1
WEEKLY NEWS ANALYSIS
Combined Strength of All Allied Power
Concentrated for 3-Pronged Thrust
On Hitler’s Jittery German Stronghold;
New Plan Devised for Pacific Strategy
IF.DITOK'f NOTF: When opinion* are expressed In these columns, they are ttiose of
Western Newspaper Union's news analysts and not neoeaoartiy of this newspaper.)
___________ Released by Western Newspaper Union. ____________
rsr : t — f ' l-——■ ■ ■. —■ 1
“Big Three" map sledge hammer blows vs. Axis from north, south
and east, as illustrated on map. (See: Statesmen Confer.)
STATESMEN CONFER:
Map W ar Strategy
With the Big Four pledged to the
destruction of Germany and Japan,
all eyes turned to Cairo’s historic
Mena house where Turkey's IsrrnH
Inonu m^t with President Roosevelt
and Prime Minister Churchill to dis
cuss his country's role in the war.
Even as the statesmen met in the
shadow of Egypt’s massive pyra
mids, Germany played her hand,
mossing mechanized forces against
Turkey’s Balkan border in an ob
vious effort to influence the Turks’
position.
F.D R. and Churchill met with
Inonu following their three-day con
ference with Premier Stalin of Rus
sia in Teheran, Persia, where the
Big Three pledged a finish fight
against Germany from the east, west
and south, and established the basis
for a democratic community of na
tions.
Meeting previously with Chinn's
Generalissimo Chinng Kai-shek,
F.D.R. and Churchill had vowed to
force unconditional surrender on the
Japs, and restore all territory the
Nipponese have overrun since 1894.
Hurry Invasion liarges
Twenty thousand manufacturing
firms have been given a special
priority for the production of inva
sion craft and ordered to speed up
deliveries during the fore part of
1944.
As was the case prior to the U. S.
Invasion of North Africa, shipbuild
ers have been given precedence over
planes, high-octane gasoline and oth
er urgency production programs,
and the navy has curtailed orders
for destroyer-escorts to provide addi
tional facilities for constructing the
self-propelled landing barges, am
phibious trucks, tank landing ves
sels, etc.
After being given the go-ahead be
fore the North African operations,
shipbuilders turned out 750 million
dollars worth of invasion craft in
five months.
ITALY:
Nazis' Line Sags
Fighting over muddy slopes, U. S.
troops gained foggy mountain
heights overlooking the road to
Rome, and along the Adriatic to the
east. Gen. Bernard Montgomery's
Eighth army punched its way up a
coastal strip toward the highway
hub of Pescara.
Although the Nazis’ winter line
sagged in some sectors under the
steady pressure of Allied infantry
and artillery, it recoiled io others,
and on the U S. front, the Germans
clung to the pass at Mignano afford
ing access to the road to Rome,
while on the British front, the ene
my massed to check the Tommies
farther inland.
Fighting bravely in the rain, U. S
Doughboys with packs clambered up
rocky slopes even too steep for mule
supply teams.
WAR MANPOWER:
Cut Needs
Against the 2,000,000 new workers
which the War Manpower commis
sion estimated would be needed in
the munitions industries by July.
1944, only 1,100,000 uctually will be
required, but military demands re
main unchanged.
Because of changes in munitions
requirements nnd the high rate of
production achieved, WMC said 10,
700.000 workers will be sufficient to
meet schedules. Of the 1,100,000 new
workers, most will be recruited from
3.500.000 women under 45.
To achieve their goal of 11,300,000
men by next July, the army and
navy will actually call more than
2.000,000 during the year, ns first
planned, WMC said. Discharges and
casualties will create r bigger drain
to keep the ranks at full strength.
Draft calls during January and Feb
ruary will continue at the current
rate of 300,000 to 350,000 per month
SOLDIERS’ VOTE:
States' Control
Killing the Lucas (111.) - Green
(R. I.) bill allowing soldiers over
seas to vote under
federal supervision,
the senate adopted
and sent to the
house a measure in
spired by Senator
James Eastland
(Miss.) leaving elec
tion rules up to the
states.
Under Eastland's
proposal, states
were asked to pass
legislation allowing
vets abroad to vote
in local, state and
federal elections by Senator James
establishing a sys- Eastland
tem of postcard ap
plications for absentee ballots to be
distributed by air mail free.
Included in the measure was an
amendment by Senator Robert Taft
(Ohio), assuring all parties of equal
shares of campaign publicity.
SOUTHWEST PACIFIC:
MacArthur s New Plan
While U S. and Australian troops
slowly hacked their way through
Southwest Pacific jungles, Gen.
Douglas MacArthur's representative
at the Cairo conference revealed the
general's new master plan for de
feating the Japanese.
MacArthur's plan calls for cap
ture of the rich East Indies, cutting
off the Japs' principal source of oil
for their mechanized forces, and
otherwise slashing their long supply
lines to the home islands.
To achieve this objective. Mac
Arthur has sought to lure the big
Jap fleet out into the open for a
finish fight, but the wily Nipponese
have evaded battle, preferring to
remain close to bases under air
cover or behind reefy coral barriers.
HIGHLIGHTS • • • in the week's news
STEEL: The nation’s steelwork
ers have better filled pay envelopes
than ever before, the American Iron
and Steel Institute reports. October’s
payroll totaled nearly 145 million
dollars, compared with 143 million
in September, and 126 million in Oc
tober of last year. Average hourly
wage is now just under $1.16. It
was $1.08 a year ago. There are
615,000 on the payrolls now.
BLOCK-BUSTING: The English
village of Deenthorpe has been com
pletely wrecked by the crash of a
Flying Fortress loaded with 6,000
pounds of bombs. Neither fliers nor
villagers were injured, however, as
the crew parachuted to safety, and
-then ran about arousing the towns
people, who fled to the fields. Ten
minutes later, the plane exploded
to bits.
CORN:
Boost Ceilings
To stimulate the flow of corn into
terminal markets, OPA raised ceil
ings by nine cents, and then froze
prices of oats, barley and sorghum
grains preparatory to establishing
permanent revaluations.
In boosting corn ceilings, OPA
said it was complying with the
emergency price control act, which
stipulates that maximum prices far
a commodity shall reflect parity.
Under the new tops, No. 2 corn
will sell at $1.16 at Chicago and
Milwaukee; $1.12% at Minneapo
lis and St. Paul; $1.16% at St.
Louis; $1.12% at Kansas City and
St. Joseph; $1.15 at Peoria; $1.10
at Omaha; $1.15% at Duluth and
Superior; $1 09 at Sioux City, and
$1.28% at Nashville.
Action on oats, barley and sor
ghums resulted from steadily ad
vancing feed prices because of the
sag in corn marketing, OPA said.
Rising prices increased costs for
poultry and livestock and dairy
farmers, OPA declared.
Feed Imports
To meet demands for feed grains
in the U. S., a minimum of 75,000,
000 bushels will have to be import
ed if poultry and livestock goals
ore to be achieved in 1944, War
Food administration estimated.
At the same time, the Associa
tion of American railroads revealed
that 50 additional freight cars were
being made available daily to Cana
dian lines for hauling grain, mainly
into Utah and the Southeast. Capa
ble of moving 2,000,000 bushels a
month, these curs are in addition
to the 1,000 in use in the North
west
As of December 4, Commodity
Credit corporation announced the
U. S. had purchased 53,000,000 bush
els of Canadian wheat, of which
45,000,000 already have been import
ed by rail and water.
• • *
Banned in 1942, suspender buttons
have been ordered restored to work
pants by the War Production board.
FLU:
‘Seasonal Increase'
With the number of influenza cases
in the U. S. five times under that of
1941, and deaths from the sickness
in Great Britain far below the pro
portions of 1937, the world presently
faces no flu epidemic comparable to
that of 1918, when 20,000,000 died.
So said a spokesman for the U. S.
Public Health Service. However, he
cautioned that persons suffering
from colds, grippe and flu remain
at heme to prevent spreading the ill
ness, especially in view of the short
age of doctors and nurses and the
difficulty imposed in handling many
patients.
In the U. S., the spokesman termed
the rising rate of influenza cases as
a "normal seasonal increase," while
he pointed out that the deaths in
Great Britain's large cities for a
single week recently fell far short
of the 2,000 recorded weekly during
the epidemic of 1937.
RUSSIA:
New Army
While German military commen
tators reported that the Russians
were moving up a whole newly
equipped army to continue their
winter offensive, the Reds followed
their traditional tactics of conduct
ing large scale attacks all along
600 miles of front in an effort to
break through a weak spot.
Their drive beyond Gomel slowTed
with the reorganization of 300,000
German troops withdrawn from ad
vance positions, the Reds opened up
a heavy offensive in the Dnieper
bend, above the industrial centers
of Krivoi Rog and Nikopol, where
the Nazis have held their ground
for several months
In this sector, the Reds poured
troops onto the western banks of
the Dnieper at two points, and in
the fighting that ensued, they sought
to crush German forces wedged be
tween them.
• • •
Sales in filling stations in 1943 will
approximate 214 billion dollars, com
pared with 3 billion in 1942 and the
peak 314 billion in 1941.
NATIONAL BANKS:
Assets in Billions
Rich in natural resources, the
U. S. is equally rich in finance, with
total assets of 5,058 national banks
approximating 66 billion dollars.
Figures show:
Private deposits of 40 billion dol
lars; U. S. deposits of almost 11 bil
lion; municipal and state deposits of
2'4 billion.
Loans and discounts of 10*4 bil
lion dollars; investments in U. S.
securities of 35*4 billion dollars;
holdings of other stocks, bonds and
securities of 3 billion 400 million, of
which 2 billion represents state and
other political obligations.
Capital stock of the banks totals
114 billion dollars, with surplus, un
divided profits and reserves of 2
billions.
PRO FOOTBALL
Wartime cash boosted attendance
at professional football games to a
new high average of 26,811 per
game, the National Football league
reports. This is an increase of 36.7
per cent over last year, and 24 per
cent over 1941. the previous hi; i
mark. Total attendance for the 43
regularly scheduled games this sea
son amounted to 1,072,469. Last year
1,079,148 fans watched 55 regular
games.
Highest drawing card in the league
was the New York Giants club.
Dark Spectre of Inflation
Rises to Haunt Congress
Strenuous Nail-B ting Marks Senators,
Representatives Worried Over Much
Debated Subsidy Question.
By BAUKHAGE
News Analyst and Commentator.
WNU Service, Union Trust Building,
Washington, D. C.
Unless I miss my guess badly, as
these lines appear in print, a num
ber of senators and representatives
will be going through one of the
most nervous nail-biting periods
they have ever experienced.
When the antisubsidy bill passed
the house with such an overwhelm
ing majority—enough, if the vote
held, to pass it over the President’s
veto—a lot of congressmen were be
ginning to worry. They were won
dering: If the measure really does
become law, will the ghost which the
President has conjured up really
walk?
Inflation Is that ghost.
Nobody wants inflation.
Memories are long enough to re
member how sholt the long green
shrank after the last war. Suppose
there came to pass what all the high
brows and the low-brows were pre
dicting would, that if you lifted the
lid just a 1-e-e-t-l-e, it might blow
off, members of congress had begun
to ask themselves.
The memory of the boys selling
apples, the memory of mortgages
foreclosing, the memory of '‘Mister,
have-you-got-a-dime?’’ began to stir
in many a dormant corner.
Strange Phenomenon
It was a strange but not an un
accustomed phenomenon. The phe
nomenon of the congressman torn
between what the particular group
which dominated his constituency
wanted and what he felt honestly
and sincerely was the best thing for
them in the long run. That doubt
began to stir. It was an interesting
thing to pass through the halls of
the Capitol and of the House and
Senate Office buildings and talk to
these men. You could almost see
the spectre rising behir. i them. The
spectre of inflation pointing its fin
ger at them.
Whenever you run into someone
whose business it is to feel the pulse
of congress, you get the same reac
tion I have just pictured. Members
of congress are worried. They don’t
want to be blamed for inflation.
And that is why now, at this mo
ment, when the fate of the Commod
ity Credit corporation (which nearly
everybody wants) would seem to be
sealed by the triumph of the anti
subsidy provision, such fate may not
be so certain.
When this subsidy fight started,
I wrote in this column that the ad
ministration realized it had one of
the hardest fights it ever had ahead.
That there seemed to be absolutely
no compromise in sight.
The other day, a man, wise in
the ways of congress and beholden
to no party and, so far as I know
in the years I have known him, nev
er a proponent of any measure (his
business is to be neutral), said to
me: “Wait and see, somebody like
Senator Taft will come out with a
compromise.”
Well, I have waited and perhaps
by the time you read this you will
also have read that somebody “like
Senator Taft” has produced the
compromise.
If not, the administration’s so
called “hold the line” policy will bite
the dust.
See how the congress has struck
at almost every brick in that wall.
Treasury Department
The treasury said: you must tax
the spending money out of the pock
ets or you’ll have inflation. The con
gress passed a tax bill that would
raise about a fifth of what the ad
ministration said was necessary.
This disregard of treasury’s advice
was due only in part to a lack of
respect for Secretary Morgenthau’s
tax theories. And everybody blames
i the President for that. He doesn’t
have to keep Morgenthau in his cab
inet. even if he was a good neighbor
up there on the Hudson. But con
gress wouldn't have taken anyone’s
advice on that subject.
The congress threatened to stop
the appropriation and authorisation
for the Office of Price Administra
tion. It managed to consider bills
i to taxe away OPA's powers, bit by
; bit. to maintain the ceiling on coal
| and on oil.
These are just a few of the many
efforts to shake loose the war re
straints. Congress has reflected,
honestly enough, the feeling of the
people. As the Allies march nearer
to victory, the restraints of regula
tion and regimentation chafe more
and more.
But down deep in the hearts of
many a lawmaker today is the reali
zation that whether the administra
tion has been right or wrong in the
way it has done things, it was right
when it said that inflation had to be
avoided.
And that is why today, unless I
miss my guess, or unless some Dan
iel comes to judgment who can dis
cover a better salve than subsidies,
the administration will win, at least
a partial victory, in the battle which
will be staged in the days just
ahead.
* * *
Railroads Plan
For Future Traffic
There is one thing we are all in
terested in. Getting from where we
are to somewhere else and getting
back again.
Naturally, we want to do it as
cheaply as possible. Today in Wash
ington there is going on the prepara
tion for one of the greatest transpor
tation battles in history. The air
lines believe that the war has virtu
ally made the skies their garden. All
they have to do is to spade it. When
peace comes, and the various re
strictions are lifted, the people will
spread their wings and fly.
The other day, the executives of
the leading railways got together.
They thought and thought. And this
is what came out of the hopper:
(1) Reductions in passenger fares,
both coach and Pullman, immedi
ately following the war.
“We shall have to reduce rates
after the war and do it quickly and
thoroughly,” one executive said.
“Any dawdling and hemming and
hawing will only result in our empty
ing our trains again and in the loss
of the highly desirable public rela
tions and advertising value that an
immediate and voluntary slash
would bring.”
(2) Widespread introduction of
lightweight, streamlined coaches
and Pullmans, with old cars being
scrapped forever.
(3) Greater use of modern mer
chandising techniques, including
larger appropriations for institution
al and product advertising.
(4) Greater consideration to the
comfort and convenience of the pas
senger, described frankly as a rad
ical departure by one executive.
Passenger’s Interest
“The railways have been too
prone to subject the passenger’s in
terest to the whims of mechanical
and operating offices and to the re
quirements of mail and express
schedules,” he commented.
(5) Simplification of rate struc
tures by establishing a common base
rate for the whole country, and sim
plification of accounting methods.
<6) Restrictive union rules which
will nullify, as airlines grow larger,
much of their prewar personalized
service sales appeal.
“So long as there wore only about
350 passenger-carrying planes in the
country, carrying about 20 passen
gers each, the personalized service
created a tremendous sales appeal.
When the airways go after mass
passenger traffic, they will find this
1 type of selling impossible,” said an
j other executive.
(7) Restoration of passenger serv
ice at many points.
“We have denuded our railway of
passenger service at many points
and we are thoroughly ashamed of
having done so.” one official said.
(8) Greater comfort and better
service on all carriers from local
all-coach trains to the extra fare
trains.
(9) Speeding up of passenger
schedules by such means as con
tinuing to take out curves, reducing
stops, and improving “head-end op
erations” (mail and express load
ing and unloading).
After that pronouncement, the
railway executives stepped forth and
announced in stentorian tones that
they were not afraid of competition
from the skyways.
“Fihe.” says the humble traveler,
“we don’t care whether it’s airways
or railways, so long as we get where
we want to go and get back, eco
nomically and comfortably.”
We will.
BRIEFS. . . t>y Baukhage
The Fourth War Loan drive will I
start January 18 and run until Feb- J
ruary 15. 1914
* * *
Frau Gertrud Srholtz-Klink. Nazi
; Aomen's leader, has been making a
morale-building tour of Germany
and Austria addressing women’s
groups on the glory of German
motherhood and the need for match
ing the production of men.
The torpedo plane was first con
ceived by the late Rear Admiral
Bradley Allen Fiske in 1911. He got
the idea for the new weapon when
stationed in the Philippines, as a
defense against a Japanese attack.
• • •
So the Japanese “have never been
beaten”? Don't tell that to a Ko
rean. Korea has defeated the Japs
in war not once, but three times.
Order Fertilizers
Now, Urges WFA
Heavy Demands Will
Swamp Dealers Later
Prompt acUon by farmers in plac
ing orders for fertilizers with their
local dealers is being urged by the
War Food administration. Farmers
are being advised, also, to take de
livery as soon as their requests can
be filled.
Because manufacturers and trans
portation systems alike are faced
with manpower shortages, the WFA
says it is imperative that as many
farmers as possible get in their fer
tilizer supplies this winter, instead
of waiting for spring. Ordering now
will be insurance against disappoint
ment later on, it is pointed out. The
fertilizer industry asserts it will be
able to get the fertilizer manufac
tured and delivered, if allowed suf
ficient time. But instead of the usu
al peace-time spring rush period,
about six months is now needed.
With the heaviest demand in his
tory in prospect, the present outlook
indicates that in total tonnage there
will be 5 to 10 per cent more fer
tilizer in 1944 than in 1943. There
is a definite prospect for more ni
trogen and superphosphate than in
1943, but a certainty of less potash,
government reports show.
Plenty of mixed fertilizer is re
ported as available for shipment at
present. Unless it goes to farms
now, however, there is a possibility,
says the War Food administration,
that the facilities of manufacturers
and dealers may be swamped later
on, so that they will be unable to
make full delivery in time for spring
planting.
It is reported that many local deal
ers can give immediate delivery on
orders. Storage facilities on the
farm may be met, studies have
shown, by putting the sacked fer
tilizer on a platform slightly raised
off the ground and situated so it will
be protected from night winds. It
is advised that sacks, wagon sheets
and other materials be used to cover
the fertilizer.
Under new revisions in the WFA’s
Food Production Order No. 5, pro
vision is made for the addition of a
few grades of fertilizer needed in
some states to achieve more equita
ble distribution of potash in relation
to nitrogen and superphosphate. The
application form farmers use in ob
taining fertilizer from local dealsrs
has been simplified. Provision is
also made for special measures
whereby some fertilizers—new ma
terials or of larger than usual quan
tity-may be directed into specific
areas to encourage production of
crops not given priority. Those that
respond readily to the application of
fertilizer, but which have not been
customarily fertilized in the past,
will be the most affected by this
part of the order.
Counting Sheep
rr..........m
More sheep are shipped from
Ketchum, Idaho, than from any oth
er point in the United States, ac
cording to the Ketchum Chamber of
Commerce. This year it is estimat
ed that 90,000 animals will be sent
out.
Turnips for Chickens
When turnip salad is fed in un
limited amounts, the chickens con
sume less mash and this, in turn, j
will cause the flock to slump in egg I
production. Not over four pounds
of turnip salad should be fed to a
flock of 100 birds in a day. Any
feed that causes a decrease in the
consumption of mash by the flock
is likely to cause a slump in egg
production.
Alcohol From Artichokes
Laboratory-scale fermentations of
artichokes are being studied by
Joseph E. Seagram and Sons of
Louisville. Ky., as another source
of fermentable sugars. Unlike grain,
from which dextrose is obtained,
artichokes contain inulin, a type of
starch which, upon hydrolysis,
yields fructose sugar. The enzyme
necessary to break down inulin is
inulase, whose presence in arti
chokes eliminates the necessity of
adding any enzyme for conversion.
I
There Must Have Been
Politicos at the Beginning
Over a cup of coffee at the club
a doctor claimed that his was the
oldest profession. “For,” he said,
“Adam’s rib couldn’t have been
removed without a surgeon to per
form the operation.”
“Yes,” said the architect, “but
before that the world had to be
created out of chaos. And, you
will admit, creation implies an
architect.”
There was a politician in their
midst.
“Hold on, gentlemen,” he said.
“You must carry it back still fur
ther—to chaos. And where there
is chaos there must be a politi
cian.”
CLASSIFIED
DEPARTMENT
FEATHERS WANTED
FEATHERS WANTED, NEW OR OLD
Ship or write to Sterling Feather Company,
000 N. Broadway, St. Lonia. Missouri.
Live Stock Commission
BYERS BROS & CO.
A Real Live Stock Com. Firm
At the Omaha Market
Army Parachutes
Parachutes varying in diameter
from 21/2 to 48 feet are used by
the army. The larger ones drop
ton and a half loads.
DO .HIS! To relieve discomforts,
one of the best things you can do \
1c put a good spoonful of home
tested Vicks VapoRub in a bowl i
of boiling water.
Then feel the wonderful relief
come as you breathe in the *
steaming medicated vapors that
penetrate to the cold-congested
upper breathing passages! See i
how this soothes irritation, quiets
coughing, and helps clear the
head-bringing grand comfort.
FOR ADDED RELIEF ...rub throat,
chest and back with VapoRub at
bedtime. Vicks VapoRub works
for hours—2 ways at A n
once—to bring relief Vf ICKS
^^rom distress.Try it. V VapoRus^/
BOARS FOR SALE
For Hnle: Registered Chester White boara.
smooth medium type with quality. George
Fopken, West Point, Nebraska.
There's good reason why PAZO oint
ment has been used by so many millions
of sufferers from simple Piles. First.
PAZO ointment soothes inflamed areas
-—relieves pain and itching. Second.
PAZO ointment lubricates hardened,
dried parts—helps prevent cracking and 2
soreness. Third. PAZO ointment tends
to reduce swelling and check bleeding.
! Fourth, it's easy to use. PAZO oinl
| ment’s perforated Pile Pipe makes ap
plication simple, thorough. Your doctor
can tell you about PAZO ointment.
Beware Coughs
from common colds
1
Creomulsion relieves promptly be
cause it goes right to the seat of the
trouble to help loosen and expel
germ laden phlegm, and aid nature
to soothe and heal raw. tender, in
flamed bronchial mucous mem
branes. Tell your druggist to sell you
a bottle of Creomulsion with the un
derstanding you must like the way it
quickly allays the cough or you are
to have your money back.
CREOMULSION
for Coughs, Chest Colds, Bronchitis
WNU—U50—43
Help Thom <Cleanse the Blood
of Harmful Body Waste
Your kidneys are constantly filtering
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not act as Nature intended—fail to re
move impurities that, if retained, may
j poison the system and upset the whole
! body machinery.
Symptoms may be nagging backache,
persistent headache, attacks of dizziness,
getting up nights, swelling, pufiinesu
v under the eyes—a feeling of nervoue
anxiety and lo3s of pep and strength.
Other signs of kidney or bladder dis
| order are sometimes burning, scanty or
i too frequent urination.
There should be no doubt that prompt
f treatment is wiser than neglect. Use
Dean's Pills. Doan's have been winning
; new friends for more than forty years.
They have a nation-wide reputation.
| Are recommended by grateful people the
country over. Ask your neighbor I
