WEEKLY NEWS ANALYSIS_
Nazi Rail Lines Hammered by Allies
In Pre-Invasion Softening Process;
Lend-Lease Grants Total 30 Billion;
Stilwell Advances in Northern Burma
(EDITOR'S NOTE: When •pinion* are repressed In these eolomns, they are those ol
Western Newspaper Union's news analysts and not necessarily of this newspaper.)
Released by Western Newspaper Union.
Beachhead—There’* more to establishing a beachhead than mere*
ly forcing a landing. At Aitape in Dutch New Guinea, Doughbo7* are
•bown bringing up supplies for continued operations.
EUROPE:
Nazi Preparations
As it was reported that the Ger
mans were prepared to sacrifice
200,000 men along the "Atlantic
Wall" to slow up the Allies’ land
ing operations and allow the Ger
man high command opportunity to
shift large reserves to the most
critical battle areas, U. S. and
British bombers continued their
non-stop bombardment of enemy de
fense installations and communica
tion lines to blast a forward path
for the Invasion forces.
As the zero hour approached, the
Nazis sought to assure against Allied
landings in Holland by preparing to
flood the lowlands, port of which al
ready have been inundated follow
ing the removal of the inhabitants.
Heavy U. S. and British aerial
bombardments reportedly razed
Nazi rail lines 100 miles inland from
the channel coast, putting a severe
crimp into the transport system over
which the Nazis hoped to rush
seasoned troops to encounter early
Allied landings, possibly made in
conjunction with a great Russian of
fensive in the cast.
U. S. SEIZURE:
Congress Acts
Stirred by U. S. troop seizure of
the Chicago plant of Montgomery
Ward and company
Rep. Dewey
Sen. Byrd
after the latter s re
fusal to extend a
CIO union contract
upon order of the
War Labor board,
both the senate and
the house moved to
review the whole
field of wartime
executive authority.
In introducing a
resolution for study
ing the Ward case
which was quickly
adopted, Sen. Harry
Byrd (Va.) said:
*• . . . The measure
. . . should lead to
correction of legis
lation under which
this (the War d)
seizure of a private business was
made.”
Previously, Rep. Charles Dewey
(111.) called upon the house to
authorize an investigation of the
government’s occupation of the
Ward plant, a seizure nation’s No. 2
mail order company contested in
federal court dh the ground it is
no war industry, and an action the
U. 8. defended on the stbength of its
claim that the business sells produc
tive machinery to farmers in ad
vancement of the war effort.
MEAT:
Plenty on Hand
Reduction of government pur
chases of meat in the face of
crowded warehouses and heavy hog
receipts at markets resulted in
OPA’s removal of meat rationing
except on beef steaks and roasts.
On April 1. warehouses held a
near record of 1,246.813,000 pounds
of meat compared with 780,806,000
pounds a year ago. Packing facili
ties were being stretched to the ut
most as farmers continued heavy
hog shipments, partly because of
the tight feed supply recently aggra
vated by the government’s embargo
on all private corn sales in 125 mid
west counties to divert stocks to in
dustrial processors.
As a result of the government's
program, virtually all wet corn
millers were operating, with enough
grain pledged for four months.
PACIFIC:
Stiltvell Advances
Lieut. Gen. Joseph Stilwell’s
mixed U. S., Chinese and native
Burmese troops pushed the Japs far
ther back in northern Burma in
their drive to clear a new supply
road to distressed China, while Brit
ish and Indian forces continued to
slow up the Japs' determined cam
paign to sever the Assam-Bengal
rail line feeding General Stilwell's
army.
In the South Pacific, U. S. troops
strengthened their hold on the Hol
landia area in Dutch New Guinea,
while American bombers ranged up
and down the island smashing at
Jap bases supplying straggling
enemy troops.
In addition to threatening General
Stilwell’s supply lines, the Jap
drive in India reportedly was de
signed to establish India’s Col
laborationist Subhas Chandra Bose
on native soil for an intensive propa
ganda drive to arouse the Hindus
to revolt against the British.
LEND-LEASE:
30 Billion
Including special assistance given
by other government agencies, lend
lease aid now approximates $30,362,
687,362, the senate was told in con
sidering extension of the act.
Broken down into loans, grants,
investments, construction, pur
chases in foreign countries, current
expenses and other aid and expendi
tures, the special assistance alone,
chiefly extended by the army and
navy, amounts to $8,500,000,000. Ordi
nary lend-lease assistance totals
$21,794,237,819.
Of the $30,362,687,362 spent, Great
Britain has received $19,700,297,674;
Russia, $4,214,921,449; So. America,
$2,327,378,789; China, $920,349,451.
SURPLUS MATERIAL:
Use Considered
With U. S. sales of surplus war
goods already running between $12,
000,000 and $15,000,000 monthly, the
knotty problem of allowing produc
tion of civilian goods, with raw ma
terials and scrap reverting to the
government through termination of
war contracts, has arisen.
Although some flatirons, alarm
clocks, furniture, kitchenware, radio
tubes, electric fans, stoves, kitchen
ranges and bathtubs are scheduled
for delivery in 1944, they are but a
drop in the bucket compared with
civilian requirements.
Despite the admitted surplus of
many raw materials, the War Pro
duction board has opposed their ap
preciable use in civilian goods on
the grounds that such manufacture
would aggravate the manpower situ
ation.
POLITICS:
Army Impartial
The ticklish problem of supplying
U. S. soldiers with political informa
tion on the 1944 national elections
was bravely approached by the war
department, with emphasis firmly
placed on impartiality.
Although doughboys will be per
mitted to read their favorite maga
zine or newspaper, the war depart
ment ruled that in radio broadcasts
and service publications, equal time
or space must be granted to both
sides.
Motion pictures and entertain
ments also drew the attention of the
war department, with no partial ma
terial to be tolerated in either
source, and commanding officers to
closely guard against the revision of
scripts violating the regulation.
CHINA:
Japs Tighten Hold
With no less than 80,000 troops
backed by large forces of reserves,
the Japanese pressed their drive to
clear the embattled Chinese from
the Hankow-Peiping railway in
northeastern China.
Japanese success would clear a
considerable belt of the road for
north-south traffic, strengthening the
enemy's stranglehold on eastern
China, which includes all of that
stricken country’s principal sea
ports.
Since overrunning eastern China,
the Japs have worked hard to estab
lish new Industries in the occupied
territories to capitalize on the coun
try’s material and manpower re
sources, and there have been re
ports that the Jap war machine‘has
considered transfer of government
and economic administrative offices
to the Chinese mainland in the event
of sustained U. S. bombardment of,
the home islands.
MEXICO:
Ends Snooze
As one means of saving tires by
cutting down travel between busi
ness and home, and of conserv
ing electricity by avoiding the neces
sity of working later at night, Pres.
Manuel Avila Camacho ordered
an end of Mexico’s famed midday
siesta for government and industry.
Beginning June 1, government of
fices will open at 8 a. m. and
run throughout the day; stores will
operate from 9 a. m. to 3 p. m., and
factories will work from 6 a. m. to
2 p. m.
In putting an end to Mexico's mid
day snooze, President Camacho said
that because of the time consumed
in travelling, few people got in a
real nap, anyway. Chief objection to
the new order is expected to come
from conductors and drivers, who
receive a share of fares.
WHISKY:
No Prospects
Unless there is a sudden reduction
in requirements for alcohol for syn
Donald Nelson
tnetic ruDDer and
other war needs,
there is no immedi
ate prospect for a
resumption of whis
ky manufacture,
War Production
Chief Donald Nel
son said.
"I'm opposed to
the use of any facili
ties for production
of civilian commod
lues lr it is not reasibie and might
interfere with necessary war produc
tion,” Nelson declared.
PROFITS:
Going Up
With some industries like petro
leum showing a 46 8 per cent boost
in net incomes, and others like the
wholesale and retail group report
ing a 16.5 per cent drop, profit of
259 leading big businesses for the
first quarter of 1944 amounted to
$274,032,000, 6 per cent higher than
last year, but 19 per cent below 1941.
At the same time, an analysis of
operations of 50 manufacturing com
panies for 1943 showed that costs
helped to counterbalance income,
and profit was held to 3.1 per cent
per dollar of sales.
For instance, it was reported 1943
wages and salaries took 72.8 per cent
of gross income, before taxes but
after other costs, compared with 66
per cent in 1940. Taxes claimed 20.8
per cent against 15.8 in 1940.
AIR TRAVEL:
Monopoly Debated
Burning question in aviation
circles today is whether various
U. S. lines shall form a single com
pany for international service or
whether they shall compete for busi
ness as separate-organizations.
Although only two of 19 U. S.
lines favor a single company, there
is strong pressure for such a setup
on the grounds that its operation on
a volume basis could allow it to
compete against foreign air lines
which undoubtedly will be finan
cially supported by their govern
ments.
In opposing the single company
idea, no less than 17 U. S. lines feel
that competition could be expected
to result in improved service and
promotion of air travel, without fet
tering free enterprise.
CASUALTIES:
Total 197,841
Latest figures put U. S. casualties
in World War II at 197,841, with
the army suffering 153,302 and the
navy 44,539.
Of the army casualties. 26,575
were reported killed, 62,312 wound
ed, 33,814 missing and 30,601 pris
oners. Navy losses included 18.992
killed, 11,899 wounded, 9,192 miss
ing and 4,456 prisoners.
With 45.567 deaths already report
ed, the death toll already neared
World War I's, when 53.000 men
died in action or of wounds.
WOOL CHEAPER
To move a part of the large stock
pile of wool on hand, the Commodity
Credit corporation has decided to
fix the price of domestic wool at a
figure equal to or slightly below im
ported wool. At present, the im
ported article is 18 cent3 a pound
cheaper than the domestic.
This procedure will mean a loss to
the CCC but another federal agency,
which owns the foreign wool ulti
mately will make a profit which will
more than offset the loss on the do
mestic sale.
HIGHLIGHTS •• • in the week's news !
POSTAL NOTES: A plan to pro
vide “postal notes" for transmission
of money by mail in sums under
ten dollars for a flat five-cent fee
is being considered by the sen
ate postal committee. The house has
already approved the proposal.
These notes would not supplant the
use of the regular money order for
small sums but would be a conven
ient addition to the postal services.
DESIGNER: Paul Poiret, 64, once
among the world’s most famous
fashion designers, died in Paris vir
tually a pauper.
RAYON HOSE: More thin rayon
hosiery will be produced and less of
the heavier grades, by permission of
the War Production board. The in
dustry has been complaining that
women were not buying the better
wearing heavier lines.
Rotenone Destroy*
Many Insect Pests
New Insecticide Is
Harmless to Man
Among the newer insecticides are
those containing rotenone. This val
uable product of the roots of species
of Derris and Lonchocarpus (com
monly called cube or timbo) was
imported from the Southwest Pa
cific and South America, respective
ly, before the war. After supplies
from Malaya and the East Indies
were cut off, the development of
derris culture in Central and South
America was given impetus.
Rotenone is an organic compound
toxic to many insects and poisonous
10 fish, but is not considered harm
ful to man in dilutions sufficient to
kill insects. This makes possible
the use of the ground derris or cube
root on leafy vegetables. The roots
are usually ground sufficiently fine
so that most of the powder will pass
through a 200-mesh screen, and it is
used in diluted form. Ground rote
none-bearing roots, however, may
irritate tender skin and the mucous
membranes. Both the spray and
dust methods are used in treating
infested plants.
The most important uses of rote
none root powder are on vegetables,
fruits and flowers to control the
Mexican bean beetle, cabbage cat
erpillars, cucumber beetles, the pea
aphis, the pea weevil, the asparagus
beetle, flea beetles, the cherry fruit
fly, the currant worm, rose slugs,
the Japanese beetle, spittle bugs on
strawberries, and the iris thrips.
In combination with pyrethrum
extract and sulfonated castor oil,
rotenone is also effective against red
spiders, thrips (except the gladiolus
thrips), aphids, cucumber beetles,
tarnished plant bugs, certain species
of leaf rollers, and leaf tiers.
The department of agriculture re
ports that properly, packaged and
stored ground roots containing rote
none do not deteriorate appreciably
for several years. Deterioration was
also not found when the ground roots
were diluted with inert carriers ime
pyrophyllite, neutral talc, or pow
dered plant products and placed in
closed containers in a dark, dry
room.
Imports of rotenone-bearing roots
into the United States had reached
a total of eight million pounds in
1941, showing a rapid increase over
the preceding five-year period. With
the exte tsion of the use of rotenone
insecticides through experiments by
entomologists, a further upward
movement in demand may be antici
pated. Already, development of the
rotenone industry in the Latin Amer
ican countries has reached such pro
portions that the southern nations
are establishing their own experi
ment stations for the further study
of these root crops.
Better Grade Chicks Sell
Quickly, Say Experts
Poultrymen who make up their
minds early to buy good chicks are
the ones who get the birds with the
ability to lay eggs, says Prof. L. E.
W’eaver of the New York State col
lege of agriculture. Though the
chick market is not as crowded as
last year, the better chicks are sell
ing fast, and late buyers have to
take whatever is offered.
While chick buying is somewhat a
gamble, the grower who buys from
a hatchery that has given him good
birds before, has a good chance to
get good stock.
Other pointers on buying are to
purchase only from hatcheries that
follow an effective pullorum control
program to reduce chick losses; and
to buy only from dealers whose
chicks do not produce birds with
heavy losses from big livers, fowl
paralysis, or blindness. Chicks from
flocks that show little of these dis
eases are usually more resistant.
Rabbiteye Blueberries
Rapidly Gaining Favor
Harvesting blueberries from a
step-ladder is not unusual in Geor
gia and Florida. The tall and pro
lific •‘rabbiteye” blueberries, rapidly
coming into, favor, are responsible.
Yields of 2,000 quarts of berries per
acre are not exceptional, and the va
riety grows faster as well as higher
than other species, say the horticul
turists. One-year shoots 60 inches
high are common in well-fertilized
fields, it is reported, and mature
bushes often reach 15 feet. Valua
ble for home and market fruit, the
rabbiteye blueberry also helps con
trol erosion by means of its many
fine, fibrous roots close to the ground
surface which help anchor the soil.
New Variety of Pumpkin
Is Being Developed
A small-fruited, bush-type pump
kin suitable for small gardens has
been developed by plant breeders
of the U S. department of agricul
ture. Seed will be available for gen
eral planting in 1945. according to
present plans. This is the first bush
pumpkin adapted to the usual pump
kin uses^.and resembles the small
sugar pumpkin. It is called Chey
enne, from the field station at Chey
enne. Wyo.
■ ' — ■ ■■ ■ — ...I- Ml I ...A. ... .- .,■■■■
■ . “ ■ —^
Justice Is Sole Principle
Guiding Steps of UNRRA
Relief and Rehabilitation Program Claims
Support of Congressmen Noted for
Internationalist Viewpoint.
By BAUKHAGE
News Analyst and Commentator.
WNU Service, Union Trust Building
Washington, D. C.
While the bombs are bursting over
Europe, it is pretty hard to think
of postwar activities. America just
doesn’t like to do it. Furthermore,
it is perfectly natural that, after our
experience in the last war, when we
talk about ’‘relief” for Europe, we
feel we don’t want to play the role
of “Uncle Sap” again.
The one organization which has
gone ahead with very definite, spe
cifically delimited plans for civil
ian international activity, is the
United Nations Relief and Rehabili
tation administration. Forty-four na
tions have combined to set up this
organization and finance its work.
The United States’ part in this or
ganization has the specific authoriza
tion of Congress. But it never could
have had this backing if it hadn’t
been for the wholehearted coopera
tion of certain men in Congress
whom nobody by the greatest
stretch of imagination could label as
internationalists. One of them
largely responsible for the un
opposed authorization by congress
for the $1,350,000,000 which is Ameri
ca’s contribution to the UNRRA
fund was Sen. Arthur H. Vanden
berg, a member of the foreign re
lations committee, who cannot be
described as an "internationalist.”
He supported UNRRA in this way
after a long and careful consulta
tion with the State department con
cerning the administration’s obliga
tions which the United States had to
accept if it joined this body of 44
nations. Vandenberg was supported
by representatives of the delegation
from Ohio, among others, a middle
western state not noted for inter
national tendencies.
I asked a member of the UNRRA
staff why he thought these people
were convinced that the United
States ought to take part in this
humanitarian movement which al
though it proclaimed ultra-practical
aims might naturally be doubted
by the cynical.
“Nobody who has read the limita
tions which this organization has
placed upon itself could have the
crust to oppose it,” was his answer.
Selling Point
At that moment, I took this rather
categorical statement with a grain
of salt. Later, after talking with
Morse Salisbury, who is well known
over the air to many of the readers
of this column and all of the listen
ers to the “Farm and Home Hour,”
I must admit I was sold.
Morse Salisbury gave up an im
portant position in the department
of agriculture which he had held
through various administrations to
handle the public relations for
UNRRA under former governor of
New York Herbert Lehmann, its ad
ministrator. I broke in on him when
he was puzzling over the question of
an emblem or flag or a designation
for UNRRA—somebody thought it
ought to have a distinguishing in
signia but he was unconvinced and
then he said something to me which
is important to remember.
“Here is one governmental insti
tution — governmental in the sense
that 44 nations are backing it—
which, instead of wishing to per
petuate itself, as most bureaucratic
units are said to do, has for its chief
aim—self liquidation. Like the boys
in the front lines, it wants to get
the job done and then quit.”
The object of UNRRA is to do
what it can to resolve to normalcy
the chaos produced by the war and
then quit.
For that reason, former Gover
nor Lehmann has set as one of his
objectives the keeping of the num
ber of administrative employees
down to the absolute minimum. I'll
have more to say about that later,
first just a very brief summary of
what UNRRA has set as its objec
tive, how it hopes to obtain the ob
jective, as set forth in its so-called
“bible,” containing the official state
ment of the resolutions qf the
organization. This is the document
which I was told if anyone read he
would not have the crust to oppose
the UNRRA program.
On November 9, 1943, the repre
sentatives erf these 44 nations met
In the White house and signed an
agreement to cooperate in bind
ing up the wounds of war. Later,
they met in Atlantic City and drew
i —
up resolutions spelling out what
would be done under the agreement.
Since they knew the bitterness
and controversy which grew out of
the unpaid war loans of the last
war, one prime purpose is to achieve
their aim without running up a lot
of uncollectible debts. In other
words, they got down to brass tacks
and decided that their effort to re
store normalcy in the world should
be accomplished on a very simple
principle of justice. They divided up
the world into two categories. First,
those who have enough of the things
needed to feed and clothe and house
their people, and those who don’t.
Then there is another division be
tween those who, while they don’t
have the basic resources, neverthe
less have the money to pay for
them.
All of the nations which have
enough to take care of their own
people are to contribute 1 per cent
of their national income as of the
year ending June 30, 1943.
Those nations like France and
Holland and Belgium and Norway
and others which have been able to
get gold or other wealth away from
the Axis robbers and into Allied or
neutral countries expect to pay for
the supplies they get.
Those countries which have no
foreign trade or credit balance
abroad will receive supplies and
services to bring their people up to
a rather stern standard of living
and get normal daily life started
again. The supplies contributed will
be put into regular business chan
nels and most of the people who
get them will pay in their own
money. Of course, this money would
have no value outside of the coun
try involved. It would, however,
have value within the country and
UNRRA would take, we will say in
the case of Greece, drachmas for
the supplies delivered.
No Big Payroll
Those drachmas world be spent
within the country and will help
carry out the principle which Gov
ernor Lehmann has laid down—that
UNRRA itself will not develop a big
payroll. It will help the people to
help themselves. Let me give you
an example:
The Greeks haven’t enough food.
Their various public utilities are
smashed to pieces, they have no
shoes to walk on, their hospitals and
other health institutions have been
destroyed or disintegrated. All right.
UNRRA will set down a certain
number of pairs of shoes in Greece
—it will set down a certain amount
of food, a certain amount of cloth
ing, a certain amount of machinery
and other supplies—that will be paid
for in drachmas which are nothing
more than pieces of paper as far as
the rest of the country is con
cerned, but which have a cash value
in Greece.
They will take those drachmas
and hire personnel, people who will
arrange to load the supplies into
trucks at the ports where UNRRA
sets them down and handle the dis
tribution of food and clothing
through the agencies within the
country: they will do the dirty work
of rebuilding the waterworks and
electric light plants, the public
schools and other buildings neces
sary for an ordered life. Thus em
ployment will be furnished out of
the nation’s own wealth.
This is a very brief attempt to
show how UNRRA works but as I
sat in the Du Pont building on Con-1
necticut avenue and heard Mr.
Salisbury, who is one of the most
practical-minded government offi
cials with whom I have dealt in
my 30 years experience in Washing
ton, detail UNRRA’s activities, I be
gan to feel quite an emotional up
surge. Salisbury may have felt it
too but, of course, he wouldn’t show
it any more than I would since both
of us are laconic middle-westerners.
I said: “Isn’t this whole idea an
historical innovation?” He replied:
“Well, yes. But don't think the 44
member nations are laying any
pattern for postwar planning in
UNRRA. They have created here an
organization of a ptirely transitional
nature. It's merely an attempt on
the part of the nations which have
something to offer to provide it. If
the others can pay for the food and
clothing and other things they get,
they are willing to pay for it.
If they can’t, the contributing na
tions are going to get it to them.”
-,
BRIEFS.. . by Baukhage
At present 19 per cent of the
trucks on the road are at least 10
years old and a minimum of 8 per
cent are more than 15 years old.
• • •
Nylon's high-service temperature
of approximately 275 degrees
Fahrenheit, greatly exceeding that
of other thermoplastics, has contrib
uted to the plastic’s quick adoption
for war use.
I
Vital messages are carried for
njarines by trained dogs when phone
wires are cut.
• • •
An increase of 31 per cent in the
number of juvenile delinquency
cases disposed of by representative
juvenile courts last year over the
1942 figure is reported by Katherine
F. Lenroot, chief of the Children's
bureau, U. S. Department of Labor.
f* *
Jtopp*** i
Looking at
HOLLYWOOD
T^IDS in Hollywood with talent are
a dime a dozen. Ability alone
never has made a picture star. Sure
Van Johnson has talent. But he has
something more important—warmth
and sincerity of personality that
makes friends, the kind that stick
through thick and thin. Van is too
modest to think of himself as a star.
Success to him is a fantastic mir
acle. He expresses the deepest ap
preciation, and means it, to those
who have believed he could make it.
Last March a near-tragic automo
bile accident struck him down just
as he got a top
role with Spencer
Tracy and Irene
Dunne in “A Guy
Named Joe.”
The pulse of life
wavered within
him as Van lay
on a hospital cot.
A nurse held a
mask over his
face, preparing
him for an emer
gency operation.
Van Johnson
A Dig man witn gray nair waited
into the room.
Standing By
“Would you hold this mask on his
face a moment?” asked the nurse.
The man did. Later he stood out
side the door of the operating room
as Van was wheeled inside, and
waited till he came out again.
That man was Director Vic Flem
ing, who has more heart than most
folks give him credit for.
But I’m getting ahead of the story
of Van Johnson, a husky, typically
American kid with unruly red-gold
hair, freckled face, a pair of bright
blue eyes, and an infectious smile.
Back in Newport, R. I., he was a
popular song-and-dance man from
the time he wore knee pants. He
wowed ’em at the various clubs,
lodges and church socials.
In 1937 Van headed for New York.
Luck landed him in “New Faces.”
The show ran for nine months.
Ups and Downs
Then Van’s luck ran out. He pa
tronized the hot dog stands around
Times square until he heard about
an audition for the summer circuits
in the Catskills. For his audition he
sang “You Go to My Head." Then
he smiled, and was hired for $9 a
week, room and board. 4L
“Our circuit started at Swan lake.
Liberty, N. Y.,” Van said. “We
were just a bunch of ambitious kids,
and loved it. I had a broken-down
wardrobe that served many pur
poses.”
Back in New York, Van made
daily rounds. Finally he went to
Mary Martin
work at the Koxy
theater. There he
met Lucille Page,
an acrobatic danc
er, and one of
many friends who
gave him a hand.
Van’s singing
teacher helped
him land a job
with ‘‘Eight Men
of Manhattan.”
His salary was
$50 a week. They
had a week m tsunaio, tnen into tne
Rainbow room, where Mary Martin
was the toast of the town.
“Mary was a peach,” Van said.
“Never stopped boosting for me. She
had more faith in me than I did.”
Try, Try Again
From then on Van did a bit of
everything, in a chorus here, doing
a song and dance there, finally wind
ing up in Hollywood. There he made
one picture, “Murder in the Big
House,” then was dropped. Van was
packed for New York when he ■
stopped in at Chasen’s. He walked*
straight into Lucille Ball whom he
had met in Chicago. Bill Grady,
MGM talent scout, was sitting at
the next table. Lucille spoke up for J
Van with the result that he was test- P
ed with Donna Reed and two days
later had an MGM contract in his
pocket and a smile in his heart.
People liked his smile and the way
he handled himself. He got a chance
to play a flier in “A Guy Named
Joe.” The picture was well under
way when Van had his accident.
And the picture waited for his re
covery. '
Gratitude Pays Dividends
“What can I say about it?” Van
asked. “You can’t put such thoughts
into words. But my gratitude to
Louis B. Mayer, to Spence, Irene
Dunne, Vic Fleming, Keenan Wynn,
and everybody on the lot who was
pulling for me to get well is bound
less. My debt can never be paid.”
Now Van’s playing Lieut. Tex
Lawson, the lead Tokyo raider, iA
“Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo.”
You Should Hear Margy
If you can take Margaret O’Bri
en’s delivery of Lincoln’s Gettsburg
address without getting a lump in
your throat so big you can’t swallow,
then you're a hard-hearted critter.
Charles Laughton taught her how to
do it, and if Metro doesn’t put it in
a picture then the studio’s not as
smart as I think it is. . . . Andy
Devine’s pals—Pat O’Brien, Spencer
Tracy, Bing Crosby—all have played
priests on the screen, so Andy
doesn’t see why he can’t. He’ll do
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