'
WEEKLY NEWS ANALYSIS
Allied Heavy Bombers Roam Over Italy
To Halt Flow of Nazi Reinforcements;
Major Shift in Army Command Heralds
New Blows Against European Fortress
(EDITOR'S NOTE: When opinions *re espressed In these columns, they are those of
Western Newspaper Linton's news analysts and not necessarily of this newspaper.)
____ Released by Western Newspaper Union. __________
ITALY:
Rome Is Goal
Salerno's beaches won, American
and British troops turned to the
northward, with Rome their imme
diate goal.
Having failed to throw the Allies
back into the sea at Salerno, Gen.
Albert Kesselring's German forces
withdrew toward the Naples area,
where they were expected to put
up another stiff rearguard action
in the mountainous terrain.
After sharp, brief attacks on Al
lied shipping at Salerno, German
aircraft disappeared from the skies,
end American and British bombers
roamed over Italy at will. Seeking
to halt the flow of German re-en
forcements to the south. Allied
planes ripped railroads and high
ways.
Reports from Naples told of the
Nazis' destruction of the city; indi
Lieut. Gen. Mark Clark (back
ground) tours Italian front with Gen.
Harold Alexander, commander of
Allied ground force*.
eating that the German high com
mand intends to ruin every facility
that might be of use to occupying
Allied forces,
Flanking the Italian mainland,
the islands of Sardinia and Corsica
fell to Allied troops. In Corsica,
Italian soldiers joined with “Free
French” units in fighting to oust
Nazi elements.
RUSSIA:
New Lines
With the Dnieper river in sight,
the end of a long Gcjmun retreat
along the whole central and southern
front in Russia neared. It is along
the entire 750 miles of the broad,
winding river that the Nazis evident
ly intend to make a Analystand *n
Russia. Should the Germans fail to
hold the Dnieper line, they would
be compelled to fall back into Eu
rope itself.
In the north, the Russians drove
past Smolensk, threatening the
Nazis' communications with Fin
land, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.
In this sector, the Reds were only
115 miles from the old Polish border.
Only in the extreme south did the
Germans hold the Russians at long
arm's length from the Dnieper. Evi
dently, the Nazis were bitterly re
sisting in the area so as to allow the
escape of many German troops <n
the Crimean peninsula, which con
nects with the Russian mainland in
this section.
Generals Form Union
Calling upon Germany to over
throw Hitler and establish a govern
ment having the confidence of the
people and the strength to bring
about peace, 100 former Nazi gen
erals and other officers hooked up
with the "Free German" group or
ganized by Russia.
Captured at Stalingrad, the for
mer Nazi commanders appealed to
Germany to . . end the sense
less, futile war” which "might any
day cause a national catastrophe.”
Germany today faces a worse isola
tion than in 1918, they contended.
Addition of the former Nazi mili
tarists to the "Free German" com
mittee undoubtedly was for the as
surance of order it might promise
in case of Germany's internal col
lapse. Russia's creation of the
“Free German” committee has been
seen as a move to incorporate the
always potentially strong German
nation into its own European order.
Independent of Anglo-American plan
ning.
ALLIED CHIEF:
Marshall Named
Congress was working itself into
a pother over rumors of Gen George
u. Marshall s re
moval as Ameri
can chief of stall
when it was re
ported that he has
been named com
mander- in- chiel
of all American
British forces
throughout the
world.
According tc
me rumors mat
threw Washington
into ferment. Gen. George
Marshall had C. Marshall
clashed with Brit
ish military authorities over the
opening of a second front in Europe.
Report of his appointment as com
mander-in-chief of all Allied forces
with control over the British army,
however, seemed to spike the ru
mors. As American chief of staff.
General Marshall was in charge of
all army planning, of operations and
supply, and his new post undoubted
ly was to carry the same responsi
bilities.
Against Island Hopping
Even as air-borne Australian
troops landed In northeastern New
Guinea In another daring move to
cut off the Japanese from supply
bases, Gen. Douglas MacArthur re
emphasized the pattern of his stra
tegic battle-plans in the Southwest
Pacific.
Assailing the principle of "island
hopping”—that is, taking one island
after the other—General MacArthur
declared: "Key points must, of
course, be taken, but a wise choice
of such will obviate the need for
storming the mass of islands now in
enemy possession . . . (which) is
not my Idea of how to end the war
as soon and as cheaply as possible."
Replying to talk he would be
shelved, Gen. MacArthur said: "I
have no personal military ambitions
whatsoever, and am perfectly con
tent in such role as may be pre
scribed for me."
MANPOWER:
War Needs
Testifying before the senate mili
tary affairs committee on the ques
tion of drafting dads. Gen. George
C. Marshall and Adm. Ernest J.
King declared they were interested
only in meeting the services’ quota
for 1.200.000 men by the end of the
year.
According to the war manpower
commission, 448,000 fathers will
have to be inducted if the services'
demands are to be met. Marshall
and King left the problem of raising
the men up to the WMC, but warned
against lowering physical standards
in reclassifying 4-F’s, or of taking
childless married men over 38.
In lending the fight against imme
diate induction of fathers, Senator
Burton K Wheeler sought to estab
lish that production was exceeding
requirements in certain lines, result
ing in a waste of manpower which
could be used to better advantage
in other industries behind schedule.
Wheeler also sought to probe claims
that certain employers were over
staffing their concerns and raising
costs to assure larger profits on con
tracts.
Distribute Production
While congress stewed over the
whole manpower question. Chair- I
man Donald Nelson
of the war produc
tion board issued a
directive ordering all
war agencies not to
place contracts in
areas where labor
shortages exist if
they can be filled
elsewhere.
In this connection,
the WPB also de
dared that war con
Donald Nelson tracts should be ne
gotiated, with small
er firms being paid premiums to
meet higher production costs, so that
full use may be made of all manu
facturing facilities.
In connection with curtailing em
ployment in industries whose pro
duction exceeds needs, WPB an
nounced that hereafter such employ
ment would be cut in communities
where there was a scarcity of labor
in other essential lines.
1
HIGHLIGHTS .. . in the week's news I
LEG: A brakeman on the Santa
Fe railroad has been awarded $12.
500 for the loss of his leg in an acci
dent at Ellinwood, Kan. He had
sued for $150,000.
• • •
MEXICO: The president of Mex
ico, Manuel Camacho, has signed
an order freezing prices of basic
foods, textiles, tires, gasoline and
other essential articles.
FARM AWARD: Farmers who
have achieved "exceptional’' pro
duction records will be recognized
by an "Agricultural Achievement
award" to be presented by the War
Foods administration to some farm
er in •« ch county. There is also an
award for processors. State agri
cultural war boards are asked to
make nominations.
POST-WAR PEACE:
Vote to Cooperate
The question of nationalism and
internationalism came to the front
in the house of representatives and
both sides came off with honors
even.
With congress' adoption of the Ful
bright resolution, the international*
ists won a point through the. meas
ure’s provision calling far America’s
co-operation in joining with other
nations in preserving world peace
by any seemingly proper means.
On the other hand, the national
ists won a point, too, through the
resolution's stipulation that congress
must approve any plan for such
American co-operation.
The bill went to the senate, where
it faced strong opposition on the
grounds that the house was trying to
cut in on the senate’s constitutional
privilege of advising and consent
ing to foreign treaties.
WHEAT:
CCC Rations Storks
Tightening of transportation is
complicating the Commodity Credit
corporation’s distribution of its
wheat stocks for feed. The same
difficulty has interfered .with the
CCC’8 program for purchasing 15
million bushels of Canadian wheat
weekly.
Because of the difficulties encoun
tered, CCC has rationed wheat to
buyers, with big operators formerly
ordering 165,000 bushels being cut to
50,000.
As of September 11, the CCC re
ported, 57,483,457 bushels of new
wheat were held in loan, compared
with 144.038,388 at the same time
last year. Some 1942 wheat also is
being held in loan. CCC efforts to
call these loans to replenish its
stocks, however, probably would re
sult in farmers offering the grain
on the open market for sale above
the loan price.
New Synthetic Tube
Add to scientific wonders this
synthetic Inner tube, called mar
vlnol, and made from a new elas
to-plastic. According to the manu
facturers, the material in the tube
is nen-porous, eliminating the
usual leakage of two pounds of
air weekly in ordinary tubes. In
addition, the new tube is fully re
claimable in case of a puncture
or blowout.
U.S. NAVY:
Greatest in History
With 613 warships and 18,269
planes, the U. S. navy ranks as the
greatest in world history. Since 1940,
333 combatant vessels and 15.567
planes of all types have been added
in a multi-billion dollar construction
program.
In addition to the warships. Sec
retary of the Navy Frank Knox dis
closed that 1,274 mine and patrol
craft have been built, along with 12,
964 landing vessels and numerous
other smaller boats.
Since the outbreak of war. the
U. S has lost 1 battleship. 4 air
craft carriers, 9 cruisers, 32 destroy
ers and 12 submarines, or a total of
58 warships.
FARM:
Manpower Wastage
Approximately 1,300,000 farm fam
ilies are prevented from producing
at their maximum because of a lack
of financing. James G. Patton, presi
dent of the National Farmers union,
declared.
Because they cannot get the credit
for purchase of equipment and other
facilities, Patton said, these families
are producing below their level and
thus wasting badly needed manpow
er. To help them increase produc
tion, Patton suggested creation of a
billion dollar loan program.
Another source of manpower wast
age. Patton said, was the freezing
of farm labor in most of the nation’s
3,000 counties. Under provisions of
public law 45, Patton pointed out,
federal funds for recruiting and
transporting farm labor from one
area to another are advanced only
on approval of the county agent.
POST-WAR:
Spending Seen
Sixty-four per cent of the people
interviewed by the U. S. Chamber
of Commerce plan to buy one or
more major articles in the six
months following the end of the war.
During this period, they intend to
spend three billion dollars on auto
mobiles; over one billion dollars on
household appliances, chiefly radios
and kitchen mixers; over 700 million
dollars on household furnishings, and
seven billion dollars on new homes.
Nation to Be Active Factor
In Post-War Peace Plans
Majority of American People Ask Participa
tion in International Organization
To Maintain Harmony.
By BAUKHAGE
News Analyst and Commentator.
WNU Service, Union Trust Building
Washington, D. C.
Slowly the pattern of America's
post-war plans are taking shape, but
only the pattern.
When congress returned, it was
evident that no matter how much
disagreement there might be as to
the details of the role the United
States will play in the post-war
world, the people have registered
one idea: they want to take part in
some kind of an international or
ganization to maintain peace.
The same opinion turned up in the
conversation of three members of
congress of widely differing political
sentiments with whom I talked
shortly after they returned. Speaker
Sam Rayburn told me that the one
phrase which received the most ap
plause in the speeches he made in
the Southwest was when he said that
the United States must do a man’s
job for peace.
Two leading Republican senators
expressed the same idea, namely,
that “the people seem to be of one
mind” that America must join in
some kind of international effort aft
er the war to maintain peace.
The disagreements in congress
are chiefly a difference in degree
and represent a discussion, for the
most part, over details that nobody
expects congress to decide in ad
vance anyhow.
Of course, there are two things
which make for lack of harmony;
one is the natural desire of each
political party to criticize the other
in a campaign year; the other is
the effort of small groups to get
over their own particular ideas.
Secretary of State Hull, in his
speech of September 12, made it
plain that the administration was
in favor of an international organi
zation which would agree to use
force to maintain peace—implying
that the United States would offer
its armed forces in collaboration
with other nations to stop aggres
sion. He went further on the sub
ject than any official so far but there
has been a feeling on the part of
many members of congress that the
people would support such a policy.
Pooling of Resources
Meanwhile, the public has gradu
ally come to the realization that
Winston Churchill, as the king’s first
minister with plenary powers, and
President Roosevelt, as commander
in-chief and, therefore, with similar
authority, have agreed that the
United States and Britain will pool
their military resources not only un
til the fighting ends, but until the
emergency is ended. They will do
this merely by continuing the com
mittee of joint chiefs of staff.
They have made it plain that they
consider the emergency, or as an
official spokesman for the United
States described it, "a period of
transition,” will not end until the
last peace treaties are signed. In
other words, the United States and
Great Britain intend, as long as the
emergency exists, to take part in an
organization to establish and main
tain the peace by means of what
amounts to a military alliance be
tween the two nations.
Prime1 Minister Churchill was
ready to sign a written agreement
which would include Britain’s pledge
to remain our ally and continue the
war with us until Japan was beaten
—that much he told the newsmen—
and he added, the President had
said it was not necessary, that his
word was good enough. Presum
ably, the written agreement would
have included the continuation of the
joint committee of the chiefs of staff,
too. But written or unwritten, such
a pact now exists.
It is, therefore, clear that the
President intends, if he remains in
office, to maintain an interim ar
rangement which will keep this coun
try an active factor in world af
fairs to the point where its policies
will be supported by military action.
This will be of indefinite length, as
Churchill put it, until it can be shown
that a better arrangement, including
at) nations, can "be found to sup
plant it.
In one sense, therefore, it is less
important what decision the con
gress or the administration makes
right now as to its foreign policy
since there will be plenty of time
for the people to become fully ac
quainted with the whole situation
during the “transition period” when
two of the strongest nations remain
united. The important thing, of
course, is to obtain the co-operation
of the third most powerful nation,
Russia.
And that is what is on the fire
right now. Until we know a little
more about Russia’s views and in
tentions, it will be impossible to
make a detailed plan for the post
war world.
• • •
Battle of Italy
Beginning of End
As I write these lines, the startled
moon has just slipped behind a jag
ged curtain of clouds, Use a trans
port sliding under the protecting
cloak of a smoke screen.
That comparison leaps to my mind
because all day I have been follow
ing, as you have and as closely as
either of us could, the progress of
the greatest military undertaking
which an American army has at
tempted in this war—the battle of
Italy. For the battle of Italy is the
storming of the very portals of the
Reich, the outer rim, it is true, but
nonetheless, the first breastworks of
Hitler's inner fortress.
Here, for the first time, American
soldiers, hardened on the harsh
sands of Africa and the cruel hills
of Sicily, meet the guardsmen of the
Nazi citadel. Not a bi-colored army,
diluted by a half-hearted ally, Italy,
but dogged German fighters defend
ing the gateway to their own, their
native land.
The end of the beginning has end
ed, the beginning of the end has be
gun. And we who have watched
every sign and every signal as the
curtain between what we thought
and what we knew was lifted, realize
how little we and the world can
guess of the inner and complicated
workings of this great war machine.
As the armies of the Allies attack
the enemy citadel—the leaders of
the Allies, Roosevelt and Churchill,
plan a new edifice.
The invasion of Sicily and the in
vasion of Italy were planned at
Casablanca where, for 24 hours, the
few newsmen who were permitted
to know, kept the secret of the meet
ing itself. Beside the historic wa
ters of the St. Lawrence, in the
citadel at Quebec, the marching
orders were sealed while we news
men waited, blinded and deafened to
all but the most general ideas.
What are those marching orders?
Some other startled moon will tell.
Civilian Defense
Proves Its Worth
As Germany begins the defense of
her inner fortress and the once
feared Luftwaffe has been converted
from an offensive to a defensive ma
chine the problem of keeping up the
morale of Civilian Defense in this
country is a difficult one. It would
be foolhardy to lie down on the job
now for history has shown that fre
quently fierce and bitter conflicts
grow out of victories and until the
last shot is fired and after that, it
isn't safe to desert the ramparts.
Recently the value of civilian de
fense training was proved in a man
ner which received very little rec
ognition outside of the immediate
vicinity. When the Congressional
Limited, the crack train that runs
between New York and Washington,
was wrecked in Philadelphia, when
the Twentieth Century Limited, an
other crack train between Chicago
and New York, was wrecked, and
when a hotel burned in Houston,
Texas, the civilian defense organi
zation proved its mettle. On all
three occasions, invaluable service
was rendered by these unselfish men
and women who have so long an
swered mock alarms and gone on
duty for practice drills.
It was definitely shown that in the
case of the wreck of the Congres
sional Limited and in the Houston
fire lives were actually saved by the
defense workers. In Philadelphia a
group of air raid wardens meeting
near the scene of the wreck were
the first to arrive on the scene.
In a short time 7,500 trained work
ers were at work assisting police and
helping the rescue. So effectively did
they handle the traffic that in spite
of the great crowds, lanes were kept
open so that all injured persons not
actually pinned in the wreck had
been removed to hospitals within 35
or 40 minutes.
' ' "—-i— —— ii i i ■ ■■
BRIEFS. ..6y Baukkage
Although more than 1,500 chap
lains now serve in the navy, the
coast guard and the marine corps,
more must be added.
• • •
Emblem of the government war
food program is a market basket
carried by an arm and hand obvi
ously belonging to Uncle Sam. Over
the basket is the theme "Food fights
for freedom.”
Reversing the usual procedure of
asking German civilians to write
only cheerful letters to front line
troop*, Nazi officials have appealed
to German soldiers to make cer
tain letters to their families are in
a “humorous vein.”
• • •
The armed forces are using feath
ers for camouflage equipment, sleep
ing bags and aviators’ jackets.
Static
By JAMES FREEMAN
Associated Newspapers.
WNU Features.
“X/'OU understand how it is.” the
* little man said anxiously. “I
am only able to charge such high
prices for my apartments because I
run a respectable house. Nothing
like this has ever happened before.
1 want you to leave no stone un
turned, Captain Stokes, in appre
hending the man who stole young
Mr. Trumbell’s jewelry.
"It occurred last night between
nine o’clock and one or two in the
morning. Young Trumbell went out
to a dance. He didn’t notice the
theft until this morning. He report
ed it to me immediately and I came
to you.”
“Has the insurance company been
notified?”
"I presume so. That’s Trumbell’s
business, not mine.”
"I see. How many students have
you rooming in your house?”
"Eleven. All occupy small suites.
There are two suites on each floor,
I except the top which is somewhat of
a penthouse. Trumbell hired it. He’s
the son of C. K. Trumbell, the steel
manufacturer. The upper floors are
reached by an automatic elevator.
There is a fire escape on the out
side rear of the building.”
"Possibly one of the students on
the lower floors, eh?”
The little man’s jaw set firmly.
“I repeat, my boys are above re
proach.”
"Okay, okay. Let’s get out there
and have a look around.”
The building was one of many of
similar architecture located in a
quiet, residential section of the city
not far from the university. Before
entering, Haynes led the detective
around back and showed him the
fire escape. The type was familiar.
Its last section was hung suspended
some 20 feet above the ground, au
tomatically lowering under the
weight of a person descending.
‘‘It would be a simple matter,”
Haynes pointed out, “for anyone
with a short ladder to reach the
lower step.”
“Apple pie to a second story
man,” Stokes agreed. “Let’s have
a look inside.”
Haynes seemed worried. “You
won’t disturb any of my boys—”
“All of ’epi,” Stokes interrupted.
“And unless you stop beefing and
get co-operative I'll do it in a man
ner you won’t like.”
“Open the door of the rear apart
ment with your pass key,” Stokes
directed. “Don’t knock. And never
mind the front apartments.”
As the door opened a youth, sit
ting in a chair with his feet on the
bed, looked up from a book he was
reading. Beside him on a table a
radio played softly. The youth
looked startled, switched off the ra
dio and got to his feet. “Say—”
“Take it easy, son,” Stokes said
briskly. “There’s been a robbery.
I’m from police headquarters.”
“A robbery? Here? In this
house?”
“That’s right. Relax.” Stokes
crossed quickly to the window,
opened it and looked out. Withdraw
ing his head, he stood a moment in
deep thought. Something was wrong
and he couldn’t place his finger on
it.
“Haynes, let me have your pass
keys. You two stay here. I’m go
ing upstairs myself.”
Haynes opened his mouth to pro
test. Stokes jerked the keys out of
his hands and went out, slamming
the door. Twenty minutes later he
was back.
“Well,” Haynes snapped, “are you
satisfied? I suppose you've succeed
ed in creating a disturbance all
over the house.”
“Shut up!” snapped Stokes.
“Haynes, go out and press the but
ton that calls the elevator. I walked
down from the top floor. Go on!
Do as I say!”
When Haynes returned to the
apartment after carrying out the or
der he stopped short, gaping. The
youth was laying on the floor, blood
streaming from a wound in his head,
and Stokes was clamping handcuffs
to his wrists.
“He got nasty and I had to clip
him,” the detective explained mat
ter-of-factly. “That theory of yours
about someone gaining entrance by
means of the fire escape and a lad
der was cockeyed. The ground be
neath the fire escape showed no evi
dence of a ladder or anything else
being used. That meant it was an
inside job. When we entered this
apartment the kid here snapped off
the radio a little too quickly. It
wasn't natural. Upstairs, I found
all the other apartments deserted,
so I switched on a radio, then
worked the elevator. The electric
motor created plenty of static. A
man who checked his timing could
tell how many floors the elevator
was descending by listening to the
static on his radio. And that would
be a dead give-away that Trumbell
was out, because he's the only one
who lives on ti^e sixth? Get it?”
Safe Biking
Apply the rules for safe biking.
1. Obey all traffic signs and rules.
2. Always signal before making
turns. 3. Walk across heavy traffic.
4. Ride single file—not two or more
abreast. 5. Watch carefully at rail
road crossings. 6. Keep out of car
tracks and ruts. 7. Avoid "hitching”
and never carry passengers. 8. Get
off the roadway to stop. 9. Ride on
the right-hand side of the road, with
traffic. 10. Wear something white at
night and have a light on your bike.
OUSEHOLD
To cut fresh bread, dip knife in
boiling water and slices may be
cut as thin as desired. A piece of
apple in the breadbox will keep
bread and cake fresh for days.
• • *
Common table salt is the best
cleanser for a milk strainer. Rub
both sides of the strainer vigor
ously with the salt.
• • •
Rich, active suds and thorough i
rinsing are elemental require
ments for successful laundering.
• • •
A bit of wax rubbed on the bot
toms of rockers, will prevent them
marking even the glossiest of
floors.
• • •
Store berries, grapes and other
delicate fruits unwashed in a coldl
place.
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i
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HERE'S HAPPY RELIEF
If you suffer from backache*
resulting from fatigue or ex
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derful, also, for sore, tired feet, and for re
lieving itch of Athlete’s Foot. MONEY
BACK IF NOT SATISFIED.
SNAPPY FACTS
ABOUT
RUBBER
-(►
Fifty-three per cent of tho
cars on highways continue to
waste rubber, for officials re
port that that number con
tinue to be driven over 33
mph. A year ago 91 per cent
of the cars traveled faster
than the rubber conservation
limit.
Kok-Sagyz, lubber-bearing Rus
sian dandelion, was planted and
grown in 100 dilTerent test local
ities in the U. S. last year. The
B. F. Goodrich Company is aiding
In this experiment.
If your tires show undue wear
at the center of tho tread, it is
a signal that you are overin
flating. This is as much a rub
ber waster as underinflation.
‘YtHiUTHTI