Show A washington U D 0 it PLANS As for far as can be ascertained the most important point under discussion between hitler and mussolini lini during their recent visit to the russian battle lines was a plan by which italian troops would hold down a sizeable portion ot of the german front during the russion russian winter stalemate naturally no one outside the fascist nazi high command really knows the details of what happened however mussolini squawked so BO loudly over hillers Hit lers demands that their general nature leaked out in rome nome where a lot of ormy army leaders ire are none too friendly to the axis hillers Hit lers theory bluntly put was that the italians were no good as lighters fighters so during the winter months when hen there was no lighting fighting to be do done n C th they e y could move into the t trenches and protect the german lines ines then hitler dr could ship his troops down to africa and could clean up the whole ot of north africa before spring 9 and good fighting weather returned to russia hitler figured that during the winter he could take over nil all of french north africa egypt and the suez canal then pone to Dakar from which he would have a base against south america it has long been known that hitler ren realizes lizes ho he has to move fast in at af rica and tho the south atlantic or the united states will be strong enough to block him reaction to this plan was anything but enthusiastic aside from the ignominy of withdrawing from italy italis s proposed field of conquest africani Africa II 11 duce argued that italian troops could not stand russian winters they would die of pneumonia in such a rigorous climate mate whether mussolini finally agreed is not known note the nazi plan apparently Is to put hungarian troops in the russian trenches during the winter plus rumanians plus about slova slovaks s and about italians the german army during the winter winte i would be reduced to a more mere skeleton of about men NEW impressions washington newsmen after seeing roosevelt twice a week tor for eight years have only dull impressions when they walk into a press conference A fresk fresh impression comes come s from jack moffitt ace hollywood reporter who saw tho the president the other day for the first time there was charm in the setting I 1 said the mementoes on his desk indicate a man of imagination who can extract pleasant memories from past experiences lie ho costumes well hoovers choker collar became a symbol of tory americo america coolidge dressed like a small email town banker roosevelt avoids the foppish but hits a certain suburban easo ease in his dress which sells quickly to the public ile he was impressive in handling himself there was easo ease and frankness and a quickness in response to questions lie he was at all times master of the interview 1 I was struck by his paleness and the lines in his face contradicting the smirk ive seen in a thousand cartoons it if I 1 were a casting director looking for on an actor for or this part id cast him as a man who is working hard under great strain UNDER WAR SECRETARY newsmen sat three deep around a long ong polished table in tho the new war department building they fired questions at the man with a suntanned face sitting at the head of the table ile he was the under secretary of war a ta tank like are M 3 tanks avrill available uble for the maneuvers did dd the french find the 75 mm tank gun effective what Is the altitude range of the 90 mm antiaircraft anti antl aircraft gun Is the army in iceland what do you think about the russian resistance lie he ducked the last two questions but answered ou all the technical questions with the assurance of a soldier trained all his life in ordnance but he a lifelong life long soldier lie he Is a lawyer an ex circuit court judge who scarcely a year ago wag concerned with such nonmilitary non military subjects as the reorganization of the new york subway this was a press conference with the under secretary of war robert P patterson A judge in 1810 1910 he Is a soldier in 1041 1941 with a complete grasp of the technical information of his job GO HOUND the president Is wearing a black four our ln in hand tie these days as well as the black armband latest addition to Roosevel ts trinket laden desk is a white porcelain figure of churchill with a cigar n his mouth has a defense job waiting for or movie star marlene dietrich as soon oon as her broken ankle is mended rhey want to use tier her glamorous clamorous gams legs to publicise public ise cotton stockings ings for women made necessary by the shutting off of Jo panesa silk |