davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1946-05-10
On the Record
By Dorothy Thompson

Staercker, an emissary of the German
high command in Southeastern Europe
sought, under truce, an interview with
the Chenik leader, which he was
loathe to grant, but which was urged
upon him by his American advisers.
Won Staercker came to offer capitula-
ton not to Mihailovich. who had no
official authority since Tito had already
been recognized but to the western
Allies. This offer, transmitted to Wash
ington. was rejected, on the demand
tafterward made on Admiral Doenitz>
that surrender be unconditional to all
Allies.
1t is important that all the facts be-
come known, for the Tito government
suggests in "Mihailovich's treason" q
pamphlet issued in this country by the
Yugoslav Embassy, that American off,
GERS encouraged Mihailovich in collab-
grafton with the enemy! The pamphlet
says, "a powerful clique in the War De-
partment. close to Gen. Marshall, felt
that Mihailovich's collaboration with
the Germans was necessary to prevent
the spread of Communism" If it is
collaboration to consider an offer of
surrender, that is neWsl
Mihailovich was, originally, Britains
man. He organized the first resistance
movement in Europe, at time when
Russia was in a friendly pact with
Germany. When Russia entered the
war, Tito appeared from Moscow At
the very time when Tito propagandists
in this country were already branding
Mihailovich as a German agent, Ger
Ill
offering gold marks for his Cand Titos>
capture, describing Mihailovich as a
British agent and Tito as a Russian
agent
The Western Allies in February. 1914.
officially recognized Tito as the Yugo-
slav resistance leader, not because there
was the slightest evidence, at the time.
of Mihailovichs collaboration with the
enemy but because Tito was more ac-
tlvist-and. also, I believe, because of
Communist Vaccinations within the
Western Intelligence Services
The truth about the Won Staercker
affair was communicated to the Tito
government at the time of the Lukatche-
witch trial, but it was never published
in Yugoslavia. nor did it appear as evil
dence in the trial
There is a limit to human patience,
when the integrity and loyalty of our
Government and Army are impugned.
1t is, of course, possible that Mihailo-
vich, under the unique psychological
pressures on prisoners of the system
perfected in Russia, and realizing that
he has been abandoned by the Allies
with whom he fought while Tito was
still in Moscow, may have decided to
collaborate in a smear against the
Americans and British.
But history is being written in this
trial, and it is imperative that the facts
come out straight. whatever the de-
fendant may or may not confess and
desire" More than the Chetnik lead
er is on trial. and more is at stake.
(Released by the Bell Syndicate, Inc)
Evening star., 1946-05-10
After Empire What?
BY Raymond oIev

the most part these Moslems prefer a
life, mood and a standard of living
quite unlike that of the Western ma
tons. Such peoples have always been
the victims of aggression and exploita-
ton by more vigorous peoples. The
problem which the Moslems will pre-
sent to the world will be the right of
a people to live in the easy-going state
to which it is accustomed.
This is one example among many OF
the nature of the problem presented
when new national sovereignties are
recognized at the same time that part
of old national sovereignties are sur
rendered to the U. N. How far can the
U. N. 60 in inducing internal progress
when internal progress is exactly what
nation does not want? Can the
many U. N. commissions, committees
and the like on social progress have
any binding force on member nations?
Surely there will be threats to world
security other than circumstances likely
to lead to war.
What If a backward nation chooses a
form OF business dealings with other
nations which violates ethical stand
ards generally observed? What if it
presents a health menace to other ma
lions?
The U. N. can scarcely limit its social
activities to mere propaganda and ex-
hortation. But how far it can 60 in
enforcing its ideals presents an unsolved
problem. And the Moslem world is ex-
actly the kind of region which will test
the new internationalism to the greatest
degree.
(Released BY the Associated Newspapers. nc3
Evening star., 1946-05-10

Disraeli must be turning in his grave
these days as the Labor government
proceeds with a reconstruction of the
Empire. Modern Disraelis, like Churchill
and Eden, protest loudly, but the
partial liquidation goes on. 1t would
go on in any event. but the present
government has apparently decided to
yield gracefully to the inevitable.
where, it is said, the British have in
stalled military equipment worth $780,
100000, is the REIMBURSEMENT of a
bastion guarding the narrowest stretch
of the lifeline
But there is urgency behind the re-
lease of Egypt more fundamental to
British interests than the negative con-
troll of the canal. The Mohammedan
world is restless and Britain must have
continuing good relations with it, for
the Palestine situation grows no better.
X X
India has been promised freedom and
more than 90,0OO,000 Moslems there
want to create a state Of their own.
That vast population. combined with
the Arabs of Asia Minor and Africa
would constitute a power with 150,-
100000 people and enormous resources
This great mass of people and prop
erty will have to depend upon British
forces and British trade for a gen.
Grafton or more. And, in many ways,
the assistance of the United States
will be sought, probably in the form
of loans. But to believe that the
Moslem world will become a we'll
integrated, reasonably progressive ma
ton is to fly in the face of all the
evidence, historical and otherwise. For
Evening star., 1946-05-10
Observers at Bikini

Inere may be some merit IN tne
argument that the July-August
atomic bomb tests at Bikini Atoll
will lack sufficient technical prep
aration, but there is nothing to be
said for the point that the act of
staging them will be offensive to
other nations. At President Tru-
mans formal direction, invitations
have now been issued to all men,
bers of the United Nations Security
Council, plus Canada, to have OBJ
servers on hand for the historic
experiment. This means that "Oper-
alton Crossroads" though project
to be conducted under exclusive
American control, will have an in
ternational flavor. Every member
of the U. N Atomic Energy Com
mission will have the opportunity
to witness the show at a safe dis
tance, and each of them will thus
be able to see whatever can be seen
without danger and to report to his
government all results except those
which will be restricted as a secu-
rity safeguard until secrets can be
freely shared under a system of
world control.
Accordingly, those who argue that
the forthcoming tests should be
postponed because other powers
might consider them to be an irri-
tating display of American power
military gesture with "big- stick"
implications-have little ground on
which to defend their point. Aus
tralia, Brazil, Canada, China, Egypt,
France. Mexico. the Netherlands,
Poland, Britain and the Soviet
Union, If they accept the American
invitation, will all have observers in
the neighborhood of Bikini. Far
from being irritated, they will be
tremendously interested - as they
should be-and there can be little
question that their limited but i'm
portant participation in the expert
ment will serve useful purpose in
promoting the international regula-
ton of the fearsome problems raised
by the development of atomic
energy. On this score, though tech
nical objections may still be raised,
there can be no serious doubt about
the wisdom of the project.
Evening star., 1946-05-10

The trial OF Draja Mihailovich in
Belgrade promises to be another Moscow
trial, in which not only the defendant
but other nations are indicted for pur-
poses of international Communist prop
aganda.
Mihailovich has, according to his
prosecutors, the Tito regime, con
fessed" that he collaborated with the
Germans. Through his prosecutors he
has repudiated the offer of American
paratroopers who were rescued by him
to appear as witnesses of fact in his
behalf and has rejected American
counsel asserting Through his prose-
cutors) that he has complete faith in
Yugoslav peoples justice.
He has been condemned In advance
Titos government has announced "his
crimes are far too horrible to allow
discussions of whether he is guilty or
not" He is, therefore presumed to
have accepted death sentence But
the trial is to proceed as an open po-
litical theater.
This is typical of Soviet trials. in which
the only evidence is that of the prosecu-
ton and the weird supporting confes-
sions of the defendants.
But in the case of Draja Mihailovich
more is at issue than his particular
person. The honor and loyalty Of the
British and American Governments and
war Offices are at stake.
~
In the 1896 Moscow trials. the de-
PENDANTS were accused of treasonable
collaboration with the Nazis. The trial
became, therefore, an indictment of
the defendant and of a foreign govern
ment. That three years later the gov
ernment that tried the criminals
would sign a pact with the Nazis is
another matter. The trial was an in
ternational political and propaganda
event.
So, in this forthcoming trial, there
are indications that the stage is being
set as another incident in the Soviet
campaign to discredit not the old Boil
sheviks in Russia, but the Allied gov
ernments of Great Britain and the
United States in their wartime relations
with the Soviets 1t is, therefore, urgent
that some of the American officers for
merly in haison with Mihailovich S
Chetnik headquarters, Col. Robert Nc
Dowell, Col. Albert Seitz, and Capt. Wal
ter Mansfield, should be at the trial, to
defend, if not Mihailovich, the United
States.
Col. Seitz and Capt. Mansfield were
officially attached to Mihailovich from
August, l943, to January, 1914, a time
during which Tito supporters were
branding Mihailovich as German COL
laborator in the New York press If
he was, during that time, the United
States Army is also under indictment
One of Mihailovich's officers previ-
ously captured, tried and executed on
similar charges was 1t. Voislav Lukatch-
evitch. One of the accusations against
him was that he was present at meet
ing between Mihailovich and Col Won
Staercker, in September, 1914. The in
terview did, indeed, take place Won
Evening star., 1946-05-10
Breakdown in Korea

Responsibility for the breakdown
in the Korean negotiations is more
clearly fixed on the Soviet side than
it is in the Paris Conference, because
in Korea the agenda did not contain
anything not already provided for
under a previous agreement between
the Soviet and American govern
ments.
The negotiators' task was, tech
nically, to implement measures for
abolishing the boundary, supposedly
established as temporary measure,
which bisects Korea from east to
west along the thirty eighth parallel
of latitude, and thus reunite the
country economically and adminis-
ratively under an international con-
troll commission during a five-year
period of trusteeship. At the same
time a native Korean provisional
government was supposed to have
been set up, elected by democratic
processes and representing all parties
not tainted with collaboration with
the Japanese regime.
The commission met on March
20, but the American delegation at
once came up against stone wall
of Russian nonco-operation. The
Soviet delegates refused to imple-
ment either of the main provisions
in the prior Russo-American agree
ment. They refused even to discuss
removal of the boundary, which had
become an iron curtain" virtually
uncrossable from the American
zone. AS for Korean provisional
government, the Soviet delegation
laid down conditions which amount
ed to the exclusion Of all native
Evening star., 1946-05-10

Russia consents to it as well-ad-
mittedly big "if"-such general
meeting might haste.; agreement,
s.T. Dyrnes' view being that present
differences could perhaps be recon-
ciled through wide-open discussion
among the broader group of nations,
thus opening the way to an overall
European settlement. The proposal
involves hazards. but it certainly
seems worth trying. In any event,
by one method or another, the job of
making peace must be carried for
ward persistently and in an affirma-
tive spirit. A defeatist frame Of
mind at this point can be of no
help whatever.
Evening star., 1946-05-10
This Changing World
By Constantine Brown

Whether the emphatic statements of
the Arab leaders throughout the Middle
East that they would take up arms
to oppose any attempt to bring Jewish
immigrants into Palestine is mere bluff
or whether they mean what they say
is subject of various interpretations.
The groups which are favoring mass
immigration program and the early
creation of a Jewish national home say
the Arabs have neither the intention
nor the ability to fight. Moreover, they
point out that the existence of Jewish
military force in Palestine is a guaran-
tee that any attempt on the part Of
the Arabs to carry out their threats
could be met if the Allies were to give
"some support" to this underground
force.
Other quarters, however, take more
serious view of the threats of the rep
resentatives of the Arab states in the
Middle East, especially after King Ibn
Saud told an Associated Press repre-
sentative Wednesday that he regarded
the Anglo-American Inquiry Commits
sion report betrayal"
The principal trouble is believed to
stem from the fact that President
Roosevelt gave definite assurances in
writing to King Ibn Saud that nothing
final regarding Palestine would be un-
dertaken by this country until Ibn
Saud had been consulted.
X * X X
This written pledge was given after
the meeting between the President and
the King aboard an American man.
of-War in March, 1945.
The whole Palestine question was
discussed at length and Ibn Saud is
reliably reported to have told Mr.
Roosevelt that IF you decide to send
too many Jews to Palestine I shall
have to throw them into the sea-" After
the situation was examined in the light
of world rather than local problem
and all the potentials involved in it
were discussed, Mr.. Roosevelt decided
to promise Ibn Saud that no action
would be taken without the Kings
knowledge
Ibn Saud and other Arab rulers are
less sophisticated than the heads of
the European countries. They take
political pledges at their face value
and don't go back on the given word
Hence, when the report Of the COM
mission recommending immediate ad-
mission of 100000 displaced Jews to
Palestine was issued the Arab leaders
considered the matter as a serious vio-
lation of the pledges given them by the
Evening star., 1946-05-10

foremost statesmen of the coalition
which was fighting totalitarianism
They felt they were being "tricked"
The theological struggle which has
developed in Europe after the end of
the war has not affected the Arabs.
They understand power politics we'll.
When it appeared to their leaders that
America and Britain were determined
to bring in the 100000 displaced Jews
regardless of how the Arabs felt, they
turned to Russia.
Whether the appeal from the Arab
committee in Cairo to ask Soviet assist
ance was bluff to intimidate Washing
ton and London or was made seriously is
hard to say. But in some official quar-
tiers in Washington, where the American
war potential is we'll known to be
negligible, this attitude is causing a
serious concern.
The Arabs are realiStS. When in
1885, during an official visit to Tripoli,
Mussolini, mounted on white charger
and carrying at his side gold-incrusted
Arab swords, proclaimed himself the
protector of the Moslems, he was not
taken seriously.
But the situation is entirely different
in regard to Russia High officials
believe that if Prime Minister Stain
decides to place the green turban"
on his head and answer the invitation
of the Arab leaders to support their
actions against an eventual large-scale
Jewish immigration, there would be
more trouble in the Middle East than
we ever bargained for
So far as is known here, Stain has
not yet replied whether he will take
up the cudgelS for the Arabs.
Before the end of the war Moscow
had made serious attempts to gain
the sympathy of the Arabs A special
diplomatic mission headed by Russian
citizen of Moslem faith was sent to
Ibn Saud. His efforts were in vain,
since the King was determined to play
along with the United States, which
he feels has no imperialistic ambitions
and consequently presents no danger
to the sovereignty of the Arab states.
Official quarters in Washington be-
lieve that new effort of Soviet pene-
tration in the Middle East-this time
at the request of the Arabs them
selves-may succeed, particularly mas
much as Ibn Saud and the other Arab
rulers are now formally on record as
willing to support by force the en-
forcement of the committees recon-
mendation that 100000 displaced Jews
be admitted into Palestine.
Evening star., 1946-05-10
No 'Sofe' Speed

From the GLASGOW Herald.
Black-out having gone, the night
time speed limit of 20 miles per hour
in built-up areas has gone, too, and
time is coming when the relationship
between road speed and road safety
should be examined anew. The pre-
tense that legal limit, or at least
a legal limit alone, is capable of pre-
venting accidents has been exposed
with pitiless clarity since 1885, when
the present restriction of speed in
built-up areas was introduced-a re-
striction which is now standardized
again at 80 miles per hour. The PROPOSE
ton that we should have no speed limit
at all may have no hope of general
acceptance yet, though it was en-
bodied by Mr.. Herbert Morrison in the
Road Traffic Act of 1881; but it is
imperative that the older race of drivers
should not revert to the fallacy that
there is such thing as safe speed"
and that new generation should not
arise to perpetuate the notion.
Evening star., 1946-05-10
Peace and Pessimism

In his comment yesterday on the
Paris meeting of Foreign Ministers,
President Truman, although far
from sounding like Pollyanna. did
not speak gloomily. BY way of con-
trast, news stories on the conference
have been attributing deep pessi-
mism to number of unnamed au-
thorities represented as seeing little
or no hope of averting a division of
the world into two opposing blocs,
one dominated by Russia and the
other by the western democracies,
with both headed more or less in
evitably for war.
The unfolding of events, of course,
may in time prove the correctness
of the bleak view, but at the present
moment the President apparently
does not share it. All signs indicate
that the Paris meeting will be con-
siderably less than a success, but in
his opinion it cannot yet be con-
sidered failure. AS for reports of
an impending drastic anti-Soviet
change in American policy, he has
heard nothing about it. Every
thing considered. without raising
any false hopes, his comment on the
situation thus has the virtue of
lessening some of the excessive pes
simism recently thickening the in
ternational air.
Actually, even if the Foreign Min
listers fail to agree on anything basic
. at Paris. it still will be too early to
despair of the situation. The pur-
pose of the present conference is to
clear away differences that have
stynied the drafting of peace treaties
for Italy, Hungary, Romania, Bull
garia and Finland. Owing largely
to the unbending Russian position
on such problems as Trieste, very
little progress has been reported, but
the fact that the meeting may break
up on that note does not mean the
end of hope, nor does it rule out
efforts to reach an understanding by
other means. Secretary Byrnes, for
example, proposes that the twenty
one nation conference, originally
scheduled to start on May /, be con-
vened next month whether or not
the Big Four meanwhile agree.
The French and British Foreign
Ministers support this idea. and II
Evening star., 1946-05-10

elements except the Cas,,:.:.::-.:str1ss
and ..::5se dennitely favoring the
Soviet Union. When our delegation
refused to consent to what it de-
scribed as a violation of "the uni
versally acknowledged right of all
peoples to that freedom of express
sion promised to them in the Atlantic
Charter" the Soviet delegation an
nounced that it had received orders
to stop work and return to North
ern Korea"
Thus. the commission adjourned
"sine die," and another failure and
deadlock must be chalked up to the
effort at genuine cooperation and
mutual understanding between the
United States and the Soviet Union.
Evening star., 1946-05-10
Remember! Remember!

There is no need to talk ukile 1pe t,Uo
Hnger
Here on this 1Dind-s,0ept hill, for ,ohat
haze 1UOrdS
To do Uith scent OF rain Dith green
ing finger
OF blade and Leaf /. . and glad return
ing birds
And tapestry OF songs? Hence let our
And eyes record this trau s,Deet lope-
Illness
To keep Dithin our hearts against all
fears,
A soothing peace so deeply tathom-
less.
Ample ,uiu be the time for words, dear
heart,
Far past the springtinae's laughter
and good-by,
When coming years ,oiu hem US in
apart
From youth. Then looking backward,
you and
Shall make n,ake this hour an eoer-glo'0in9
With the often spoken Uord -.
Remember Remember!
ROSE MYRA PHILLIPS.
Evening star., 1946-05-10
Spottinq Unfit Drivers

President Truman. in opening the
Highway Safety Conference, empha-
sized a phase of the accident pre-
vention problem which deserves spe-
cial attention of the country's safety
experts-the human factor as dis
tinct from the mechanical and en-
gineering factors now being stressed
so prominently. 1t is an ineScapable
fact that if, to use the Presidents
dramatic Technology, a nut" a
moron" or other incompetent
driver is at the wheel of a car, the
mechanical state of the vehicle or
the condition of the road is rela-
lively unimportant.
The President caustically pointed
out that some States, including his
own Missouri do not require so
much as a drivers test in order to
qualify for permit. The national
picture is even worse than that.
Four States do not require licenses
of any kind, more than score have
no prohibition against issuing per-
mits to habitual drunkards, drug
addicts or mental incompetents,
ten grant permits to children four
teen or fifteen years old, eight re-
quire no eye tests and only few
require a sufficient knowledge of
English to read traffic signs. Yet,
under interstate reciprocity, drivers
licensed under such lax systems are
free to drive cars in other States.
Under the auspices of the Interna-
tional Associa ton of Chiefs of Police,
police of Washington and most other
large cities have launched a drive to
check on mechanical defects of
automobiles. 1t would seem to be
even more important to undertake a
Nationwide campaign to check on
the defects of those who drive auto
mobiles. States which have been
remiss in screening permit appli-
cants for physical or mental defects
must share part of the RESPONSE
bility for the increase in serious
traffic crashes. So must jurisdictions
which fail to check up from time to
time on those who once have quail
fed under rigid permit regulations.
Suggestions in the past for regu-
lar periodic examination of per-
nit holders have fallen by the way
side, chiefly because of the expense
and work involved. The District is
among a number of States which
require a examination in cases
Of serious accident or fragrant traffic
violation. Local traffic officials do
not believe that complete recheck
of all the half million permit hold
ers in Washington would be either
practicable or necessary. They are
correct, however, in contending that
every driver caught violating the
rules of safety should be compelled
to take another examination. And
every driver on the Nations high
ways should be required to prove his
competency before being granted
permission to roam at large on pub
lie thoroughfares.