Show NEWS BEHIND THE NEWS By S Sr Burton Heath Telegrams Telegram's New York Correspondent NEW YORK In In a war so so hIghly highly high hIgh- ly mechanized that individuals seem to be something less than identifiable parts of a machine the New Zealanders operating in North Africa are providing a aspot aspot aspot spot of color worth recording These are the patrols of the range long-range desert group which have been dashing about deep in enemy country since last September September September Sep Sep- contributing largely to such success as the British have enjoyed south of the The patrols are headed by three men who before the war used to roam the parched wastes beyond the Egyptian frontier for forthe forthe forthe the sheer fun of the exper experience ence They are Lieutenant Colonel R. R A. A Major P. P A. A Clayton Clayton Clayton Clay Clay- ton and Captain Kennedy Shaw Only had a prewar military mili mill tary commission as major Clayton Clayton Clayton Clay Clay- ton was connected with the Egyptian survey department and Shaw with the Palestine department depart depart- ment of antiquities The object of the organization Is to confuse mystify terrify and generally hamstring all aU African enemies of Great BritaIn Britain Brit Brit- am ain preventing them from settlIng settling settling set set- down in comfort for more than a moment at any time This has been achieved to quite an extent Lightning swoops on forts outposts and motor columns columns columns col col- col- col so alarmed the Italians that they drew men and material material ma ma- from their main forces in inthe inthe inthe the north which was exactly what G General Sir Archibald Wavell had hoped would hap hap- pen The first success of the New Zealanders illustrates t the their h e i r method Speeding across smooth rolling sand dunes at 50 miles an art arthour hour as they entered enemy cou country coultry try they encountered a sandstorm followed by a degree heat wave Early efforts to locate the enemy were were in vain Spectacular charges disclosed disclosed disclosed dis dis- dis- dis closed that wells and other as assumed assumed assumed as- as Italian habitats were de de- de- de But another patrol reconnoitering reconnoitering recon recon- roads in the oasis area pulled quietly alongside alongside alongside along along- side a fascist motor column that was serenely trundling supplies and official mail down a desert highway The were not surprised They waved cheerily at what they supposed to be their fellows The answer was a burst of machine gun fire The Italian h high i g h command n never ver heard again of ts truck caravan command it was made the motorized trek to southwestern Libya and cooperated cooperated cooperated co co- co- co operated with the De in attacking hen Trag-hen and other objectives 1200 miles from the desert groups group's base by direct line and much farther by bythe bythe bythe the circuitous route which was followed to insure complete se se- se- se crecy The distances involved are suggested b by the case of a soldier badly wounded at Mur Mur- who was motored miles across country before he reached a plane plan which took him miles to Cairo A disabled truck had to to tobe be towed towed 1000 1000 miles to the nearest repair shop New Zealand's new new deal Is causing much concern to the neighboring Dominion of Aus Aus- There according to private private vate advices reaching this column column col col- col labor sitting in opposition to Premier Menzies' Menzies government is giving full support to the war effort but denouncing the Undue undue undue un un- due profits which it believes are being made by big industry New Zealand where labor has virtually two-thirds two of the house of ot representatives has gone in for socialism in a big way and is dealing dealing- severely dealing severely with anybody suspected of being a capitalist Menzies' Menzies United Aus Aus- Country coalition boasts a majority of only two in each legislative legislative leg leg- house over the laborites which gives force to minority pressure upon the prime minister minister minis minis- ter to follow New Zealand's example example example ex ex- ex- ex ample and share the war wealth When Menzies returned home recently after some months in London and a visit to the United States his friends hoped that he would have borrowed some backbone iron from Churchill and Roosevelt Instead he continued a rather placatory attitude But some fa familiar familiar Ia- Ia with the national mentality mentality mentality men men- believe that this is the only sound course he could pur pur- sue They argue th that the islanders island island- ers can be led and enticed but cant can't be driven an inch and might become nasty if the government government government gov gov- tried to be tough Then it is feared the slight coalition majority would be overthrown and a a a- labor government in installed installed in- in stalled which would upset the applecart entirely To the horrors of war as they have begun to affect our nonbelligerent nonbelligerent nonbelligerent non non- belligerent land may be added imminent threats to the bottled beer supply and also also the troubles troubles troubles trou trou- bles of housewives who prefer or feel obliged to do their own dressmaking Unless Yankee e ingenuity is brought to bear beer in bottles and cans may become only a fond memory before long In Inthe Inthe Inthe the caps of such containers covering the cork linings which also may become hard to get eventually is a tissue thin sheet of aluminum That or something similarly impervious to chemical reaction with malt brew must be used But aluminum aluminum num nurn is needed for defense and there is a shortage of synthetics which might be substituted Manufacturers are worrying Housewives have wondered why their silk thread has been breaking so often in the sewing machine and fraying so easily in the eye of the hand needle Again the answer is the war With cargo space at a premium premium premium pre pre- Chink China all but cut off and Japan unpopular silk is becoming becoming becoming be be- coming scarce and expensive The sewing filament that used to sell for a dir dime ie now costs a quarter But many housewives haven't discovered that because stores have been stocking a spool of similar size for the same old price The difference is that the number of strands has been reduced to a minimum which of course weakens the fibers and causes trouble for the user Copyright 1941 McClure Syndicate |