The Alamance gleaner
_____ GRAHAM, N. C., THURSDAY^PRIL 19, 1945 No. 11
Entire Nation Mourns Death
Of Franklin D. Roosevelt;
Vast Tasks Face Truman
FRANKLIN DELANO ROOSEVELT..
JANUARY 30, 1882?APRIL 12, 1945.
AS THE guns of America's fighting forces sounded ever closer
? the doom of Nazi Germany and Imperial Japan, Franklin
Delano Roosevelt died in Warm Springs, Georgia, where he had
been resting for 10 days.
Death resulted from a cerebral hemorrhage at 4:35 p. m. on
April 12. Mr. Roosevelt was 63. He had been President for 12
years, one month and nine days. The White House was announced
as the site of the funeral, with interment at the family estate at
Hyde Park, N. Y.
Less than four months had elapsed since he had taken his his
toric oath of office for a fourth term. Only a few weeks before he
had returned from the Yalta conference where in company with
Marshal Stalin of Russia and Prime Minister Churchill of Great
Britain he had labored to built an enduring peace.
Fate denied Franklin Roosevelt the chance to enjoy the fruits
of victory over the Axis. Yet history seemed destined to enshrine
him as one of the immortal American Presidents. And every citi
zen Who mourned the untimely passing of the Commander-in
Chief felt that he was a casualty of the war just as every G.I.,
Marine and Sailor who had fallen in battle.
never before had an American
President died in wartime. Abra
ham Lincoln fell under Assassin
Booth's bullet just five days after
the surrender of General Lee's army
at Appomattox in 1865. Woodrow
Wilson lived to see victory over
Germany in World War X, but he
fought a losing battle for the
League 0f Nations and died early
in 1924, a defeated leader. Many
historians believe Lincoln's great
nesp might have been dimmed in
thei conflicts over reconstruction
that followed the War Between the
States, just as Wilson's prestige
was lost In the conflict over the
league that followed World War I.
Thus Franklin Roosevelt, dying at
the height of his career just as vic
tory was to be achieved over Ger
many, seemed likely to live in his
tory as a great man.
As the American people from
Main Street to Riverside Drive
mourned the death of Franklin
Roosevelt, their prayers went up
for his successor, Harry S. Truman.
For on the shoulders of this slight,
gray, 60-year-old Missourian had
been laid a responsibility such as
no American President had ever
borne.
What the eeaseqnenees of the
President's death weald he to
tho United States and the
world, time alone weald tell.
W as Americans recovered
'*?? their first shock at the
?ews, they quickly determined
i things. The war most be
prosecuted to as speedy and
victorious a finish as possible,
posting peaee most be estab
And so. regardless of party or of
Past political differences, the peo
ple have rallied behind Mr. Tinman.
new President faces the im
mediate task of directing Amoricsn
Participation in the United Nations'
blueprints for a permanent world
organization. He likewise faces the
responsibility of establishing work
ing relations with other members
of the Big Three, so that the per
agggg?
may be maintained in helping win
the peace. He (acei the long-range
job of guiding the nation to postwar
economic prosperity once Nazi Ger
many and Japan are finally defeated.
Known as a plain, modest
man who has not dramatized ~
himself personally, President
Truman nevertheless has dem
onstrated en many eeeaaiene
that he can be a leader of feree
and determination. His work as
chairman of the Tram an com
mittee in the C. 8. senate in
vestigating the eeadact of the
war is sited as an example of
this. And his conduct of the
Vice Presidency has shown that
he can work snecessfnlly with
political leaders of both parties
in getting needed measures
passed and in reconciling op
posing points of view.
The 33rd President was born in
Lamar, Mo., Map 8, 1884, although
the home of the family for four
generations had been on a farm
near Independence, Mo.
Served in World War L
When World War I brake eat,
Trsaaaa Secants captain of Bat
tery D in the field artillery of
the Utfa Division and saw ao
HARRY 8. TRUMAN
33rd PRESIDENT OF U. 8.
President's Life
Was Characterized
By Vigorous Action
Unlike the "log-cabin" presidents,
Franklin Delano Roosevelt was not
born into poverty. When Franklin
arrived at Hyde Park, N. Y., on
January 30, 1882, he came into ?
family that had possessed wealth
for many generations. The Roose
velts had been thrifty land-owners
in the Hudson valley since the first
of the family came over from Hol
land. On his mother's side also
there was a substantial fortune.
Among his ancestors were many
men who had served the state in
various capacities.
Young Franklin attended the very
fashionable Groton school, where
he prepared for Harvard university.
After completing the liberal arts
course he entered Columbia U. law
school, from which he was gradu
ated, in 1907. Two years- earlier,
however, he married his distant
cousin, Anna Eleanor Roosevelt.
Eleanor was a niece of Theodore
Roosevelt, at that time in the Whte
House.
After two years of legal prac
tice, Franklin entered politics,
rnaning on the Democratic
ticket for the New York state
senate. He unexpectedly defeat
ed a strong Republican candi
date. From the beginning of his
career he identified himself with
reform movements, opposing
the poverfnl Tammany organi
zation in the statehonse. He was
re-elected in 1912, by which
time he had become a leader of
the anti-Tammany faction.
Wood row Wilson appointed Roose
velt assistant secretary of the
navy. When World Wat I broke out
Roosevelt proved himself an effi
cient administrator, handling bil
lions of dollars' worth of contracts
for ships and supplies. He served in
this post throughout the war.
Ran for Vice President.
in iiuu me democratic national
convention chose him as running
mate for James Cox. While cam
paigning for the vice presidency
Roosevelt made many acquaint
ances valuable in later political
life. Cox being defeated, F.D.R.
returned to legal practice.
The following year the great
tragedy of his life struck him?
infantile paralysis. The big,
strong young man became a
bedridden invalid. For months
he lay without ambltiea, almost
without hope. Slowly his pow
erful will took command, how
ever, and by persistence he
partially regained the use of
his muscles. It was during his
convalescence at Warm Springs,
Ga., that he determined to do
what he could to eradicate the
scourge that had almost ruined
him. The "March of Dimes"
campaign was the result.
At the Democratic conventions of
1924 and 1928, he aligned himself
with the group supporting Alfred
E. Smith, New York's governor.
When Smith was nominated in 1928,
Roosevelt ran for governor of his
state and was elected. At the end
of his two-year term he was again
elected, this time by the greatest
majority ever given to a New York
governor.
As governor he continued the re
form and improvement policies of
his predecessor Smith. His achieve
ments attracted nationwide atten
tion. As the depression that began
late in 1929 deepened, his efforts
to control the mounting business
failures, unemployment and dis
tress in his state revealed his abili
ties as a vigorous leader in grave
times.
swept in u president.
When the national convention;
met in Chicago in 1932 Roosevelt
was quickly chosen. He was swept
into office by a plurality of seven 1
million votes, carrying 42 states.'
Both houses went Democratic.
Before he could take offles
a wave ef bank failures threat
ened the whale economic struc
ture. The famous "bank mora
torium" order, one ef Boooe I
veil's first official acts, closed
an hanks until they could be re
organized ea a sounder basis,
thus preventing disastrous inns.
In the spring of 1M2 came the
repeal ef the Uth, or prohiM
tieu amendment. Then came
the National Industrial Recov
ery Ret, or "NBA," under
which extensive emergency pow
ers were granted to the Presi
dent. A series ef public works
were authorised to combat un
employment, together with
huge appropriations for direct
UO-W
a vOvl,
The numerous executive and leg
islative acts of this first term were
approved in general as necessary
in the face of widespread suffer
ing. A phrase from one of the
President's speeches, "a new deal,"
Notes of a New York Newsboy t
An exciting bloc of a Ana Ameri
can, "Eisenhower" (Winston) by F.
T. Miller, contains this interesting
paragraph: "General Eisenhower
was aroused to outbursts of indigna
tion at the subversive groups that
were giving 'aid and comfort to the
enemy' at a time of our nation's
peril Ike's scathing remarks would
scorch this paper. He had no toler
ance for the 'damned deaf, dumb
and blind fools' who could not see
what was sure to happen if we failed
to heed the warnings. The Axis
was out to conquer the world and
enslave humanity.Nazi ism and Fas
cism must be crushed if human free
dom was to be saved. . . . Eisen
hower had become known as 'Alarm
ist Ike' because of his constant pre
dictions."
Move over, Walter?and make
room for Eisenhower!
V
The same tome also oilers a de
lightful anecdote about General
Eisenhower's mother. . . . When
ever soldiers pass her home at Abi
lene, Kans., she proudly remarks to
neighbors: "I have a son in the
army, too!"
When he was given the Peabody
award for "presenting outstanding
radio humor over a period of 12
years," Fred Allen was introduced
on the air this way: "Three great
men of American humor," said the
announcer, "?are Mark Twain, Will
Rogers and Fred Allen!"
"Fine state humor is in," Allen ad
libbed. 'ITwo of them are dead and
one is out of work!"
Stories about newspapermen are
as arresting as the yarns they write.
Horace Greeley inspired some of
the best bits of newspaperman stuff.
He was once parked in a hotel lobby
reading his Tribune when a stran
ger informed him: "I never read
that sheet. I feed it to my
goats." ... Greeley merely intoned:
"If you continue reading other pa
pers and feed your goats these Trib
unes, one fine day you'll wake up
and find that your goats know mora
than you dot"
_
When Joseph Pulitzer retired, bo
sent his staff a message which de
serves to be framed in every news
boy's office. The Pulitzer prize ad
vice is now a part of the masthead
of a St. Louis newspaper: "I know
that my retirement will make no
difference in its cardinal principles;
that It will always fight for progress
and reform, never tolerate Injustice
or corruption, always fight dema
gogues, never belong to any party,
always oppose privileged classes and
public plunderers, never lack sym
pathy for the poor, always remain
devoted to the public welfare, never
be satisfied with merely printing the
news."
Add Good News: One of the
Bund camps in New Jersey has been
turned into a boys' vacation camp.
Happy to learn that a part of the
U. S. once again belongs to Ameri
ca. .. . The legit stage takes bows
as a haven for intellectual issues.
Yet the season has produced only
one expert play on a serious theme:
"A BeU for Adano." . . . Trend of
the Times: We need to hoar a great
deal about Nazi supermen?now we
hear more about American super
fortresses.
Hoop-la taTt everything: A. J.
Cronin'o "The Green Yearo" bu
topped the fiction best-seller list long
er than "Forever Amber," despite
the letter's publicity barrage. . . .
The house foreign affairs committee
is now probing America's war crimi
nal policies. We hope they will spot
light the peculiar activities of the
state dep't boys dealing with that
problem. . . . Joseph Conrad once
said: "Gossip is what no one claims
to like?but everybody enoys it."...
Oar Sherlock Hefletmes Dept't: A
UP dispatch states: "Rifle taots
were fired into the office of Mario
Berttngner, high commiieionvr hi
Rome for the punishment of Fascist
crimes. The official was wounded by
flying glass. Police believe the
shooting was sn attempt to assassi
nate Signer Berlinguer."
Awgwsnt
Twe seidlers sad a sailer on
Broadway, reports Jan Murray,
arere discussing their plans after
curfew time. The flrst serviceman
said: "Gee, it's midnight Let's haw
i some fun riding through the pork is
a hansom keb!" . .. "Maw," naw'd
the second. "Let's call up Mahal an{
; leant" . . . "Ob, natal" said ti?
[ -bird. "Let's do something really es
itingl Let's go to some restsaran
| and watch tha civilians eatt"
WEEKLY NEWS ANALYSIS
Rllss Break With Japs Changes
Entire War Picture in Pacific;
Ike Predicts Guerrilla Warfare
_____ by Waatani Xmpip<r Union
(KDITom'l MOTE: Wkaa nlatoaa mmtMHl la tkm ??laaaa. Ikay >!? IIhn <1
WMtara HmHH> Valaa'a aawi aaalyaU aa4 a*l aauaaat?y ?( Ikla amMHl.l
TREATY:
Rum Break With Japs
When Foreign Commissar Vyache
slav Molotov curtly handed the Jap
ambassador a note denouncing Rus
sia's neutrality pact with Japan, the
question of the Soviet government's
future course with Nippon became a
matter of high importance in United
Nations' chancelleries.
Speculation about Marshal Stalin's
intentions was heightened in view of
the close imminence of the world
security conference in San Fran
MARSHAL STAllN
Mart tnubla /or Japan.
cisco. Two facts, however, were
clear for the record. The treaty or
dinarily would have run until April,
1946, yet Russia decided to void it
summarily. Marshal Stalin publicly
described Japan as an "aggressor
nation."
The Russian government, more
over, accused Tokyo of helping the
Nazis.
"Germany," the note recalled,
"attacked the U.S.aB. Japan-Ger
many's ally?has helped the* latter
in her war against the UBJS.R."
Observers were agreed that Rus
sia's action meant a closer working
cooperation between Russia and her
allies. How soon that meant an open
declaration of war by the Reds on
Japan, time would tell.
Even at the had news came
from Russia the Jape get an
other^ rude reminder that the
nmmeefMkem Washington that
General at the Army Douglas
MaeArthur had been ehosea to
lead all American army forces
in the Paeide and Fleet Admiral
Chester W. Nlmits had been se
lected to lead the naval forces
in the ttoal drive en the Japa
bam homeland.
General of the Army Henry H.
Arnold will command the Mth
(Soperferts) Air force and will
be In charge of an other aerial
action in the sector. The chiefs
at staff win eontlnne to direct
the overall strategy and will
MaeArthnr or Nimits for partic
ular operations In the Facile.
This extension at operational
territory for the two leaders who
have been carrying the war to
Japan's doorstep indicated that
the "Island hepptag" phase of
the campaign was ever and a
new strategy invoiring a direct
assault en the Jap homeland was
JAP CABINET:
More Woe Ahead
A steadily heavier burden at
trouble was to be the late' of the
new Suzuki cabinet in Japan. That
was unmistakably forecast in the
fall of its predecessor?the Koiso
cabinet.
Two major events had contributed
to the Japanese government crisis.
One was the successful progress at
the American military advance en
Okinawa island, only 130 miles
from the Jap mainland. The other
was Soviet Russia's action in de
nouncing the neutrality treaty with
Japan that still had a year to run.
Ushered in as a rallying force
against the Allied march toward
Tokyo, after the infamous Tojo gov
ernment bad failed, the cabinet of
Premier Gen. Kimtaki Koiso had en
countered disaster after disaster in
Its eight and a half months at exist
How long the new cabinet of 77
/ear-old Adm. Baron Kantaro Suzuki
vould last was open to speculation
hit Japs as well as Americana
mew one thing lor certain. The teal
"*" *"
OKINAWA:
Timetable's Ahead
As military observers bad expect
ed, Japanese resistance on Okina
wa had stiffened after U. S. army
troops had cut the island in two.
With the strategic airfields of the
capital city of Naha as the prize, the
34th army corps and the 7th divi
sion fought fiercely against well-or
ganized Jap units defending the
southern areas of Okinawa. Marine
3rd amphibious forces continued ex
tension of their northern lines.
Observers were of the belief that
bitter battles would have to be
fought and won before the southern
portions of the island could be won.
In this area it was estimated that
between 60,000 and 80,000 enemy
troops were concentrated. Never
theless, Ma). Gen. Roy S. Geiger,
marine commander, said the time
table was well ahead of schedule.
WORLD TRADE:
A War Preventive
A significant prelude to the world
security conference in San Fran
cisco was Secretary of State Stet
tiniua' address in Chicago outlining
plans for wider world markets in
which the industrial output of the
United States would match other na
tions' needs.
Addressing the council on foreign
relations, gray - thatched Stettinius
declared the United States would
exert its full power to call a world
conference of leading trading coun
tries to stimulate international eco
nomic well-being. The secretary at
state said:
"Our objective in all our rela
tions with other nations is to prevent
aggression abroad <fr0m again dU
SECRET ART STETTlNIDS
A Formula for Place
turbing the peace of the United
State* and to develop those condi
tions of international life that will
make it possible to maintain high
levels of productive employment
and farm income and steadily rising
standards of living for all the
American people."
GUERRILLA WAR:
Forecast in Europe
The statement to President Roose
velt from General Eisenhower fore
casting extensive guerrilla warfare
in Europe was being borne out as
Allied armies ground their way
through Germany and her van
quished satellites.
Unable to form a strong unified
Una to combat the Allied smashes
toward Berlin, the Nazis command
depended on a series of "last man"
stands to delay extinction. Undeni
aby General Eisenhower's Allied
armies on the west ware cutting
Germany to pieces. Yet spots of
resistance remained and each posed
a cleanup problem to the Allies.
The trap in the Ruhr was an exam
ple of this trend.
Over battlefields ones reddened by
the blood of soldiers who fell in (he
Napoleonic wars, American and
British divisions smashed in their
drive east to meet the Russians and
to bisect Germany. Far forward
in the vanguard of the race to Ber
lin were armored units of General
Patton's 3rd army. Pressing toward
the strategic North sea ports of
Bremen and Hamburg were the
British forces of Montgomery.
Meanwhile, LA. Gen. James H.
Doolittle was sowing destruction via
warplanes on the airfields, rail yards
and supply dumps in the Munich
area of southern Germany where it
was reported Hitler was r'*""l"g
his last stand.
In the east, Russian forces had
oontinued their pressure en Berlin
and tojha south they cl^^Hw^
su.i. m?M ? ?
RECONVERSION:
Postwar Freedom
J. A. Krug, War Production board
chairman, tempered a warning
that "while Japan fights we will not
enjoy anything like a free econo
my" with the promise that the gov
ernment would not attempt to shape
the country's postwar business
structure. ....
lire WPB chairman made these
disclosures in a statement outlining
the government's reconversion pro
igram.
"Our plans do not contemplate
any long-range programming of this
country's industrial structure," he
declared. "The wartime controls
were developed with the advice ami
counsel of management and labor
in the various industries affected,
and this same advice and counsel is
being sought in considering the
timing of their relaxation and with
drawal."
ARGENTINA:
'Probation' Ends
Argentina's . probation period as
the bad boy at the western hemi
sphere drew toward a close as the
state department announced it was
removing its special economic re
strictions against the South Ameri
can nation.
The new United States policy will
put Argentina on an equal footing;
with the rest of Latin America
when it asks to buy commodities in
this country. r .
Hie state department's move was * '
regarded as a reward for good con
duct. Argentina had followed its re
cent declaration of war against the
Axis by signing the Act of Chapul
tepec pledging nanaggression in this
hemisphere and had likewise begun
an energetic purge of Nazi spies.
DEBT LIMIT:
Upped 40 Billion
As Americans began assaying
their family bankrolls in prepara
tion for the forthcoming Seventh
War Loan drive, the White Houae
announced that President Roosevelt
had approved legislation increasing
the public debt limit from $260,000,
000,000 to $300,000,000,000.
Fiscal experts believe this $308^
000,000,000 limit will be reached by
about June 30, 1040.
The present debt in terms of "ma
turity value"?the basis on which
the statutory limit is set?is about
$243,000,000,000. This medbs the oM
limit of $360,000,000,000 would haw
been reached some time during the
Seventh War Loan drive, if that
drive produces anything like the
$21,000,000,000 sales of the Sixth War
loan.
[PACIFIC BASES:
V. S. Mutt Hold
Control at Pacific bases "paid tar
with American blood" and the mate
tenance of a large postwar navy
were urged by Fleet Admiral
Ernest J. King, commander of the
U. 8. fleet
Failure to keep these bases noes
will mean that this country eg
have to fight for them another day.
he declared in an address before the
Academy of Political Science fat lfets
York City.
"Rich as we are, we do not have
the human or physical resotirpp^te
? I
ADMIRAL ERNEST DHQ
"Keep mtr ton*
dissipate our patrimony generation
after generation," ha declared te
emphasizing that we cannot afltrd
to continue a cycle of "fighting and
building and winning and glilng
away."
POSTWAR JOBS:
Baruch Sees Plenty
Postwar America aa a land where
Jobs will be plentiful was nniiiontd
by 75-year-old Bernard Baruch, ad
riser to President Roosevelt, in aw
interview published in the army
newspaper Stars and Stripes.
On a mission to London, whare
be conferred with Prime Minister
Churchill of Great Britain, Hantrh
assorted that servicemen would
have nothing to worry about whan