Show i aW N NR R pf FN Washington D D. D C. C WINTER HINTER PLANS As far as can be ascertained the most important point under discussion discussion discussion dis dis- between Hitler and Mussolini Mussolini Musso Musso- lini during their recent visit to the Russian battle lines was a plan by which Italian troops would hold down a sizeable portion of the German German German Ger Ger- man front during the Russian winter stalemate Naturally no one outside the Fascist Nazi Fascist Nazi high command really knows the details of what happened However Mussolini l squawked ed so loudly over Hitler's demands that their general nature leaked out in Rome where Rome where a lot of army leaders are none too friendly to the Axis Hitler's theory bluntly put was that tha t the Italians were no good as fighters so during the winter months when there thereas was as no fighting to be bedone bedone bedone done they could move into the trenches and protect the German lines Then Hitler could ship his troops down to Africa and could clean up the whole of North Africa before spring and good fighting weather returned returned returned re re- re- re turned to Russia Hitler figured that during the winter he could take takeover takeover takeover over all of French North Africa Egypt and the Suez canal then penetrate penetrate penetrate pene pene- to Dakar from Dakar from which he would have a base against South America It has long been known that Hitler realizes he has to move fast in Africa Africa Africa Af Af- Af- Af rica and the South Atlantic or the United States will be strong enough to block him Mussolini's l reaction to this plan was anything but enthusiastic Aside from the ignominy of withdrawing withdrawing with with- drawing from Italy's proposed field of conquest conquest Africa Africa II Duce argued that tha t Italian troops could not stand Russian winters They would die of ot pneumonia in such a rigorous cli cli- mate Whether Mussolini finally agreed is not known Note The Nazi plan apparently is to put Hungarian troops in inthe inthe inthe the Russian trenches during the winter plus Rumanians plus about Slovaks and about Italians The German army during the winter would be reduced to a mere skeleton of about men NEW IMPRESSIONS 11 Washington newsmen after seeing seeIng see see- Ing Roosevelt twice a week for eight years r have only dull impressions when they walk into a press confer confer- ence A fresh impression comes from Jack Moffitt ace Hollywood reporter who saw the President the theother theother theother other day for the first time There was charm in the setting Moffitt said The mementoes on his desk indicate a man of imagination tion who can extract pleasant memories memories memories mem mem- ories from past experiences He costumes well Hoovers Hoover's choker collar became a symbol of Tory America Coolidge dressed like a small town banker Roosevelt avoids the foppish but hits a certain certain tain suburban ease in his dress which sells quickly to the public He was impressive in handling himself himsel There was ease and frankness frankness frankness frank frank- ness and a quickness in response to questions He was at all times master of the interview I was struck by his paleness and the lines in his face contradicting the smirk Ive I've seen in a thousand cartoons If I were a casting director director director di di- di- di rector looking for an actor for this part Id I'd cast him as a man who is isi i working hard under great strain UNDER WAR SECRETARY Newsmen sat three deep around a along along along long polished table in the new war department building They fired questions at the man with a suntanned suntanned suntanned sun sun- tanned face sitting at the head of the table He was the under secretary secretary secretary secre secre- tary of war What's a T 6 tank like Are M 3 tanks available for the maneuvers maneuvers maneuvers maneu maneu- vers Did the French find the 75 mm tank gun effective What is the altitude range of the 90 mm anti aircraft gun Is the army in Iceland What do you think about the Russian resistance He ducked the last two questions but answered all the technical questions questions questions ques ques- with the assurance of a soldier trained all his life in ordnance I But he isn't a long life-long soldier He Heis Heis Heis is a lawyer an ex-circuit ex court judge who scarcely a year ago was concerned with such non-military non subjects as the reorganization of the New York subway This was a press conference with the under secretary of war Robert P. P Patterson A judge in 1940 he heis heis heis is a soldier in 1941 with a complete grasp of the technical information of his job ROUND MERRY-GO-ROUND The President is wearing a black in hand tie these days as well as the black armband Latest addition to Roosevelt's trinket-laden trinket desk is a white porcelain porcelain lain figure of Churchill with a cigar in his mouth has bas a defense Job waiting for movie star Marlene Dietrich as soon as her bel broken ankle is mended They want to use her er glamorous cotton stockings stockings stock stock- gams legs to publicize ings for women made necessary by bythe bythe the shutting off of Japanese silk |