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Show i "E CONOMIC HIGHLIGHTS ! 1 rjallonnl and International problems Inseparable I C The second front has long been the biggest military ques-tioll-nnd it is getting bigger st. The plain truth is that a serious cleavage is developing between Soviet Russia and the balmce of the United Nations. The Russians definitely feel that t),ey have borne the brunt of the fighting long enough, and that it is now lime for England and the United Nations to do something concrete and effective. Wendell Willkie's recent visit to Russia was abviously made for the purpose of finding out just what Soviet military and governmental govern-mental leaders are thinking. Mr. Willkie had long audiences with Stalin and Molotov, and with a number of high-ranking Russian army men. He made a visit to the "front, and talked with rank-and-file Russians. So it is highly l significant tllat ne at once is-sued is-sued a statement in which he advocated the establishment of a second front "at the earliest possible pos-sible moment that our military leaders will approve.'' He then added that some of these military leaders may "need public prodding." prod-ding." The attitude of the Russians is certainly understandable. The Russian people, military and civilian civil-ian alike, have mads sacrifices that deserve the adjective "incredible." "in-credible." According to Moscow, accounts, the Russian army has suffered 5.000,000 casualties in killed, wounded and missing. Sixty million Russians are. in areas which at present are occupied occu-pied and controlled by the Nazis. Aid from the United States and England has fallen short of tire total which was anticipated, an-ticipated, and Russia has a terrible ter-rible lack of food, clothing, fuel and other necessities. The Germans, Germ-ans, pursuing their policy of extermination, ex-termination, have deliberately killed tens of thousands of Rus-sian Rus-sian men, women and children. In some sections. Russian authorities author-ities have found it necessary tc condemn part of their own population popu-lation ot slow starvation, in order to provide sufficient food for fighting men and necessary factory fac-tory workers. The courage of the I Red Army is a beacon light in tha lnnrf arirl VtlnnHv h'isT.nTV of 1 war. . Never have there been finer and more desperate stands than those made by the Rus-sians Rus-sians , ; at -' ... Se vastapol,- Rostov, Stalingrad and elsewhsre. At the present time, according to the best estimates, Germany has about 100 divisions on the Russian front. In the opinion of Russian experts, Germany would have to divert 30 or 40 of thess divisions to the West if the United Nations would open a second front in Europe, using the British Isles as the base of operations. op-erations. And if that happened, the Russian experts conclude, the Red army could stop the Nazis and eventually defeat them. ' But if the Germans are left free to throw all their power against the Russians, the Red army may be eliminated as an offensive Konte. Jin that event, Germany, possessed of almost limitless resources, re-sources, could launch an irresistible irresis-tible offensive against England and the United States. American and British army heads openly advocate the second front. It is no secret that a very large percentage of the American soldiers now in service are being trained for fighting of the com- I mando order. No responsible man now advocates a purely defensive i war all are convinced that only the continued offensive can bring eventual victory. At the same time, the difficulties that lie in the way of the second front are wy important. The cost in troops would unquestionably be terribly great raids such as that tirade against Dieppe have proven that German defenses in Europe Eu-rope are first-class. The problem of tupply form the U.S. to England Eng-land is extremely difficult "to maintain the vast numbers of troops who would be engaged in the second front offensive, would require a veritable bridge of ships across the Atlantic. And. 0n top of that, it takes time to five troops the kind of rigorous training that is vital to a successful suc-cessful invasion of German-held Etfope. blood tnd material for the vic-tories vic-tories he has gained. Russia alone has shown that she realizes precisely pre-cisely what total war means. Russia alone has given her resources re-sources and her energies without hesitation or limit. And Russia has received mighty little help from her Allies, despite - all the brave words that have been said in her' behalf. Russia knows that men and guns, not conversation, win battles. We now have something like 4.500,000 men in the TJ. S. Army. Our troops may eventually "number "num-ber as many as 12,000,000 and will certainly number 8,000,000 to . 10,000,000. As a result the draft is really beginning to be felt In many sections of the country, married men are now being called to the These are but a few of the tremendous issues that bedevil the Klgh Command. It is to the creait of the Generals who make "tary policy that they do not Want to open a second front until they feel that the engage-metU engage-metU can be won at a minimum fst in men. At the same time, " ;s obvious that the collapse of Russia would be the worst pos-,ble pos-,ble calamity that could happen t0 the United Nations. Russia alne has really held the Germ-ns Germ-ns in big actions, and made "itler pay an awful price in i ranks in quantity. Some time next year, unless there is a change in policy, married men who cliildren will begin receiving induction in-duction papers. The drain on war industry is wry great. Draft boards are telling tell-ing manufacturer's to train as many men, older and physically-unfit. physically-unfit. for production work. as possible. All men between 20 and 45 are definitely in line for army service some time and after the I election it is virtually certain I that Congress will lower the ' military age limit to 18. |