. Against our three divi-
sions of marines there stand perhaps
10000 japanese fanatically deter
mined to fight on to the death-a
determination heightened by the
fact that they know the island is
of enormous strategic Importance.
Tokyo lies only 750 miles away. Once
let us have Two, and that capital, the
homeland itself, will be within easy
range OF our medium bombers and
Evening star., 1945-02-23

the eastern exit through the Mediter-
ranean-the Suez Canal. This all
important waterway is danked by three
States: Egypt, Ethiopia and Arabia.
And the President met these three kings
of the Orient.
Did he meet them as the emissary of
the Big Three or as the President of
the United States?
The Russians were not present And
following the President, Mr.. Churchill
had his own talks with the three kings,
inviting still fourth ruler, the newly
elected President OF Syria. Syria is
still, legally, a mandate of France and
has been promised independence by the
French. But Gen. de Gaulle has made
it clear in a public speech that he ex-
poets French influence to continue pre-
dominant there.
Politically Mr.. Re IS position is
delicate. Ibn Sauu Is the leading spirit
of the movement for Pan-Arabic feder-
alton including Syria, and this move
ment wants Palestine as an Arabic
member. But Mr.. Roosevelt land the
Republican party also) Is committed to
the establishment of Jewish common
wealth in Palestine SO it was probably
wise of Mr.. Roosevelt not to invite the
President of Syria together with Ibn
Saud. Mr.. Churchill. on the other hand,
felt no such inhibitions.
AS for Stalin-wno did not go at all
the Soviet Union contains millions of
Moslems.
At Yalta the United States, through
the President, definitely abandoned the
hands-off policy anywhere. We shall
emerge from the war as the premier
naval and air power of the earth, and
will be interested in bases for both. We
have built many airports in Egypt,
Italian Eritrea and Iran and presumably
would like to keep them. Mr.. Stettinius
travelled by plane, returning from Yalta
via Liberia Gin the neighborhood of
Dakar) to Brazil. But between Liberia
and Asia the natural stops are either
in Egypt or in Eritrea, and it would be
interesting to know the terms Of the
unpublished Italian armistice.
The Presidents comment on the meet
ing with the three kings was that he
had always advocated meetings between
the heads of states.
The long communlque, with its color
full description Of the Arabian knights
holds not a hint OF what was discussed
Evening star., 1945-02-23
Won Rundstedt's Move
By Maj. George Fielding Eliot

Patchs troops are gaining ground stead
lily and are fighting in the streets Of
Forbach, last German stronghold Of i'm
portance defending the approaches to
Saarbruecken.
Adding all this up, we come to the
conclusion that it is really the Saar
industrial area for which Patton and
Patch are fighting-or, translated into
strategic terms, the basic idea is to
make the Germans send many more
reserves to this part of the front or
suffer the loss Of important industrial
and mining resources loss which they
can i'll afford after the loss Of Upper
Silesia
In the course of these operations, 1t
seems probable that the Germans may
suffer severe losses of defensive troops,
and perhaps one division Of first-line
troops in the Dasburg salient. And. If
Patton and Patch, between them, sue
ceed in outflanking and enveloping the
Saar River defenses, the German losses
may be still more severe.
k*
That this maneuver will, in fact, sue
ceed is virtually certain unless 1t is
more strongly opposed than it is at
present. That means German reserves
must be put in-at time when the
cream of the German mobile reserve
is fighting in the Goch-Calcar area,
hundreds Of miles to the north.
Thus the German center becomes
more and more denuded of troops. Just
how ominous this is may be judged
from Secretary of War Stimson,s state
ment of Thursday: There are no Se-
rious difficulties now regarding sup
plies in the forward dumps Of the
various Allied armies. The apparently
desperate efforts of the Germans to
strike at Antwerp with v bombs and
rockets continue ineffective. The NUM-
ber of American divisions has been
constantly on the increase since the
opening Of the port OF Antwerp and
particularly during the past four weeks. "
In the face OF these conditions, it is
permissible once more to wonder
whether Won Rundstedt will stand and
hight for the Siegfried Line, or whether,
at least north Of the Moselle, he Is not
already considering withdrawal be-
hind the Rhine.
ttcopyrisht, lo4SJ
Evening star., 1945-02-23
Mexico City as ProIoque

While the current inter American
conference at Mexico City was orig
inally planned chiefly for hemi-
spheric reasons such as the Argen-
tine issue and postwar economic
stabilization in the New World. the
decision reached at Yalta to convene
a world security conference at San
Francisco in April has inevitably
shifted the emphasis at Mexico City
to global problems and has made the
Mexican meeting in a sense the pro-
logue to the general conference con-
vening beside the Golden Gate.
The basic aim at San Francisco
will be to develop and implement
the plan for a new world order
sketched out last summer at Dunn
barton Oaks. That plan was admit
tedly tentative and incomplete. It
was likewise virtually the exclusive
work of the "big four"-the United
States, Britain, Russia and China
and was infused with the great
power" point of view. This has
evoked the sustained criticism of
both the small and medium" ma
tions throughout the world, and no.
where is such criticism more articu-
late and concerted than in Latin
America. The conference at Mexico
City gives Latin America the chance
TO prepare a concerted role at San
FRANCISCO, and though the confer
ence is still in its early stages, pro-
1ected plans are already fairly clear.
Those plans follow two main lines.
The first of these is directed toward
diminishing the preponderance of
the security council in the scheme
Tor world organiza ton drafted at
Dumbarton Oaks. This was voiced in
the opening speech of welcome de-
livered by Mexicos President Manuel
Avila Camacho, who warned that
peace dictated exclusively by the
great powers might result in IAN
enormous and grotesque friction"
Still more specifically is it set forth
In a detailed memorandum placed
before the conference by Brazil. To
begin with, the Brazilian govern
ment, while willing to concede pre-
ponderance to the security council
for the period of transition from
war to peace" suggests written
guarantees that the authority of the
smaller powers shall be increased
lin the near future"
The second line of approach is for
an enlargement of the authority of
regional groups. At Dumbarton Oaks,
such groupings were provided for,
but with limited authority and
under the ultimate control of the
security council Both the Brazilian
report and suggestions previously
made by Mexico argue for the estab-
lishment of a Pan American bloc
with very wide competence and with
separate institutions such as an in
ter-American court of justice and
Evening star., 1945-02-23
New Puy Bill

While pay legislation urged on
Congress by the Civil Service Com
mission with White House approval
makes no specific recommendation
for the basic increases favored by
President Roosevelt, it would lift
overtime rates to an equitable level
and otherwise benefit approximately
1,250,000 Federal and District en-
ployes.
Designed to replace the emergency
pay law expiring June 80. the COM
mission bill would establish over
time pay as permanent feature for
the white collar" group, and raise
the rate to true" time and one-half
after forty hours, instead of the
prevailing rate of time and one
twelfth. Further, the full rate would
be payable on salaries up to $500,
before decreasing, Overtime now is
payable on the first $4,000 earned
The net result would be increases
ranging as high as $500 for the lower
and middle brackets, with lesser
additions to upper bracket pay, for
a forty -eight-hour week.
A ten per cent differential for
night work, increased entrance pay
and liberalization of the regulations
covering within-grade advances also
are included in the measure.
These items represent definite i'm
provements and offer office workers
advantages similar to those enjoyed
by the skilled trades in Government
service.
The commission obviously deferred
to Congress 'on the question of basic
pay, but recalled that President
Roosevelt had urged an adjustment,
stating in his budget message that
the white collar" group, alone in
the Government. had received no
compensatory increase to offset ris-
ing living costs, and that Hardship
and unfairness" will exist when the
work week eventually is cut back,
unless something is done.
The House Civil Service Commits
sion already is studying this ques-
ton, and bill has been introduced
In the Senate to raise basic pay
fifteen per cent, the limit allowable
under the Little Steel" formula.
With so much interest exhibited at
White House and Capitol, there is
favorable outlook for early action.
Evening star., 1945-02-23
George Washington Carver

workman Dho ,eedeth not to be
dshumed.)
Named for famous man, sickly
Stolen, then for one good horse re-
deemed;
Labored in his masters field and
dreamed
HotD God expected mortdls to behupe
According to the knowledge that He
gdDe;;
With simple faith and patient labor
teamed
UncoDered truths OF iphich no man had
dreamed;
This scientist groiDn from an humble
sIaDe.
From trash he built college for his
race;
Transferred the lo,ply peanut into gold:
But neper claimed his right to ,cealth
or Jane.
All that he sought from life pas Just
place
To labor and to giue; not once he
sold
This sldue ,oho rightly bore a famous
name.
RAMONA q. YARMY.
Evening star., 1945-02-23
Remembers brakes Tour

To the Editor of The Star:
The name Golden Gate for the
coming United Nations conference has
another implication besides the one
pointed out by Horace w. Peaslee in
The Star of February 20.
Many statesmen will visit the Golden
Gate during the forthcoming Golden
Gate Conference" to explore the prob
lens of world peace, and that name is
said to have been given to the Gate"
by another great explorer, Sir Francis
Drake, who sailed from Falmouth De-
cember 13, 1877, passed the Strait of
Magellan, visited the west coast of the
New World and gave the name Golden
Gate" to the entrance to the California
bay in 1878.
Drake crossed the Pacific, and re-
turned to England by way of the Cape
OF Good Hope, arriving in September
1880, having accomplished the first Eng
lsh circumnavigation of the globe.
THOMAS w. HUNTINGTON.
Evening star., 1945-02-23

ments which, OF course, include several
relationships, anything but popular at
home.
Suspicion has risen that the United
States intends to keep certain military
bases In Latin America after the war.
Whether this is true or not remains to
be seen. But nevertheness many Of our
good neighbors believe it to be true,
and there Is nothing which offends them
so much as the thought Of United
States troops anywhere below the Rio
Grande
The Dumbarton Oaks agreement was
negotiated without any consultation
with our neighbor countries, causing
some resentment. Most Latin American
republics were members of the League of
Nations. Many Of them, such as
Uruguay, saw their leading statesmen
serve as president Of the League, and
many also held important memberships
on the League Council. Their speeches
in Geneva were played up not only in
the Latin American press but frequently
reverberated around the world.
Therefore. it was naturally q disap-
pointing jolt when the Dumbarton Oaks
agreement was negotiated with no con-
sultation with any Latin American ma
ton and without taking the trouble to
call in Latin American ambassadors in
Washington to keep them posted re-
garding the progress of the talks.
After the talks were all over, Secre-
tary Stettinius held tea party at Blair
House where he gave brief summary of
what had happened. The Latin ambas-
sadors were not happy about It, During
the first ten years of the Roosevelt ad-
ministration they had been consulted
on nearly every move made by the
United States affecting the Americas.
Although Argentina will be the most
spectacular subject under consideration
as the Latin American delegates gather
in Mexico City, actually they are prob
ably more deeply concerned with plans
for future peace machinery, together
with problems of future trade and
prosperity within the Americas. They
will want credits from the United
States, raw materials and economic CO.
operation to make sure that the Western
Hemisphere does not go into an eco
nomic tailspin as it did after the World
War.
Probably the Mexico City conference
can make only brief beginning toward
the solution OF these problems.
Evening star., 1945-02-23

1t seems likely that the gains of the
American Sd Army should be considered,
for the present at least, as having local
objectives rather than distant strate-
gical objectives such as Coblenz.
1t Gen. Patton's advance elements
are, after all, still miles from Trier;
and from Trier to Coblenz the distance
is 70 miles by rail down the narrow,
winding, heavily wooded valley OF the
Moselle-excellent defensive terrain.
But there are important gains which
are more nearly within Patton's grasp
than Coblenz. AS always, the real OBJ
jective Is the enemy's armed forces, not
this town or that.
The Germans have for some time
been holding stubbornly to deep sa-
hent into the American front, its west
ern face resting on the Our River north
and south of Dasburg, and its shoulders
being in the vicinity of Prum on the
north and Echternach on the south.
Both the northern and southern
shoulders of this salient are now under
heavy attack, as web as the face of the
salient in the Dasburg area.
The German troops holding the sa-
lient, except for few around Dasburg,
do not seem to be of the highest quality,
and are, therefore, probably lacking in
mobility.
r 4 X 4
Just to the southeast of the salient
Patton's army seems to have as its i'm
mediate objective the city Of Trier, a
place of considerably greater Importance
than Bitburg because it is the northern
focus of the rail and road communities
ton net of the Saar industrial region.
An advance to Bitburg would menace
Trier from the north, crossing Of the
Saar near Saarburg would menace Trier
from the south. Thus we may consider
that Patton is advancing astride the
Moselle, with the double objective Of
wiping out the Daspurg salient Gin which
his northern wing is assisting around
Prum) and of capturing Trier and turn
ing the northern flank Of the line Of the
Saar, along which the Germans have
been strongly dug IN.
This latter move must, however, be
considered In connection with the 7th
Army's sudden push In the Saar-
bruecken-Forbach AREA, where Lt. Gen.
Evening star., 1945-02-23
Mr.. Mellett Taken to Task

To the Editor Of The Star:
For some time, since the first article
appeared in your respected paper under
the heading of Lowell Mellett, 1 have
been expecting an accident to happen
to the gentleman. It finally occurred,
in his article for February 20, allegedly
describing the system under which
voters are registered in the State of
Virginia. Thus was my apprehensive
attitude justified.
The antieconomic venom that seems
to surge through the arteries and veins
of so many worshippers at the shrine
OF Tax, Spend and Elect finally boiled
over and burst through vein. resulting
in his childish outburst against Senator
Harry Byrd. The meat of the article
could just as well have been assembled
by month-old sophomore, or even
freshman, in high school.
Obviously, the continuously deter
mined effort Of this distinguished Sem
ator to restrict the carefree distribution
OF taxpayers contributions to Govern
ment Is the reason he was singled out
for Mr.. Mellett's TRADE. Such abuse, Of
course. will be further incentive for
Senator Byrd to continue In his crusade.
". n. EATON.
Evening star., 1945-02-23
On the Record
By Dorothy Thompson

Every major event in the life we are
leading these days Is charged with sig
niflcance, even the place of meeting of
the Big Three. Significant that it was
again on Russian soil, significant that
1T was in the Black Sea area-and mot
Malta but Yalta," significant that the
statement issued covered no questions
concerning the very area in which the
conference was neld-the Balkans
mentioned only as having been men
tioned-with Turkey and the Near East
completely omitted
1t might be recalled that 80 years ago
three powers-Britaln and France versus
Russia-fought war over this area. In
that war Russia was defeated, was COM
PEELED to dissolve ner Black Sea fleet
and open ports on the Black Sea for
duty-free trade. AT that time Russian
hopes for a warm-water outlet were
quelled.
Today the situation is reversed. No
power can challenge Russia in the Black
Sea. The. question now is whether
Russia shall have access to the Mediter-
ranean. And this question will not be
answered merely by the status eventually
given to the Bosporus and the Dar-
danelles. Two other states and questions
are involved: SHAH Bulgaria gain an
outlet to the Aegean, and what facilities
could the Soviet government get on the
Adriatic coast of Yugoslavia-and how
much of Italy may that coast include?
Marshal Tito Is demanding Trieste,
which is the sea outlet for Czechoslo-
vakia, Hungary ana Austria and even
: part of Southern Germany. The decade
before this war saw a growing COM
petition between Hamburg on the North
Sea and Trieste on the Mediterranean.
But on all these matters the Crimea
agreement is singuIarly silent.
4. Now. in all these Mediterranean and
Balkan matters Greece is of great i'm
portance And although the Crimea
statement is silent actions speak louder
than words Although the statement
contained some words that might indi-
cate that the spheres-o influence con-
cept had been modified at Yalta, Mr.
Churchill and Mr.. Eden hastened from
Yalta to Athens.
In the meantime President Roosevelt
flew from the Crimea to the Suez Canal.
there to meet cruiser The real i'm
portance of the Dardanelles is that a
power moving from the Black Sea
through the Dardanelles could imperil
Evening star., 1945-02-23

fighter planes and thus exposed to
constant and unremitting air attack.
All things considered, 1t is not
surprising that our marines are up
against "a very tough proposition. !"
The stakes involved are extremely
high. We are hitting close to the
heart of the enemy, and the closer
we hit, the fiercer will be his resist
ance. We can be confident of the
outcome, but 1t is clear that victory
here is going to be neither swift nor
cheap. American arms are being
tested as never before in the Pacific.
1t is a moment for prayer.
Evening star., 1945-02-23
Letters to The Star
Wants Senior Soldiers Problem
Considered by Congress

To the Editor Of The Star:
A letter appearing In The Star on
February Is, entitled "a Plea for the
Senior Soldier" and written by q SOL
dier's wife, has raised a question which
indeed merits consideration.
In comparison with our Armys de-
mobilization plan, the British plan. I
believe, is more equitable Under the
British plan only two factors are con-
the surface only, it would appear that
the American plan Is better one since
credit toward discharge is given for
overseas duty, battle engagements, and
dependent children. However. the in
dividual soldier has no control over his
destiny. If he is overseas, 1t is because
he has been ordered there. A soldier
should not be penalized because he has
been ordered to remain in the United
States Also, it is fact that the soldier
remaining in this country Is here be-
cause he is physically unfit for overseas
duty, and it is imposing an additional
penalty to retain him in service longer
than one who is physically fit.
The Army's plan does not allow any
credit for dependents other than chill
dren. What about wives and dependent
parents, some of whom may be dis
abled-aren't they entitled to considers
ton?
When the Army announced its plan
last fall, it was stated that 900 of the
soldiers who were questioned agreed
that the plan was fair one. Later the
Army announced that only 15qs of Its
total personnel were above the age of 80.
Probably less than SO are above the
age of 35. Naturally, a poll of these
men would favor the plan which disre-
garded the age factor.
The writer believes it would be to the
interest of the public in general, from
the standpoint of rehabilitation and
postwar adjustment, to provide some
method of releasing the older soldier be-
fore general demobilization begins. This
is not only the writer's opinion, but also
the opinion of great many soldiers.
Reference to the magazine "Yank" ap-
pearing shortly after the Army's plan
was announced will bear out this criti-
cism. The Army admits its desire for
young men also by inducing men under
80 wherever possible.
This Is matter. for consideration by
Congress as we'll as the War Depart
ment. I would suggest some sober
thought on the matter.
FRED G. HUNT.
Evening star., 1945-02-23
Colonial Ideas
From the Glasgow Record.


The Colonies have for long occupied
a too minor position in the public mind
IN relationship to the whole of the
British Commonwealth of Nations, the
self-governing Dominions naturally
having attracted more notice. More
welcome, then, is the news that the
Government have appointed an 'ideas-
man" to advise and plan for the de-
velopment of the Colonial Empire. 1t
will be task demanding the widest
vision and imagination. Sir Frank
Stockdale, new Comptroller for Well
fare in the West Indies, has been
chosen to fill this important new office:
and 1t is agreeable to learn that he will
have the fullest freedom for travel and
for studying the manifold problems on
which he will be expected to advise.
The appointment shows the Govern
ment's awareness of the need for post
war improvement in Colonial condi-
tions, not least of which is concerned
with an expansion of Colonial trade and
general prosperity.