davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1946-12-18
Bio TuIk Out of Indiu

II the lmpIcatlOnS were not so
grave, the verbal eruption Of Pandit
Jawaharlal Nehru could be consid-
cred brash to the verge of absurdity.
Newly arrived home from q confer
ence in London with the British
government, Nehru. the spokesman
though not necessarily the dominant
personality in the Congress Party,
sounds of with an infiammatory
pronunciamento that the recently
convoked Constituent Assembly will
pass resolution declaring India a
free, sovereign country, and we are
not going to submit our decision to
the British Parliament. : In
two or three days time, India is to
declare itself out OF the British
Empire"
Such statement reflects no
credit on the responsibility OF Con-
gress leadership. It certainly flies
in the face of both the legalities and
the realities of India's present sit
uation. The legalitieS are that this
Constituent Assembly was elected
under the authority of the Viceroy
to frame a constitution for the
future governance of India under
certain conditions laid down by the
British government. which is still
sovereign. The Congress Party,
dominated by the Brahmin oil
garchy, is so obviously bent on rul-
ing India by and for the high
caste Hindus that it has not only
infuriated the 10000, 900 Moslen1s to
the nth degree but has also aroused
the fears of the $4,000, 900 low-caste
Hindus and lesser minorities such as
Buddhists and native Christians.
Last but not least, it has deeply
antagonized the rulers of most Of
the native states, which collectively
cover some two-fifths of all India
and contain nearly one-third of its
total population.
Already, the historic antagonism
between Hindus and Moslems has
been so exacerbated that wholesale
rioting has broken out in several
parts of India and has claimed many
thousands of lives. At SO crucial
moment, Nehru's program, If acted
upon, would defy not only the Brit
ish government but also the Mos
lens, the low-caStes and the native
princes, with the virtual certainty
that India would swiftly sink into
aswelter OF civil war and anarchy,
unless Britain were strong enough
to proclaim state OF emergency
and govern by it's own authority plus
the anti-Congress elements.
Fortunately the Constituent As
sembly has adjourned for breath
ing spell after hearing only four out
of forty-seven amendments pro-
posed on Nehru's resolution. It is
to be hoped that wiser heads will
take a hand and squelch this In
citement to chaos. As one objector
sagely remarked In the brief de-
bate which followed Nehru's bomb
shell: "At this stage, no question of
laying down fundamentals Of
constitution can be argued
Evening star., 1946-12-18
Unified Operations

The new Army Navy agreement
for unified commands in the field
provides for logical extension into
the postwar era of the type OF inter-
service combat cooperation and CO.
ordination that achieved victory
over formidable enemies in World
War II. It was a type OF unified
command and unified operation that
was lacking until Pearl Harbor
brought it into being, by sheer
necessity and logic.
That there had been a tendency
to revert to pre-Pearl Harbor di-
vision of authority in the Pacific
since the close of hostilities had
been noted by several correspond
ents in recent months. The Navy is
known to have been critical Of fall
ure Of the Joint Chiefs of Staff to
repeal 1945 directive placing all
Army forces in the Pacific under
General Macarthur, for the purpose
of the n-contemplated amphib-
ious invasion of Japan. The new
order terminates any possible con-
fiict of command in the Central
Pacific, re-establishing the effective
wartime unified command under an
admiral General Macarthur be-
comes supreme commander for the.
Ear East" comprising Japan. Ko-
rea, the Philippines, the Ryukyus
and the Marianas. The latter is
lands eventually will be added to
the Pacific command, as before.
Other commands will include the
Alaskan, Atlantic Fleet. Caribbean
and Northeastern, with Army or
Navy commanders as geography jus
titles.
The new setup guarantees unity OF
field operations by our armed forces,
irrespective q what Congress may
do absut President Truman's pro-
posal for administrative consolida-
tion Of the Army and Navy. Advo-
Gates of the overall merger will
regard the move as 9 step toward
Evening star., 1946-12-18

complete unifcation. Opponents Of
the merger. including the Navy, will
cite the order as proof that unity
may exist without revolutionary de-
partmental changes. The fact Of the
matter is that the larger question
OF setting up superdepartment to
administer all the armed services is
q separate one that the new Con-
gress will have to wrestle with
without benefit Of unity on the part
OF the services or their respective
champions in and out Of Congress.
Evening star., 1946-12-18

For the Endorsement by the United
Nations Assembly of the constitution OF
the International Refugee Organization
QRC), Mrs. Roosevelt deserves much
credit. She has fought tirelessly for
the international recognition, in prac-
tice as well as words, Of the most basic
principle Of human dignity-that man
is not chattel of state to be delivered,
as it were, on the hoof.
It Is small victory that she and her
supporters have won, and it does not
offer hope of settling the refugee prob
lem, which Allied policies are constantly
recreating g--for instance, right now. IN
Venela 9iulia. Even its full dimen-
sions are unknown. s5
For ti1e sake of this or that new
order" during the Russo German pact,
under Hitler later, and still later as
the result OF policies condoned by all
the Allies millions of persons have been
uprooted from their homes on the brief
fest, or without any. notice, forced to
take wiftfarewells Of home and hearth
and all the accumulations of years OF
toll, and destitute Of all but handful
of clothing. have been herded together,
separately or as families. and often as
whole villages and transported In freight
cars to add to the concentration camp
and slave-labor populations OF this
earth.
Since no one except the Russians
knows the full extent of deportations
from Eastern Europe into the q. S. s. r.,
nor what has become of the deportees
known to have been shipped there, none
can give the number of the persons IN
volved in migrations since 1889 in
Europe alone. But those students who
have done most thorough research esti-
mate 1t as close to 100000, of what
were once called human souls"
~ H.. u
However, when Germany surrendered,
Allied armies found in concentration
camps more than 100000 non German
nationals, soldiers and civilians, their
original number greatly reduced by the
determination of an estimated 100000
Jews and q not-estimated number Of
non-Jews At Yalta,. the Big Three had
agreed on the protection, maintenance
and repatriation OF prisoners OF war and
civilians liberated by the Allied
forces"
western natidAals- -Frenchmen, Hol-
landers, Britons, Belgians presented
only technical transport problem. AL
were eager to return. But after year
and q half, western occupation forces
and UNRRA still had million East
Europeans on their hands who were
prepared to commit suicide rather than
go home.
Repeated and often grossly inhumane
Evening star., 1946-12-18

The most vital defect in the Roose-
yelt-Truman Administration Is shown in
a particularly glaring rand annoying
fashion by Robert Nathan's CIO report
in wages and prices. That defect was
and in large part still is-that our Ma
tional Government was not really ours
at all. In matters relating to the domes-
tic economy it represented not all OF us,
but part of us. Its mandate, money,
mower and authority came, under the
Constitution, from I'VE, the people OF
the United States It's sympathy ana
help went to favored pressure groups.
It's political alliances DESTROYED it's inn
partiality, It's judicial character, its fair
ness and its capacity to tell all the
truth.
This column pointed out, nearly q
year ago, how tragic it was when the
Governments bureaus and the like,
which profess to deal with facts, be-
came agencies for special pleading. The
occasion then for a widespread attack
on the statistical bureaus Of the Gov
ernment was a so-called report telling
how much wages could be increased.
This report after disastrous weeks of
strikes, was repudiated by Secretary
Henry A. Wallace. Such prejudiced re-
ports, issued at the expense and with
the authority of the Government, strike
at the very foundations Of public faith.
It is almost as bad as. If the Weather
Bureau should give out false reports to
benefit one class of farmers as against
others II the public-all Of the public
is not to have data upon which it can
depend, all economic and social life
must guide itself by flashes In the dark
ness from this or that special interest.
When, may we ask, are we to have q
Government which, at least In its scien-
tific bureaus, can be trusted?
Robert Nathan worked for the Gov
ernment. He was q prominent New
Dsalsr. He dished up facts and fgures.
Evening star., 1946-12-18
Different Theaters Preferred

Different Theaters Preferred
To the Editor Of The Star:
During the past few months have
been extremely interested in the harm
being done to Negroes in various areas.
most particularly Washington, D. c., by
groups calling themselves by various
and sundry names reminiscent OF the
alphabetical Roosevelt administration.
To begin with, the colored race is
basically the happiest on earth. They
have music in their souls and voices,
dancing in their feet and capability in
their hands. At the most, life is short.
SO why try to replace natural joy with
rancor and hatred, which is what cer-
tain individuals desperately are trying
to do?
The fact that colored people are not
admitted TO the Lisner Auditorium and
the National Theater certainly is not
a major tragedy to them as they have
their own theaters-probably far better
equipped in every way than either Of
these places-to say nothing Of the fact
that $3.50 and $40 prices are q strain
on the average pocketbook Of white or
colored.
would wager that 80 out Of 100
colored people are happier with their
own people. II the Negroes Of Washing
ton were wise, they would picket the
Howard Theater to prohibit the admis-
sion Of the trouble-making white rather
than the white theaters which obviously
desire to keep policies maintained over
a period of years.
MRS. EDWARD r. NORRIS.
Evening star., 1946-12-18
War Agency Windup

An era in Government virtually Is
ended by President Truman's latest
order wiping out more Of the war
born regulatory agencies and Great
ing an ONCE OF Temporary Controls
to preside over the obsequies of
others. When the presidential order
is fully effective, the one-time pow
erful network Of more than score
Of Alphabetical" units will be cut
down to two survivors Selectiye
Service and Office of Defense Trans
portation.
Some few functions remain to be
carried on by the new OTC, and in
the permanent agencies to which
they have been allotted, and If the
aftermath Of the First World War is
any criterion, this liquidatSng process
could be long drawn President
Truman, however, has directed that
the work be speeded as much as
possible, and that all personnel not
required for these remaining opera
tions be dropped. An additional
spur is provided by the congressional
mandate to the executive agencies
to get down to a maximum force of
1900, 900 by June 30. This will tend
to cut down surplus workers.
Reductions in the war agencies
have been paralleled elsewhere in
the Government. and latest figures
from the Civil Service Commissions
covering October-show total en-
ployment In the United States ap-
proximating 2,119,000, compared to
the peak of 3,252.000 in February,
1943, and 2.915.000 in June. 1945, six
weeks before the war ended. In
Washington, the total is down $4,000
from the top Of 287, 900. Further cuts
already effected will be shown when
later statistics reflect the termina-
ton OF wage and price controls early
In November.
Emphasizing the trend toward
normal conditions, the Post Office
Department has regained its prewar
status as principal Government en-
ployer, now reporting q force Of
494, 600, as against the Debated War
Departments $4,000.
Evening star., 1946-12-18
Young Geese in First
Snowfall

They stretch their necks first this NAY
and then yo7sder
As it to find a spot Of green In phic'r
to aUnnder.
They spread their wtite Strong iotngs,
Nth hurting sound
Making a cloud abope the cloud -iprdpped'
ground,
And then are stu. A look most ,oon-,
droMs aDise
Shines from the beadlike portions Of
their eyes.
Then all at once asst latency
on 5aunty sell possession irere set Hfe,'
Thev march across the b0rn-lot ,Uftl,
such ease
As though the snotD were grass. ana
mysteries
were solped; and thus giue ample proof
that they -
car speu adjust themselves to di,y day.
ROSE MYRA PHILLIPS =
Evening star., 1946-12-18
Bus TerminuI Problem

The Greiner-De LeuW traffic re-
port to the Commissioners lays due
emphasis on the increasing need for
en-street bus terminals phase of
Washington's transportation prob
lem which merits the sort of bold"
planning which is being given to
other aspects OF the overall traffic
situation. New York and other large
cities already have made good prog
ress in this direction. with beneficial
results.
It is only necessary TO take a look
at the present congested terminals"
of some of the Virginia and Mary
land buslines on Eleventh and Tenth
streets and in front of the old Post
once Building to appreciate the i'm
mediate proportions of the problem.
Block long rows of waiting buses
monopolize lanes OF the public
streets that otherwise might be used
by moving traffic. Queues of wait
ing bus patrons. sometimes nearly
block long, also obstruct the side
walks. In several instances no waiting
rooms OF any sort are provided and
the bus-riding public is forced to
endure inclement weather in the
open or seek such shelter as they
can find In nearby doorways or store
entrances. The whole arrangement
is makeshift, outmoded and unfair
to bus riders and to street and side
walk users generally.
The engineering report points out
that as the number of urban and
suburban buses increases-as inevi-
tably will be the case-the down.
town streets will be "cluttered un-
bearably" unless proper off-street
facilities are provided. Such facili-
ties are desirable not only to relieve
congestion on the streets and side
walks, but to encourage wider use Of
mass transportation in line with
modern trends. There is limit to
the inconvenience and indignities
which bus patrons will stand for,
and continued suffering will tend to
decrease patronage and increase use
of private automobiles - further
complicating the congestion IN the
central business district.
The solution, according to the out
side experts, lies In construction OF
adequate bus terminals in the Fed
era Triangle, either underground or
In courts at street level, and addi-
tiorial inclosed terminals in the area
between Tenth and Eleventh streets.
They cite the Pentagon as an exam
pie of good planning with respect to
bus facilities. And as an additional
means of expediting traffic they
suggest cutback curbs at bus-loading
points on main thoroughfares.
These proposals, while drastic, are
keyed to the realities of the bus
problem, both present and future.
Whether such projects should be
financed by the buslines - which
means ultimately the bus patrons
or the municipal and Federal gov
ernments,/ or jointly, is left for
others to decide. The engineers have
served good purpose. however, in
urging that our planners give the
bus terminal problem early atten-
finn
Evening star., 1946-12-18
Letters to The Star
Covenants Of Democracy Cited
Against Segregation

I To the Editor Of The Star:
In your issue Of December IL there
appeared an article dealing with the re-
fusal OF the National Theater to admit
colored citizens and the statement Of
Miss Ida Fox, secretary OF the Commit
tee for Racial Democracy, that legal
action will be brought against the thea
ter in connection with this discrimina-
tory policy.
In this connection, let me mention
that on December II the five Axis satel-
lite treaties were concluded by the
Foreign Ministers Of the Big Four.
Prominent in each Of these treaties was
the guarantee against racial and re-
|. ligious discrimination.
Also that on March s, l945, in Mexico
City the Act OF Chapultepec was signed
by the United States. In signing this
act the United States joined with other
signatories in recommending that their
respective. governments prohibit dis
elimination because Of race or religion.
In the signing the United Nations
Charter by the President of the United
States and its ratification by the United
States Senate, our Government solemnly
pledged itself to execute Article IS Of
the Charter, which provides: "The
United Nations shall promote uniform
respect for, and observance Of, human
rights and fundamental freedom for all
without distinction as to race, sex,
language and religion"
In further emphasizing its intentions
the Charter states In Article So: "All
members pledge themselves to take joint
and separate action In corporation
with the organization for the achieve
ment OF the purpose set forth in Article
S."
Article VI, Clause Of the United
States Constitution provides as follows:
"All treaties made, or which shall be
made under the authority Of the United
States, shall be the supreme law Of the
land; and the judges In every State
shall be bound thereby, anything In the
Constitution or laws OF any State to the
contrary Notwithstanding"
With the solemn responsibility as
sumed by our Government under these
treaties and the supremacy Of said
treaties as set forth in Article VI of the
Constitution, it becomes the profound
legal obligation Of all public institutions
to cease this unholy discrimination and
practice true democracy. Let this be the
goal of all true Americans in the Capital
Of our great Nation.
MERCER S. SAMPSON.
Evening star., 1946-12-18
This and That
By Charles Z. Trnce,Dell
@FAIiIs CHURCH, Va,

"Oear Sir:
you have given our household many
happy moments with your charming
This and That. We enjoyed the article
and pictures In The Sunday Star re-
Gently.
"A friend recently found q badly
wounded pigeon on the Monument
Grounds, and we brought it home for
fixing. I kept the banded beauty in
cage and glutted it with all it would
eat.
Il notified the Signal Corps folk OF
its band; they were appreciative
"And then on Thanksgiving Day
such a beautiful day-I decided to let
the fellow walk about bit.
About noon I saw our border collie
pup stretch black streak across the
lawn, peering up.
Somehow, knew. And sure enough
there he rested that newly mended
wing on the telegraph pole, where he
remained until late afternoon.
Then he few down the woods and
rested on another pole until darx.
The next day he was gone Being q
maker OF verses had to do something
about 1t. Here it Isl
HOSPICE.
Forever will my eyes be raised
Searching the full or naked tree
For foreign, yet familiar grays-
Some day he might come home to me.
"Eaves, cutters, have new meaning now
The wild bath filled beyond its brim!
And thrift grows prodigal, somehow
When grain is tossed about, for him.
"He rarely spoke-was half afraid
And I, not he, more apt to sing
Till ! opened the tiny barricade
And he flew away on his mended wing.
Sincerely, H. G. r"
~ y
Pigeons are plentiful in and around
Washington, some of them Of the better
grade, most of them just plain common
pigeons.
Hundreds of the latter bring joy to
park paraders and eaters.
Luncheon In the city's small parks,
especially in the downtown areas, is
shared, human with bird.
The pigeons are utterly unafraid, and
come to the park bench or place on the
grass.
Persons interested in feeding birds in
their own home gardens do not ordi-
narily welcome the pigeons, since these
come in focks, usually perching on the
house of some one who may not be
interested.
Yet the common pigeon has long
history, and bird by bird is interesting.
It is only a congregation OF them that
may be unwelcome.
# they would come to feeders singly.
no one would mind then in the least.
One good thing they do is clean up.
seeds and grains which may have fallen
to the ground from elevated feeding
stations.
Many OF the birds are really beautiful
In colorationS, and when it comes to
flying, few species can outdo them.
A bit clumsy on the take-off, once
they get in the air they are in their
element
Even the enthusiastic bird feeder who
does not wish pigeons around neverthe-
less can be interested in watching their
soaring, taking in an entire city block.
Such a watcher even can become at
tached to some one pigeon, such as old
Whitley, who found herself welcomed
for five years to our own feeding stations.
She seemed to know that she was
more welcome than the others, and
never missed grain, eating constantly.
until she was run over last ialL
Evening star., 1946-12-18

A Navy veteran recently licked the
housing shortage by buying an
abandoned lighthouse. He should
make good thing ont Of it by SELL
ing gags to comedians who wish to
quip about light housekeeping.
Evening star., 1946-12-18
Catholic Councils Views

Catholic Councils Views
To the Editor Of The Star:
The Catholic Interracial Council de-
sires to 60 on record as approving and
supporting the race relations survey re-
Gently released BY the Council of Social
Agencies.
We are of the opinion that the survey
contained positive and unimpeachable
| evidence on race relations In the District
| Of Columbia. As such 1t merits the active
support Of Ill fair-minded citizens In
this community. We believe that steps
should be taken at once to implement
the survey by positive action for the
purpose Of eliminating certain fragrant
injustices under which the Negro mi
nority in this city has long suffered.
The Catholic Interracial Council will
do everything in its power to secure for
the Negro those essential Christian and
democratic rights which are at present
denied him.
G.NHOWLAND SHAW. President.
Catholic Interracial Council.
Fort Davis Community Appeal
To the Editor Of The Star:
At the regular meeting Of the Fort
Davis Citizens Association on Decem-
ber 8, there was discussion of discrimi-
nation against District citizens Of this
area in the matter Of public Transports
tion, and it was thought that your news
paper, which comments on the subject
of discrimination against the citizens of
the District in the matter of voting,
might give some publicity to our prob
lem.
The Capital Transit Co., which
publicizes its widespread facilities and
its increased service to all sections of
our city, does not provide any service
direct to our area, which Is only ape
prcximately IS blocks east OF the Capitol
and well within the District proper.
Consequently, we are denied the privi-
lege and convenience of the weekly
Capital Transit pass. The Washington,
Marlboro and Annapolis Motor Lines,
Inc, provide our area With excellent ex-
press bus service to one point down.
town and some local service as far as
Barney Circle with transfers to Capital
Transit Co. lines; however, school chill
drens fares are not interchangeable
on the two lines, and 1t is necessary In
many cases for children to pay two
| fares to reach their destination.
The secretary was instructed to write
you relative to this matter The follow
ing suggestions have been made in order
that we may enjoy the same public
transportation privileges as other Dis
trict citizens: That Capital Transit Co.
service be extended to the District
line; that transfers, weekly passes and
school children's fares be interchange
able on all buses and streetcars of both
transportation companies, as far as Dis
| trict citizens are concerned.
MRS. HELEN II. CAMERON,
| q, b | 81 oocretary,