|-WEEKLY NEWS ANALYSIS
Germany Admits'GraveSituatiori
As Allies Continue to Advance;
Study World Oil Marketing
Released by Western Newspaper Union. — ■
(EDITOR’S NOTE: When opinions are expressed In these columns, they are those of
Western Newspaper Union's aews analysts and not necessarily of this newspaper.)
h _
France-Surprised by sniper while on patrol, U. S. Doughboys
■take for ditch and prepare to return enemy’s lire.
SECOND FRONT:
Hedgerow Battle
Beautiful in peace, treacherous in
war, the hedgerowcd fields checker
ing Normandy’s picturesque coun
tryside were the scene of some of
the bitterest fighting of World War
II, with desperate Nazis using them
to conceal their rifles, machine guns
and artillery to impede the relent
less advance of the American
doughboys.
Farther to the east, Gen. Bernard
L. Montgomery’s British and Cana
dian forces girded for a large-scale
assault against strong concentra
Shortly after he had told his
son, Capt. Quentin Roosevelt,
that “the old machine is pretty
well worn out,” 5(i-year-old Brig.
Gen. Theodore Roosevelt Jr.,
son of the Immortal “Teddy,"
quietly succumbed to a heart at
tack in an army tent on the
Normandy battlefront, where he
had been assistant commanding
general of the 4th infantry di
vision.
Rons of German armor in the plains
below Caen, while enemy units con
tinued to jab into their flanks to un
settle their positions.
As the Allies edged forward in
northern France and received a con
tinuing stream of reenforcements,
some allegedly direct from the
U. 8., American and British avi
ators were swooping down on Ger
man communications lines in efforts
to disrupt the flow of enemy re
serves and supplies to the flaming
front.
German Soil
No longer able lo maneuver freely
on the vast spaces of Russia, and
with its back to its own homeland,
the German army on the northern
sector of the eastern front found It
self confronted with the problem
of being forced to stand up and
fight or allow the Reds to carry the
war into their own country.
As the Russian army became the
first Allied force to approach the
threshold of Germany, bitter fight
ing continued to rage before the
enemy's “Gothic line” in northern
Italy, where the Nazis again took
advantage of the high mountain
country to slow up the Fifth and
Eighth armies advance to the rich
agricultural and industrial regions
beyond.
As the Germans fell back toward
their East Prussian border in the
north. German propagandists made
no bones about the critical situation,
declaring that the time had come
for the complete Industrial and mili
tary mobilization of every man in
the Reich capable of working or
bearing arms.
PACIFIC:
Spotlight Shifts
The spotlight in the ever widen
ing Pacific warfare shifted back to
northern New Guinea, where 45.000
desperate Japanese sandwiched be
tween U. S. bachheads all along the
coast, repeatedly attempted to break
through the iron ring being forged
around them.
In the islands farther to the north,
U. S. warships and planes con
tinued to pepper the important step
ping stones to the Japanese main
land, with Guam below captured
Saipan the major target.
Despite the ferocity of their at
tacks in New Guinea, the position
of the Japanese forces was hopeless,
with Yanks occupying large patches
all along the 600 miles of coastline
to their west, and other Allied forces
firmly entrenched to their east.
FOURTH TERM:
F.D.R. Willing
One week before the Democratic
national convention met in Chicago,
Franklin D. Roosevelt, looking cool
in his seersucker pants and white
shirt, but wriggling nervously, told
a gathering of 200 quiet newspaper
men that if the people of the U. S.
decreed, he would be willing to
serve a fourth term as president.
With the country's objective being
a speedy end to the war, a durable
peace and the creation of a prosper
ous economy, F. D. R. said that he
would have to accept a fourth term
as a “good soldier” if the people
again called upon him to remain at
the helm of state.
F. D. R.'s announcement was
front page news the world over, with
both British and Russian papers
playing it up without comment. The
German radio disclaimed interest,
saying: ”... One is convinced
here (in Berlin) that military and
political issues which are now at
stake are not to be influenced by this
or that President of the United
States.”
DIPLOMACY:
Good Neighbors
Provision of American transporta
tion facilities for movement of goods
to Mexico, and
close economic co
operation between
the two countries In
peace as well as
war, dominated the
formal discussions
of U. S. Secretary
of State Cordell Hull
and Mexican For
eign Minister Eze
quiel Padilla.
Not only did the
„ . .... U. S. promise to
help hold up the
Mexican economy by maintaining
the shipment of goods to the good
neighbor, but it also agreed to fur
nish technicians and equipment for
bolstering the country’s own sag
ging railway system.
Basing their discussions on a pro
gram drawn up by a U. S.-Mexican
commission created as an out
growth of President Roosevelt’s
visit with President Camacho in
1943, Hull and Padilla announced
that the two governments agreed to
“discourage trade barriers which
may unduly interfere with the eco
nomic development of Mexico and
trade between the two countries.”
Oil Parley
Organization of an international
administrative agency to provide
orderly marketing
and development of
world oil resources
will be the principal
topic of discussion
of a formal oil con
ference between the
U. S. and Britain.
The conference i
promises to be of
particular interest !
in the U. S. with
depletion of Ameri- I
can reserves as a
result of record war „ ort
time production for ®*»verbrook
the supply of the major bulk of Al
| lied needs, and with the projected
construction of a private pipeline
i across Arabia to the Mediterranean
; with U. S. government funds.
The conference will follow techni
cal discussions between petroleum
| experts of the two countries, with
; Secretary of State Cordell Hull and
■ Lord Beaverbronk being in charge
t of the U. S. and British delegations
HIGHLIGHTS ... <» »fc. tree It" i newt I
BUSTLES: Something faintly re
sembling the old-fashioned bustle
has made its appearance in the New
York fashion shows. It's only a little
bulge, it’s true, sometimes in the
form of a stiff bow. sometimes a se
ries of fishtail ruffles in the center
of the back, but it's a legitimate de
scendant of grandmother’s day. So
far it has only appeared on after
noon gowns and cocktail suits.
COCOA: The tight situation will
soon be relieved by the arrival of
667,000 bags of cocoa beans from
Africa. The new Brazilian crop will
soon be coming in, dealers say. Re
cently manufacturers of cocoa prod
ucts have had to reduce their grind
to 70 per cent of the 1941 base quan
tity for civilian use, but they can
now go on a full schedule again be
cause of the new receipts.
AGRICULTURE:
Bumper Crops
Overcoming machinery and man
power difficulties, U. S. farmers are
expected to turn in bumper crops in
1944, the department of agriculture
reported, with the wheat harvest
anticipated at an all-time high of
1,128,000,000 bushels, 119,000,000
over the former top of 1915.
Prospects were reported good for
all grains, with the corn crop ex
pected to approximate 2,980,000,000,
the fifth largest in U. S. history.
Although near record harvests were
predicted for hay, fruits, vege
tables and soybeans, and a 20 per
cent increase in truck produce for
the fresh market is anticipated, the
department looks for smaller dry
beans and peas, peanuts and potato
crops.
Harvested acreage was set at
355,000,000 acres for the 52 principal
crops, largest since 1932, and 2 per
cent over last year.
Unloading Trouble
Latest problem to arise as a re
sult of the manpower complications
resulting from the war, is the un
loading of grain cars at wheat mar
kets, with permits needed for ship
ments from 11 points in the south
west.
With no less than 22,000,000 bush
els of wheat standing in Kansas,
Oklahoma and Texas because of the
unloading situation, it was predicted
that about six months would be re
quired to move the crops from these
states and Colorado instead of the
usual 00 to 90 days.
Large crops and insufficient rail
cars were said to be contributing
factors to the terminal crisis, but,
except for bad weather, there is no
threat of grain spoiling in the fields
Rare Twins
In one of the rarest cases in
medical annals, Mrs. Frederick
I). Smith of East Fort Chester,
Conn., (in picture) gave birth to
twins 11 days apart, with a 4
pound, 12 ounce girl following a
4 pound, 1% ounce boy.
DRAFT:
Depends on War
Future induction of the over 30
group depends entirely upon the
course of the war, Selective Service
Director Lewis Hershey declared, in
discussing present draft policies
calling for the induction of all pos
sible able-bodied men under 26. and
all men between 26 and 29 not neces
sary to an essential industry.
In revealing that there were
4,217,000 4-Fs, selective service offi
cials told a congressional subcom
mittee that one-third of the U. S.
population was physically or men
tally unfit, and recommended a pro
gram of public clinics tied in with
private doctors, to improve civilian
health.
In commenting on draft policies,
Hershey said that unless the mili
tary situation should take unfore
seen turns, maintenance of the size
of the present army would continue
to determine Induction calls
POPULATION:
Big Shifts
As a result of military and civilian
migrations in the U. S. between 1940
and 1943, the south and west gained
more than 4,000,000 inhabitants
while the north-central and north
eastern states lost approximately
2.000.000.
Twenty per cent increases were
noted for Arizona, Florida, Nevada
and California, with the latter state
alone, with its great shipbuilding
and aircraft industries, showing a
boost of 1,559,135.
Montana. North Dakota and South
Dakota lost more than 10 per cent
of their populations, but New York
showed the greatest numerical de
crease, with 620,939.
TURKEYS
So that servicemen will be as
sured of plenty of turkeys for
Thanksgiving, Christmas and New
Year's the War Food administration
has ordered that all birds produce
and marketed within 21 states an
parts of three others, shall be n
served for army and navy pure:.;,:
ing agents until the nec. - shiv rim
tity is obtained. Last year sup;
services bought 35.000.000 and r
is expected that this year they vvil
want even more to sat'sfy festivi
doughboy appetites.
I
8
Cooperation With Mexico
Big Boost to Agriculture
Bilateral Exchange of Information, Facili
ties and Personnel Does Much
To Boost Farm Output.
By BAUKHAGE
News Analyst and Commentator.
WNU Service, Union Trust Building
Washington. D. C.
In a few weeks now, international
cooperation will probably be the
subject of heated political debate.
The opponents of this benevolent
concept will, having exhausted other
arguments against it, probably end
up with the usual statement that
"cooperation between nations might
be all right in theory but it won’t
work."
While this controversy is going on
up and down the land, a number of
scientific gentlemen, who won't lose
their jobs if the administration
changes here in Washington, and who
pester themselves not so much about
votes as about pests, will be calmly
reading the reports of an interna
tional organization which has al
ready proved that it does work.
The Inter-American Conference on
Agriculture meeting in Mexico City
will have concluded its second ses
sion by that time. It is making a
lot of progress but preceding it was
another meeting: the United States
Mexican commission, reports of
whose session have not yet been
made to the department of agricul
ture but interested officials know
that when they are made, they will
record definite, practical progress.
They know this because they know
that this commission has already
furthered cooperative projects which
have resulted in the saving of many
dollars to both the United States
and Mexico, to say nothing of pro
moting good will in each country
through mutual assistance. The
commission has furnished concrete
examples of international cooper
ation which prove that it is both
possible and practical
Today, more cotton blossoms are
unfolding under the Texas sun, more
American fruit has the assurance
of ripening and fewer cows will per
ish of tick fever because of Mexican
American cooperation—to mention a
few of the many positive achieve
ments attained when wise men sit
down together to work toward their
common good.
The story of this particular effort
really begins back in July of 1942 at
the first meeting of the Inter-Ameri
can Conference on Agriculture. At
that meeting, energetic Senor Marte
Gomez, Mexican minister of agri
culture, took Secretary Wickard by
the lapel, and said, in effect:
“The Americas all have some ag
ricultural interests in common. But
Mexico and the United States have
many.”
New Projects
That started something w'hieh was
continued by a long correspondence
between the two countries furthered
by American Ambassador to Mexico
Messerschmidt and Secretary Wick
ard. Plana were laid for merging
various projects on which there had
already been some cooperation and
others which were in the making.
As an illustration, let me mention
two projects which are supported by
both governments. Carrying out
these projects by the department of
agriculture has required no extra ap
propriations from congress. It is
merely an extension of already ap
proved programs for getting (gratis)
assistance from the Mexicans. In
doing it, there has been a bilateral
exchange of information, facilities
and personnel.
Take the largest project which has
to do with the pink boll worm.
This story starts in Egypt where
the wicked foe of the cotton plant
may have been flourishing since the
days of the Pharaohs, for all I know.
Anyhow, the worm turned up in Mex
I ico in about 1911, having sneaked
across the Atlantic from the banks of
the Nile in infected seed cotton.
By 1916, the boll-worm family had
growm and some of the more am
bitious members decided to migrate
again. They took wing and flew
j across the Rio Grande into the Unit
j ed States. Measures were taken
against the pest and it never got out
[ of control in the main cotton area.
| But in the Laguna area in Mexico,
| it has a firm hold and southern
| Texas is threatened. Naturally, the
United States wants to keep all pests
out of the United States and the best
! thing to do about it is what the Mex
| icans want most to do—destroy them
j at the source.
So, American experts from the de
partment of agriculture have taught
their Mexican colleagues what we
BRIEFS. • • by Baukhage
The national tuberculosis control
program was set in motion by the
new Public Health Service act
signed July 3.
• » •
The Vichy home radio has broad
cast an announcement urgently re
questing people who write and speak
English very well to apply for
positions on the network.
know about eradication: the fall
clean up of the infected stalks, the
sterilization of seeds before they
are shipped out or planted and other
measures. We, on the other hand,
have had the facilities of an office
in Monterey, Mexico, where we are
assisted in the study of the life and
habits of the pest at first hand and
improving our techniques in fighting
it.
Mexican Fruit Fly
Another large project is directed
against the life, liberty and evil pur
suits of the Mexican fruit fly. That
insect, flourishing in western Mexi
co, has not disturbed us as yet but
preventive measures are being
worked out and the Mexicans have
learned to sterilize their own fruit
so that it can safely enter the United
States.
As a result of the joint efforts and
studies, an obliging wasp has been
imported from Panama, which likes
nothing better (in fact likes nothing
else at all) but these fruit flies for
breakfast, dinner and supper. The
wasp has been introduced into Mex
ico as a "predator.” The meaning of
that title, you can figure out for
yourself.
Other projects might be men
tioned but this is not meant to be a
technical article, it is merely the
record of one kind of international
cooperation which has been made ef
fective with the admixture of a lit
tle patience and some wisdom.
Great strides have been made in
agriculture in Mexico in recent
years and side by side with this
growing progress and increased ef
ficiency has developed a feeling of
mutual confidence on the part of the
two nations which have shared their
experiences.
Minister Gomez is more than a
political appointee. He is a trained
agriculturist. Under him are many
trained men, a large number who
have attended American universi
ties, notably in California. Mexico’s
department of agriculture employ
ees are far less subject to political
whims than formerly.
Mexican agriculture is progress
ing and turning to the United States
for advice and counsel. A veritable
parade of Mexican agriculturists
passes through the office of P. M.
Amlee, of the Latin American divi
sion of the bureau of foreign agri
cultural relations. Most of them
speak English. If they can’t, they
can still pool their experiences,
thanks to trained interpreters.
This arrangement is not a war
baby. It started before the war and
an effort is being made to empha
size the common problems which ex
ist in peace time so that the pro
gram will rest on a more perma
nent foundation. Of course, some of
the war time ventures are embraced
in the work of the United States
Mexican commission—like the rub
ber growing projects, but the more
profitable, solid and permanent arts
of peace are the basis of the whole
cooperational program.
War-Time Restrictions
It you think the government’s war
time regulations are too severe in
this country, look over this list of
things you can be prosecuted for in
Great Britain these days:
Not washing your empty milk bot
tles (dairies are as short on soap).
Trying to cut ahead a line of peo
ple waiting for a bus.
Throwing a crust of bread into
the garbage bin.
Going to the seashore (the south
coast of England and sections of the
coast elsewhere are military areas).
Buying clothes without giving up
coupons. (A shopkeeper who tries
to sell clothes without coupons is
involved in the black market. Soon
er or later, he finds himself in court
along with many of his customers.)
Being consistently late to work in
the morning.
Changing your job (without having
the ministry of labor’s permission).
Driving to work (it is an offense to
drive to work along a route served
by buses or trains, however crowded
they may be.)
Throwing away a piece of string
(it is needed for salvage).
Selling an American lend-leased
alarm clock. (Only workers who
have to get up between midnight
and 5 a. m. are given these per
mits.)
The Japanese Domei agency has
informed its clients in occupied East
Asia that Germany’s air weakness
in Europe is truly mysterious. That’s
putting it mildly.
• • •
Five hundred delouslng stations
are being planned in Romania to
combat typhus.
JlaM*
Jloppe*''
Looking at
IHOLLYPODI
FARM boys seem to get all the
1 breaks, but If you think talent
sprouts only amid alfalfa, what
about the skipper at Paramount, or
the “Beach Boy Who Made Good?”
This begins the fourth year for the
stocky and genial B. G. De Sylva,
better known by his beach monicker
“Buddy.”
It was a big day for him when
the studio gave him a luncheon. As
executive produc- __
er he also does a
bit of producing
on his own. He
knocked off per
sonally in 1943.
“For Whom the
Bell Tolls, ”
“Wake Island,”
“So Proudly We
Hai 1,” “Star
Spangled
Rhythm,” “Chi- B. G. De Sylva
n a,” “Dixie,”
"No Time for Love,” “Five Graves
to Cairo," “True to Life," “The Ma
jor and the Minor,” "Let’s Face It,”
and “Road to Morocco.” He was
busy, but he showed up at the lunch
eon. His speech was brief: “The
first three years are the hardest, I
hope.”
Then he looked worried, and rose.
"There's a couple of letters on my
desk I’ve got to answer,” he said,
and dashed back to the office.
Lets Gable Tell ’Em
That office expresses the De Sylva
personality perfectly. It’s comfort
able. unpretentious, contains two pi
anos, and is a couple of feet below
the floor level.
Over the fireplace is a framed
“blow-up” of an excerpt from an
interview with (Mark Gable, dipped
from some newspaper. It goes as
follows:
Interviewer — "Glancing down your
movie record I note that you have been
among the top ten box-office champions
for eleven years. That mark is unparal
leled in film history. To what do you
attribute your amazing record?"
Clark Gable—"Any success I may
have achieved is due to M-G-M's wis
dom. The studio picks my stories, casts
my pictures and selects my directors."
Interviewer—“W ithout help from you,
so help you?”
Clark Gable—"Without help from
me.”
So when some young upstart walks
into Buddy’s office all ready to make
demands for personal say-so on sto
ries, co-star, director, etc., it’s a bit
unnerving to have to stand and read
that Gable quote.
Nobody knows why De Sylva
works so hard, least of all himself.
Equally mysterious is why he took
the job in the first place. De Sylva
was a song-writer, drawing royalties
from 500 songs. He had done musi
cal comedies, three running simul
taneously on Broadway—"Panama
Hattie,” "Du Barry Was a Lady,"
and “Louisiana Purchase.”
“I just wanted to see if I could
put it over," De Sylva explained.
Likes It That Way
The truth about De Sylva is that
he finds film-making an adventure,
exciting, and keeps him doing five
things at once. It's show business.
He ducked into a small neighbor
hood theater one night and looked
at “Oom Paul Kruger,” an old Ger
man propaganda film that knocked
the British. It was interesting, but
untrue. He emerged With an idea.
Why not do a yarn and tell the truth,
tell what was wrong with Germa
ny? The idea crystalized into “The
Hitler Gang,” well directed by John
Farrow.
In making it, De Sylva, the ex
songster, coped with some of the
most relentless drama ever filmed.
He let himself in for months of
agony. The thing had to be true.
The scenarists did the yarn, and
turned over the script to five law
yers. Every word, every line, date
and incident was checked.
Strides to Main Line
De Sylva was born in New York
city, but often forgets it because
he has been around Southern Califor
nia since he was two. He spent a
summer at Catalina as a lifeguard.
He bought a ukulele, wrote “Ava
lon.” and skidded into a musical
career. In a “Vernon Country Club”
he sang one of his own pieces,
“N'Everything,” which Al Jolson
sang in “Sinbad.” For that song
Buddy got $20,000 and followed it
with “I’ll Say She Does.”
In short, though a comparatively
young star, De Sylva has been en
tertaining America for 28 years. He
doesn't want to do anything else.
Now he’s about to sign a new con
tract doing only three pictures a
year instead of the 24 he supervised
last year. And as he said to me,
"It sounds to me like a vacation
j with pay.”
• • •
Here's Another Way
I When an actor in "Tomorrow the
i World” said to Director Leslie Fen
ton, “Look, Fenton, I feel the scene
this way—do you mind if I do it that
way?” “Sure,” said Leslie, “roll
’em.” Af*er the take Fenton took the
film out of the camera, placed it
neatly in a can and gave it to the
actor, and said, "Okay, you’ve had
your way. Now let’s do it mine.”
. . Marlene Dietrich telling friends
she'll go overseas again this summer
before making another picture.
ON THE
HOME FRONT,
IF YOU like to knit here is a
1 quick way to turn garments into
attractive rugs. Cut or tear the
rags into strips three-quarter inch
wide. Turn in raw edges and use
needles three-eighths inch in di
ameter. Knit the oval center first.
Cast on four stitches and increase
one at the end of each row until
the depth of the work is four
inches, then knit evenly for ten
inches. Bind off one stitch at the
strip 76 'UONG
STRIP 112“
EDGisy X JEW 1
Arrange evenly,
WITH SAFETY pins;
1 GREEN
2 TAN
3 DARK ROSE
4 MEDIUM BLUE
3 BROWN
*—-—- ■! , ■ , —r
end of each row until you have
four stitches left. Bind these off.
The diagram gives the dimen
sions and colors for the bands that
are sewn to this center oval. Cast
on seven stitches to start each
band. For the outside band, start
with color three. Knit seven
inches, then cut the fabric strip
and sew color four to it. Con
tinue. Use a large crochet hook
and fabric strips to crochet around
the oval and the outside edges of
the bands. Sew together with dou
ble carpet thread following direc
tions in sketch.
* • •
NOTE—This rug is from SEWING Book
4 which also contains complete illustrated
directions for a knitted rag rug made in
squares; as well as numerous other ways
to use odds and ends of things on hand to
make home furnishings and gifts. To get
a copy of Book 4 send your order and
15 cents to:
MRS. RUTH WYETH SPEARS
Bedford Hills New York
Drawer 10
Enclose 15 cents for Book No. 4.
Name ....
Address . N
—..ZL
CLASSIFIED
DEPARTMENT
MISCELLANEOUS
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hard to get elsewhere, written by mer
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Holcombe, 411 Kennett St., Kennett, Mo.
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Choice SHORTHORN BULLS six to six
teen months old. Few cows and heifers.
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Colors, conformation and pedigrees to
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BE A UTY SCHOOL ^
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■repp In place. Tame that unruly
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_ _ . _ Morolino Hair Tonic. Large
HAIR bottle 25c. Sold everywhere.
END CONS PATION
THISNATU IL WAY!
Millions now take Simple
Fresh Fruit Drink instead
of Harsh Laxatives!
It’s lemon and water. Yes!—just
the juice of 1 Sunkist Lemon in a
glass of water—first thing on
arising.
Taken first thing in the morning,
this wholesome drink stimulates
bowel action in a natural way—
assures most people of prompt, '~v
normal elimination.
Why not change to this healthful
habit? Lemon and water is good
for you. Lemons arc among the
richest sources of vitamin C, which
combats fatigue, helps you resist
colds and infections. They also
supply Bi and P. They alkalinize,
aid appetite and digestion. Lemon
and water has a fresh tang, too—•
clears the mouth, wakes you up!
Try this grand wakc-up drink
iO mornmgs. See if it doesn’t help
vou! Use California Sunkist
liemons.
(HOMES mi49’s)
Do You Hale HOT FLASHES? ;
If you suffer from hot flashes, fee)
weak, nervous, a bit blue at times—
all due to the functional "middle
age" period peculiar to women—try
Lydia E Plnkham's Vegetable Com
pound to relieve such symptoms
Taken regularly—Plnkham's Com
pound helps build up resistance
against such annoying symptoms
Plnkham's Compound Is made
especially for women—it helps na
ture and that's the kind of medi
cine to buy! Follow label directions
LYDIA E. PINKHAM’S compound
— ■ ■ ■!
WNU—U 30-44
• ■ '■ i ii.i i ■ *
i
