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Show 1 , WEEKLY NEWS ANALYSIS By Edward C. Wayne Washington Experts See War Crisis In Europe and Asia Within 90 Days As Hitler 'Promises' German Victory; U. S. and Ford Clash on Labor Policy (EDITOR'S NOTE When opinions are expressed In these columns, they are those mt the news analyst and not necessarily of this newspaper.) . (Released by Western Newspaper Union.) ? ' 1 . , i ft lJ i . v' " g , ' - i ' 3 B iRDIA, LIBYA. Tuo , - r" v I Australian soldiers of the f A J" ,' ' "S? , liriiish forces in Libya s 'rf ' X( ' ' i doc at ttc nameplate of j - xf ' , f 5 lic 'iiaira direct in this city. , " ) t" 1 J(T entering liardia, the i ' ' I I ' A ussiet ohaiiued the street s j y , name from "IScnito lusso- f " f,'' hm" to "Austtaha." f ? f " 3 HARM A, LIBYA. Two Australian soldiers of the British forces in Libya look at the nameplate of the main street in this city. After entering Bardia, the Aussies ohanued the street name from "Benito Mussolini" Musso-lini" to "Australia." 60 TO 90 DAYS: Crisis Will Come In Washington, where bets can be obtained on almost anything, the odds are 55 to 45 that the United States will be at var with Japan within 60 to 90 days. Peace is on the short end. The view is shared by competent observers. Whether there will be actual armed conflict probably will depend on what happens during this period. The predictions are being made not by goosebone prophets but on careful analysis of political, military, mili-tary, geographical and economic factors. Those most apprehensive in the itapital are concerned with adoption tf the lend-lease bill which would give President Roosevelt full powers pow-ers to place the nation on an all-out all-out war footing. They believe Japan is a full partner of the Axis and will act on orders from Berlin. They believe that within 60 to 90 days Hitler will order the full force of his powerful attack let loose on Britain and they are doubtful of the outcome. They fear the United States will be faced with an enemy on the Atlantic and the Pacific at the same time. For America the chief immediate political factor is the triparty pact among Japan, Germany and Italy, signed last September. The pact provides for co-operative action if either of the others is involved in a war. These officials believe the treaty is an outright offensive alliance alli-ance aimed at the U. S., just as Nazi spokesmen said at the time. In Tokyo those immediately concerned con-cerned are seeking full powers for the cabinet headed by Premier Prince Fumimaro Konoye, who is pledged to the "new world order." In both countries it is the apparent appar-ent desire on the part of leaders to prepare public opinion for the worst so that there will be no outcry which would force modification of the programs. t Crisis Year President Roosevelt's birthday is a holiday in Germany, but not for the same reason. In Germany it is celebrated as the birthday of the Nazi acquisition of power. Annually Hitler makes a speech. This year was no exception. But his speech bade the German people to mark the year 1941 as an exception. He promised it would be the victory year. He said the attack on Britain was near, that it would come without fail in spring, and he warned that no aid from the United States would be permitted permit-ted to reach England. Every ship carrying help to Britain, Brit-ain, he said, would be torpedoed, no matter what its ownership, no matter if it was convoyed or not. Also in the theater of war: C. The British continued to make headway in Libya, besieging Ben-gazi, Ben-gazi, the last main port held by the Italians and threatening to extend ex-tend their lines to the border of French Tunisia. C. In East Africa they also battered their way into Eritrea. The Italians retreated in trucks. An Italian army of 100,000 there was said to be in a bad way. C German Big Berthas were firing from the French channel ports into England. Whereas before the projectile pro-jectile toppled into the Dover area, now they were reported to reach 10 miles inland. WAR CONFIRMED: Senators Hear Report When Wendell Willkie decided to go to England to "see for himself" the progress of the war, there was sarcasm in some sources. It was said the G.O.P. nominee intended to "confirm the rumors of war in Europe." Eu-rope." Willkie went, he saw and hurried home. Hardly had he arrived in London when an announcement was made that he would reduce the length of his stay in order to report home sooner. Even after that, another an-other 48 hours was cut from the schedule at the request of State Secretary Sec-retary Hull who asked him to testify before the senate committee considering consid-ering the lend-lease bill. Willkie' s speed on the journey over and back seems almost a rebuke to the isolationists isola-tionists who have emphasized how far away England really is. But there was more sarcasm for Willkie's trip. It came now from Republican sources. The national convention of Young Republicans, meeting in Des Moines, Iowa, heard a resolution which condemned the party leader for his support of the bill. The resolution was not passed. It met with displeasure at the hands of many G.O.P. stalwarts ' who believed Willkie's position in support of the administration policy should not be criticized at this time. A few days earlier, in fact, the Pennsylvania state Republican committee com-mittee itself went on record as favoring fa-voring the aims of the lend-lease bill and requesting the state's Republican Re-publican congressmen to vote for it. Some G.O.P. newspapers, however, were not pleased. One declared Willkie, by supporting the Roosevelt foreign policy, was a "Quisling" to the Republicans. CRACKDOWN: For Defense The war department announced award to the Fargo Motor company com-pany of Detroit of a $10,298,128 contract con-tract for trucks. At the same time it let it be known that the Ford Motor Mo-tor company was low bidder but that their estimate was thrown out because be-cause Ford refused to agree to labor policy restrictions. The specifications specifica-tions of the contract called for observance ob-servance of the labor policy statement state-ment adopted by the defense commission com-mission last fall. Through this part of the specification the Ford bid had drawn a line in red ink, blocking block-ing it out. The refusal of Ford to observe the provisions of the bidding is not the first difference between the company com-pany and the government, nor is it the first business the firm has lost. The automobile manufacturer held out against the NRA, and the government gov-ernment stopped buying Ford cars. In Pennsylvania the state also cancelled can-celled an order then for several million mil-lion dollars. Last fall Ford refused to accept a defense commission contract con-tract for airplane engines because the material was scheduled to be shared with Great Britain. Supporters of the most recent action ac-tion within the government declared that it was wrong to award defense contracts to a manufacturer who has been held guilty of Wagner act violations. A Ford spokesman asserted that while the manufacturer would refuse re-fuse to make defense material requiring re-quiring compliance with the law, he was willing to make any material possible without any profit to him. PEACE: It's Wonderful Japan long has eyed the rich area of Indo-China and the port of Saigon, through which is exported 80 per cent of Indo-China's rice, fish, salt and timber. . Last September Siam (Thailand) which is known as a "client "cli-ent state" of Japan, suddenly declared de-clared war on the French who control con-trol Indo-China. The French, occupied occu-pied elsewhere, were forced to fight only an enfeebled campaign. Now Japan has stepped in as a "mediator." "A Japanese flotilla sailed into Saigon and ordered mediation me-diation end the conflict. Seven Japanese diplomats called representatives represen-tatives of the two powers to the warship and ordered "peace." Japan claimed the right as the protector pro-tector of the "new order" in the Far East. But Japan revealed she was not interested in peace alone. As payment pay-ment for bringing peace. Japan demanded de-manded that 80 per cent of each year's crop in Indo-China be sold to them. The demand gave point to the argument, that Japan had deliberately delib-erately encouraged the Thai attack so that it could step in and make peace, at a price. Poiver Meanwhile the Japanese naval force continued to base itself in Saigon, just opposite the Philippines which stand between Japan and the Dutch East Indies. The Japanese navy already has occupied Hanoi, opposite the northern tip of the Philippines. Only other base in the area is the British fortifications at Singapore. Japan has said that if America takes otfer that base, through negotiations with Britain, it will be regarded as an act of war. Peace. It's wonderful. YOUTH: Sponsor Lost The American Youth congress is a group with affiliations from hundreds of organizations, religious, political, fraternal and educational. Organized Or-ganized in 1934, it claims 3,400,000 affiliated members. But the group has had plenty of critics. The Die3 committee investigated inves-tigated it for communism. The President chided it last year when convention delegates called at the White House. In return he was booed. But through all the criticism, criti-cism, Mrs. Roosevelt remained one of its champions. She attended meetings, made speeches and denied the charges of communism. She invited in-vited delegates to the White House for dinners. But the organization now has come out against the selective service act, has opposed the lend-lease lend-lease measure for aid to Britain and has declared the nation is being led to dictatorship. So many of the former for-mer supporters are leaving the group. Invitations issued for the convention this year were turned down by Sidney Hillman, C.I.O. vice president and national defense commissioner, Secretary and Mrs. Roosevelt. MISCELLANY: C. Big salaries in the United States are fading, the Institute of Real Estate Es-tate Management was told, by its vice president, A. William Wal-strum, Wal-strum, of Ridgewood, N. J. Excess profits taxes and emergency levies are acting as great levelers of fancy incomes, he said, adding that statistics statis-tics show that the trend of top salaries sal-aries shows them limited to between $15,000 and $25,000. C Edward W. Scott, a New Zea-lander, Zea-lander, was editor of the Panama American, owned by Dr. Harmodio Aroas, brother of Panama's president. presi-dent. Editor Scott and Dr. Aroas have been critical of the administration administra-tion and its alleged anti-Americanism. Editor Scott was ordered deported. de-ported. Crowds came to the station sta-tion to see him off, but the Panama police had figured on that demonstration. demon-stration. The crowd discovered the police had gathered up Editor Scott and deported him on a train leaving the railway station at an earlier hour than the announced time. |
