davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1946-10-21

Louis BudenZ's denunciation of Ger
hard Eisler, alias Hans Berger, as the
agent of the Krenllin who directs Com
munist activity in the United States
raises an important Question-who are
Mr.. Eisler's friends in, or with influence
on, the American State Department?
For one thing said by Mr.. Budenz
may be misleading. Eisler (or Berger)
was not an unknown figure. He was a
well-known German Communist whose
international activities in the conspira-
torial underworld of Communist politics
must have been known to those lntell-
gence services charged to keep track OF
such things. Yet he entered this coun-
try in 1941 without more than transit
visa, after having been interned for two
months on Ellis Island by the FBI.
After Eisler left Germany for Paris,
the Russo German pact was made, and
thereafter the role of the Communists
was everywhere obscure. In France they
were openly defeatist, q fact that put
most German refugees-Jews, Commu-
nists, or otherwise-into an Gmbivalent
situation after war broke out. Eisler
was interned at the outbreak of war,
but according to the Daily Worker, was
freed when he obtained a Mexican visa.
Now to get into the United States
without a proper visa is difficult indeed,
and for a known member of Commu-
mist party, is impossible. Mr.. Eisler held
only transit visa, forbidding him even
to land on United States soil, yet in
two months he was free and at large.
Who pulled strings in the State De-
partment to permit him to return TO
his native city of Leipzig in the Russian
zone? He was to have sailed Friday,
undoubtedly to advise with the Rus
slams and the German Communists re-
garding the American strategy to be
pursued by Communists here.
While here. according to the Daily
Worker, he helped edit the German
American, described as an "anti-Nazl
paper, published in New York in the
German language. The German Ameri-
can is the organ of German Communists
in the United States, and is vehemently
anti every American and German who
does not toe the party line.
1t is exceedingly difficult fora German
refugee, ever active in German politics,
TO get PERMISSION 10 feturH 10 IeTLnaiy'
That includes Germans who were con-
spicuously anti-Nazi before and during
the Russo-Gernlan pact, have become
American citizens, and have long
record of devotion to American princi-
piles of free democracy. Mr.. Eisler sue
ceeds where others fail, and only last
minute investigation by the FBI holds
him up!
Mr.. Truman, recalling the Canadian
case, had better undertake a thorough
screening of both the State and War
Departments, and Of such organizations
Evening star., 1946-10-21
Gasoline Tax Rates

Anything which comes from the
District Highway Department is
usually well prepared. H. c. White
hurst, the director, has placed be-
fore the Commissioners convincing
case in support of the proposed cent
a-gallon increase in the gasoline tax.
There is definite job to be done in
accommodating traffic, the present
tax will not yield the money and the
Federal Government, largely due to
Captain Whitehurst's own per-
suasiveness, has contributed to
highway construction here in recent
years on the same basis that it
makes funds available to the States.
Captain Whitehurst does not rely
on the empty argument that
because the gas tax is higher in
the adjacent States 1t should be
higher here. The District has its
own problems in this respect and
the tax should be based wholly on
the local need.
The increase of a cent a gallon
in the gasoline tax, made in 1941,
was for the specific purpose of
financing ten-year program.
Without new legislation the tax
would 60 back to two cents in 1851.
The new tax legislation would make
the increase permanent. Is this
wise? The Star does not think so.
Under a provision of District
appropriation bills of many years
standing the Commissioners are
authorized to set the tax rate on
real and personal property at the
beginning Of each fiscal year,
depending on the need. Why not
extend the same principle to the
rate on gasoline? There may come
time when the gasoline tax yields
surplus, and there is no excuse
for taxation in excess of need.
In line with the disposition in
Congress to rid itself of routine
legislation for the District, it would
be appropriate for the Commits
sioners to request discretionary
powers enabling them to fix the
rate on gasoline each year in
accordance with the need, thus
eliminating legislation each time
the rate is changed. Restricted in
its use to the direct benefit of those
who pay the tax the gas tax is less
onerous than most levies. Authority
to fix the rate annually, rested with
the Commissioners, would directly
couple the size of the tax with the
need for its revenue.
Evening star., 1946-10-21
On the Record
By Dorothy Thompson

as the Anti-Fascist Refugee Committee.
AS for Mr.. Eisler, the record OF his an
swers to the questions of the immigra-
tion authorities should be investigated,
for they must be false He probably
belongs in the clink, and certainly not
in the position of uaison between Ger
man and American Communists, and
between both and the Kremlin.
The Russo-German pact dispersed the
German Communists westward, there to
await the clarification of the interna-
tional situation, and stand by for fur
their. orders. The German Communist
party always furnished some of the most
competent international agents. They
played large role in the Spanish Civil
War, and were and are active in China
and throughout Asia. They hold posi-
tons of power and influence today in
France, sometimes under French names
And they are active in the United States.
Henry Wallace is doubtless a liberal,
honest, candid-and gulIble-American
yet he has recently served the tactics of
the Kremlin with perfect timing, and
I think both he and Fiorello La Guardia
owe us an explanation of their indorse-
ment in the last congressional elections
of Johannes Steele for Representative
from a New York district. They ought,
I think, to say who Johannes Steele
is, at least, besides having been, accord
ing to his own autobiography, in the
foreign espionage service of the German
Commerce Ministry, operating to cir
cumvent the peace treaties after the
last war.
Anti i-Communist German refugees,
once in positions to know such things,
insist that Steele, whatever his surface
activities may have been, was connected
with the secret operational organiza-
ton OF the German Communist party,
interlinked with the Russian sGPU.
Whether this is true or provable, it Is
both true and provable that his auto
biography contains many false state
ments and most peculiar blanks which
obscure all the main facts of his boast
fully adventurous and dubious pre-
American career. Just why should such
an international mystery man be in
dorsed for Congress by responsible citi-
zens?
If facts or rumors about Communist
plots reach us from eX-Communists,
easily Cdlleu IelltSdues, VIII cisc las
ever penetrated the tortuous mazes and
infinitely interlocking and yet separated
hierarchies of that remarkable secret
society, calling itself a party" and
serving powerful and expanding state?
Mr. Wallace is not the only innocent
abroad at home in a world which his
background and experience make him
incapable of understanding. There are
many such innocents. have, at times,
been one myself. But one lves-and
learns.
(Released by the Bell Syndicate, Inc)
Evening star., 1946-10-21
Swan Boot .

Here Is the tairy hour. The enchanted
fower
Blooms ON the bank =. the great
StDdn drifts
From the past to toloers OF fDory.
Glides Nth the same quiet certainty.
The clouds OF summer quiper in the lake.
The dragon heat lies coiled behind tree.
The grass becomes an undiscovered land.
The poice We hear Is childhoods rotce
again,
The beautiful n,urnlur, the lost music
found
Where todter,s ripple Is the only sound.
SARA VAN ALSTYNE ALLEN.
Evening star., 1946-10-21

countries, and improvement in
Czechoslovakia's economic situation.
All this Is clear indication that
the department is vigilant and se-
ective in its credit policy, and that
it is likewise determined that no
conception of the United States as
an international Santa Claus shall
be permitted to arise abroad. This
selective policy should logically have
its repercussions on the policy of
the International Bank. when that
U. N. institution gets into practical
operation.
Evening star., 1946-10-21
Stopping Czech Credit

The State Department. action.
stopping permanently the remaining
$40,000,0oO of a $5O,000,00O credit to
Czechoslovakia-coupled with its
request to the Export-Import Bank
to suspend additional credit nego-
tiations-is not an isolated incident.
It forms part Of the larger problem
of our postwar financing Of foreign
countries on a sound and equitable
basis.
The specific incident which caused
the stoppage of the aforementioned
credit was an agreement by Czecho-
slovakia to resell to Romania at a
profit $10,0O0,0O0 worth of surplus
United States Army material which
Czeehoslovakia had purchased or
contracted to purchase out OF the
credit we extended her last spring.
This agreement was not commu-
nicated to the State Department
until after it's consummation. The
department thereupon indicated its
disapproval by forbidding the dis
tribution of such supplies to
Romania; its attitude being that,
while there is no specific ban in the
credit arrangement against resale,
it is considered implicit that goods
thus purchased should not be resold
to another country, especially at a
profit. Romania, the department
added, could make its own arrange
ments with the United States for
acquiring such surplus property.
Behind this specific incident, the
department lists number of other
factors which have influenced it's
decision in both cases. Among these
are Czechoslovakia's failure to make
an agreement with respect to COM
pensation to American citizens for
rights and properties taken over in
the Czech naturalization program,
misinterpretation by Czechoslovakia
OF American motives in extending
economic assistance to European
Evening star., 1946-10-21
AIso-PoIund

Current diplomatic tension be-
tween this country on the one hand
and Yugoslavia and Czechoslovakia
on the other is being paralleled by
analogous difficulties between us and
Poland. These difficulties are not
new. They are merely an intensifi-
cation of those experienced by our
diplomacy ever since the setting up
of the" present Moscow-sponsored
Polish regime. Furthermore, they
are political as we'll as economic in
character. British diplomacy is
similarly involved and is taking
virtually identical action with us.
Our State Departments latest
protest to the Warsaw government,
coinciding with a similar British
note, emphasizes what is considered
to be the deliberate and fragrant
confscation of American properties
under the recent Polish nationaliza-
ton law with no adequate oppor-
tunity to claim compensation. The
properties, aggregating well over
100000 900 in value, are being taken
by the Warsaw government in clear
contravention of the commercial
treaty signed with Poland in 1881,
under which both countries agree to
pay adequate compensation if either
country nationalizes property of
their citizens. Poland's contraven-
ton is aggravated by the subterfuges
whereby the filing of compensation
claims is rendered practically i'm
possible. And the same is true of
British grievances in this respect.
Alongside this economic high
handedness runs the conduct OF the
Polish government regarding the
freedom of elections and rights of
political parties which were specified
under the big Three" Yalta agree
ment, acknowledged by the present
Polish government, and made a con-
dition precedent to diplomatic recog-
milton by the western powers. The
misconduct of the Warsaw govern
ment in these respects has become
so fragrant that it has just called
forth an assurance in the House of
Commons that the British govern
ment continues to insist upon the
observance of the Yalta agreement,
and that this insistence should not
be considered undue interference in
Poland's domestic affairs, since it is
"a matter of international obliga-
ton" Furthermore, the British gov
ernment spokesman pointed out that
the United States is aligned with
Britain on this issue.
What all this signifies Is that
Poland forms part Of a larger
Evening star., 1946-10-21
This Changing World
By Constantine Brown

The realistic speech delivered by Sec
retary of State Byrnes last Friday night
is regarded in diplomatic circles in
Washington as being particularly sig
nificant because 1t comes at time when
the fate of the Paris agreements for
peace treaties with Italy and the minor
Axis satellites hangs in the balance.
Foreign Minister Molotov has indi-
Gated Enthusiastically that Russia will ap-
ply her veto power at least in the mat
ter concerning Trieste.
Mr.. Byrnes in turn has now stated
that he is not impressed by that threat
and declared that "every understanding
requires the reconciliation Of differences
and not a yielding by one state to the
arbitrary will of another. - They
must not arbitrarily exercise their power
of veto"
Had the Secretary of State wished, he
could have given the American people
and the rest of the world many facts
about Russia's reluctance to cooperate
in bringing about a true and lasting
peace He could have spoken about the
increasing Soviet military preparations
on the Turkish borders and described
them as threat to the peace. He could
so-called Albanian Army and of the con-
centration of Yugoslay forces on the
borders of Greece.
X X
Mr.. Byrnes also could have mentioned
the infiltration into Greece of Com
munist bands organized outside the
borders of that country. He could have
recited chapter and verse from reports
of6 ot "a
smuggling" of arms and other equip
nent to the ELIAS forces from the
neighboring countries with the view to
increasing the existing chaos in Greece.
He could have issued long and factual
list of how the rights OF people behind
the iron curtain are being trampled
under the feet of the existing dictatorial
regimes which claim to be the custodlans
of democracy He could have spoken
about the provocations of the puppet
governments against the United States
and of the fact that the newspaper Ro-
botnik, the official organ of Poland's
Prime Minister Osubka MoraWski,
printed after Mr.. Byrnes' Stuttgart
speech faxed picture showing him
wearing Nazi SIS battle helmet.
All these facts which are in Mr..
Byrnes' possession were contained in the
sober words, 'They must not pass false
and misleading propaganda against one
another" and mo state should assume
that it has monopoly of virtue or OF
wisdom"
With his mind on the problems which
are bound to crop up in the near future
such as the Russian demand to deal
with Turkey alone in the discussion of
the Dardanelles, the Secretary of State
informed the world that "the United
Gfaf tee stands for freadnna for all nations
Evening star., 1946-10-21
Letters to. The Star
Reviews Television's Develop
ment During Twenty Years

To the Editor OF The Star:
In 1925 The Star gave report Of
what probably was the first successful
television demonstration. Professor G.
F.. Jenkins, local television and radio
pioneer, performed the demonstration
and successfully transmitted the image
of revolving toy windmill from one
part of Washington to another. Several
years later the writer witnessed a
jenkins television exhibit, but although
the image was discernible. there was
much blurring. Every one present agreed
that further research and improve
ment were required before television
could enter the homes Of the public.
More than decade subsequently two
world fairs enabled us to see some
amazing refined television apparatus.
Certain basic changes had brought
about more clear and steady reception.
True, the screens were quite small,
and we were told of other problems
yet unsolved. So we sat back to wait
for the necessary improvements.
Then the war took television out OF
the public's mind, but quiet progress
was being made, and we heard vague
references to military uses for tele-
vision. Later the atom bomb tests
were viewed on video screens, and the
results were said to be good.
Recently the Louis Conn "ballet" was
telecast, and number OF local peo-
pie waxed enthusiastic after seeing this
demonstration. Allowing that some OF
the warm praise was because they
had had free seats to see this farce,
we nevertheless thought that the tele-
vision must have worked well. Our
interest was definitely high, and we
were very pleased when we received an
invitation to see telecast of the Navy
Duke game on october II.
Intending to stay only a short time,
we found that the clear view which
we enjoyed of each play Of the game
was like that from box seat, thanks
to telescope lenses. 1t was difficult
to realize that we, in warm, COM
Portable hotel room, were watching
a contest taking place over 40 miles
away. Occasional views of the specta-
tors, huddling in the annoyingly strong
wind, made us very appreciatiye OF our
comfortable setting.
One fact Is obvious. Television Is
Just about here at last. OF course,
it isn't perfect, but it's far better
right now than was radio a few years
back when we tinkered with crystal
sets and battery powered receivers.
The pessimists who think that tele-
Visions faults should hold it of of the
market for a long while are over
looking the history of radio and for
getting how the public stuck with that
development from its earliest days.
NORMAN E. BLISS.
Evening star., 1946-10-21

pattsrn, embracing Czechoslovakia,
Yugoslavia and other neighboring
countries under the control Of Soviet
Russia. Throughout that Soviet
zone, the western powers are stand
ing on treaty rights and interna-
tional agreements which are threat
ened with notification by the acts
and policies emanating from Moscow
even when ostensibly those of satel-
lite regimes.
Evening star., 1946-10-21
Butcher Shop Experience

To the Editor of The Star:
The high cost of meat is disgrace
to our country, of course; but we house.
wives probably wouldn't object SO much
if we got value for our money.
Before the war, when you purchased
meat you paid for the meat, with a
reasonable amount Of fat and bone.
Now when you get small steak, say
weighing around pound and quarter,
you pay for about quarter OF pound
of meat and the rest fat, skin and
bore.
The same applies to chops. bought
four lamb chops weighing nearly two
pounds. There were about two bites
of meat on each chop. Oh, well; there
was nearly half pound of drippings
for the fat drive-but it still isn't fair
that the consumer should pay such a
price for fat and. bone and the retailer
make such prOht.
A HOUSEWIFE
Evening star., 1946-10-21
United Chest Appeal

Inc campaign WHICH OPENS To-
[ morrow Is the first united appeal,
( in peacetime, for Washington and
the adjacent counties. 1t is being
launched in the name of the Com
munity Chest observation-disclosures
Capital Area. It represents the logi-
cal development of the establish
ment in 1928 of the Washington
Community Chest. While the war
brought most of the agencies of the
area together in a united appeal,
the organization was a temporary
one. This year we are on perma-
nent basis for the first time and
there are some things about this
organization that contributors will
want to understand.
The Chest Federation includes six
local Community Chests-Alexan-
dria, Arlington, Fairfax, Montgom-
cry, Prince Georges and Washing
ton. Each Chest retains its inde-
pendence In all matters except this
campaign and the ALLEGATION of col
lections resulting from it. The ad-
vantages are those which lay behind
the original organization of the
Washington Community Chest. The
overhead cost of conducting the
appeal is reduced, there is one in
stead of six appeals and the unity in
campaign organization tends to re-
duce other duplication of effort.
The National War Fund goes out
of existence at the end of 1946, so
in this 1947 campaign the money
which is raised will be spent-with
one exception-on local needs. The
exception is the United Service Or
ganizations, which is being included
as a national organization for the
last time. 1t was impracticable, and
unfair to the men and women still
in the service, to liquidate it this
year. 1t will drop out of the picture
after 1947.
The goal this year is $4,000, 900.
The figure is compromise between
the amount recommended by the
individual Chests, and their Fedora
ton Budget Committee, and the
amount which it was believed would
be available. 1t is approximately IS
per cent less than what is regarded
as essential for adequate support of
the agencies. It is net reduction
of nearly half a million dollars over
what was available for expenditure
in 1916.
Comparing the need this year with
the last prewar year, 1941, the situ-
alton is this: There were four Chests
and eighty-three agencies in 1941.
This year there are six Chests and
125 agencies. For every 100 persons
living in this area in 1941, there are
now 1T. The population has in
creased from about 100000 in 1941
to 100000 in 1945. The cost of
living and the cost of operation have
gone up and more things are re-
quired by more people.
Such facts relate to the general
picture. But each potential Chest
contributor has only one question to
answer, and that is the amount he
can afford to give in support of this
united community effort. Let all
those give who can afford to give
and the amount raised, in respect to
the goal and the needs, will take
rare of itself
Evening star., 1946-10-21
More on Franks and Germans

More on FRANKS ana oeTIndHS
To the Editor Of The Star:
In a letter in The Star recently Gar
rett Baxter urged the transfer OF the
Ruhr district to France, a proposal
which in subsequent letter Henry j.
Kriss opposed, largely on the racial
basis, saying that the Rhinelanders and
Charlemagne were Germans like the
Lombards and Saxons. In the latter's
effort Ito keep the record straight" he
has done Just the reverse, as can be
shown by a reading of Caesars "Gallic
War" and Eginhard's Life of Charlie
magne."
The Franks dormerly KimmeriD, the
Suebi (Saxons, Thuringians, Bavarians,
Wurttembergers and Badenese) and
the Goths dncluding the Lombards)
represent three different Nordic nations
that were separate political entities as
long ago as 4,500 years. The Romans
applied the term German" to Franks
and not to Suebians; thus, history shows
a "Germania Inferior" and "Germania
SUPERIOR" the lower Rhine Valley and
the upper Rhine Valley respectively, all
inhabited then by Franks and not by
Suebians. In this sense, Charlemagne
a Frank, was a German but'not Suebi
Strangely, by historical error, the term
German" has been transferred from
the Franks to the Suebi, so that now
the latter lay claim to credit for the
great achievements of the Franks. In
fact, this expansion of their ego was
one of the prime causes of World Wars
I and II.
The population OF Deutschland west
of the Weser River, In Franconia, and
in the Palatinate and Saar Basin is
wholly Frankish. (See under "Hesse'
in Encyclopedia Britannica for proof
that the Hessians are Frankish). Ac-
cordingly, permanent peace plans should
allocate the Palatinate, Saar and Rhine
land south of the Moselle River te
France and divide the Rhineland te
the easterly edge of the Rhine water
shed between Belgium and The Neither
lands, thereby reuniting Franks with
Franks and forever preventing the re-
sources of those areas from being usec
for aggressive warfare in Western
Europe. The present Deutschland (mis-
called Germany was created only ir
1866 and 1870, so that no ancient his
toric background would be disturbed
In return for loss of that territory
Austria should be allocated permanently
to Deutschland, as the Austrians de-
scended from the people of Bavaria and
Wurttemberg mainly, and Austrian re-
sources are away from Western Europe
and would be no potential danger to
the west. For some reason, our peace
planners seem to have missed great
opportunity in this respect, probably
having forgotten their history.
The theory that the present Deutsch-
land must remain an economic unit
would be satisfied adequately by the
substitution of the Rhine regions by
that of Austria. Anyway, what is sc
sacrosant about the present boundaries
of that country which were established
only rs years ago?
c. I. KEPHART.