WEEKLY NEWS ANALYSIS
Nazi Forces Retreat Toward Rumania
As Russians Regain Rich Farm Lands;
Allied Troops Drive New Wedge Into
Germans' Main Defense Line in Italy
(EDITOR’S NOTE: When opinion* or# expressed In then* column*, they arc thn*» of
Western Newspaper Union'* new* analyst* and not neroaoarlly of (HI* newspaper.)
____________ Released by Western Newspaper Union.
Italy-Row on row, the*e little white cronei in Mount Soprano ceme
tery nark the grave* of fallen American Doughboy* in Italy.
OPA:
Renewal Sought
Claiming that OPA has held war
time price increases to half the
, level of World War I,
Price Administrator
Chester Bowles ap
peared before the
senate banking com
mittee to testify for
continuation of the
agency for another
year.
Following early in
creases to iron out
prewar depression
Chester prices, the cost of liv
Bowles inc has been held ab
solutely stable during
the last 11 months, Bowles said.
Asking for retention of present
powers, Bowles said OPA would con
tinue with present techniques for
keeping down prices, including sub
sidies, which he called essential.
Cattle Subsidy
To bring cattle off the range and
prevent a market glut in the fall,
OPA considered increasing packers'
subsidies by 30 cents to enable them
to offer higher prices for the stock
during spring and summer.
At the same time, government of
ficials considered placing a floor un
der medium and lower grade cattle
whose quality may be affected by
the tight feed situation, with floors
for the spring and summer above
those for the fall.
While increased subsidies were be
ing considered for cattle, lower sub
sidies were being studied for hogs,
In line with government policy for
decreased pig production. Now $1.30
• hundred pounds, the hog subsidy
may be cut by 30 cents.
SOLDIER VOTE:
President Gets Bill
Passed by congress, the compro
mise soldier vote bill, allowing use
of the short federal ballot If cer
tified by the governor and state bal
lots are unobtainable, found its way
to President Roosevelt's desk for sig
nature or veto.
Once outspoken in his opposition
to a bill limiting soldier voting to
state ballots alone, the President
took up the compromise measure
with caution before acting, wiring
all 48 governors to report to him
whether they would permit use of
the short federal ballot, which only
lists the presidential and congres
sional offices without including the
names of the candidates.
If the governors O.K. the short
federal ballot, servicemen will only
be able to use it if their states have
no absentee voting laws, or if they
have applied for state ballots but
have not received them.
RUSSIA:
Free Ukraine
Germany’s remaining foothold in
the Ukraine was loosened as Rus
sian troops smashed into Nazi lines
along the Bug river, and as the en
emy's forces fell back toward Ru
mania, the Reds regained the rich
farm and mineral land.
As Russia scored its military suc
cess in the south, Finland in the
north turned down Moscow's armis
tice offer, based on restoration of
the 1940 borders and internment of
German trodps entrenched in the
little country.
Russia’s southern drive carried
Red troops to within 30 miles of the
prewar Rumanian border, while far
ther to the northwest, they were
within 100 miles of the old Czech
and Hungarian frontiers.
EUROPE:
Drive Wedge in Italy
Having driven a wedge into the
Germans’ main defense line by lev
eling Cassino with a devastating
aerial attack by heavy bombers, Al
lied forces fought hard to advance
up the road to Rome and get at the
rear of the enemy hemming in U. S.
and British troops on the Anzio
beachhead.
Although the thunderous leveling
of Cassino left that once-fortified
village standing directly on the road
to Rome a pile of Jumbled mortar,
Nazi guns established in the sur
rounding hills continued to rake Al
lied troops, making progress slow.
Preliminary to the big showdown
in the west, Allied bombers contin
ued to roar over Axis Europe, rip
ping at Nazi channel defenses,
France’s network of rails over which
the enemy plans to shuttle troops to
meet invasion armies, and German
industries turning out the weapons
of war. To counter the raids, the
Nazis sent up swarms of fighter
planes, and great sky battles raged.
PACIFIC:
Troubled War-Lords
As U. S. army and naval forces
kept up a running fire over the en
tire Pacific area, Japan's jumpy lit
tle war-lords had this to worry
about:
Continued Allied bombings of Wee
wak, New Guinea, and Rabaul, New
Britain, feeder bases for Jap troops
in those regions.
U. S. control of the Admiralty is
lands lying along the supply route
to Rabaul.
General MacArthur’s increasing
isolation of the 30,000 Jap troops
hemmed in on Bougainville island
in the Solomons, with the U. S. fleet
and air force in control to prevent
major reinforcement or general
withdrawal.
Navy and army bombers continu
ing attacks on the Jap fleet's big
outpost of Truk, guarding the en
trance into the waters of the ene
my’s South Pacific empire.
DRAFT:
Tighten Deferments
In order to meet the services’ de
mands for 1,160,000 men by July to
Bring military
strength to 11.
300,000, local draft
boards have been
directed to tight
en up on all de
ferments, particu
larly for those in
the 18 • 25 age
group.
Under the new
directives issued
by Selective Serv
ice Chief Lewis B. Gen. Hershey
Hershey, only in
dispensable employees, regardless of
family status, are to be deferred,
and only the state draft head or na
tional headquarters is to pass on
any deferments for the 18 to 25 year
age group.
Only farm workers producing 16
units will be eligible for deferment,
and careful consideration will be
given to the cases of 470,000 farm
workers under 26.
While Selective Service pressed for
more men. General Hershey said few
of the 3,485.000 4Fs will be found ac
ceptable for military service. Only
about 11 per cent of those with de
pendents, Including fathers, have
been taken thus far. he said, and
only about 1 in 10 will pass physicals.
HIGHLIGHTS • • • in the week't
newt
PENNIES: Since the copper situ
ation has improved considerably,
the War Production board has de
cided to permit addition of enough
of the red metal to pennies to re
store the old cqpper-zinc ratio of 95
parts copper to 5 parts zinc. Pro
duction rate currently is at 150 mil
lion one-cent pieces per month. It
is expected that the annual output
will exceed a billion steel pennies.
FOOD PROCESSORS: There will
be a need for at least 700,000 sea
sonal workers in canneries and oth
er food processing plants this year,
Paul McNutt, manpower commis
sioner. says. This is 100,000 more
than were needed last year. Stu
dents, women, and part-time work
era will be the only source, he be
lieves, though prisoners of war and
soldiers on leave can be called upeti.
IRELAND:
Faces Isolation
Traditionally strained, Ireland’s
relations with Great Britain have
again tensed, this time over Lon
don’s threat to completely Isolate
the Emerald Isle from the outside
world if German and Japanese offi
cials are permitted to remain in
Dublin and carry on alleged espio- ;
nage activities detrimental to Allied
invasion forces massed in the Unit
ed Kingdom.
Anxious to maintain its neutrality,
one reason being given that its cit
ies were open to destructive bomb
ings, Ireland replied that it cdbld
not banish Axis diplomats without
inviting war, and insisted that it had
clamped down on any suspicious j
enemy activity.
As the U. S. refused to sell Ireland
ships for carrying needed imports
and Britain closed all travel be
tween the two countries, Eire grim
ly awaited events, its economy al
ready hard hit by unemployment
caused by a scarcity of imported
raw materials.
COLD STORAGE:
More Meat, Produce
With cooler space 73 per cent oc
cupied and freezer capacity 92 per
cent filled, U. S. storage holdings as
of March 1 were at record levels,
with only apples at a low mark.
Beef stocks aggregated 276,300,000
pounds; pork, 792,700,000 pounds;
trimmings, 151,300,000 pounds; lard
and rendered pork fat, 354,300,000, of
which War Food administration held
200,200,000.
Frozen fruit stocks were 29 per
cent over those of a year ago, frozen
vegetables 107 per cent, creamery
butter 792 per cent, cheese 85 per
cent, frozen eggs 75 per cent, and
poultry 117 per cent.
Knitting Vet
Ninety-two-year-old Mrs. Christine
Lorenzen of Clinton, Iowa, la an old
hand at knitting for the boya, having
first made mittens for Civil war sol
diers, and other apparel for vets of
the Spanish-Amerlcan and World
War I conflicts. Now, Mrs. Loren
zen knits for the Red Cross for
World War II's heroes.
Declaring that Americans are suf
fering little deprivations compared
with Civil war days, Mrs. Lorenzen
said: “We had no coffee at all, and,
sometimes, little to eat but corn
bread.”
WAGES:
Control Attacked
Labor’s efforts to revise the War
Labor board’s stabilization formula
limiting wage increases to 15 per
cent over January, 1941, were
thwarted by the public’s and indus
try’s representatives on the board,
who advised holding off considera
tion until congress goes over the
whole question of price control.
In an effort to revise the stabiliza
tion formula, labor asked that the
President be requested to modify
the wage ceiling to reflect actual
living costs, and the War Labor
board hold public hearings to bring
out facts which might Justify higher
pay. Steelworkers pressed for pub
lic hearings on their demands for a
17-cents-an-hour raise.
MONEY SYSTEM:
Shaped for World
Long in consideration, the United
Nations’ plan for an international
money system after the war is tak
ing shape, with gold to play an im
portant part as a result of Russia’s
support.
Based on a plan drawn by the
U. S. treasury’s monetary expert,
Harry D. White, the new money
system would require each country
to contribute a certain percentage
of gold and its own currency to a
stabilization fund, which would then
operate to prevent any nation's ex
change from rising or falling.
White’s plan differs from Brit
ain's, which considered having each
nation contribute to an international
stabilization fund on the basis of its
prewar trade, thus tending to favor
countries which had heavy foreign
commerce.
With a comparatively small pre
war trade. Russia found the U. S.
plan more acceptable, thus swinging
the balance in its favor.
POPULATION
At the present rate of increase,
the Russian population will number
about 250,000,000 people by 1970, or
25 million more than there will be in
all northwestern and central Eu
rope, according to a survey by a
League of Nations committee. The
1939 census of the Soviet Republics
gave a total of about 170 millions.
Current estimates place the figure
at 180 millions.
The survey stated that the popula
tion of Europe as a whole is now
declining.
Washington Dipestj
GOP Leader Places Faith
In Simple Election Formula
Harrison Spangler, Party Chairman, Sees
Republican Victory as Result of Complete
Effective Local Organization.
By BAUKHAGE
News Analyst and Commentator.
WNU Service, Union Trust Building,
Washington, U. C.
On a recent sunshiny Washington
afternoon, I made a pilgrimage to
the Republican National committee
headquarters. As I entered the
white-pillared portal of the modest
little house they have rented on Con
necticut i^'enue, a number of
thoughts, which may be omens of
good or ill in the coming election,
floated into my ken.
The house was once a private
home but now it is situated amidst
shops and restaurants and looks
across the avenue toward a towering
apartment house taken over by the
Civilian Defense administration.
As I ascended the stairway to the
second floor office of Chairman Har
rison Spangler, memories rushed
about me and I was transported
back to the days when the Republi
can party was suffering in the slough
of its deepest despond. The rooms
about me then housed one of the
many trade organizations created by
that wonderful and awful National
Recovery administration presided
over by the late and stormy Gen
eral Iron Pants Johnson.
And later, as I chatted with Mr.
Spangler, I was reminded of another
circumstance, gently symbolic of
the days when the elephant sulked,
impotent and neglected, in his tent
—the Republican committee was
forced to move some two years ago
from its snappier, modern quarters
on Lafayette Square where it could
gaze longingly at the White House
oh the right hand, and not too hope
fully at the United States Chamber
of Commerce on the other. The
reason the committee had to move
was because it was only a tenant on
Lafayette Square and the CIO
(which had tossed a million into the
Democratic electioneering fund) was
the landlord.
Tempora mutantur.
But if the times and the quarters
have changed, so have Republican
spirits. "Roosevelt won’t carry two
states (or was it five?),’’ I was con
fidentially informed by one of the
modest laborers in the GOP vine
yard.
Harrison Spangler made no tall
predictions to me. He made no pre
dictions at all. He simply told me
about what he is doing, the results
so far obtained. He has a simple
faith that results already achieved
are the precursors of victory.
Well-Used Word
Spangler’s forte is organization,
and that’s the word he uses most.
"The precinct is the squad,” he
said. "If you have good squads, you
have a good regiment.”
He has reduced the training of
the squad to a very simple formula.
Get one energetic worker and as
sign him or her 20 Republican vot- i
ers. See that they vote. Mark Han
na used that system. It works. Iowa
(Spangler’s own state) uses it. Many
others do.
Ihe important word in the last
sentence is "do.” Important because
Spangler used it in the present tense.
In the days of the Blue Eagle, and
for many years thereafter, any
statement about an effective Repub
lican political organization had to be
used in the past tense. But tempora
mutantur, again. Sangler believes
that times have changed and have
been changing for some time.
Chairman Spangler is not starting
at scratch with his organizing; 26
states which have elected Republi
can governors, he pointed out to me,
already have pretty good machines
which are working now.
The chairman is a typical, suc
cessful businessman of a middle
sized town (Cedar Rapids, Iowa) in
the Middle West. His speech and
his speeches are pretty much basic
English except when he "rises to
pronounce” on party principles.
Then he uses good old substantial
political phrases marshaled in the
conventional manner. But like all
pre-convention committee chairman
ships, his job is eschewing the over
specific. He can talk about candi
dates, but not a candidate, pro or
con; he can talk about platforms
but not about planks.
He is, according to his associates,
a man of action. Already he has
visited all of the northern states
and that is what he is still doing,
dividing his time between the field
and the Washington office. He likes
f best to meet with a small group of
leaders, about 30. He also makes
his contacts with non-political organ
izations. (He, himself, is an Elk and
! a Mason.)
The Farm Problem
The farm organizations will be
handled en masse. Representatives
of all the farm organizations have
been invited to attend a meeting in
Chicago early next month in order to
express their views for possible in
corporation in the party platform.
They will meet with members of the
Republican postwar advisory coun
cil’s committee on agriculture. Its
chairman is Governor Hickenlooper,
who succeeded the late Senator Mc
Nary, father of the farm bloc.
Agriculture is one of the eight
“problems” listed by the advisory
council at its meeting in September,
1942. The others are foreign pol
icy; postwar industry and employ
ment; social welfare; federal ad
ministration; finance and currency;
labor; agriculture; and international
economic problems.
A staff of experts under Dr. Neil
Carothers, dean of the school of busi
ness of Lehigh university, has been
assembled, who assist the council,
which hopes to produce timber for
the party platform by scientific
methods.
Chairman Spangler admits that we
face a world in which conditions
which will affect the election in No
vember are likely to change radical
ly, perhaps before the conventions;
certainly before the elections. But
he believes that insofar as possible,
the various “problems” listed by the
advisory committee should be
threshed out in as much detail as
possible before the convention so
that they will not have to be dealt
with superficially at the last mo
ment by the platform committee at
the convention.
Votes and Relief
“We made several surveys cov
ering different periods in the East
a few years ago,” he said, "and we
found that the New Deal vote rose
in direct proportion with the amount
of relief in the community. The
people were grateful for the help
they got and gave Roosevelt the
credit; they forgot that it was the
people’s money they were spending.
When they are able to pay their own
bills, earn enough for what they
need, they want to be independent.
They want to shake off government
control and regulation.”
Mr. Spangler and his associates
believe that the Republican party
will win—first, because of the ener
getic response of people which has
made the rebuilding of an effective
political organization possible; sec
ond, because they consider trends
already evident are a factual indi
cation of a turn of the tide.
Mr. Spangler did not attempt to
argue the case of ti e Republican
party, nor are these columns a place
for such a political debate, but any
one can see that he and hjs staff be
lieve that they share a popular feel
ing that "the times have changed,”
“et nos mutamur illis” (and we are
changed with them). The “rve”
meaning a voting majority of the
American people.
Of such is the optimism which fills
the workshop on Connecticut avenue
where the one concern is the practi
cal side of politics—there, where the
shadow of the Blue Eagle once fell
across the portals, not even the flut
ter of a ghostly feather can now be
detected.
• • •
Service Education
To facilitate the educational pro
gram for servicemen overseas, the
United States Armed Forces insti
tute has set up branches in five the
aters of war—Southwest Pacific,
South Pacific, Middle East, Euro
pean and Alaskan theaters. Mem
bers of all branches of the Ameri
can armed forces serving overseas
may now apply directly to the new
branches for the same courses that
are given in the states through insti
tute headquarters at Madison, Wis.
The curriculum covers the range
from grammar school to university
subjects. An enlisted man may ap
ply for as many courses supplied
directly by USAFI as he wishes for
only one enrollment fee of $2. For
self-teaching courses, text books and
materials are supplied free of
charge.
B R I E F S . • • by Baukhage
A campaign to fill 100.000 present
and impending job vacancies on the
railroads will be conducted by a
newly established railroad manpower
mobilization committee representing
the united efforts of the government
and railroad labor and management.
• • •
The pay-as-you-earn system of in
come tax collections is being con
sidered in Australia.
American servicemen consumed
approximately 143,192,000 cups of
coffee and 70,000,000 doughnuts at
Red Cross clubs, canteens and club
mobiles overseas during the last 12
months.
• • •
Horse-drawn streetcars—after an
absence of 40 years—are again be
ing used in Amsterdam. They may
be slow, but power is conserved.
FIRST-AID
to the
AILING HOUSE
By ROGER 8. WHITMAN
Roger B. Whitman—WNU Features.
FLAGSTONE TERRACE
Question: I have a spot in my
yard about 6 by 12 feet that I want
to fix up as an outdoor sitting room
with a flagstone floor. What should
I put in first and how many inches
should I dig out? I have the flag
stones and want to know if I should
put cinders in first, and then lay the
flagstones on top with cement be
tween.
Answer: Excavate to a depth of
about 10 inches. Cinders (not ashes)
are then placed in the excavation,
rolled and tamped well to within S
Inches of the level that you have
decided on. Over this place a 3
inch bed of concrete (1 part portland
cement, 2 of sand and 3 of stone,
the stones no larger than 1 inch).
Use no more water than necessary
to make a workable mixture. Fol
low at once with the setting mix
ture (3 parts sand and 1 part ce
ment). As soon as the setting bed
is leveled, sprinkle with dry port
land cement and lay the stone in the
prearranged pattern. The stone
must be thoroughly wet when you
set it. Point all joints with a mor
tar mix of 2 parts sand and 1 part
cement. The surface must be kept
damp for several days.
• • •
Water Cistern
Question: We have a cistern in the
basement which does not hold water
above the faucet level. During a re
cent storm the cistern was full to
the top at night, but the water had
disappeared to the faucet level by
morning. We have had three dif
ferent people re-cement the walls
and floor of the cistern. During my
absence my husband put a thin coat
of cement on the outside, and it
looks terrible—but I guess he meant
well. Can you offer some sugges
tion?
Answer: It is possible that your
difficulty lies with the faucet; the
constant water level at this point
seems to indicate it. If the faucet
is not used, remove it and plug up
the hofe; however, if it is necessary,
remove the old faucet and replace it
with a drain valve.
Cottage Floor Is Cold
Question: We have a four room
frame cottage, heated with oil
stoves. But the floors are not warm
enough, and we would like to know
if there is some way we could rem
edy this? There is no basement, but
even though it is entirely closed to
the ground all around the cottage, it
gets quite cold. We do not want to
go into anything too expensive. What
can you suggest?
Answer: If there is enough space
under the house, place blanket in
sulation, the kind that comes with a
waterproof covering, between the
floor joists. Your local building ma
terial or lumber dealer should be
able to supply you with this type of
insulation. Should this be impossi
ble to do, cover the floor with a car
peting; a rug cushion under it will
add to the comfort.
• • •
Piano Keys
Question: The smooth, glossy fin
ish on the ivory keys of my piano
has become very rough. What can
be done to restore the original finish?
Answer: The ivory has been worn
down, and restoration of the keys to
their original finish cannot be done
at home. A piano repairman could
replace the ivory covering. You can,
however, improve the appearance of
the keys with a coat of white enam
el. Rough the surfaces by rubbing
with fine sandpaper, then clean
them by wiping with turpentine. Tor
a first coat use an enamel under
coat or flat paint, and finish with a
good quality white enamel.
• • •
Shingles or Siding
Question: Which would be the
morj practical to use on the exterior
of our bouse, shingles or siding?
Do the shingles make a tight fin
ish, or will they become loose in
time?
Answer: Both types of exterior
wall covering are practical, and if
properly applied wood shingles or
siding should give you long service,
when protecVd against the elements
by paint or a wood preservative. The
choice of one or the other is up to
yourself. Inspect several houses
covered with siding and shingles,
and see which you like best
CLASSIFIED
DEPARTMENT
REGISTERED HOGS
FOR SALE: Registered Berkshire gilt*
and sows bred to our Grand Champion
boar to farrow in April. Price $100 and up.
WHITE SPOT FARM
West Point - Nebraska.
MISCELLANEOUS
Vegetable and Flower Seed and Plants.
Prices for stamps. Swap for used stamp*
too Mich. Plant Co.. Kalamatoo 54, Mlcb.
FEATHERS WANTED
WE BUT NEW GOOSE, DICK feathers;
also used feathers if they are In good con
dition. Send to „
FARMERS STORE - - Mitchell, 8. D.
CHICKS FOR SALE
Buy Roscoe Hill Chicks 1
tor Greater Protita j
Their fine quality breeding will help produo*
eggs and meat our country needs and oiler
you aa outstanding pro fit-making investment
this year. Improved breeding stock hundred*
males from 2U0 to 811 egg trapnest hens in our
leghorn and White Bock Hocks have estab
lished pro fit-making1 ability. 10 leading breed*
—sexed chicks. Write for prices. Free catalog.
ROSCOE HILL HATCHERY
•IS m Street - Liacele. r-1
WOOL
BRING OR SHIP IT TO US,
ANY QUANTITY
We boy outright the lots running under
1000 Ibe. each, and make immediate pay
ment. Lots of over 1000 lbs. we handle
consignment In necord with the govern
ment rules, we obtain for you full cell
ing value, ninke liberal advance payment*
now, and final payment promptly when
the CCC make llie settlement to us.
LINCOLN HIDE & FUR CO.
728 Q St. Lincoln, Nebr.
White Leghorn Cockerels
m $1.65
No catch to this, we ship them
PREPAID
MODEL HATCHERY
Creighton, Missouri
SNAPPY FACTS
ABOUT
RUBBER
Window (croons, rust-proof
and flexible, that will roll up
like shades are among tha
rubber products promised for
post-war service by B. F.
Goodrich technicians.
In 1942, automobile graveyards
wrecked 2,043,000 cars. It Is esti
mated that 1,196,000 cars will
have ceased their rubber-wearing
activities In 1943 through the me
dium of the wrecker.
Don't forget the spare in ro
tating tires, for rubber not in
service ages more rapidly
than when in actual use.
At least 16 Latin-American countries
have soil and climatic conditions
suitable for the growing of rubber.
BFGoodrich |
Roosevelt Rock
A curious rock formation resem
bling President Roosevelt’s profile
stands near Kansas City, Mo.
Useful Milkweed
The floss of milkweed is used to
make life preservers.
AT FIRST
SIGN OF A
c
^666
606 TABLETS. SALVE. NOSE DROPS
Spokane Is Sun
Spokane is an Indian name for
Sun.
^ YOU WOMEN WHO SUFFER FROM v
HOT FLASHES
If you suffer from hot flashes,
weak, nervous, cranky feelings, are
a bit blue at times—due to the
functional ‘middle-age” period
peculiar to women—try Lydia E
Pinkham's Vegetable Compound
to relieve such symptoms. Taken
regularly—Pinkham's Compound
helps build up resistance against
such distress. It helps nature!
Also a fine stomachic tonic. Fol
low label directions
vtYBW t. PINKHAM'S BSB
WNU—U
13-44
