Lt. Gen. Bradley appointed to European invasion post
He’s one of Yank leaders under Gen. ‘Ike,’ who’s now in London
By Edward W. Beattie, United Press staff writer
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Grover Bergdoll to leave prison
Washington (UP) –
Grover Cleveland Bergdoll, No. 1 draft dodger of the last war, will be released from the Army disciplinary barracks at Ft. Leavenworth, Kansas, next month if his conduct continues good, the War Department said today.
He has served four years and 10 months of his seven-year term to which he was sentenced after returning in 1939 from Germany, where he had fled.
The Justice Department has dismissed 26-year-old indictments pending against Bergdoll for 1917 violations of the Selective Service of World War I, charges which would have blocked his parole if they were still pending.
I DARE SAY —
On going to New York
By Florence Fisher Parry
New York City –
The queries keep coming, even follow me to New York. What to do on a brief visit there? Where to stay? Where to eat? What shows to see? What sights?
So, I have decided that perhaps the best way to inform my questioners is to tell them, quite specifically what we did, where we stayed, where we ate.
Three of us had a grand time on very little money compared with what it is thought one must spend on a gay week in town. Sometimes we deliberately went on a bust and dined extravagantly; for one should not go to New York if one expects to be sensible ALL the time! But our expenses did not greatly exceed those at home.
We always stay somewhere in the Murray Hill district, for it is near everything; the shops, the theaters, even the great terminals, are not far distant; taxis, buses and streetcars dare to be had at every corner, taking one to ANY conceivable place! Three in a taxi make a fare as cheap as in bus.
Engage your rooms in advance; a day or two will suffice, even sometimes a few hours. But never risk going unexpectedly into any hotel in wartime. We usually stay at a little hostelry at Park Ave. and 38th, the 70 Park Avenue Hotel, one of a number of convenient and modestly priced hotels up there. Our suite of a nice large sitting room, bedroom, bath and many closets cost $9 for three.
Across the street is the Midson House, very reasonable, with a “Nantucket” nook where is served quite the nicest food one might ask for, for very low prices. At most of the hotel apartments around there good table denote lunches can be had for 75¢ and dinners for $1.25, and no crowding. Just a few blocks away is Grand Central, with its celebrated Oyster bar which we haunted for the best chopped clam stews on earth.
Places to eat
The “regular” places, such as the known hotels and restaurants, are crowded of course; but the smart thing is to go at odd hours when the food is much better anyway.
You will find that New Yorkers are peculiarly indifferent to the “looks” of a place so long as the food is right, and frequent holes-in-the-wall that the uninformed visitor would turn up his noise at! One of the best Chinese restaurants in town is a little basement spot on West 49th a few doors from Radio City, called Lum’s. Next door is another funny little basement hole called “The G. R. Clam House,” where the best lobsters in town can be had, and any other seafood, for astonishingly low prices. We are fond of going down to a unique old tumbledown place which carries you right off the left bank of Paris, and where good French food is served for less money than any spot in Manhattan! It is at 330 W 31st Street, and is called Bonat’s.
There’s an awfully nice old Italian restaurant down at 321 W 46th called Barbetti’s. I find that the more you consult the headwaiter (or waiter) as to what is his proudest dish that evening, the better service (AND food!) you obtain. Cavanaugh’s, 258 23rd Street, is an old landmark worth going to, for its food has never failed; and Gallagher’s, an amiable rendezvous for Broadwayites, 228 W 52nd, is a place for hungry gourmands but more expensive.
Noon meal
We always try to manage one dinner down at old Brevort on 5th Avenue at 6th Street, principally because the old house simply won’t change its face or raiment, but remains the rambling, old, dingy place it has been these 50 years or so! Lately it has become expensive, alas; but because it is wholly French, the headwaiter is quick to have compassion upon you if you show a determined if sorrowful intention of saving money.
The Gripsholm has one of the best smorgasbords, although it is pretty far uptown. A fair French restaurant right AT Radio City is the Maison de Winter; the lunches there are particularly inexpensive. If one wishes really to save money, then I adjure him to eat his “big square meal” at lunch, and go easy in the evening, for the prices are almost cut in half at noon.
It’s fun at lunch to go up to the Algonquin at 59 W 44th, especially on matinee days. You must go early to get seated, but it’s amusing to see the near-celebrities “being seen” there, just as in Hollywood.
The old Brass Rail used to be a good place to eat if you were really hungry at lunch, but it has grown crowded now, as have most of the conspicuously located restaurants. The best thing is to go to the little favorite places of those who live in New York downtown and have acquired a fine eye to culinary values.
Dead Ohio soldier cited for Medal of Honor
Pvt. Young
Fort Knox, Kentucky (UP) –
The Medal of Honor, the highest decoration of the nation’s Armed Forces, will be presented here today in a posthumous award to Pvt. Rodger W. Young, 25-year-old Clyde, Ohio, infantryman, whose heroism on New Guinea saved an entire platoon from annihilation.
The hero’s mother, Mrs. Nicholas E. Young Sr. of Clyde, will receive the award from Maj. Gen. Charles L. Scott, commanding general of the Armored Command. Pvt. Young’s father and a brother, Reinhard, will also attend the ceremonies.
In announcing the award, the War Department said Pvt. Young, a member of the 37th Infantry Division, ignored orders to retreat and continued to advance on a concealed Jap machine-gun nest in the face of a withering fire.
Although wounded, he kept up a steady one-man offensive with grenades and rifle fire, inflicting many casualties before falling himself, the department said.
Prelate raps ‘moral’ views of two judges
Supreme Court Justice and another jurist quoted by Msgr. Sheen
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In Washington –
Nelson attributes U.S. arms output to free enterprise
WPB chief says vast armament production represents one of nation’s greatest achievements; asks new effort
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Senator defers showdown on renegotiation
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Zones mapped for occupation of all Germany
Bavaria and Austria may be placed under U.S. Army
By Helen Kirkpatrick
London, England –
Germany, it is believed, will be divided into three zones for occupation by Russian, British and U.S. troops, according to plans discussed at Tehran.
The three zones suggested are believed to be:
RUSSIAN: Eastern Germany up to a line running from Kiel to the Bavarian border.
BRITISH: Northwest Germany, the Ruhr and the Rhineland.
AMERICAN: Bavaria and Austria.
By this plan, the complications of making three armies and nationalities attempt to administer German territory jointly, would be avoided.
It is clear that the plan is an interim one which may be subject to alterations. With closer cooperation being achieved between the French, on the one hand, and the British and Americans, on the other, it is probable that the French may seek and be given a zone of occupation. The general theory, however, is that the French as well as the Belgians, Dutch and other Allied people will have their hands full inside their own countries with relief and reconstruction work.
More WACs overseas
Allied HQ, Algiers, Algeria –
The largest contingent of WACs ever to arrive in the Mediterranean Theater, 372 enlisted women and eight officers, debarked recently at a Mediterranean port to bring total WAC strength in this theater to more than 1,500.
Marine is lost 2 days behind Japanese lines
Pittsburgher ducks bullets and Yank barrage to get back
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Jap Zero shot by New Castle ‘Black Sheep’
Lt. McClurg gets rare fighter – one with pontoons
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GOP fears political consequences –
Stokes: Republicans face on-spot decision on soldier vote
Choice is to support so-called states’-rights bill or to get behind federal-state compromise
By Thomas L. Stokes, Scripps-Howard staff writer
Washington –
Republicans in Congress face an important decision in their attitude on the soldier-vote bills which are expected to come up soon in House and Senate.
The question is: Shall they join with Southern Democrats in supporting the Eastland-Rankin “states’-rights” bill, so-called, which would leave soldier voting to varying and complicated state laws?
Secretaries Stimson and Knox hold that voting under state laws would be impossible for the Army and Navy to administer, although they take no position on any specific legislation.
Or shall they support compromise state-federal-cooperation bills prepared in both branches, which would provide for a simple ballot on President, Vice President and members of Congress, to be distributed and collected by the Army and Navy and turned over to state officials for counting?
GOP attitude disturbing
A tipoff on the probable official attitude of the Republican Party in the House, where the real test will come, was seen in the solid Republican vote in a House Elections Committee for the Rankin-Eastland “states’-rights” bill. Four Republicans were joined by three Southern Democrats to defeat the compromise federal-state measure sponsored by Rep. Worley (D-TX) and to report the “states’-rights” bill to the House. The vote was 7–5.
This attitude of Republican committee members, and reports that House Republican Leader Joe Martin (R-MA) is active behind the scenes in trying to put over the “states’-rights” bill, are disturbing some Republicans on both sides of the Capitol who are for the compromise state-federal bill and are fearful of political consequences for their party if they don’t provide some practical means for servicemen to vote.
They feel that the party has already suffered politically from the coalition of some Senate Republicans with Southern Democrats to pass the Eastland bill in the Senate a few weeks ago, they see an opportunity for the party to retrieve itself by supporting in both House and Senate compromise federal-state bills which the Army and Navy can administer, so that voting will be easy.
A compromise federal-state bill now before the Senate Privileges and Elections Committee, sponsored by Senator Lucas (D-IL), is expected to be reported out this week. Senator Lucas is confident this measure will be approved by the Senate, as there have been some switches since the Senate acted previously.
Martin on spot
This puts the issue squarely up to House Republicans, who can gang up with Southern Democrats to defeat such a bill and put over the Eastland-Rankin bill, or can throw their strength behind the Worley measure and pass it with the help of Democrats outside the South. Some few Southern Democrats will support the Worley bill.
Because of the parliamentary situation, which will bring the Eastland-Rankin “states’-rights” bill before the House, it will be possible for Republicans to avoid a record vote on the Worley bill, which the Texas Congressman will offer from the floor as substitute.
He has announced he will seek a record vote.
Fourth term talk just like 1939-40 pattern
So, when Democrats meet this week, they probably will lay plans
Washington (UP) –
The Democratic National Committee meets here this week probably to elect a new chairman and to prepare for the 1944 campaign in which President Roosevelt is now generally regarded as an inevitable fourth-term candidate.
There is little support here for reports that Southern states would bolt a Roosevelt candidacy. But many persons do believe Mr. Roosevelt is the only Democrat who would have a chance to carry such vital states as Pennsylvania, New York and New Jersey.
Therefore, practical politicians hereabouts incline to the belief that Mr. Roosevelt is the only Democrat with a chance to win this year. The National Committee meeting is likely to develop some fourth-term enthusiasm, and there is no hint that it will be discouraged from the White House. The committee’s scheduled business is to select the time and place of the nominating convention. Chicago in mid-July is expected to be the decision.
Wagner-Dingell bill attacked
Washington (UP) –
Rep. Stephan A. Day (R-IL) charged today that President Roosevelt has endorsed a program to place all practicing physicians and hospitals under government control as part of a “fourth-term platform.”
He said the Wagner-Dingell bill is a detailed program for socialized medicine and:
…a faithful epitome of what the New Dealers have in mind for the communistic America they now have on the Washington planning boards.
He said the bill, now before the House Ways and Means Committee, is the “boldest attempt of the New Dealers to date to apply communism by legislative compulsion.”
Rankin sees victory for vote bill
Washington (UP) –
John E. Rankin (D-MS), of the House Elections Committee, insisted today that the committee-approved “states’-rights” soldier-vote bill meets all fair objections and predicted its speedy passage by the House soon after debate begins Thursday.
The measure has been denounced by House Democratic Leader John W. McCormack as meaningless and ineffective.
The Army and Navy Journal, the unofficial service publication, has warned Congress that swift action on the soldier vote is vital if the Armed Forces are to gain balloting privileges this year. It called the legislation as essential as the Selective Service Act.
Allied armies may push into South France
Gen. Wilson, commander in Mediterranean, see victory in 1944
By Donald G. Coe, United Press staff writer
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Simms: Small nations await decision by U.S., Britain
Leadership of Washington, London at stake in Polish crisis
By William Philip Simms, Scripps-Howard staff writer
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Editorial: A demand from the people will get results
Some of the members of Congress either didn’t go home for their Christmas recess, or they didn’t get around much while they were home.
They would be the members of the House Committee on Election of President, Vice President and Representatives in Congress, who have rejected a soldier-vote bill.
The committed has voted, 7–5, to present to the House what the committee chairman, Congressman Eugene Worley (D-TX) calls a “ghost bill.”
It simply authorizes the War and Navy Departments to send a postcard to the members of the Armed Forces suggesting that they write to their home states for ballots on which to vote in this year’s elections.
This is not giving the Armed Forces the right to vote. Like the Senate measure, which merely recommended that the states set up an absentee voting system for the Armed Forces, it sidesteps the issue.
It doesn’t do anything.
Some of the states have made provision for taking a vote among the Armed Forces. Some have not. Some which have enacted such legislation, like Pennsylvania, did so before these was any idea that seven million fighting men might be overseas before the next election.
The Pennsylvania law was not adequate last year. It will be less adequate this year.
But it is not easy for the states to do an effective job of providing for a vote among the Armed Forces.
It is much easier for Congress to do the job. And it is Congress’ duty to do it. The responsibility of Congress to these men is greater even than its responsibility to the home front.
And there is one good way to get Congress to act, poll-tax Congressmen, coalitions, “unholy alliances,” or whatever.
That is for the people to act, to let Congress know how the voters at home feel about it. And the way to do that is to write them letters about it.
Depriving these men of a vote would be an unspeakable betrayal of the trust they left in the home front when they went abroad to fight and die.