America at war! (1941–) – Part 3

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americavotes1944

‘Removed’ or ‘resigned’ –
Court battle echo heard in Guffey’s case

Southern Democrats win as Senator leaves campaign job
By Lyle C. Wilson, United Press staff writer

Washington –
An angry echo of the battle over President Roosevelt’s 1937 Supreme Court reorganization bill sounded in the Senate today as Senator Joseph F. Guffey (D-PA) charged that he had been removed as chairman of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee.

His statement was in contrast to an earlier announcement by Senate Democratic Leader Alben W. Barkley (D-KY) that the Pennsylvanian had “resigned” the committee chairmanship.

Talks fourth term

Mr. Guffey was a notable figure in the 1939-40 pre-convention campaign which assured a third term, nomination for Mr. Roosevelt. He was the earliest and has been the most insistent Senate advocate of a fourth term.

His “removal” from a position of only moderate prestige at most may be viewed by many persons as a conservative Democratic protest against an accomplished third term and a projected fourth.

But Congressional veterans explain there is little if any anti-fourth-term fuel in the Senate fire blazing around Mr. Guffey today.

Aim at associates

Southern Senators may not be noisily enthusiastic about Mr. Roosevelt’s renomination, but they will go along with it. They have proclaimed open season, however, on some of Mr. Roosevelt’s spokesmen and associates and they believe they have Mr. Guffey transfixed finally in their sights.

Mr. Guffey, a frequent White House spokesman, first offended some of his colleagues Aug. 20, 1937, in a radio address in which he said that Democrats who refused to support the court bill were “ingrates” who by implication, had no place in the Democratic Party.

In a session of stormy protest, Senator Joseph C. O’Mahoney (D-WY) and others who had opposed the court bill, denounced Mr. Guffey in the Senate and demanded that he be removed as chairman of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee.

Named by Barkley

But Mr. Guffey had been named to that position by Mr. Barkley and the administration had sufficient

Mr. Bailey said looking straight at Mr. Guffey:

Pennsylvania has produced some lofty men. Ben Franklin, William Penn – and then it has produced some others – Thad Stevens, Boies Penrose, Mr. (William S.) Vare and the Junior Senator from Pennsylvania.

But Mr. Guffey held on and Mr. Barkley made no effort to remove him until last week when it was disclosed that in seeking a job in the District of Columbia government for a Russian-born friend, Dr. Eugene de Savitsch, Mr. Guffey had threatened the District commissioners with a Senate investigation unless his man was put on the payroll.

Mr. Byrd charged immediately that the Pennsylvanian was using the prestige of his office to make “reprehensible” patronage demands upon officials here. Saturday Mr. Byrd predicted that Mr. Guffey would be removed from his campaign chairmanship if he did not first resign.

Guffey’s status uncertain

The Senator’s status just now is somewhat uncertain. He told questioners that he would have no comment at present “on the action of Senator Barkley in removing me as chairman of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee.” Mr. Barkley said merely that Mr. Guffey “had resigned.”

In any event, it appears that Mr. Guffey is or soon will be an ex-chairman. Most prominently mentioned to succeed him is Mr. O’Mahoney.

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Butter supply pound a month for individuals

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parry2

I DARE SAY —
Peculiarly American

By Florence Fisher Parry

Don’t ask me what makes us what we are; what sets us apart from all other creeds of men; what makes you able to spot an American anywhere on earth.

It couldn’t have been the elements. It couldn’t have been the land. They say it’s because we’re a democracy; but there have been other democracies and they worked for a while and then were replaced by tyranny again.

It can’t be heredity. We’re just a few hundred years old, not time enough to shape our features into a recognizable anatomical mold. Most of us are only a couple of generations removed from other lands, and there have been mixtures and amalgamations of peoples since time began.

What makes us, US? What makes us We, the People? What makes us so very, very different from any of our Allies? What is there about us that confounds our enemy, makes it impossible for him ever to gauge our temper?

The other morning a terrible piece of news crashed through the press, over the ether: the hideous story of Bataan’s men and the horrible sadism of their torturers. And something moved in us that frightened us all: a terrible spasm of hate and revenge, an emotion we’d hardly known we possessed. And I dare say each one of us was astonished at our own capacity to hate with real ferocity, with terrible vengeance in our maddened souls.

Don’t Tread on Me!

That’s us. The American Republic.

Don’t Tread on Me!

This has been a horrible war, God knows. Would that there had been some other honest way. But it has served strange ends. It has brought strange revelations. And one of these revelations is, I think, our own true self-appraisal. We know our mettle now. We know who is our enemy. We shall never be naïve or credulous again. That curious trait – so unexpected, so unlooked for, so believed by our enemies – that trait has hissed its warning at last.

Don’t Tread on Me!

For as a bird or reptile puts on camouflage the better to deceive its natural enemy, so does our breed in America seem to delight in fooling those who’d crowd us.

We have strange camouflages. They serve as a fine decoy. For example, I went over to Syria Mosque to hear and see a young man, a composer, who lately has been assisting Artur Rodziński conduct the New York Philharmonic: Leonard Bernstein. He was to conduct, for the first time before an audience, his own symphony, Jeremiah.

You would have sworn, sitting there in that huge audience, that there was not a vestige in our chemistry of that strange deadliness – Don’t Tread on Me. We were innocents. We were children at a festival. Except for the few technically-wise musicians in the audience, who were busily appraising the talents of our young composer, we were not very different from the audiences that crowd to hear the hurt, loosely strung, haunting voice of Frank Sinatra.

The decoy

Indeed, this young and gifted composer seemed to evoke a strangely similar reaction from his lady listeners; for after the concert the stage and corridors were swarmed with autograph seekers, and flushed and foolish maidens waited for just the sight of the young, tense, tired face of this new idol, and snatched his autograph.

It was a curious demonstration; disturbing, inconsistent. It would have served our enemies, had they been present, a curious decoy. For looking on at this unbridled demonstration, these silly girls, these tallow-skinned young men, these flushed and florid matrons, a son of the Rising Sun and of the Swastika could think perhaps that he could afford to smile at these undisciplined and naïve people who swoon with equal readiness at a Sinatra or a Leonard Bernstein. These same enemies could go to one of our football games or into one of our jive haunts or stand sinisterly smiling at any one of our nightspot bars, and think that they were sizing up the temper of America.

Or rather, I might say, this could have happened two, three years ago. Not now. The squealing little Sinatra fan of yesterday is suddenly the equal, in sacrifice and stamina, of any pioneer woman of our covered wagon days. These tallow youths enveloped in those sport coats pouring a drink from their flasks in the stadium, are those same soldiers who made the landings at Tarawa and Salerno, and dropped the blockbuster upon its target in Berlin.

Don’t Tread on Me.

O dying Yankees on Bataan, raise up your heads and listen to the hiss, peculiarly American in its deadly warning. Peculiarly American, Tōjō and Adolf.

Peculiarly US.

2559

What’s tavern? It’s puzzling to First Lady

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Sect loses appeal over street sales

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2560

Invasion craft put 6 divisions ashore in Italy

Nazi air attacks fail to halt reinforcements to Rome beachhead
By Walter Logan, United Press staff writer

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Roper: G.I.s fascinated as WACs wash undies in Italy

By James E. Roper, United Press staff writer

A 5th Army bivouac area, Italy –
Twenty-three WACs moved into this bivouac area just a few miles behind the firing lines today and by nightfall they had their laundry – G.I. panties and all – flying from a dozen improvised clotheslines.

It was the first time a WAC contingent has been stationed so close to the fighting lines, but the girls’ only complaint was over the lack of rope for clotheslines.

They went into action washing and rinsing undies almost as soon as they hit camp.

Hundreds of G.I.s lined up on the opposite side of the creek from the WAC camp – which is strictly off limits for the doughboys – and watched in fascinated silence while the girls went through their laundering.

Pvt. Joe Haas of Philadelphia mused:

I don’t get it, but isn’t it wonderful?

2562

Threat to expose Argentina figures in break with Axis

Hull reported set to reveal Buenos Aires link with Bolivian coup when Ramirez severed relations

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americavotes1944

One-candidate plan offered by Browder

Cleveland, Ohio (UP) –
Earl Browder, general secretary of the Communist Party USA, called upon Democratic and Republican leaders last night to “explore the possibility” of a single 1944 presidential candidate.

Browder, in a speech commemorating the 20th anniversary of the Daily Worker, the party’s official organ, urged the “unprecedented measure to meet an unprecedented emergency.”

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americavotes1944

Tammany chief mum on 4th term issue

New York (UP) –
Edward V. Loughlin, taking office today as the new leader of Tammany Hall, pledged “unswerving allegiance to our Commander-in-Chief,” but refused to say whether he would instruct the Tammany delegation to the Democratic National Convention to support a fourth term for President Roosevelt.

Mr. Loughlin said:

In times such as these, we are all Americans before we are partisans and accordingly owe unswerving allegiance to our Commander-in-Chief.

Ickes’ former aide pleads ‘not guilty’

Washington (UP) –
George N. Briggs, suspended aide to Secretary of the Interior Harold L. Ickes, pleaded not guilty today to indictments charging him with being the forger of the “Harry Hopkins” letter.

Briggs was arraigned before Chief Justice Edward E. Eicher in District Court and denied all charges, which include alleged use of the mails to defraud.

The court granted three weeks for filing of motions to change the pleas at the discretion of Briggs’ counsel.

The letter, purportedly written to Dr. Umphrey Lee, president of Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas, concerned the presidential nomination chance of Wendell Willkie. It was first made public by C. Nelson Sparks, former Mayor of Akron, Ohio, who referred to it in a book, One Man – Wendell Willkie.

If convicted on all counts, Briggs would face a maximum penalty of 53 years’ imprisonment and $8,000 fines.

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U.S. fliers rip 62 Jap planes in Rabaul raid

Torpedo, dive-bombers make 26th attack on base in month
By Don Caswell, United Press staff writer

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Soldier reaction to news remains same as civilians’

But they can detect political buncombe expounded in their name much quicker
By Henry J. Taylor, Scripps-Howard staff writer

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2567

WAVE does stuff; leap year, you know

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2568

Supreme Court holds fate of portal wages

Test cases in lower tribunals bring contrasting opinions

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2569

State Department crowds into labor agency field

New setup designed to keep government informed of developments in other countries
By Fred W. Perkins, Pittsburgh Press staff writer

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2570

300 fliers honor Bataan hero at fete he planned

Hollywood, California (UP) –
Lt. Col. William E. Dyess, who survived “the march of death” as a Jap captive in the Philippines only to die in the flaming crash of his plane here months later rather than endanger the life of a motorist, was acclaimed a hero at a party he planned three days before his death.

‘Exploits are legend’

The Hollywood Masquers Club staged the party, for 300 officers and men from March Field Air Base, as Lt. Col. Dyess had planned, but instead of a greeting from their host, the guests heard Lt. Col. Dyess’ widow read the following letter from Gen. H. H. Arnold, head of the Army Air Forces:

His exploits are legend. Courage like his helped this country face extreme adversity in the Philippines campaign. We will never forget his heroism, which with his splendid character and personality won him a high place in the Air Forces.

He was decorated many times, in comparison with which words seem of little consequence. We are proud of have had him in our organization.

Accompanied by Capt. Samuel C. Grashio, who only last night related the horrible tortures, he and Lt. Col. Dyess were subjected to before the Jap prison camp, Mrs. Dyess told how the party came to be.

Go on with party

She said:

Col. Dyess and I were guests of the Masquers one Saturday night last fall soon after he came back to this country. It was the most memorable event in his life in more than a year. He wanted some of the other boys in the Air Corps to share in his enjoyment and arranged this party. The following Tuesday, he was killed. We decided to go on with the party as he had wished.

Movie actor Edward Arnold, president of the Masquers, who with Charles Coburn delivered a eulogy at funeral services for Col. Dyess, presided at the memorial.

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Connally: Punish all Japs

Washington (UP) –
Chairman Tom Connally (D-TX) of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee said today that all Jap elements, “from the Emperor to the soldier,” must be made to pay for the treachery at Pearl Harbor and the mass murder of war prisoners in the Philippines.

Deploring what he called a tendency in Washington to say, “oh, well, the Emperor’s all right – it’s the military clique that’s to blame,” Mr. Connally asserted that Hirohito “must bear his responsibility for the cruelties and outrages and the war itself.”

Aroused over the Army-Navy disclosure of Jap prison camp atrocities, which have already cost the lives of more than 7,700 American and 14,000 Filipino heroes of Bataan and Corregidor, Mr. Connally continued:

The Emperor, the military group and the people of Japan are all our enemies. They are all fighting us savagely with instruments of death and torture.

We can’t discriminate among internal groups. Our sword is drawn and every one from the Emperor to the soldier shall feel its edge.

Senator Styles Bridges (R-NH) said Americans must translate their anger over the Jap atrocities into “redoubled effort on the home front.”

He said:

No more strikes – striking at this time is unthinkable, unforgivable, and un-American. Supplies, equipment and men must go forward to Adm. William E. Halsey Jr., Gen. Douglas MacArthur and their associates to speed them on their way to Tokyo.

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Writers go to work on ‘March of Death’ film

Hollywood, California (UP) –
The writing staff at Republic Studio has started work on a script based upon the “March of Death” inflicted upon the defenders of Bataan by the Japanese, a spokesman reported today.

The picture probably will be ready for production in about three weeks and “will pull no punches,” the spokesman said.

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americavotes1944

In Washington –
Soldier-vote state ballot veto is hinted

President concerned over measure, calls leaders to conference

Washington (UP) –
President Roosevelt, concerned over the fate of legislation to provide for federal soldier-vote ballots, conferred with Democratic Congressional leaders today as the Senate approached a showdown vote on the issue.

House Democratic Leader John W. McCormack (D-MA), one of those to see Mr. Roosevelt, said the President had expressed “considerable concern” lest soldiers not be given a chance to cast their ballots.

Asked if the President might veto a “state-ballot” bill if Congress passes such as administration-opposed plan, Mr. McCormack said only: “What do you think?”

Senate approval predicted

Senator Scott W. Lucas (D-IL), co-author of the Lucas-Green federal ballot bill, stood by his prediction that the measure would receive Senate approval, but conceded the showdown might be delayed by promised Republican amendments.

The federal bill was intended as a substitute for the state vote measure which the Senate passed on to the House in December.

Senator Lucas again accused his Republican opponents of injecting their fourth-term fears into the dispute after Senator Styles Bridges (R-NH) proposed an amendment under which the federal ballot would carry the full names of presidential and vice-presidential nominees, instead of mere blank write-in spaces. This would mean the ballots could not be shipped to overseas servicemen until after the Democratic nomination convention to be held sometime in July. The Republicans will name their candidate in June.

Bridges answers Roosevelt

Senator Bridges said the Democrats could make sure the ballots reached servicemen in ample time if they would agree to hold their convention in June. Replying to President Roosevelt’s charge that the opposition was blocking the passage of an adequate soldier-vote bill, Senator Bridges said:

If the President thinks we are stalling, this is one way he can prove that he isn’t.

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Group to fight racial hatred

Justice Murphy heads 12-man committee

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2575

Soldier confesses 3 double slayings

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