Show ECONOMIC HIGHLIGHTS Happenings that affect the dinner pails dividend checks and tax bills o 0 individual Nation Nation- National N tion- tion al and international problems in- in inseparable inseparable inI inseparable separable from local welfare i t The report that German war war- warships ships slips ships reputedly the super-fast super 26 ton- ton new battleships Scharn- Scharn Scharnhorst Scharnhorst horst and are Gneisenau-are arc operating within 1500 miles New of-New of ew York should not come conic as a surprise One of Hitler's great military virtues is thoroughness He like everyone else in the world in touch with af af- affairs affairs affairs fairs know long ago that the lend- lend lease bill would pass It was only the part of wisdom for the German Admiralty to have its raiders ready and waiting for the merchantmen to start the long voyage across the Atlantic with the military supplies we are transferring now to Britain Hitler has said that the thern great bulk of our shipment will be destroyed and he is now unquestionably try try- trying trying trying ing to make that boast good go d. d And if the German claim that tons of British shipping were sunk within a recent hour 48 period is true Hitler is making ominous progress As Walter Valter Lippman has said The problem of the axis power is how to defeat the United States ROW now that the decision has been taken to support the peoples who resist aggression The Nazis' Nazis plan Hr Mr Lippman continued probably has three phases First and most obvious phase is to intensify the Blockade lockade of the British Isles to sink the supply ships to bomb the docks and shipyards and then to at attempt attempt attempt tempt invasion Second phase is to the bulk of our navy by inducing Japan to keep on creating incidents in iii the Pacific Third is to create alarm and diver diver- diversions diversions in this hemisphere in order to distract our attention from Eur Eur- Europe Europe Europe ope and present us with some lough problems near home It is not secret that German gents agents undercover as well vell as diplo diplomatic diplomatic matic arc are working overtime in the principal Latin American republics and that we arc now going to work to combat their activities in var var- various various ious bUS ways Some experts firmly be be- believe believe lieve that as our to Britain reaches considerable proportions German agents within this country vill will launch a great and widespread sabotage campaign against our war material factories primarily the air airplane airplane airplane plane plants The bulk of neutral military authorities arc are convinced that Germany cannot win this war unless she is able to keep us from adequately supplying Britain with the instruments of offense and de de- defense defense de- de defense she so sorely needs It is too early yet to tell what I success Britain may ma expect in get get- getting getting getting ting her ships slips through At the mo moment ment it is probable that British shipping losses have been just about equalized by replacements and seizures But the sources of re replacements replacements replacements placements arc growing fewer This country is starting a big bg ship ship- shipbuilding shipbuilding shipbuilding building program but it will be a along along along long time before vessels in appreciable appreciable appreciable quantity are sliding down the wa vs This spring may supply the ans ans- answer answer ans- ans to the shipping question It I t is known that Germany German has been building dozens of small submarines submarines submarines ines of the ton class for oper oper- operation operation alion in British waters The Ger Ger- German German man naval men arc are placing much of their faith in these little under under- underwater underwater underwater water craft Britain's shortage of destroyers the destroyers the only surface ships which have so far been really realty effective tive live in hi fighting subs subs makes makes the problems doubly difficult for her Hitler apparently believes that the U. U S. S navy nav if necessary necessary will be willing jo convoy ships abroad and many an observer here agrees I That is where Japan comes in So long as she makes periodic threats in the Southwestern Pacific our naval strength must be concentrated ed in those waters vaters It is believed that if Japan actually makes an at attack at- at attack attack tack on on Singapore or or r French Indo China or the Dutch East Indies we will resist with force In that case England could expect little help from us in get get- getting getting getting ting supply across a ross the miles of water that lie between Ambrose Light and Folkstone Head Hitler has said again that the war will end this year year and and end in inan inan inan an overwhelming German victory complete with occupation of the Isles Hitler is not an idle talker Now that spring is here some of the most important events in the history of the human race may shortly occur The Thc war cannot be won in the Balkans But the beginning of the end could very vcr well be effected there If the Battle of the Balkans actually takes place as now seems close to inevitable the war will really enter its decisive phase This battle represents immense dangers to both sides sides both both for some time have been hesitant to torun torun torun run the risk Now it looks as if the strategists may ma have decided that the possible gains are so great that it is worth the gigantic gam gain ble As Times put it For Germany German a setback in the Balkans would be bemore bemore bemore more than Germanys Germany's first outright military defeat d feat i n War Var II For Britain a decisive defeat at or anywhere else in the Balkans would be more than an- an another other Narvik or another Dunkirk It would mean the destruction of t Britain's only victorious victoriou army arm the closing of Europe's back backdoor backdoor bac door the of the entire war upon the British Isles where Isles where in the last analysis World War Var II 11 must be |