WEEKLY NEWS ANALYSIS
Yanks Step Up Pressure on Jap Bases;
Truman Committee Asks More Leeway
For Manufacture of Civilian Products;
Daytime Bombings Rock Nazi Industry
(EDITOR'S NOTE: When opinion* nr* **pre»*ed In »he*e column*. they are lho*o of
Western Newspaper I’nlon * now* analyst* *nd no! necessarily of thl* newspaper.)
____________ Released by Weatern Newspaper Union. —
England—War and peace provide striking contrast in this English pas
ture, where sheep stray amid U. S. air corps supply depot set in open field.
PACIFIC:
Pincer Closes
Giving the harassed Japs no rest,
17. S. forces shifted the impetus of
their Southwest Pacific attack back
to New Britain, increasing the men
ace of the once important air and
naval base of Rabaul, feeder point
for enemy units throughout the re
gion.
With new Yankee landings on the
northern coas|‘ of New Britain and
eastward advances by other dough
boys operating from Arawe on the
southern shores. General MacArthur
was slowly closing his pincer on
Rabaul, although rugged jungle still
rose before U. S. forces meeting
stubborn opposition from the en
trenched enemy.
While General MacArthur in
creased his pressure on the Japs in
New Britain, other U. S. forces
tightened their grip on the Admiral
ty Islands along the supply route to
Rabaul. In mid-Paciflc, Admiral
Chester Nim* z’ naval airmen con
tinued to pound Jap defense instal
lations in the Caroline Islands, site
of the enemy’s Pearl Harbor of
Truk.
CONGRESS:
Cut Appropriations
In an economical mood, the house
appropriations committee sliced 91
million dollars off federal agencies’
requests for additional funds to car
ry on operations for the year ending
June *30, but it did approve a total
of 500 million dollars.
Biggest reduction of 22V6 million
dollars was made in the Federal
Works agency’s plea for 150 million
dollars for community facilities, and
of the sum finally voted, only 4 per
cent was allowed for administration
expenses. More than 17 million dol
lars was lopped off National Housing
administration's request for' 25 mil
lion dollars for war housing. The
Commodity Credit corporation’s bid
for 39V4 million dollars for restoring
its capital was turned down, com
mitteemen pointing to its 25 million
dollar balance as of December 31
and authority to borrow.
Only the Veterans administration
fared well, 30 million dollars being
appropriated for construction of hos
pital facilities, following Brig. Gen.
Frank Hines' statement that by 1975
a peak load of 300,000 beds would
be filled, 207,000 by vets of this war
and 91,400 from other wars.
RUSSIA:
Finns Dicker
While Russian General Merets
kov’s armies drove against the Ger
mans’ Estonian and
Latvian defenses.
Finland bargained
with Moscow for
more agreeable
peace terms, includ
ing retention of all
the territory won
during the present
war and right of the
Nazis to withdraw
their troops from
the country. Gen. Meretskov
Crossing the Nar
va river, the Russ penetrated into
Estonia, while farther south. Red
armies were converging on the im
portant railroad and highway center
of Pskov, gateway to Latvia.
Almost 600 miles to the south, the
Russians drove into the flank of the
Germans’ long front to the rear of
Red forces in old Poland, again
seeking to whittle down the Nazis'
position to prevent them from using
it as a springboard for possible at
tack.
MISCELLANY:
ACCIDENT: A freak railroad acci
dent took the lives of 500 Italians,
who were illegally riding on a freight
train, trying to get home from north
to south Italy. The refugees died
of carbon monoxide poisoning from
the locomotive's smoke, when the
train stalled on a tunnel grade.
HOSPITALS: There are 14 per
cent more patients in American hos
pitals now than in 1940.
VETS BONUS:
Ask $4,500
To make up the differences be
tween war workers’ and service
men's wages, five veterans organiza
tions called on congress to pass bo
nus legislation now, awarding mili
tary personnel $4 a day for over
seas and $3 a day for home duty.
Maximum payments under the
plan would total $4,500 for overseas
and $3,500 for home duty, with all
compensation above $300 being in
tax-free, non-salable government
bonds, bearing a flat 3 per cent in
terest for the first five years and
compounded 3 per cent interest for
the next five years.
No sooner had the Veterans of For
eign Wars, the Army and Navy Un
ion, Disabled American Veterans,
Military Order of the Purple Heart
and Regular Veterans’ association
pressed for the bonus than seven
congressmen scrambled to introduce
legislation embodying their propos
als.
EUROPE:
Clearing Path
Mighty Allied aerial armadas
roared over Europe, striking hard to
cripple Nazi industry and soften the
invasion path, while fighting flared
on the muddy Italian front.
Drubbed by 28,880 tons of bombs
dropped by the RAF, Berlin felt the
full weight of hundreds of U. S.
Flying Forts and Liberators in rec*
ord daylight raids, which left the
German capital smouldering. The
American forays were not made
without cost, however, scores of
bombers being shot down by waves
of Nazi fighter planes rising to the
attack from the const inland, and
thick walls of anti-aircraft fire in the
target areas.
Clinging stubbornly to their Anzio
beachhead, U. S. and British troops
continued to ward off persistent Ger
man thrusts at their lines, while
near Cassino to the southeast. Al
lied forces took up the assault
against the enemy’s mountain bas
tions in heavy mud.
• • •
Latest domestic to enter the
1944 race for President is Mrs.
Nora E. Gover, 53, of Loa
Angeles, Calif. A woman of ac
complishment who built the two
room house she lives In, Mrs. Go
ver will campaign for 530 monthly
paymcn’i to everybody from
birth to death, and no taxes.
WAR ECONOMY:
TrumanCommittee Reports
Letting the chips fall where they
may, Senator Harry Truman’s in
vestigating committee praised
America's war production effort,
asked that greater leeway be given
to manufacturing civilian goods and
criticized loc-e disposition of surplus
war material.
Since 1941, the committee report
ed, the U. S. produced arms and
equipment for 10.000,000 men; 153,
001 airplanes; 746 warships; 20,450,
000 tons of Liberty ships; 1,567,940
military trucks, and 23,867 landing
craft.
To speed civilia'n production, the
committee urged: 1. Permit use of
metals not needed for the war; 2.
Allow manufacture outside of man
power shortage areas, and 3. Let
factories without war work operate.
Citing the army's sale of 51,721,136
worth of new machine tools for junk
for $36,924 in Detroit recently, the
committee called for creation of a
special U. S. agency to handle dis
posal of surplus material.
PIPE LINE
The proposed pipeline across Ara
bia, to be constructed wth federal
funds to provide the American and
Allied armies with petroleum in the
Mediterranean area, would create
many international complications,
spokesmen for the American oil in
dustry charge. According to a re
port by the Petroleum Industry war
council, the plan to run the 1,000
mile pipeline "through three foreign
nations” was "an invitation to in
ternational incidents rife with the
germs of another war.”
GREAT BRITAIN:
Coal Strikes
Far, far across the sea, Great
Britain came in for its share of coal
strikes, too, when 12,000 Monmouth
sire miners walked out and and an
other 2,500 in Durham slowed pro
duction over dissatisfaction with
piece-work rates.
Ruffled by the Durham slowdown
which has cut coal output from 15,
000 to 5,000 tons weekly, the gov
ernment threatened to replace the
miners and put them to work in
other pits.
Piece-workers balked when no ad
justment was made In their rates
after other miners were granted new
minimum wages of $20, $3.25 over
the old level. Piece-workers claimed
they could only raise their minimum
by 50 or 75 cents under existing
rates, not making it worthwhile for
them to try harder.
CANADA:
Price Control
Tussling against wartime inflation
trends, Canada spent over 115 mil
lion dollars from December, 1941, to
December, 1943, for subsidies to
keep down impoft and domestic
prices.
Higher labor costs, expanded farm
income, expensive substitutes and
transportation charges are among
the factors tending to rub against
price ceilings.
Although the supply situation
promises to brighten, there are
growing shortages of children’s
clothing and footwear. The lumber
and pulpwood industry continue to
suffer from pressing manpower
scarcities.
$40,000 Bull
Mrs. William E. Barton of Chi
cago holds reins on 1‘rince Eric
of Sunbeam, grand champion bull
of the National Aberdeen-Angus
show, bought at $40,000 for breed
ing at an auction at Chicago’s
stockyards by Ralph L. Smith,
Kansas City, Mo.
Runners-up to Prince Eric were
Erian K. VII, which sold for $30,
000, and Prince Quality also of
Sunbeam, which was bought for
$10,800.
HOGS:
Prices Up
Because snowstorms impeded
shipments and prospering farmers
were in better position to hold hogs,
20 major pig markets recently re
ceived lowest receipts in six months,
while prices rose to the highest peak
in four months.
At the Chicago yards, nearly all
classes of hogs shared in the price
upswing, the average rising to
$13.89, with 200 to 259 pound stock
netting $14.10, and good 270 to 350
pound butchers bringing $13.95.
Even some of the lightest hogs went
up .50.
In the cattle market, demand in
creased for butcher stock, such as
beef cows, canners and cutters, with
prices strong to .25 higher. The
scant supplies of sheep arid lambs
went quickly, with the be jt cashing
at $16.35, and old ewes bringing up
to $9.
FARM CO-OPS:
Must Report Finances
Approximately 300,000 non-profit
organizations like lubor unions and
farm co-operatives must file finan
cial reports with the U S. treasury
for the first time under the new tax
law.
Bitterly opposed by the groups in
volved, financial reports were made
mandatory by congress acting after
complaints of many private compa
nies that some of the non-profit or
ganizations were in competition with
them. Reports also could enable
congress to look into disposition of
labor union funds.
Although the treasury has yet to
draw specific regulations governing
the reports, the law calls for spe
i ciflc statements of gross income, re
ceipts and disbursements, and other
information that may be deemed
necessary. Organization officers will
be charged with supplying all of the
data.
WAR DEATHS
During 1943 American life insur
ance companies paid out nearly 42
million dollars in death benefits un
der 31,600 civilian policies owned by
members of the army, navy and
i merchant marines. About 14,000 men
had been killed in action.
Payments on claims of service
men accounted for about 4 per cent
I of all death claims for the year. The
1943 settlements bring the aggre
gate sum since the start of the war
to close to 60 million dollars paid
: out on 43,500 policies.
’Washington Digests
Agricultural Readjustment
Seen as Postwar 'Must'
Farmer-Educator Stresses Need for More
Efficient Farming, More Attractive Life
In Order to Maintain Production.
By BAUKHAGE
News Analyst and Commentator.
WNU Service, Union Trust Building,
Washington, I). C.
E»er since the beginning of the
year. Washington has realized that
one of the most important problems
before it is demobilization.
It isn't a future problem. It’s
here.
Nearly a million and a quarter
men have already been discharged
from the army and navy since Pearl
Harbor. More than 50,000 were
physically •‘disabled," but excepting
the severely wounded, most of these
can be absorbed into civilian activi
ties.
Reconversion of our economic and
social structure is beginning.
Two weeks ago, I discussed at
some length in this column, the
George report on reconversion. Since
then h«s come the Baruch report on
the same subject, which was rapidly
followed by executive action. It
looked as if congress and the White
House were in a race to see who
would be first to start the colossal
job.
While attention is being centered
on readjustment of industry, less at
tention has been paid publicly to the
necessary readjustments in agricul
ture which must come. Because
many starving peoples will have to
be fed for some two years after the
war is over, the demand on the
farmers for production of food and
textiles should continue on somewhat
the same basis as at present. But
adjustments will have to be made
whether or not this high rate of
production is maintained because
any changes in our economic life
are bound to affect the farmers.
One of the most important recent
contributions to this planning for the
adjustment of agriculture has been
made by Dr. Murray R. Benedict,
a Wisconsin farm boy who is now a
professor of agriculture in the Uni
versity of California. He points out
in a very thorough study of “Farm
People and the Land After the War,”
released by the National Planning
association, that if we want our peo
ple to be adequately and suitably
fed, and if we want our farmers and
farm workers to be satisfied, farm
ing will have to be made more effi
cient and farm life more attractive
both as a business and as a way of
life.
Political Reaction
Unfortunately, there is a great
danger that such efforts will be frus
trated owing to the very natural
political reaction of a democratic
country, long under federal regula
tion which is necessary in wartime.
Once peace returns, a free people
is anxious to throw out its chest and
start off lustily, paddling its own
canoe again.
It must be remembered that up
until 1870, the condition of agricul
ture shaped the entire anatomy of
the American body—economic—
political—social. After 1870, indus
try developed to the point where it
became the tail that wagged the
agricultural dog.
Since 1870, the percentage of the
population engaged in nonagricul
tural activities has remained either
about stable or has shown a slight
increase. The farm population
showed a decrease until now when
it has become fairly stabilized at
about 30 million.
It would be possible, provided cer
tain definite steps were taken, either
to increase the number of paying
farm jobs or to achieve greater pro
duction with a fewer number of
workers, so that we could have more
or less farmers, according to pro
duction needs and still make it re
munerative to all.
According to Dr. Benedict, the nor
mal birth rate keeps the farm popu
lation just about stable unless sharp
shifts to and from the farm are
made. The shifts do come and they
throw the whole farm picture out
of kilter. This is where the tail
wagging the dog comes in, for in
time of depression, of course, in
dustrial workers seek livelihood on
the farm and, therefore, have a ten
dency to glut the market—in time
of boom, the farm boy deserts the
fields for the cities and the better
paying jobs.
Four Major Factors
There are four factors which can
take up or let out the slack:
(1) A larger demand for farm
products at home or abroad.
(2) Decreasing the output per man
in agriculture operations — cutting
down its hours or doing away with
some of the mechanization.
(3) Development of greater self
sufficiency on the part of the farm
ers themselves.
(4) (Something we would hardly
want to see) Immigration to less de
veloped countries, except, of course,
in the case of places like Alaska,
where there is a need of settlers.
Another danger which besets the
farmer and which regional planning
would avert is the sense of insecu
rity on the part of the farm people,
due to the tendency toward tenant
operation of farms under short-time
tenures, which naturally leads to in
efficient farming, bad living condi
tions, lack of continuity.
Then, of course, there is the an
cient bugbear of one-crop farming,
partly inherited from slavery days
and particularly noticeable in cotton
agriculture. Another factor is the
wage labor situation in particular
localities (also a heritage of another
day) which results in poor living
conditions and unproductive and un
satisfactory work. Other disturbing
factors are the use of submarginal
lands or unsuitably located farms
and then, of course, the problem of
the exhaustion of resources with the
counter-measure of conservation.
It is pointed out that the situation
which met the pioneer in America
resulted in certain definite tenden
cies and traditions affecting the
American attitude toward agricul
ture. These pioneer conditions, of
course, ceased when there were no
more good, new lands which could
be opened up. But their effect lives
on and has affected land policies
ever since.
Dr. Benedict lays great stress on
the fact that land policies which
were well suited to the pioneer do
not fit in at all with our modern
economy and he emphasizes heavily
the need of altering the tenant-farm
er situation. In the old days a man,
if conditions were unsatisfactory,
could pack his family and belongings
in a covered wagon, cross the range
and stake out a fresh claim for him
self. Now, if he has no place of his
own, he has to work on someone
else's terms and like it.
‘‘The past two decades have
brought clearly into view,” says Dr.
Benedict, “. . . the insecurity and
destructiveness of the American sys
tem of tenancy, the rapid deteriora
tion of soils, and the increasing dif
ficulty with which able young farm
ers can become established on the
land."
Three Improvements
He believes that wise legislation
ceuld be put into action and three
important improvements could be
brought about:
(1) Powerful incentive for the ten
ant to conserve the soil since he
would reap the benefits.
(2) Much more careful selection of
tenants, since removal of poor ten
ants would be more difficult.
(3) Improved community status of
those tenants who become estab
lished under arrangements of this
kind.
Such is a brief summary of the
goals studied in typical research
now being done for the benefit of the
farmer.
Unfortunately, however, as I said
earlier, politics is bound to play a
powerful role in the effort to secure
any "wise legislation” and. with self
ish interests, will make up the chief
obstacle.
Circumstances will force action in
regard to the reconversion and ad
justment of industry in the present
session of congress but it would be
an optimist indeed W'ho would pre
dict that constructive farm legisla
tion could be carried out in an elec
tion year. The farm lobby is one
of the most powerful in congress
but unfortunately pressure exerted
by it frequently fails to have for its
objective the general good of the
country. Proponents of certain
measures may be really honest in
expressing the wish of their particu
lar constituents but the farm prob
lem in America is so closely inter
woven with every phase of our life,
social as well as economic, that to
envision it properly one must con
sider the welfare of the entire na
tion, not the special interests of any
one particular locality.
BRIEFS..
by Baukhage
Men representing the War Man
power commission and the war de
partment have been surveying areas
of labor shortage where prisoners of
war may be used effectively in farm
ing and industry.
* • •
About one million men have been
made dentally fit for duty by U. S.
army dentists, according to the war
department
I
Increased imports of coffee and
cocoa from Brazil and other Amer
ican republics now assure a larger
quota of these products for U. S.
civilians in 1944.
• • •
About 118 cups of tea per person
more than in 1343—will be available
for U. S. civilians this year if ship
ping conditions permit, according
to the War Food administration.
Keep Buildings Tight,
WFA Urges Farmers
Grain Spoils, Stock
Sicken in Leaky Barn
Farmers have done a better job
oi maintaining farm machinery than
farm buildings. In fact, in only
four years since 1921 have invest
ments in farm buildings equalled de
preciation. Eventually, farmers And
that buildings are essential tools—
just as essential as thrashers, reap
ers or plows. But too often, farmers
realize this only after a building has
developed the “shakes,” or after a
weather-beaten roof allows moisture
to get through it where it can attack
the building and the cattle, hogs,
feed or machines stored there.
Of what use is it to raise an extra
hundred bushels of grain, the War
Food administration points out, if
that grain is to be lost in a granary
with a leaking roof? Of what use is
i-—-,
II
it to expand poultry flocks if as
much as 30 per cent may be lost
because of uninsulated, damp struc
tures? Why attempt to raise more
livestock unless steps are first taken
to save the 30 to 40 per cent which
never reach maturity because of
poor or inadequate shelter?
Like home owners, farmers are
apt to forget that roofs can never
"relax” in the battle with wind,
rain, ice and snow. While some
roofing materials cannot be ob
tained, non-critical, fire-resistant as
phalt roofing, which is easy to ap
ply, is available.
Many New Uses Found
For Chicken Feathers
The government is taking all eider
duck down and geese feathers, leav
ing chicken and turkey feathers for
civilian use.
About 80 per cent of feathers for
pillows, quilts and cushions came
from Europe and China in peacetime
—forcing manufacturers during the
war to improve domestic supply
sources, which now also must be
tapped for increased war needs.
Public prejudice against chicken
feathers for pillows and cushion
stuffing has waned somewhat be
cause of improved methods of pre
paring them, manufacturers said,
adding that now they are more sani
tary, while a curling process has
made them softer.
More than 100,000,000 pounds of
feathers now are produced annually
from American poultry flocks, com
pared with only about 20,000,000
pounds before the war. About 95
per cent of the total is made up of
chicken feathers.
Even in surgery, feathers have
taken on a new value. Chemists
have developed a method for dis
solving them and producing a protein
plastic. Threads of this plastic can
be used as sutures for sewing
wounds because they are strong and
are absorbed by the body.
Trade sources say that down
makes ideal sleeping bags for sol
diers and for fliers* jackets. Kapok,
formerly used extensively in Ameri
ca as pillow-stuffing, now is unob
tainable from the Dutch East In
dies and available supplies on hand
are used by the government.
Poultry flock owners get about five
cents a pound for chicken and turkey
feathers and approximately $1 a
pound for down from waterfowl.
TELEFACT
EQUIPMENT OF AMERICAN HOMES
*«TH WITHOUT
ll«CT«»C
UOHTS
Ga| Of
mcTtic jtovi
6666*
6666
»„ 666
66£
Koch symbol rtpr*Mnt| 70% in each group
Don't Use Too Much Seed
In buying seed, it is wise to plan
the amount needed for the space to
be planted. A half-ounce of carrot
seed, for example, might all be put
into a single 100-foot row. The half
ounce of seed would contain about
12,000 seeds, and if 90 per cent of
them were to grow, according to the 1
germination test, that would mean
nearly 11,000 plants in the row, or
about 100 to 110 little carrot plants
to each foot of row. Actually 25 j
seeds to the foot is about right.
CLASSIFIED
DEPARTMENT
CHICKS FOR SALE
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bill R Street - Lincoln, Ni
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A Real Live Stock Com. Firm
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FEATHERS WANTED
WE BUY NEW GOOSE. DUCK feathers;
also used feathers if they are in good con
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White Leghorn Cockerels
US $1.65 '
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World's largest seller at 10*. 36 tablets 20*,
100 for only 35*. Get St. Joseph Aspirin.
Ball Bearings as Jewels
Ball bearings have been pro
duced so small they can be used
to replace jewels in watch move
ments.
NIGHT
COUGHS
i
YOUR CHILD'S coughing at night
—caused by throat “tickle” or ir
ritation, mouth breathing, due to
a cold—am often be prevented bv
rubbing throat and chest witn
Vicks VapoRub at bedtime.
VAPORUB’S poultice-and-vapor
action loosens phlegm, relieves irri
tation, helps clear upper air pas
sages, thus tends to stop mouth
breathing and A O
invite restful If l\»t\ J
sleep. Try itl W VapoRub
One Beginner
The great works of the world al*
ways begin with one person.—Ed
ward W. Bok.
" SNAPPY FACTS i
ABOUT
RUBBER
In 1912 tropical Americas
produced their greatest out
put of rubber—62,000 ton*. It
is expected that we will have
imported 41,000 tons from
these countries in 1943, an
Important supplement to our
synthetic supplies.
Some experts estimate that there
are around 300 million Hevea (rub*
ber) trees In Latin America. Most of
them are in jungles,difficult to get at.
"Alcohol and driving don't
mix" may still be a worthy
admonition, but nevertheless,
millions of gallons of alcohol
are needed as a raw material
to make synthetic rubber for
the production of tires now
so essential to driving.
WNU—U
11—44
Watch Your
I Kidneys/
Help Them Cleanse the Blood
of Harmful Body Waste
Your kidnevs are constantly filtering
waste matter from the blood stream. But
kidneys sometimes lag in their work—do
not act as Nature intended—fail to re
move impurities that, if retained, may
poison the Bystem and upset the whole
body machinery.
Symptoms may be nagging backache,
persistent headache, attacks of dizziness,
getting up nights, swelling, putfiness
under the eyes—a feeling of nervous
anxiety and loss of pep and strength.
Other signs of kidney or bladder dis
order are sometimes burning, scanty or
too frequent urination.
There should be no doubt that prompt
treatment is wiser than neglect. Use
Doan's Hills. 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