|-WEEKLY NEWS ANALYSIS-,
Allies Shift Weight of Attacks
Against Nazis to Belgium. Front;
Vital Issues Face New Congress
________ Released by Western Newspaper Union. _____
(EDITOR'S NOTE: When opinions are expressed In these eelamns. they are those of
Western Newspaper Union's news analysts and not necessarily of this newspaper.)
Democratic leaders leaving white house after pow-wow with President
Roosevelt before opening of 79th congress Included (left to right) Viee
President Wallace, Speaker Rayburn, Senate Majority Leader Barkley,
Vice President-Elect Truman, and House Majority Leader McCormack.
EUROPE:
Tables Turned
With U. S. forces having reacted
Quickly to Field Marshal Von Rund
stedt's great winter offensive, which
carried deep into the hilly Ardennes
forest, the big German bulge in
southeastern Belgium shrank under
the steady hammering of the Ameri
can First and Third armies plough
ing forward in swirling blizzards.
As elements of the First and Third
armies punched at the western nose
of the Nazi bulge, other units of
these tried battle forces gouged into
the north and south flanks and ad
vanced within a dozen miles of each
other, threatening to cut the German
sack in two.
But even as the First drove
southward from Malempre and
the Third northward from Long
champs, Von Rundstedt was re
ported setting up a new defense
line half-way hack from his
deepest penetration, with strong
Nasi armored formations throw
ing in constant counter attacks
in a deadly battle of attrition
to cover up the move.
With both sides bringing their
heaviest weight to bear in the with
ering battle of Belgium, and with
Von Rundstedt seemingly deter
mined to continue the fight in the
hilly Ardennes, the enemy appeared
to hate temporarily succeeded in
turning the struggle away from the
vital Ruhr and Saar valleys, heart
of his heavy industries.
f
As the Allies threw their full
weight Into the battle, it was re
vealed that elements of the Brit
ish Second army joined the U. S.
First in the attacks on the north
ern flank of the bulge, and Field
Marshal Montgomery was given
overall command of forces in
this sector. Not only the British
Second but elements of the U.S.
Ninth and Seventh armies also
were moved Into the line to
mount Increasing pressure, the
Nails said.
With the withdrawal of the major
■trength of the Third army from the
southern end of the western front,
U. S. troops dropped back from ex
tensive holdings in the Saar and
Palatinate in the face of heavy Ger
man pressure designed to exploit
the realignment of forces.
Neiv Regimes
Europe’s troubled political affairs
took two new turns, with the forma
tion of a liberal government in
Greece expected to end civil strife,
and the Russian - sponsored Lublin
committee’s establishment of a pro
visional government for liberated
territory looked upon to further
complicate the Polish problem.
Although Gen. Nicholas Plastiras
assumed leadership of the new
Greek government, principal atten
tion was focused on Foreign Minis
ter John Soflanopoulos. 57-year-old
agrarian liberal, whose inclusion in
the cabinet foreshadowed a suffi
ciently liberal policy to attract re
volting Leftists.
In declaring itself the provisional
government of liberated Poland, the
Lublin committee, which favors ter
ritorial concessions to the Russians
and a regime friendly to Moscow,
clashed with the Allied - backed
Polish government-in-exile in Lon
don, which contests Red land
claims and radical internal social
policies.
INSIDE GERM ANY
Reliable and uncolored reports
emanating from inside Germany in
dicate that the Nazis appear to pos
less both the manpower and the ma
terial to string out the war on the
western front.
It took Von Rundstedt’s lightning
thrust into Belgium with 200,000
jnen to point up the Germans'
•bility to replenish their shattered
■western armies after the rout in
•rrance. These troops’ supply of
grade A weapons also focused atten
tion on the Nazis' industrial machine.
PACIFIC:
Stop Up Attacks
With General MacArthur’s forces
consolidating their positions In the
central Philippines, U. S. airmen
stepped up their attack on enemy
shipping and Installations about the
main island of Luzon to the north.
At the same time, carrier * borne
aircraft blasted the Japs’ big air
bases of Formosa and Ryukyu, serv
ing as reinforcement centers for
the Philippines.
The anxious Japs themselves
looked nervously to an American in
vasion of Luzon, with the enemy
trying to comfort himself with the
assumption that he had sufficient
forces to meet a thrust there, and
shorter supply lines favored him.
Not only did U. S. bombardment
of shipping about Luzon hamper the
movement of materials about the
main island itself, but it also im
periled the movement of material
to the southern islands.
CONGRESS:
Rolls Up Sleet ’PS
In assembling for its first session,
the 79th congress faced a stiff Job
on both foreign as well as domestic
issues relating not only to the suc
cessful prosecution of the war, but
to permanent peace as well.
In international affairs, of course,
recent incidents in Poland, Greece
and Italy are expected to lead to
ward congressional pressure for a
stricter definition of our foreign
policy, while attention also will be
devoted toward the development of
an organization to preserve the
peace with proper respect toward
the interests of all nations.
On the home front, the manpower
problem will remain foremost, with
need for maintaining an adequate
production force and at the same
time meeting military demands for
more men. The line against infla
tion also will have to be held in the
face of higher wage and price de
mands.
FARM DRAFT:
Seek Youth
Asserting that War Food Adminis
trator Marvin Jones had advised
mm inoi no critical
reduction in farm
production would
result. War Mobill
ration Director
James F. Byrnes
called for the induc
tion of deferred
farm workers be
tween 18 and 26
years of age.
There are approxi
mately 364,000 young
men in this group,
J. F. Byrnes
ii whs reveaiea, ana Byrnes asKea
Selective Service to apply the most
crucial standards in the further de
ferment of any of them. With the
army calling for young men, he said,
the only alternative would be to in
duct 26 to 29-year-olds in war indus
try, a move which the War Produc
tion board warned might hamper
munitions output.
Farm state senators were quick to
protest Byrnes’ action. Senators
Reed (Kan.) and Johnson (Colo.)
citing department of labor statistics
to show that the average work week
in industry dropped to 46 1 hours in
one year ended September, 1944.
Said Johnson: “From these sta
tistics, it doesn’t take a smart man
to discover ways and means of de
creasing the manpower short
age. . . .
Heroes’ Gallery
Maj. Gen. Orvil A. Anderson,
deputy commander of Lieut. Gen.
Jimmy Doolittle’s Eighth air force,
Is well known to scientists and army
men in Washington as the pilot who
in 1935 guided the world’s largest
balloon to the greatest height ever
attained by man. The helium-lifted
balloon climbed to 13.71 miles, re
maining there for nearly two hours
for observation of numerous scien
tific phenomena of the upper air.
CIVILIAN GOODS:
1945 Prospects
With the European war having
taken an unfavorable turn, and the
nation’s total resources needed for
continued record production of war
materials, there will be little im
provement In stocks of civilian
goods through 1945, the War Produc
tion board predicted.
With the frozen stockpile down to
45.000 units, and resumption of pro
duction unlikely until after the Euro
pean war when almost six months
will be needed for reconversion, me
chanical refrigerators will remain
practically unavailable. If manufac
turers can start on production of
375.000 all-steel ice-boxes, civilians
will receive about 56,000 a quarter
in 1945.
Of 35,000 electric ranges author
ized for 1945, civilians are to get 65
per cent, while about 1,200,000 elec
tric irons will be assembled. Some
aluminum kitchenware will reach
the market but output of cast iron,
enamel and galvanized utensils
probably will remain down, primari
ly because of manpower shortages.
Although WPB authorized produc
tion of 319,492 vacuum cleaners in
1945—a fraetion of the peacetime
output of 1,903,000 annually—actual
manufacture may fall short of goal.
Because of the increasing scarcity
of lumber, the supply for furniture
is expected to remain short. Produc
tion of innerspring mattresses will
be negligible for at least six months.
Only for small electrical appli
ances are prospects described as
brighter.
House Wanted
i
Having literally sung himself into
the senate, Idaho’s crooning solon,
Sen.-elect Glenn Taylor sought to
sing himself into a home In
crowded Washington, D. C.
Gathering his attractive brunette
wife and two children about him on
the cold steps of the capitol, and
i
Sen. Taylor With Family.
plunking on his battered banjo,
Senator Taylor purred:
“(), give us a home, near the capitol
dome.
With a yard where little children can
play
just one room or two, any old thing
will do—
O, we can’t find a pla-a-a-ce to stay!”
Until the Senator’s song strikes a
responsive chord In some landlord's
heart, the Taylors will live in a
hotel.
UN-AMERICANISM:
To Resume Inquiries
The new house had barely settled
into its seats before Rep. John Ran
kin (Miss.) set it agog by pushing
through the formation of a new com
mittee on un-American activities to
succeed ex-Rep. Martin Dies’ de
funct investigating committee, bit
ter target of liberal elements.
Representative Rankin resorted to
a legislative coup in having the
house approve the organization of a
new committee, suddenly inserting
his proposal as an amendment to
the rules being considered for the
current session. Seventy Democrats
joined 137 Republicans in voting for
the proposal while 186 votes were
counted against it.
Unlike the Dies committee, which
concerned itself with investigation,
the new committee on un-American
activities will have the power to
draft legislation for correction of
abuses and submit it to the house
for passage.
BANKS:
U. S.'s Biggest
Biggest bank in the world, the
Chase National of New York wound
up its 1944 business with a record
breaking total of $5,160,004,000 in re
sources, of which $4,835,219,000 were :
deposits. Holding of government se- j
curities reached almost $3,000,
000,000
Not far behind Chase’s was the
National City Bank of New York,
with assets of $4,469,686,465, of
which $4,205,072,012 were in de
posits. Also of New York, the Guar
anty Trust company finished the
year with resources of $3,826,161,882.
Biggest bank west of the Alle
ghanies, the Continental Illinois Na- |
tional Bank and Trust company of j
Chicago wound up 1944 with $2,619.
821,039 in resources, of which $2,
447,740,085 were in deposits. The
bank held over m billion dollars
in government securities.
TV A
With gross revenues of $35,429,000.
the Tennessee Valley authority
realized net income of $14,116,000 on
power operations for the year end- j
ing June 30, 1944. Electricity pro- ■
duction exceeded 10 billion kilowatt
hours and the agency also turned
out 100,000 tons of calcium carbide
for synthetic rubber, 130.000 tons of
ammonium nitrate for fertilizer, and
9,000 tons of dicalcium phosphate for
mixed stock feeds.
Partly because of the draft, TVA
employment dropped to 21,000.
Overall Mobilization
Keeps Nazisjn Field
beared Nation in Peace to Meet Shock of
Total War; Learned From World
War I Experience.
By BAUKHAGE
News Analyst and Commentator
WNU Service, Union Trust Building,
Washington, D. C.
(This is the first of two articles
by Mr. Baukhage on where Ger
many continues to get its fighting
manpower. The second and conclud
ing article will appear next week.)
Post-mortem arguments over the
German winter counter - offensive
will probably be fought out from the
arm-chairs with almost as much bit
terness as that which characterized
the actual combat.
Already there are a few who dare
insist that the German come-back,
morally and physically, was not
underestimated. This means that
Germany’s military preparedness,
the extent of which many knew, few
seemed to be able to assay. Just
how thoroughly the Third Reich
leaders had geared Germany’s so
cial, political and economic life into
total war could be read in terms of
facts and figures available to the
experts. But since no state in his
tory had ever so nearly ap
proached the absolute in military
activity it may have been difficult to
SS guard stands by as Baukhage
signs out of radio studio in Berlin
in 1939 after broadcast to U. S.
interpret those facts and figures in
terms of come-back after the battle
of France.
Perhaps one of the most basic
datum came, not from plans stolen
from the Nazi high command but
furnished freely by the association
of German tailors. It proves the old
adage that exceptions prove the
rule.
The rule is that clothes do not
make the man. The exception
which proves it is the fact that in
1939 one out of every three Ger
mans was in some kind of a uni
form, and therefore under some
kind of military or semi-military
discipline, either of the army itself
or of the Nazi party.
Ludendorff
Struck Keynote
The day waP broke out about one
third of the German people were
literally clothed in the panoply of
war. This was not an accident. It
was part of the Nazi policy. The
Allies themselves more nearly
reached a state of total warfare at
the end of World War I than did
the Germans of that time. Luden
dorff read this fact out of the bitter
ness of the defeat of 1918. He said:
“total policy must in peacetime pre
pare for the people's life and death
struggle in time of war in such a
way that even under the impact of
war it cannot be shifted, broken or
completely destroyed by enemy
measures."
Hitler reaffirmed this thesis and
what is more immediately put it into
effect as a policy, first by elimi
nating all organizations not under
either the party or the army. A law
was passed as early as March, 1935,
which stated that “in wartime every
German man and every German
woman, beyond conscription, is
bound to render service to the
fatherland.”
Let us look at some of the "organi
zations” which grew up under this
policy of total war. First in impor
tance, historically. Is the “Sturmab
teilung” translated “Nazi Storm
Troopers,” abbreviated “SA” and
usually called the "Brown Shirts.”
Although this group contained mili
tary units, it was planned as a
“political army” and was abolished
as such after the Roehm purge of
1934. Then it contained three mil
lion men. It was shortly reborn and
reformed and starting with a group
of a million 200 thousand of the origi
nal group took charge of training
political soldiers from childhood up,
indoctrinating them in Nazi princi
ples and also overseeing military
training before service in the army
and again after the citizen had
passed normal military age.
The second group to come into
prominence in the Reich is now by
all odds the most powerful group
in the country considered from ev
ery viewpoint. It is the “SS.”
The “SS” are supposed to have
had their origin in the group who
made up Hitler’s bodyguard in the
early days of the party. Their num
ber was estimated as 750,000 in 1942,
and Heinrich Himmler was from the
beginning (and still is) their com
mander although their oath of loy
alty is to Hitler.
This group was originally creat
ed to form the nucleus of a new
aristocracy. The requirements of en
trance are strict. In the first place,
the applicant must have been an
outstanding member of the Hitler
Youth organization. He can apply
in his 18th year for SS membership.
Out of a hundred applicants usual
ly 10 or 15 are admitted and they
stand frequent re-examinations. The
applicant’s family must show
healthy physical and (according to
Nazi standards) political back
ground, “aryan” blood back to 1750
and no hereditary diseases.
An SS applicant must be the
“right” height and the “right”
build, with the “right” color of
hair and eyes. When he marries he
must marry a suitable wife accord
ing to similar standards. Before he
is eligible he must win certain sport
awards, serve in the Reich labor
service, then in the army. Mean
while, he must attend special schools
of training in Nazi ideology and
military and physical training.
When the SS novice finishes his
term in the army he goes through
more tests and if he passes, is a
full member. Then he is under juris
diction of the special SS court of
law and must live up to all the
practices and principles of the or
der. He is compelled to defend his
honor with the sword (must take
part in duels) and is permitted, if
attacked by an ordinary citizen, to
use a weapon against the at
tacker even if it is not necessary.
SS Comes
Into Its Own
Gradually from an organization
which took over many military,
police and other functions, the SS
grew to the point where it is the
dominating police force in Germany,
uniformed and plain clothes (the
Gestapo) and now the dominating
force in the ermy and the Reich.
It has one entirely military branch,
the ‘SS-in-arms” with its own panzer
and other divisions.
I was in Germany when war
broke out and it was that winter
that the SS-in-Arms was formed,
some SS men being released from
the regular army to form these
units. It was evident when one
watched the SS in any military
formation from sentry duty up, that
they tried to outdo the regular army
in snap, and “spit and polish.”
Their legs were a little stiffer when
they did the goose step. Their
salutes were as precise as a trip
hammer. They tried to look as
mean as they could and often suc
ceeded in looking meaner than that.
There is no doubt that the SS
divisions have the reputation of be
ing crack divisions and that they
have won at least some of the re
spect of what is left of the old,
professional, military element in the
Wehrmacht army which struggled
against their rise in power as long
as it could. Dispatches from the
western front frequently mention
SS outfits—recently when they were
shooting American prisoners — but
the Russians refuse to say they fight
any better than other divisions.
They have frequently been used as
reserves in tight situations and
also as a strengthening framework
for less fanatical troops.
The ‘‘Black Corps,” as it is called
because of its black uniforms, is
described by one authority as em
bodying “a military fanaticism
such as the world has hardly seen
from the days of Mahdi and Omdur
i man.”
—-1
BARBS . . . by Baukhage
The Berlin radio says that Hitler
looks “vigorous and healthy.’’ May
be the Germans have discovered a
new method of embalming.
• • •
A man in New York lost $400 out
of his sock and was so grateful
when it was returned that he said
he would put it into a victory bond.
That is even wiser than investing in
a pair of garters.
The Japanese urge that dolls and
flowers be sent to workers in air
plants to boost their morale. What
with the present raiding by the
superforts we can understand the
flowers but why the dolls?
• • •
If all the people who get black
market gasoline quit buying, the
poor fellows might sell to Hitler di
rect without risking their patriotism.
Soybeans No Menace
To Soil Improvement
Rotation and Proper
Fertilization Solution
COYBEANS were defended against
j ^ the charge of being "a menace
to soil improvement” by a group of
Purdue university agronomists.
No other crop has had such a
spectacular career in America as
the soybean, which in little more
; than a decade has been catapulted
I into fourth place in value among
crops grown for grain or seed in this
country. No other crop in history
has been so feared by farmers as
a potential destroyer of fertility.
Reviewing the results of an eight
year test, these experts drew the
following conclusions:
“Soybeans are no more soil-deplet
ing in minerals than are corn, alfalfa
or some other crops on an equiva
lent yield basis.”
Pointing out that all crops when
grown and removed from the land
deplete the soil minerals, the
agronomists recommend that extra
amounts of phosphorus and potash
fertilizers be used in any crop
rotation that includes soybeans in or
der to replenish the plant food re
moved when beans and other grain
are sold as a cash crop.
Concerning the danger of soil
erosion when soybeans are grown,
they declared:
“The problem of erosion with
soybeans is much the same as with
corn. On rolling land, soybeans
should be planted on the contour,
preferably drilled solid and should
Inoculation also pays.
be followed by a winter grain or
cover crop.
“On acid soils, limestone or marl
is the prime need of soybeans. With
out lime on such soils, fertilizers
have little effect. These soils after
liming usually gave marked re
sponse to phosphorus and potash fer
tilizer when plowed under for
beans.” #
Considering the total of nitrogen,
phosphorus and potash removed in
the grain, soybeans are less soil de
pleting than corn, the agronomists
reported.
“In any soil improvement pro
gram,” they added, “deep-rooted
legumes, clovers and alfalfas should
always be grown where soybeans
are included in the rotation. Extra
amounts of fertilizer containing
phosphorus and potash should be
used in the crop rotation to replen
ish the plant food removed when
beans and other grain are sold as
cash crops.”
Agriculture
In the News
By W. J. DRYDEN
Submarginal Sunflower
Sunflowers may surpass the soy
bean which has proven America’s
wonder crop of the present gen
eration.
Sunflower oil sells for about 15
cents a pound. The meal, with a
Oil source
protein content or
53 per cent might
prove profitable,
not only for its
food value, but as
a rich source for
plastic products.
As sunflowers
can be grown on
submarginal soil,
where rainfall is
scanty and noth
ing else of value
is now raised, it
promises an outlet for many farm
; ers.
Sunflower seeds long ago proved
their value as a poultry feed. While
their protein content was not recog
nized by many poultrymen, it was
known that they had a beneficial ef
fect upon the bird’s feathers.
Sunflower stocks, ground, prove
satisfactory for silage as well as
poultry house litter.
—
Disinfect All Tools
Careless handling of instruments
used for dehorning, vaccination and
| similar operations on cattle may
: spread the serious and often fatal
! disease, anaplasmosis, according to
1 the U. S. department of agriculture
I scientists.
Inadequate disinfection of such in
! struments will produce what are
' classed as “man-made” cases of the
animal disease. In many cases the
loss through man-made disease can
be entirely eliminated.
Few Secrets of Magic
Are Still Undiscovered
The only tricks of magic whos#
secrets have never been discov
ered by any one of America’s pro
fessional magicians, including
Houdini, were invented in 1916 by
an amateur, Dr. S. C. Hooker,
says Collier’s. One is a bear’s
head that floats in the air and
answers questions by nodding and
moving from side to side; the oth
er is e full deck of 52 cards, held
upright in a small stand, any one
of which will emerge, float and per
form as commanded, such as
jumping up and down on the table, j
In 1935, the tricks became the
property of John Mulholland, and
Shirley Quimby of New York, to
whom they were bequeathed with
the understanding that their se
crets were never to be divulged
and that they were to be per
formed only before magicians—
never before the public.
" " i
CLASSIFIED
DEPARTMENT
AGENTS WANTED j
LADY WANTED in every community, both
rural and city, to sell line of household j
necessities to her neighbors. Our line tn- ;
eludes such scarce items as cheese and '
laundry soap. Liberal commission. General '
Products Company (U-3), Albany, Georgia.
FARM MACHINERY j
GET THAT tractor-mounted haystacker
and manure loader now. For full particu
lars, write or call on IRWIN A. GRIESSE, i
ALVORD, IOWA. State name of tractor.
____ - i
FEATHERS WANTED 1
FEATHERS WANTED. NEW OR OLD
Ship or write to STERLING FEATHER
Co.. #11 North Broadway. St. Louis, Mo.
FOR SALE
S3 VOLT MOTORS—Bottle Gas Ranges—
Automatic Fuel Oil Water - Heaters and
32 Volt Electric Welders.
DOMESTIC ELECTRIC, Hot Springs. S. D.
_LAND FOR SALE_
California Tax-Delinquent Lands
Selling at fraction of true v dues; deeds
direct from State; inquire TAX LAND RE
SEARCH, 1*. O. Box 462, Eureka, California.
Live Stock Commission
BYERS BROS & CO.
A Real Live Stock Com. Firm
At the Omaha Market
GET INTO THE CREAM AND PRO
DUCE BUSINESS FOR YOURSELF. Your
■own may os a spot for you. Many good
openings In other towns Profitable, per
aanent, essential and no experience
needed. Burlington Station Box IBM,
Omaha, Nebraska.
CHILD’S
Colds
Most young mothers use this modem
way to relieve miseries of children’s
colds. At bedtime they rub Vicks
VapoRub on throat, chest and back.
Grand relief starts as VapoRub...
PENETRATES to upper bronchial
tubes with its special medicinal vapors,
STIMULATES chest and back sur
faces like a warming poultice.
Often by morning most of the
misery of the cold is gone 1 Remember—
ONLY VAPORUB Gives You this spe
cial double action. It’s time-tested,
home-proved... the best-known home
remedy for rcliev- a gm jjp gfm
ing miseries of 'her 8 \*>
children’s colds. ▼ VapoRub
More CASH from CORN
with DURQCS
Duroc» grow faster on less feed.
Larger Litters of thrifty pigs. 92 Of
ficial Ton Litters in 1944. Excellent
market-type. Start now with DUROCS.
Watch for DUROC BRED GILT SALES
For Duroc Information and lists of
Duroc Breeders and Duroc Sales near
you, write B. R. Evans, Secretary.
UNITED DUROC RECORD ASSOCIATION
Room 33, Duroc Bldg. Peoria 3, Illinois
V
4
Cold Preparationt as directed
WNU-U 2—45
Help Them Cleanse the Blood
of Harmful Body Waste
Your kidneys are constantly filtering
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Symptoms may be nagging backache,
persistent headache, attacks of dizziness,
| getting up nights, swelling, puffinese
i under the eyes—a feeling of nervoue
f 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. I se
Doan's Pills. Doan’s have been winning
now friends for more than forty years.
They have a nation-wide reputation.
Are recommended by grateful people the
country over. Ask your neighbor I