WEEKLY NEWS ANALYSIS
Allied Invasion of Yugoslavia
Poses Another Threat to Reich;
Plan for Small Standing Army
Released by Western Newspaper Union.
(EDITOR’S NOTE: When opinions are expressed in these columns, they ere those of
Western Newspaper tTnisn*s news analysts and not necessarily ef this newspaper.)
Entering Chambois, France, the Allies found abandoned, wrecked
and burned German equipment, common sights along the enemy’s bat*
tered retreat route to the Reich.
EUROPE:
New Front
For the little man with the clipped
mustache, there seemed to be no
end of trouble.
Although his broken armies in the
west were reorganizing for a stiffer
stand against the U. S. and British
onslaught, and although his bat*
tered armies in the east were slow
ing the Russians from the Black sea
to the Carpathians, the Allies posed
stiM another threat to his narrowing
defensive circle by an invasion of
Yugoslavia.
As Russian troops tore across
Romania onto the eastern Yugoslav
border near the capital of Belgrade,
U. S. and British forces landed on
the western coast for a drive in
land. As the two Allied armies
worked forward for a Junction, Mar
shal Josip Tito's Partisans were ac
tive in harassing German troops and
sabotaging communication lines.
The twin offensive in Yugoslavia
doubly imperilled the harried le
gions of Adolf Hitler.
First, the V. 8., British and
Russian drives promised to link
the Allied armies far a con
certed attack against southern
Aostria and Hungary, and, also
to outflank the Nasis manning
the Gothic line in Italy to the
wont; and, second, an Allied
Junction would cut off an esti
mated 260,000 enemy troops re
maining in lower Yugoslavia,
Greece and the Aegean islands.
Stiffen at Border
Bleated the German radio to
fanatical Nazi rearguards resisting
the U. S. and British drives to the
Reich's western frontier:
"Every day gained now amounts
to a reinforcement of our national
strength for the defense of the Reich
Itself. ...”
Partly because of such resistance,
partly because the fast-moving Al
lied armies had outrun their length
ening supply lines, the U. S. and
Briti8b thrusts in the Lowlands and
Franee temporarily lost their whirl
ing momentum.
Fighting was particularly
heavy hi northeastern Belgium
before the fortress city of Liege
aad In the rugged Ardennes for
est, and directly to the east of
Paris, where American troops
drew up along the Moselle river
for an assault on Nasi defenses
guarding the rich Industrial
Saar basin.
Mounted thickly in the precipitous,
wooded heights east of the Moselle,
the German artillery maintained
a steady drumfire against doughty
U. S. troops seeking to establish
firm bridgeheads across the river.
Farther to the south, Lieut. Gen.
Alexander Patch’s Seventh army,
driving up from the Mediterranean
for a juncture with Lieut. Gen.
Geerge Patton's Third army along
the Moselle, drove on the Belfort
gap, the low lying plane between
the Vasges mountains of France and
Swisa border leading into Germany.
Costly Fighting
Reflecting the strong pressure the
Russians were exerting to the north
east at Warsaw, the Germans ac
knooriedged their withdrawal across
the Narew river, . . to avoid the
danger af a Russian breakthrough
on the southern border ot East Prus
sia.**
In withdrawing across the Narew,
the Nazis continued their policy of
economizing their forces by giving
ground when the superior weight of
their opponent promised to grind
down their manpower.
Because o*.1 the proximity of the
Rassians to German soil, however,
the Nazis no longer were free to
make wholesale withdrawals, but
new faced bloody front-line fighting.
MISCELLANY
OPA VIOLATIONS: In the first
hall ol this year, formal enforce
ment of Office of Price administra
tion regulations was necessary in
42.000 cases, involving violations of
price ceilings, rationing quotas, and
rent levels. Action included revoca
tion of 20,684 consumer gasoline ra
tions. 4,265 suits for injunctions, 1,158
triple damage suits, and 2,191 crimi
nal prosecutions.
CIVILIAN GOODS:
Postivar Formula
Manufacture of civilian goods will
begin in earnest with the fall of Ger
many, with war output due to drop
about 40 per cent, and 4,000,000 work
ers freed for other jobs, the War
Production board revealed.
At the present time, a limited re
conversion program has been insti
tuted, with emphasis placed upon
preparation for the eventual resump
Because of the U. S.’s record
breaking production of 79,350,004
tons, world steel output rose to
146,500,000 tons in 1943. While
production Increased here, it
dropped from 26,000,000 to 20,
000,000 tons In Germany and
from 18,000,000 to 12,000,00 tons
In Russia.
tlon of civilian production. Under
current regulations, manufacturers
are permitted to develop working
postwar models and order machin
ery for civilian output.
In allowing those manufacturers
not engaged in war work to start
turning out civilian lines after the
Nazis' downfall, the WPB will main
tain priorities for military produc
tion alone and will relax most of
its controls over materials. Further
more, it will provide assistance for
manufacturers in switching over to
civilian work.
DEMOBILIZATION:
Discharge Plans
Total length of service, time
served overseas, combat record and
dependency will govern the demobi
lization of soldiers following the de
feat of Germany, the army an
nounced.
Under the army's plans for releas
ing surplus men, each of the first
four mentioned factors will be worth
a certain number of points, with re
lease going to doughboys with the
highest ratings. However, it was
pointed out, men with qualifications
needed for the war in the Pacific
will be transferred to the Far East
regardless~of their status.
Because the war in the Pacific
will receive first call on shipping, it
may take many months for men
eligible for demobilization to return
to this country, the army said Since
men in camps here are expected to
have the lowest priority ratings, they
will constitute the principal pool for
replacements.
Since the U. S.’s full sea power
will be needed in the all-out war
against Japan, there will be no de
mobilization of the navy when Ger
many falls.
Future Army
Declaring that . “a large
standing army has no place among
Gen. Marshall
the institutions of a
modern democratic
6late," Gen. George
C. Marshall told of
ficers planning the
postwar military or
ganization to work
on a small, efficient
force with a re
serve of well
trained citizens.
In issuing his di
rective, General Marshall assumed
that congress would pass legislation
requiring every able-bodied Amer
ican youth to undergo training be
fore placement in the reserves.
By advocating a small, efficient
force with a large pool of reservists.
General Marshall said that there
was more opportunity for advance
ment in such an organization than
there was in a big standing army,
where the size made it necessary
to maintain a large, professional
officers’ cast at all times.
HELP WANTED
A shortage of 200.000 workers ex
ists in the principal industrial re
gions of the country, and it can oe
remedied only by shifting men and
women from areas where there is
less stringency, the War Manpower
commission declares.
Heavy war industries in New Eng
land. North Atlantic, Middle West
and the Pacific Coast are being
hampered by lack of skilled help.
Only in the South and Southwest is
there an approximately adequate
labor supply.
j PACIFIC:
Tougher Going
With U. S. farces edging closer to
the Philippines and Japan itself
through intensive operations against
the Bonins lying 600 miles from
Tokyo, Navy Secretary James For
restal warned the country that the
going would become increasingly
tougher as the enemy concentrated
his forces for a fight on a shorter
front.
In speaking of the enemy’s air
force, Forrestal said: “The Japs
have obviously been saving their
planes for the engagement to come.
Except for the battle of the eastern
Philippines, they have not risked a
big aerial battle for months.’’
In addition to concentrating num
bers. the Japs have also been im
proving the quality of their planes,
Forrestal revealed. Said he: "Jap
planes of every type . . . now have
greater fire power, armament,
speed, range and load capacity.
United States navy planes have
been improved, too, but we don’t
now have as big technical advan
tages ... as a year ago.”
CANNED FOODS:
Remove Rationing
Because War Food administrator
Marvin Jones advised that available
and prospective supplies justified the
step, the government removed from
rationing aU canned and processed
jams, jellies, fruit butters, aspara
gus, lima beans, corn, peas, pump
kins, squash, mixed vegetables,
baked beans, tomato sauce and
puree and all varieties of soups and
baby foods.
At the same time, a WFA spokes
man declared that heavy runs of
cattle may permit the removal of
commercial grade beefsteaks and
roasts from rationing in October or
November. At present, sizable mar
ketings of grass-fed stock have re
sulted in ample point-free supplies
of utility grade meats. Lighter runs
of prime cattle, on the other hand,
will make continued rationing of top
cuts necessary.
Charts Quake
Using a cross-seelional model of the
globe. Rev. Joseph Lynch, director of
the observatory of Fordham university,
charts course of recent earthquake
which shook northeast corner of U. S.
and extended as far southwest as JFi»
consin. According to Reverend Lynch,
disturbance centered near eastern end
of Lake Ontario,
CATTLE:
War Prices
As the war entered its sixth year
this month, price levels of meat ani
mals were from 45 to 105 per cent
higher than they were in September,
1939.
On the Chicago market, cattle that
brought $12 per hundredweight six
years ago sold at $18.35. Steers that
averaged $10.30 then drew $15.85.
The rise was equally marked in
hogs, with head under 24U pounds,
which brought $8 per hundredweight
six years ago, selling for the $14.75
ceiling. As a whole, the average of
$7 of 1939 was far below the 1944
figure of $14.35.
Against the top of $10 in 1939,
lambs drew $14.65 per hundred
weight. with the $9.50 average of six
years ago below this month’s mark
of $14.25.
FURLOUGHS:
Shipping Factor
As a demand was made in con
gress for an investigation of the war
department’s handling of furloughs,
especially in the Pacific, a letter
from Gen. Douglas MacArthur
stated that the scarcity of shipping
hindered a more liberalized policy.
Citing the shipping shortage. Gen
eral MacArthur said: “The return to
the United States without replace
ment of all men who have served a
specified length of time would, of
course, halt our offensive against
Japan and might indefinitely pro
long the war."
While the demand was made for
the Investigation, Rep. Carl Hinshaw
(Calif.) urged that soldiers stationed
in Alaska be rotated by units to
other posts.
SURPLUS GOODS
Release Vehicles
Excess stocks of war materials
are being declared surplus at the
rate of 100 million dollars worth a
month. Goods ’‘declared surplus”
can be sold off as rapidly as possible
Eighty-five per cent of the materials
are from the war department at
present, and consist of airplanes,
mc*er vehicles, medical supplies and
radio equipment. So far. goods sold
have brought 83.8 per cent of origi
i nal cost.
Washington Dipestj
Donald Nelson Remolded
By Government Service
Thinks Public Officials’ Responsibilities Are
Greater Than Businessmen’s; Believes
Expansion Necessary to U. S.
By BAUKHAGE
Nnvs Analyst and Commentator.
WNU Service, Union Trust Building,
Washington, D. C.
As Donald Nelson, head of the
War Production board, sips his tea
in Chungking, what is he thinking
about?
He knows that most of Washington
thinks he is through. He knows
that some people think that if he is,
business, big and little, has lost a
friend at court.
He recalls that, before he could
walk up the ramp of his plane to
take off on this hazy mission to Ca
thay, the President had casually re
marked at a press and radio con
ference that the WPB chief would
not necessarily take up his former
duties when he returned.
He knew then that in all probabili
ty congress would pass the demobili
zation-reconversion bill which, al
though it does not name the WPB
specifically, nevertheless does give
power to a new agency which would
make Mr. Nelson’s organization a
mere appendage.
He knew, too, that many of his
colleagues who remain on the board,
or hold other positions which will af
fect American economics in the next
months, if not years, hold views con
trary to his. Privately he calls
them "contractionists," while he
calls himself an “expansionist.” A
battle between these two categories
is going on now. Mr. Nelson’s fate
may influence the outcome.
Because the results of this strug
gle may affect America’s economy
vitally in the next few years I think
it is rather Important to consider
Mr. Nelson’s own attitude; an atti
tude, a philosophy, if you will,
which has gradually developed
since he has been In Washington.
I believe Nelson wants to stay in
government. I believe, as do a small
percentage of persons who are in
terested in his fate, that he will be
DONALD NELSON
offered as good a job, or a better
one than he has had. What the
“contractionist - expansionist” con
troversy means to the country’s busi
ness, I’ll take up in a minute, but
first I’d like to say a little more
about Nelson. I have gleaned my
views from no key-hole peeping, no
rifling of Mr. Nelson’s files, but from
those who know him well, plus some
of my own observations.
There are two reasons why I be
lieve Mr. Nelson wants to stay in
government.
One is partly psychological and
has to do with what has happened to
Nelson’s own attitude toward gov
ernment, which his closest friends
have watched develop. The other
has to do with this idea of “expan
sionism,” definition of which entails
a number of facts and figures, some
of which may startle you as they
did me when I saw them assembled
for the first time and had them care
fully checked and double-checked.
They reveal strikingly what the eco
nomic problem is which this country
is facing and which so far it seems
ill-prepared to meet.
Nelson came here from big busi
ness—Sears Roebuck is pretty big.
He was used to pressing buttons
and giving orders like most big busi
nessmen. This particular function
Is a poor buffer against the slings
and arrows of which Washington has
more than a quiverful.
FINDS WAYS TO
GET THINGS DONE
Most businessmen, as one old-time
politician said to me the other day,
are immediately affected in one of
two ways when they step into public
life. There are the ones who, when
the buzzer isn’t answered immedi
ately, or when the order is criticized
or its wisdom or even its integrity
questioned, explode in haughty an
ger. And there are the ones who
learn to take it and go right ahead
and find a way to get things done,
with the chips and quips falling
where they may, including into their
own breakfast coffee.
Nelson is in the latter class.
He not only can take it but he has
grown to like it. In fact, he has de
cided, unless his friends read him
wrong indeed, that he wants to be a
public servant. That he believes he
can get more satisfaction out of pub
lic life than out of private life. That
doesn’t mean that he will simply
let himself be kicked upstairs into a
sinecure. He will demand a job that
he believes is a real one in which
he can truly serve.
And now we come to the second
thing which has influenced Nelson’s
attitude, and it, like the first,
brought about something like a con
version in the man. Just as he
became convinced that a public ca
reer offered the best opportunity of
service, so Nelson became convert
ed to expansionism in general and
to the importance of small business
in particular and this Is one of the
causes of friction in the WPB today
—a notable result of which was the
resignation of Charles E. Wilson.
In the course of his experience in
Washington, Nelson became con
vinced that maximum productivity
of industry is essential to prosperity,
and more recently, that the protec
tion of small business in the com
ing readjustment period is essential
to maximum production. He felt
that if big business were to succeed
and the capitalistic system of free
enterprise were to be preserved, lit
tle business must be expanded.
Specifically, Mr. Nelson believes,
according to his often-expressed
opinion, that the more little busi
nesses there are, selling the things
that a firm like Sears Roebuck sells,
the more things Sears Roebuck
will sell.
PRODUCTIVE CAPACITY
GREATLY INCREASES
And now we come to some of the
strange statistics about business, big
and little. The most striking of all
to me is this: retail trade, in spite
of all the difficulties in its path, had
an increase of dollar values in sales,
of more than 50 per cent in 1943
over 1939—department of commerce
statistics show $42,042,000,000 for
1939— $63,268,000,000 for 1943. That is
expansion under difficulties.
And here is another: the depart
ment of labor figures reveal that
from 1939 to 1943 the average yearly
employment showed a decrease of
only one-tenth of 1 per cent.
In the field of agriculture, al
though the farm production has
nearly doubled, the farm population
has decreased nearly 40 per cent—
more expansion.
What do these figures mean? That
the productive capacity has been in
creased tremendously, not only in
the war industries but in consumer
goods, and the expansionist believes
that what has been done can be con
tinued provided that obstacles are
removed.
In addition to this revelation of
the nation’s highest productive ca
pacity, remember that there are 11
or 12 million men in the armed
forces, 11 million more in civilian
industry than before the war and 3
million in government.
The 11 million in private industry
must keep their jobs, and jobs in
business, big and small, must be
found for those discharged from the
armed services, plus some released
from government work.
To achieve this, according to Nel
son. the country must go expansion
ist, must further every means of
expanding production.
The contractionist, he says, al
though he naturally plans, hopes and
works for expansion in his own busi
ness. does not always see the impor
tance of expansion in all businesses,
especially in those which compete
with him.
If Donald Nelson has the opportu
nity, he is willing to go ahead do
ing his part to help expand industry,
big and little. It remains to be
seen whither leads the road from
China.
B R I E F S . . . by Baukhage
The British government has re
laxed its rigid blackout rules.
The people of Sweden, preparing
to celebrate the victory of the Allies
over the axis, have flooded the
"largest fireworks manufacturing
company" in Stockholm with orders
for fiery portraits of Prime Minis
ter Churchill. Marshal Joseph Stal
in, and President Roosevelt.
The results ot research conducted
during 25 years by the University of
Illinois in heating, ventilating, cool
ing. insulating, building materials,
mechanical equipment of buildings,
sewage disposal, plumbing, sanita
tion, home management, household
art, house planning and construction
and rural architecture is to be gath
ered and collated to solve the post
war small-home problem.
STAGE
SCREEffRADIO
By VIRGINIA VALE
Releafed by Western Newspaper Union.
HOUGH the world wasn’t
aware of it, there’s been a
crisis in Hollywood—because
of old age, the original chim
panzee who played Cheta,
Tarzan’s mate, couldn’t work,
and a new Cheta had to be
found for “Tarzan and the
Amazons.” Kurt Neumann,
director of the picture, searched
far and wide, Anally found the new
ape right in Hollywood. The per
ennial Tarzan, Johnny Weismuller,
liked the new Cheta at once, and
Cheta reciprocated. Now the prob
lem is—how will Cheta get along
with Brenda Joyce, Tarzan’s new
mate?
Betty Hutton received her first let
ter from an American soldier in a
German prison camp only to dis
cover that he was a boy she went
to school with in Battle Creek, Mich.
BETTY HUTTON
He said he hadn’t seen any new
movies as he’d been out of circula
tion for the past 14 months, but
asked her to send him an auto
graphed photograph, as pin-up pic
tures were allowed in the camp
where he was imprisoned.
Alan Marshal, borrowed from
David Selznick by RKO to star with
Dorothy McGuire and Herbert Mar
shall in “The Enchanted Cottage,”
has had to give up the role because
of what his doctor diagnoses as
nervous exhaustion. Marshal has
combined bond tours, army camp
appearances and other war activi
ties with months of studio work on
two long productions.
_06_
So nobly has Ted Malone acquitted
himself on his Monday, Wednesday
and Friday night human interest
broadcasts from the invasion fronts,
on NBC, that his sponsor signed him
to a five-year contract. His postwar
efforts will be on the Alexander
Woollcott style.
Bettejane Greer is making her
film debut simultaneously in two
RKO features, the musical “Pan
Americana” and “Two O’Clock
Courage.” This calls for consider
able bicycling between stages, so
she doesn’t have to take time out
for exercise, at least!
_if'_
The War Production board has ap
proved “Paper Troopers,” written
by Mutual network composers Sun
ny Skylar and Henry Sylvern, as the
official marching song of the waste
paper drive. Skylar, you know, is
the composer of “Besame Mucho”
and "Amor”; Sylvern is a noted mu
sical conductor who is on the Jane
Cowl show and “Cisco Kid” as well
as on the Mutual show he does with
Skylar.
--
Roy AeufT, his Smoky Mountain
Boys and little Rachel, of NBC’s
"Grand Ole Opry,” have been se
lected by the army to take part in
a special movie which will include
many top-flight stars of stage,
screen and radio, and be shown in
army camps all over the world.
"The Great Gildersleeve" is prob
ably the only stooge who’s risen to
having his own radio program and
also starring in the movies. He sur
rounded Fibber McGee and Molly
in' various stooge roles until in 1941
his avalanche of fan mall inspired
a sponsor to build a show around
the character Hal Peary had built
up — a fellow with big ideas, but
simple, warm-hearted and Jolly.
At the age of five and a half,
Dickie Jones, of “The Aldrich
Family,” had his own radio pro
gram on a local station in Texas.
Today, at 17, he's played more
than half a dozen major films—in
fact, he had his first film layoff in
more than 10 years in 1942, when he
broke a leg while playing the lead
opposite Shirley Temple in “Miss
Annie Rooney,” then broke it again
in “The Major and the Minor.”
ODDS AND ENDS — Away bach
when, Jim ("Here's lo Romance")
Ameche. and Ann ("Joyce Jordan")
Shepherd were typical American boy
and girl in their first big radio pro
gram, out of Chicago—nine they're to
gether again in “Rig Sister." . . . When
lMin and Abner travel by train, Lurn
gets the lower berth and Abner the
upper-, this was settled 12 years ago
by flipping a coin. ... "Mr. Skeffington”
set a record for Relte Davis by running
14 weeks at a Broadway theater. . . .
Arturo de Cordova has plaved with only
five feminine stars—but they’re Inarid
Bergman, l.uise Rainer, Joan Fontaine,
Betty Hutton and Dorothy Lamourt
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