Show beekly WV news analysis tunisia upset slows yank timetable axis sends out peace feelers EDITORS NOTE win when opinions are expressed in in these col columns they are those of western newspaper union news analysts and not cot necessarily of this newspaper TUNISIAN TIMETABLE delayed by rommel general eisenhower Elsen hower had had his choice of fighting decisive engagements on ground offered him by marshal rommel or on terrain ol of his own choo choosing that he had preferred the latter was indicated by the fact that he was not drawn into a major battle when the nazis pushed american troops out of the tunisian area between sidi sid bou zid and gabsa into the foothills bordering teressa Tc Te bessa algeria while the tunisian reverse was not a catastrophe it was nevertheless a punishing setback that meant considerable further delay in liquidating the axis in africa and moving on to the vastly bigger job of getting at europe the situation was brightened somewhat by reports that the veteran british eighth army had rolled up from the south and had engaged brommels Rom mels attention the loss of three advance airfields and three forward positions by the american forces was costly superior weight and mechanical equipment plus gruelling gruenling gru elling battle experience peri ence was the explanation for the nazi success the new german GO 60 ton mark tanks had proved too strong for the 28 ton american tanks the nazis moreover had caught the americans with their lines too thinly held in washington secretary of war stimson said that american forces outnumbered and out armed have suffered sharp reverses and substantial casualties PEACE OFFENSIVE axis tries wedge long expected by allied chancel lories the axis peace offensive finally got under way first feelers were extended by virginio gayda dayd a fascist editor the next move came from nazi propaganda minister joseph goebbels the theme of both axis spokesmen was that the unprecedented russian victories were as much a danger to britain and america as to the axis therefore why not a separate peace so that europe could be saved from the bolshevik menace quick to expose the spurious technique by which the enemy hopes to talk its way out of the consequences of impending defeat was elmer davis chief of the office of war anfor mation this pulls the whole matter into the open he declared the axis is trying to drive a wedge between britain the united states and their allies BLACK MARKETS gangsters reap riches how to combat the black markets in meat products which were sky rocketing retail prices menacing the supply for military and lend lease purposes and endangering the future existence of small packers was a problem that had congress as well as agricultural officials worried As reports persisted that gangsters had turned their unscrupulous talents into this highly profitable illegal trade two suggestions were made by the OPA to the house small business committee for solving the problem one was for the government to purchase live animals the other was for a registration of all who handle meat OPA investigators it was learned had bad uncovered strong indications that onetime one time allies of gangster chief al capone had been dabbling in meat sugar and coffee in one eastern city it was said that one third of meat sold over retail counters had been slaughtered illegally 1 I 7 14 3 0 o A 4 V 4 A A wounded U S soldier struck during a heavy air attack by german planes on the airfield at souk el arba in algeria is shown being comforted bya by a comrade in arms the airfield was originally captured by U S para troopers FRENCH ARMADA to strengthen allies heartening news that 42 french warships in addition to the four now undergoing repairs in american shipyards would soon be fighting an on the side of the united nations was brought out by vice admiral raymond fenard chief of the french naval mission to the united states admiral fenard said that two more battleships six cruisers an aircraft carrier seven des destroyers broyers tr 14 submarines and ten auxiliary craft would join the united nations armada soon but I 1 dont know when the naval leader said that the cruisers eloire and georges ley gues already are in action against the axis CANNED MEAT temporary freeze making supplies of canned meats and canned fish last through the year was a problem causing many a headache in the office of food administration stocks on dealers shelves had dwindled ominously housewives were on a buying spree result the OPA suspended sales of canned salmon tuna shrimp meat spreads and kindred products until at least march 28 the date on which meat rationing yas was expected to begin meanwhile housewives and corner grocery men had begun to familiarize themselves with the point ration ing system governing the sale of canned fruits and vegetables dried fruits canned soups and canned baby foods still un rationed were fish and meat products sold in frozen form such as quick freeze lobster and canned products not sealed or sterilized by the use of heat pickled pigs feet and dried beef were examples of the latter RACE FOR nazis still menaced only two natural defense lines in the flat farm areas of southern russia were left open to the nazi armies after the victorious russian forces had swept rapidly westward following the fall of and kharlov chark ov these were the river in the central ukraine and behind it the iester river on the rumanian border even if hillers Hit lers armies won the race to the river and succeeded in establishing a new winter line behind its mile wide expanse the nazi problems were by no means solved the nazi southern flank in the crimea would be exposed and difficult to hold the northern flank west of leningrad would likewise be in jeopardy in an effort to convert the german retreat westward into a disorderly rout the red army had pounded ahead in a knockout offensive aimed at orel nazi anchor point below moscow strategic junction of four railroads orel provided direct communications between north russia and the central ukraine on the trunk rall rail line between moscow and orel As the reds continued to push the nazis out of the eastern and northern regions of the donets river nazi resistance had stiffened inside the river basin itself INFLATION taxation the remedy hardheaded hard headed beaded marriner S 3 eccles chairman of the federal reserve board of governors bluntly warned congress that the nation faced disastrous inflation because the 9 government v is financing too much of ts its war de deficit fl cit b by y bank borrowing 11 a and d not enough by taxation and pub public lc borrowing asserting that the government was doing a very bad job of war financing by comparison with other countries mr eccles said the problem of inflation was entirely in the hands of congress no government in a war period has been able to avoid some inflation he said adding that inflation can only come by congress ap money and failing to provide method ot of collecting money purchasing power this year he estimated would be 40 billion dollars in excess ot of goods and services available if the public saved in the same proportion as in 1942 however he said the gap would be shaved down to about 15 billion DRAFT undesirables next As it became clear that congressional sentiment was preponderantly in favor of deferring fathers and others with dependents until the supply of single men was vas completely exhausted somber predictions on the future quality of draftees were made by army spokesmen brig gen miller G white warned that deferment for fat fathers fiers of draft age would make it necessary for th the e army to induct illiterates men w with th venereal diseases and unde si now accepted only in limited numbers the rapidity with which the nations armed forces are being built up was indicated by a statement by maj gen lewis B hershey head of the selective service system that a total of men per day are being taken into the army and navy at present induction rates STEEL CAPACITY millions for steel companies have met the wartime challenge of greater output by spending nearly a billion and a quarter of their money to increase product production ion and efficiency since 1938 the american iron and steel institute announced one third of this surn sum was spent in the first three years of war but after pearl harbor expenditures were stepped up from 1941 through 1943 the institute said the industry spent or prepared to spend about present expansion projects will increase blast furnace capacities 20 per cent open hearth 18 per cent and electric furnace nearly pe per r cent BRITISH SHOWDOWN on beveridge plan prime minister Chur chills position as britaina Brit ains war leader was in no wise jeopardized but the labor bartys vigorous protest over his governments lukewarm attitude on the beveridge social security plan had precipitated a domestic crisis labor leaders were determined to force the government to accept the beveridge plan more fully and take steps to make it workable the labor party had been sorely dissatisfied with what it regarded as the governments delaying tactics highlights in i the weeks news washington col bernt balchen new york famous for his arctic exploits and now a member of the army air corps has been awarded the soldiers medal and oak leaf cluster the war department announced balchen participated with two navy fliers in the rescue last june of a flying fortress crew in greenland that had suffered a wilderness crackup crac kup NEW YORK th the campus and buildings of what was formerly hunter college in the bronx have now been completely occupied by WAVES and SPARS who are training here at the navys newest and largest center tor for these auxiliary enlistees enli capt william F amsden is supervising the young boot training when enrollment roll ment is completed more than WAVES and SPARS will be on deck quarters are in 13 apartment buildings near the campus were vacated by their civilian occupants CANBERRA the australian commonwealth mon wealth issued a proclamation according the united states most favored nation treatment on tariffs this action was taken without tor for mal request from the united states R V keane minister of trade and customs said it is wrong that our principal ally who has given us great material assistance should remain on the punitive general tariff LONDON britain rit ain will need at least helpers for harvesting this years crop and if they are not available on a voluntary basis they will have to be conscripted minister of agriculture R S hudson declared last year he said britain had harvest camps and this year it is hoped there will be more than 1000 we want at least school children older students and between and adults he added the alternative to a satisfactory harvest he said would be prolongation of the war and an acute food shortage FASTEST PLANE unveiled by navy when the navy unveiled what was termed the fastest airplane in the united states at a hartford C con plane factory it was disclosed disclose doll zuei other models of this ship jhc thc thu vought corsair had bad already been in successful action against the japs over munda in the south pacific among the bests claimed in the corsairs Cor behalf were that it has the most powerful engine of any navy fighter in the world that it can out fight and land based aircraft in the same classification that it can be used as an interceptor JAP WAR THEATER mme ame chiang urges speed even as madame chiang kai shek in washington was calling tor for more decisive allied blows against japan from n china revealed that the japs had undertaken what was apparently a major effort 4 7 knock china out of the war J W the jap offensive took the form of attacks in seven chinese areas from above shanghai to in the southwest the core of the drive had been directed along the old bur ma road in southwest seeking to stir stif america to a greater understanding of japans menace to the allies madame chiang said R V K cl Y MME CHIANG KAI SHEK urges speedy aid to china it was contrary to the united nations interests to allow japan to continue not only as a potential enemy but as a waiting sword of damocles ready to descend at a moments notice reports from allied pacific headquarters continued to reflect steady if progress in new guinea american and australian jungle troops were pushing hard on the heels of japs retreating from the area toward bubo on the outskirts of kalamau Sala mau in the air liberator and flying fortress bombers continued attacks on jap positions in dutch new guinea and new britain RATION DATES march 13 period 5 fuel oil coupons good to sept 30 become valid march 15 last valid date for no 11 sugar coupons good for three pounds march 21 last valid date for stamp no 25 good for one pound of coffee march 21 last day on which coupon 4 in A gas ration book Is valid march 31 final date for first inspection of passenger car tires for all A card holders and motorcycles april 26 expiration date for period 4 fuel oil coupons june 15 last valid d date t tf stamp no 17 good for one of shoes is released by western newspaper per union |