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Show PAGE TWO THE WEEKLY NEWS ANALYSIS How the wind is blowing President Asks Billion Dollars For National Defense Program; Nazis Smash at Maginot Line NYLON Heralded for several months as the answer to milady's plea for a superior stocking, hose made of Nylon, a synthetic fabric developed by duPont chemists, went on sale throughout the country. Nylon, a tough yet sheer product, is spun from air, water ana coal. In Atlantic City, POLITICS supporters of a woman candidate for city commissioner, armed themselves with 200 candid cameras in efforts to keep "repeating" voters from the polls. "Every person" whose right to vote was in doubt was due for a snap shot and subsequent check-up- . BUILDING In the 37 states east of the Rocky mountains, residential bliilding contracts, last month, were highest since 1929. Eighty-eigper cent of the total in contracts $135,420,000 so awarded, was in private ownership construction as distinct from projects financed from public (EDITOR'S NOTE When opinions are expressed in these columns, they those of the news analyst and not necessarily of this newspaper.) are Released by Western Newspaper Union. t&j, ENGLAND - THE HAQUT I ' fiX 58 xiiuj 25 MILES Uiuimi6 ht funds. BUSINESS: Confusion "When business is good with us, it indicates an upswing in business conditions throughout the country." So Wf FRANCE said none other than Postmaster General James A. Farley as he announced that The above map graphically reveals how close German bombing wings are to England's coast should the Nazi war machine continue to hold The Hague, capital of the Netherlands. As indicated, it is only 125 airline miles from this point to Harwich, England, and London is only 109 miles southwest of Harwich. Lower arrow points to Sedan, where Germans launched their first attack on France's famed Maginot line. THE WAR: On Schedule Since the outbreak of war last year, the prediction that with the coming of spring fighting would "open up," has been on the lips of observers everywhere. As Adolf Hitler's military machine thrust itself across The Netherlands, into Belgium and France, these predictions were at last coming true. For the world was witnessing what was hailed as "the greatest battle in his- tory." As in 1914 the German forces were making the most impressive showing in the first few days of the fighting. This time fortifications are believed to be stronger and less open to attack but the Nazi army and air force has developed offensive war to the point where ao defense appears to be impregnable. In The Netherlands, the Dutch army was ordered to cease firing, thus ending resistance to Germany's swarms of bombing planes and motorized troops. -- scope This intensive fighting along the front from the North sea to Saarbrueckcn was of utmost importance to the allies and Germany alike. This was indicated by the staggering amount of force each side whipped into the fray. Some experts claimed that this first great battle might be the most decisive of the war. It appeared that Adolf Hitler firmly believing that "the Hour" had.come, or forced through Germany's internal situation, had decided to stake all in one gigantic gamble. As thousands of Nazi planes rained bombs upon military objectives and communication lines, England's royal air force flung back the challenge by loosing ton after ton of high explosives in areas near important munitions plants along the Rhine and upon large German troop concentrations. Immediate objective in France, of course, would be to break through the Maginot line and render these fortifications useless to the defenders. This is a major undertaking judging from the claims made for the defensive strength of these de fenses, bui word has come through that in the Sedan sector, 146 miles northeast of Paris, the German army engaged in a terrific bid for a definite foothold. PREPAREDNESS: Speed Up Appearing before a joint session congress. President Roosevelt outlined a plan asking for an immediate appropriation of $896,000,000 for building dp the nation's army, navy and air forces to protect the United States from any foreign inauthorizavader. He also asked-fotion of future appropriations, totaling $286,000,000, bringing his entire request to over a billion dollars. This sum is in addition to regular military funds for the next fiscal Particular emphasis was year. placed upon a plea to strengthen U. S. air power quickly. of 200-mi- ever-prese- QUOTATIONS . on the tvar C Robert Ly, Nazi Labor Front leader, speaking of Adolf Hitler said n that he is waging war. "in natural mission" to "bring Europe and the world to reason ani thereby make Europe and the world happy." C. Viscount Gort. commandor of the British expeditionary forces in France, "We Bre now on the eve of one of the groat moments in the history of our empire. The struggle will be hard and long but we can be confident of final victory." C. Paul Van Zertand, former Belgian premier, speaking in Des Moines. Iowa, said the small nations of Europe hope "that the might of the United States will sooner or later be felt in favor of right." C Sen. Arthur t'apprr (R., Kan .) while discussing possibility of war developments shutting off U. S. access lo staple stocks such as rubber and tin from the Dutch East Indies, stated that "we would be better off if we were getting our " He urged rubber from Brazil using U. S. capital to develop the rubber industry in South America. God-give- . revenues e reached an high at the close of the last fiscal year. He also ventured the prediction that the current year would James A. see an even larger increase in postal Farley returns. In such increased revenue he observed a general improvement in business conditions. For some time business analysts have been in accord with Mr. Farley in his thought that business was fairly good and getting better. Now the pattern of war is beginning to stamp itself in the industrial and agricultural fields and these impressions are sure to be felt. Foreign markets for farm goods will probably be lost for the time being at least, but there will be a shift in the demand for manufactured goods from the warring nations. In particular the allies will no doubt be forced to speed up their purchases of war supplies, mainly fighting planes and equipment. Whether the ultimate result will be a loss or gain for industry in this country is still uncertain. One thing was certain, however, confusion was the byword on the stock market. Up went some stocks, down went others. Best guess was that the war would tend to accelerate U. S. trade with our neighbors in the Western hemisphere. And if demands for large e U. S. supplies materialize, war equipment manufacturing firms should register neat gains. home-defens- POLITICS: Inside Track yr in Objectives What the aims of the German high command in the great land offensive actually are, of course remain a closely guarded military secret But in general it appeared that with The Netherlands at their mercy and with key airports in that country available to the Nazi air force, intensive bombing of the British Isles was an threat. postal Aiitvnmmt fMu-fti- ttmitmu nt GEN. JOHN PERSHING Did he like the I'residenl't talk? Pointing out that the United States navy was second to none and that the army was at the greatest peacetime strength in history, he urged that production of airplanes and the training of pilots be speeded up to provide the needed force in this division of military defense. While war plane production has been increased from about 6,000 to over 12,000 per year, the President asked for an annual output of 50,000 each year. All this must have sounded good to 73 year-olGeneral John Pershing, A. E. F. commander in the last world war, who two days earlier in a rare public statement had mid, "Preparedness is as necessary s it was when war was detoday clared in 1917, and we find ourselves in the same condition . . . evrry energy in this country should be dc-ted to the idea of putting the United Slates in a condition of thorough preparedness against the possibility of war." The galleries wore packed and the atmosphere in the house chamber tense as the President, speaking slowly and carefully, told how the changing methods of warfare were rapidly making the Isolated position tf the United States less and less of a factor in national defense. He cited air line distances between U. S. shores and foreign owned possessions and went on to point out that it Is the air phase of military preparedness that must receive the special attention of the United States. vi club. MISCELLANY: Fire destroyed $1,500,000 in war goods stored in the National Guard arsenal at Montgomery, Ala. An Investigation was ordered as Adj. Gen. Ben M. Smith reported he saw flames break out at the front and near the back of the building at about the same time. Back to the United States from the Antarctic came Rear Admiral Richard E. Byrd. llu said he was back because he had ben ordered to return, being under navy orders. His expedition has already charted about BOO miles of unknown coast-liin Little America, according to Byrd. "Daughters of the American Depression," some several hundred strong, assembled in Washington for a conference on unemployment. Claiming to be a cross section of 3.000.000 unemployed women of Amrrica, they planned public meetings and hoped to obtain restoration of a last year's WPA wage reduction for women workers. A contract for continuing Italy's exhibit in the New York World's fair was signed with the provision that "if future international events render it advisable" the exhibit may be withdrawn. GENERAL Intelligent Political Opposition Results in Better Government HUGH S. JOHNSON 54 Jour: f 3 VTPEARSON WW Ufutad Fmiunk Republican Party Is Beginning to Realize This Fact And Has Started a Move to Put Its 'House' in Order. NEW YORK AIR DEFENSE Washington, D. C. The army is not anxious to publicize the fact, but as of today there are only 39 guns in the whole New York city defense area. Six months ago not even the most cautious generals would have woranti-aircra- ft By WILLIAM BRTJCKART Service, National Press Bldg., Washington, D. C. WASHINGTON. Early in Mr. Roosevelt's first term as President, Democratic Chairman Farley voiced a thought that his party, then preponderantly in control of the machinery of government, would be much better off if the opposition was stronger. Later, he amplified that thought with a statement to the general effect that intelligent opposition always made for good government. The thing that Mr. Fsrley feared was that the overwhelming Democratic strength in the house and senate would run away with itself would get out of hand. That happened. Not exactly in the way, perhaps, that Mr. Farley had suggested, but the majority did get out of hand to the extent that congress became known for at least six years as a rubber stamp. Almost any sort of legislation that was conceived within the administration became "must" legislation. The result was, of course, that there has been a pile of laws passed and a good many of them are so impossible and so unsound that they will rise to haunt the political party that sponsored them as time goes on. this discussion Paradoxically, about Mr. Farley's views and the developments that followed is only a prelude to some observations and reports of what is going on within the Republican party these days. The facts that have come from the situation of the last six or eight years WNU :vA it. IV - 1$ i Ks. - J ' ) J& r-s-- V " I A! ir"1Mr ..- nniniY mini REP. JOSEPH MARTIN He is getting credit for a job well done. For a long time New Dealers have been claiming that their champion. Franklin Delano Roosevelt, could have the Democratic nomination for the presidency for the third time if he wanted it. Fact now is that with 499 delegates solidly pledged for him and with New York's 94, practically his for the asking, he will have enough votes to be nominated on the first ballot come convention time. And the third term tide was rising with the war. Many Washington politicians have felt for monththat the President's decision to become a candidate hinged largely upon the development of Europe's conflict With the outbreak of the "big battle" it appeared to them that he would decide to make the race. Other observers felt he would withhold accepting or rejecting the nomination until it has actually been tendered. Cordell Hull, secretary of slate, appears to have the inside track for the nomination if President Roosevelt refuses it. Montana's Sen. Burton K. Wheeler seems to be running second only to Mr. Hull in the Democratic Thursday, May 23, 1940 NEPAL UTAH S, Bruckart's Washington Digest TREND ... By Farnham F. Dudgeon TIMES-NEW- shows what things are engendered by success or prospects of success. Republican wheelhorses tell me with great enthusiasm that this is certain to be a "Republican year." The voters will determine the answer next November, of course, but it is only a reporting job to repeat that the Republican leadership is expecting to control the house of repre- sentatives after January 1, 1941. It is only a job of reporting to say also that within the Republican party there are some factions that are snarling and baring their teeth at each other because each side thinks their party will run the show for the next four years. House Committee List Are Being Renovated One of the things that is happening within the Republican leadership, however, displays none of the signs of the scrap for nominations or places of control. It reflects probably as nearly the true type of political intelligence as Mr. Farley had mind. the house of representatives these days, plans are going forward for renovation of Republican lists on house committees. There have been many changes, usually made singly and without apparent relation to each other. But the shifts have been going on for several months and they have attracted little attention, generally. Yet, they make a pattern. The pattern obviously is predicated upon a desire of the mainstays of the house Republicans to see the best men they have placed where they will serve to guide their party policies. Now. it may be that that represents the peak of optimism. The explanation given me, however, was that whether the Republicans control the house or whsther. after next January, there still will be a Dem- in In I'OI.I MC'AL INTELLIGENCE William Bruckart his current dispatch explains in that big-tim- e politicians realize that intelligent opposition makes for good government. Democratic Mr. Farley voiced this idea at the beginning of the present administration. Now the Republicans, who believe they will be in the saddle come next January, are reorganizing their forces along more intelligent lines. ocratic majority, the program of revived party activity will work. If, for example, the Democrats should control the house, there will be that "intelligent opposition" which Mr. Farley suggested as necessary to good government; if, on the other hand. Republicans win control of the d house, there will be men In the posts of leadership that are represented by chairmanships of Important committees. This job, of course, is attributable directly to the brains and the political capacity of one man. He is Representative "Joe" Martin of Massachusetts, Republican leader of the house. It has taken him quite awhile to accomplish the end that is now visible, because for some months there were not enough Republicans in the house to form a bucket brigade. But the fact remains that Mr. Martin has laid his plans well, and I think the Washington writers almost without exception give him credit for a job well done. well-traine- Veteran Party Workers Should Get Preference German air operations in the past month, and after doing a little figuring with paper and pencil on the flight performances of German planes, the army is rushing more aircraft guns to the nation's biggest city. Twenty-tw- o battalions with 264 additional guns will be sent to New ly CO. P. Presidential Aspirants Are Using Wrong Tactics On the other hand, it begins to That supporters of some of appear the candidates for the Republican presidential nomination are not to be commended in the same fashion. Supporters of the three best known candidates Taft, Dewey and are using some tactics that do not make for sound government That is to say, there are some things going on within the ranks of each candidate's backers that likely will rise up one of these days and smear somebody with a beautiful coat of tar. As these lines are written, it is scarcely a month until the Republicans hold their convention at Philadelphia. Chairman Hamilton of the national committee has called for the delegates from the several states who are to serve as members of the convention committee on resolutions to get together ahead of time. He has asked them to start work so that the party platform will not be a clapboard house through which the winds of opposition charges can sift snow. But there has been objection to that. I regard it as a good move. On the other hand, there are those politicians who are shooting at Mr. Hamilton about it and they are stirring up quite a stink. Their attitude simply reflects a greedy desire to get in on the backbone at when there had been no hog killing to speak of for several years. From conversations I have had with politicians who know from experience, I have a feeling that the Democrats also are going to have trouble in promoting "intelligent opposition" if there should be a RepubThere is the tame lican victory. greed, the same conviction of great capacity, on the part of many men now in official position, that constitutes the bone of contention among the Republicans. It looks like a hectic campaign, a year of ruffled feathers and, perhaps, a year when some well known political heads will fall. Van-denbe- rg OF TEETH Washington, D. C. This is a parable. It is being written within the hour that I had two teeth yanked. They were fine perfect teeth. All mine are. Never before, except for one that got broken in a controversial colloquy, did a dental surgeon ever do any80 thing to me and I am 58. At It teeth. her all had mother my runs in the family. This year, in the cool impartial efficiency of the army medical corps, I was told by the chief of dental surgery at Walter Reed hospital: "These twe teeth have to go if you don't want to lose half a dozen." I was very angry. Even his showed their perfection. I raged up to New York to consult independently my favorite expertstwo of them Ted Fonarton and Joe Levy. Now my two teeth are gone and, as the anesthetic wears off, it hurts like hell. Everybody remarked what swell teeth they were, even after they were out. But an infection had destroyed the foundation in which they were imbedded. By the protective action, advised by experts less than two years ago, I could have saved them. I felt' nothing, so I didn't do what my experts advised. X-r- "ft V BEHIND THE CLOUDS Ambassador Lothian of Great Britain (left) and Ambassador de Saint Quen-tiof France find something lo cheer them after a conference in Washington with State Department officials. York as soon as the army can get them, but that will not be before the end of the year. Note The arithmetic which worn Back of these efforts of Mr. Martin, however 'way back in the hinterland, the prospects of Republican victory, or partial victory, this fall, have brought out the usual number of seekers after the spoils when the sense of smell tells of possible pie counter membership. Now, I don't care whom voters may select but, being a believer in party responsibility for governmental administration, I always have felt those fellows who have done the work in bad times, politically, should be allowed to have more voice in party affairs than the type when the harvest is to be reaped. To state a specific case as an illustration of many such instances that have been reported in primaries, let me refer to an Indiana contest. Rep. Charles Halleck of Indiana's second district had opposition for renomination. It is to be assumed that his rival was a capable young man, but the thing struck me as rather sour because Halleck had fought through the days when a Republican member in the house could count on being nothing more than a piping voice in the wilderness. But when the prospects were such that many looked upon a house seat as a plum, up jumps opposition to a man who has learned much about handling legislation and who stands in a position that will give him a strong say-s- o about national politics in event the house is controlled by his party after election. To have upset Halleck in the primary would have gone entirely contrary to good politics. Mr. Farley's assertion applies again. In event of victory for Republicans, a man that is capable and informed is available to help in party leadership; in event of continued control by the Democrats, the needed "intelligent opposition" is provided. Mr. Halleck won his primary battle and it is a tribute to his district's voters as well as to him that he was victorious. Johnny-come-late- ried about this. But after watching A COUPLE Ssrvim ried the army was this: Norway to Iceland, 733 miles; Iceland to 1,500 miles; NewNewfoundland, foundland to New England, 800 miles. More arithmetic: German No. 110s have a flying range of 1,700 miles; German bombers have a minimum range of 1,230 miles, most of them more; and Germany has between 8,000 and 10,000 of them. NAZI STRATEGY When Sumner Welles was in Berlin on his peace pilgrimage, the Hitler entourage told him flatly that if Britain wanted to continue the war, Germany was ready to lose 9,000 planes if necessary in raining the greatest barrage of bombs in history on England. With Dutch air bases, plus new submarine bases in Norway, the Nazis plan to put the greatest squeeze in history on England, subject her to a terrific air bombardment, and land invading forces for the first time since the triumphal march of William the Conqueror in 1066. The military strategy of the Nazis is the old Schlieffen plan used by the kaiser's troops in the last war. Briefly summarized, the plan is: Outflank, Develop, Destroy. To this, the Nazis have added some streamlining of their own, namely the "locusts" or parachute troops, whose objective is to get into the enemy's radio and telegraph offices, disrupt communications, and cause as much confusion as possible behind the lines. ARGENTINE NEUTRALITY If anyone around the state department ever had any doubt that Cordell Hull was not a candidate for President, they changed their minds after seeing him sit upon the Argentine proposal for the American nations to give up neutrality for a state of This meant a status somewhat similar to Italy's but friendly to the allies instead of to Hitler. The Argentines pointed out that, like President Roosevelt, they had sent sympathetic messages to the king and queen of Belgium and Holland; that they had impounded the money and property of the Low Countries in order to keep it out of Nazi hands; and that as a matter of cold fact, none of the was really neutral anyway. German Supplies. Diplomats arriving here from Berlin tell a significant story of Germany's shortage of food and materials. Undoubtedly this had something to do with Hitler's decision to stake everything on victory this summer. Returning officials report that "Ersatz" coffee is brewed from apple peelings. The shortage is not only in foodstuffs but also in clothing, which is rationed to insure the supply for the armed forces. A woman may buy clothing only to the extent of 100 "points" in the course of a whole year. And a single pair of silk stockings rates 30 points. More Important from the military viewpoint is the report that German gasoline is of such poor quality that it befouls the motors and causes frequent replacements. In other words, the question of observers is how long is the supply line? NoteGerman people are forbid-do- n to listen to foreign radio broad- casts, but In many German households at night you might see strange looking mound covered by a bedspread the family huddled together secretly near the radio, listening to broadcasts from overseas. England understands this sort of thing now and so do France and We are beHolland and Belgium. ginning to understand it in a panicky sort of way. Three years ago a veteran expert on American industrial preparedness, a man with unusual sources of information in Europe, Mr. B. M. Baruch, told the President what was going on there, what wasn't go- - ? By Thomas. ing on here at all, and not going on fast enough in England and France. But we rocked along exactly as I did with my teeth. Now that we see what ingenious fiendishness in the hell of modern war looks like, every drowsy editorial page, column of comment and panicky legislator begins to demand "billions for defense." O. K., but it isn't enough. We can't meet this danger simply by "passing a law," even if it appropriates billions. The answer to three questions is absolutely imperative. (1) What are we to defend? That is an answer to be made by the President and the state department. (2) What do we need to defend it? That is an answer to be made by the army and navy. (3) How can we best and most quickly and economically get what we need? That is for the leaders of industry. For God's sake let's show just a fraction of Hitler's intelligence and preserve not only our skin but the teeth we are going to need so badly. V. S. BLUNDERS Among the snap judgments coming out of Europe is that only a dictatorship can make effective war. It is not a fact Woodrow Wilson said wisely of 1918: "The highest and best efficiency is the spontaneous of a free people." It is true that we stumbled lamentably before we got into the war and immediately afterward. We stumbled because we were misinformed and far from unity of purpose. As soon as the great majority of our people were informed and had decided on what we must do, no nation in history not even Germany today ever made a quicker, better or more massive mobilzation and attack. It isn't a question of form of government or organization. It is solely a question of right men in the right places. If dictatorship were the answer to efficiency the dictatorship of Joe Stalin is the most absolute on earth. Job of record-smashin- , i (i The Merry Month of May Germany is doing a c g and showing her competition up as bush leaguers. But that is solely because Germany turned her military and Industrial problems over to experts in both arts. She suppressed England didn't Churchill until the guns began to roar. He was a trained expert We have followed the British blunder. In this administration expert-enIn this bloody business of war or any other business hs been a passport to oblivion. ct |