| Show Round Merry By Drew Pearson WASHINGTON WASHINGTON Recent Recent losses on the Russian 5 front are more serious even than they appear on the surface To understand the situation fully it is necessary nary sary to know some of of the developments which took place in Russia during recent months These give the key to the Russians' Russians rapid retreats and the possible effect on the ilie U. U S. S A. A First in the battle of where Marshal took the offensive last spring to head off a nazi offensive it now develops that Russian losses Josses were were s seri serious ri especially us-especially especially in tanks and an ancl air planes The gamble was was worth taking because if it had succeeded a wedge would have hav been driven between the German Grman armies However it failed and the Russians have been feeling the loss of tanks and material ever since Second it now develops that there were heavier ier losses of materials than generally realized during the fighting last winter when the Russians were try trying ng to reestablish their lines Third it is now rio no secret that losses Josses of U. U S S. S supplies supplies sent sent around nd Norway to Russia have naVe been very seri serious serious' indeed An American seaman on one of these ships recently revealed that his ship was attacked every day of the voyage except on Hitler's birthday Added to this the port of Mur Mur- mansk has now been bombed to toa a shambles So the key to Russian r retreats treats is lack of tanks planes artillery Also with the long hours of daylight obviously it will be increasingly difficult difficult difficult cult if not imp impossible to get large convoys through to Russia Naturally this leads to to only one conclusion If heavy shipments cannot be sent di direct to Russia Russia Russia Rus Rus- sia the next best strategy is to use those supplies sup sup- plies pIles in the hands of U. U S.-British S. troops over a a. shorter safer sea route route namely namely for a second front And since the Russians long have wanted a a. second front it is not surprising that they want it more than ever today SUch Stich a a. front may may be bethe bethe bethe the only way to prevent Hitler from taking the Caucasus and most of f Russia This is the biggest most immediate and crucial crucial cru cru- cial problem the president and his military chiefs now have hav to face Congressional Patriots One reason millions of young Americans are serving in the armed forces is to protect our democratic ic right to vote Yet it is an ironical fact that a a. great many men in the army and navy will themselves be denied the right to vote this year because of the obstructive antics of a group of usual as boys on Capitol HilL HilLA A A. bloc of poll state tax tax state congressmen led by Gene Cox of Georgia so 80 far has b been en able ble to prevent prevent pre pre- vent action on a bill sponsored by Represent Representative tive Rob Robert rt L. L Ram Ramsay ay of West Virginia which would make it possible for service men to vote This bloc puts the tax poll-tax by which a a. part of the south in effect is disfranchised ahead of votes for service men Ramsays Ramsay's bill bill would waive registration requirements requirements requirements re re- re- re for soldiers sailors and marines and hold holdi special absentee ele elections ti ns in camps and naval bases 21 days before the regular election Every man in the military service stationed in the U. U S. S A. A would have a chance to cast his ballot Registration is the chief stumbling block to Voting soldier-Voting because of of the red tape involved in getting blanks through the mail and swe swearing ring to toan toan toan an affidavit of citizenship Also a a. a number of states do not permit registration by mail thus making voting impossible for many service men who have become 21 since induction In the last war some states got around this thisby thisby thisby by sending officials to amps I to register absentee absentee absentee ab ab- ab- ab voters but this is a costly and cumbersome cumbersome cumbersome cumber cumber- some procedure Ramsays Ramsay's bill was unanimously approved by the house elections committee and has overwhelming overwhelm overwhelm- ing support in both the house and senate But this powerful backing cant can't express itself itel unless the bill bili can be brought up for action Right there is where Cox and his gang got in their undercover undercover undercover under under- cover obstructive licks When the measure came up before the rules committee for a a. rule to place it before the house Cox and his close pal Representative Howard Smith of Virginia another old guard poll threw a monkey wrench They are ranking members members mem mem- bers bert of this key committee and have the power to keep t the e Ramsay bill bottled up Smith has attempted to justify his opposition on the high plane of states rights But Cox makes no bones about why he Is s against the bill This is another attack on the tax poll he stormed I strongly disapprove of it Actually Ramsays Ramsay's bill does not nullify the tax poll where states require the payment of such sucha a a. tax |
