| Show weekly news analysis allies seal off ruhr production center clay to rule reich EDITORS NOTE MOTE when opinions iff are expressed in ia these thesa columns they are r aboss those of western newspaper union sews news analysts tad and not cot necessarily of this newspaper EUROPE lost last great arse arsenal nal the me last great source ot of ger banys supply of war materiel had been sealed off as tanks of lieutenant general hodges U S alst 1st army swept before them all resistance in their spectacular dash towards berlin the british 2nd and army pounding across the north german germa plain had steadily drawn closer and closer to the army ruhr valley war production centers had been effectively sealed off typical of the magnitude of the american forces was the one day bag of nazi prisoners taken by general pattons Pat tons 3rd ard army in its sensational drive eastward city after city had fallen into allied hands under Elsen Eisen howers steam roller among the rich prizes were frankfurt on the main ranking ninth in the german reich mannheim which fell ell to lieutenant general patcha ath army and ana essen which led all europe to in the production pt munitions clearly the final doom of nazi power was sounding prime minister churchill of great britain declared he believed the hour of success was at hand still some military authorities pointed out that a final nazi stand might be made in mountainous southern germany buttressed by defenses in northern italy and the industrial resources of czechoslovakia spring rains and fog had kept the italian front quiet but observers had expected gen mark darks clarks armies to begin massive smashes northward relentless reds in the east russian armies had kept up their relentless pressure on berlin and elsewhere with armored divisions sweeping over the austrian border from western hungary and closing ever closer on vienna marshall 2nd and white russian army battered deeper into danzig once unconditional surrender was achieved civil affairs in germany would be under direction of maj gen lucius D clay who had had charge of materiel procurement tor for the army service forces when war mobilization director byrnes bymes borrowed him last december as his deputy in charge of the war program the appointment the white house said was made by gen george marshall army chief of staff clay was appointed deputy to general eisenhower demobilization small scale though some combat troops in the european theater of war will be de mobilized after germanys germanas Germ anys I 1 fall all all service air force and naval personnel will be retained to continue the fight against the japanese officials indicated demobilization of some combat troops will result from inability to make full use of them in the pacific tor for geographic reasons it was said but the exact extent of release will depend upon conditions in europe all members of the service branches will be needed for the construction of staging areas and bases in the pacific and the air force intends to bring its full weight to bear against the japanese because all approaches to the pacific theater of war are over water and because ships will have to bear the bulk of supplies all naval personnel will be required to bring about the Ja fall fail as quickly as possible pos sibe fket Admiral King declared N 3 K 4 Z V W w 04 J OK O K Z german dead litter road as british tommies commies drive toward berlin in ii rout of enemy forces on army front ARGENTINA on bandwagon band wagon jagon with germanys germanas Germ anys collapse imminent argentina was quick to jump on the allied bandwagon with a declaration la of war against the axis but in so doing she carefully pointed out that her policy was governed by the desire to cooperate with other inter american countries and participate in the united nations peace parley in san francisco by taking this action argentina ended six yeats years of hemispheric isolation during which time the coun rising in britaina Brit ains house of commons laborite Lab orile ivor thomas thom as asked foreign secretary anthony eden would it be the duty of a british soldier who seeks hitler to shoot him or try to bring him back alive replied eden 1 I am content to leave that to the judgment of any british soldier I 1 try professed a willingness to cooperate in inter american aff affairs airs but maintained an independent independent i course in foreign relations final determination to play a full and important part befitting her position in inter american affairs led to the decision to declare hostilities against the axis with ardent nationalists tiona lists and some army leaders however resisting the move to the last PACIFIC worst to come already feeling the sting of heavy U S aerial bombardment japanese found no comfort in gen H H hap arnolds announcement that america would bring the full weight of its tremendous air power to bear upon the nipponese once the war in europe ended As arnold spoke the strategic islands stretching between the jap homeland and formosa became the latest target for american assaults with carrier planes teaming with warships in blasting the 1 mile long chain preparatory to ground attack operations against the proceeded as general macarthurs Mac Arthurs forces continued mopping up the philippines in declaring that the U S planned to use every plane against the japanese after germanys germanas Germ anys fall fail to hasten their defeat general arnold said that not only would american air power smash the industry but it would also shatter his communication lines to bring ab about out his collapse indicating the increasing air activity against the japanese he reported that B 29 operations erat ions are now being conducted every four days with p planes lanes on each mission and the super forts can cover square miles from present base MANPOWER buck controls though the president made a strong appe appeal alfor for passage of the compromise manpower control bill under which plants would be limited in the number of persons they could employ and workers and farmers alike would be frozen to present jobs the measure encountered rough going in the senate despite the fact that the legislation fell short of military leaders demands for a labor draft the president said its terms assured continued high production tor for the knockout blow against germany and provided for keeping workers on the job after the nazis tall fall senators pointed up the great wartime production record of the U S in opposing legislation tightening control over both employers and employees plo and wyo hit arguments that passage of the bill would convince GIs that the home front was behind them rather he said defeat of the measure would assure them of retention at home of the freedoms for which they are fighting SOCIAL legislation for healthier babies seeking to insure healthy babies by protecting them from syphilis four states so far this year have enacted laws requiring prenatal examination of expectant mothers the action by the four states arizona montana oklahoma and west virginia brings to 34 the number taking this step oklahoma in addition enacted a premarital examination law making compulsory a test for venereal disease in other legislative action in this field utah extended the time for obtaining premarital health certificates from 15 to 30 days before marriage and provided that certificates ot of other states may be accepted in utah with this action six states the others are iowa north dakota ohio vermont and wisconsin now will accept tests from out of state laboratories in issuing mar marriage ariage licenses idaho deleted penalties for ex exposing pos another person to a venereal disease so the diseased person may be sent to a hospital for treatment rain rather than to prison as previously required TARIFF fight Rene renewed ived calling for authority to slash tariffs 50 per cent under january 1945 levels in an extension of the reciprocal trade agreements act for three years president roosevelt touched off a renewal of the historic tariff fight in congress while the president said that further tariff cuts would offer other countries the opportunity to obtain funds for purchases here the republicans argued that a flow of cheap goods into this country would threaten american producers and while the president declared that increased imports would add to employment in the processing and distributing businesses here the republicans predicted the program would defeat the announced goal of postwar jobs passage of the presidents proposals would allow as much as a 75 per cent tariff reduction under the smoot hawley rates of 1930 on some items it was pointed out under the original reciprocal trade act of 1934 reductions of 50 per cent were permitted and since these cuts already have been made on some items another 50 per cent decrease would amount to 75 per cent in all LAND REFORM big estates divided significant changes are taking place in land tenure of eastern europe according to the alexander hamilton institute in poland romania and hungary the big estates are being broken up and the land divided among the peasantry this development is likely to lead to lower production and declines in exports reduction in outputs is partly due to the fact that cultivation on small plots is not as economical as on large estates an increase in the consumption of foodstuffs by the farmers themselves and a diversification of the crops also contribute to the decrease in export surpluses while the chief purpose of the large estates is to plant crops which have a ready cash market the small farmer in eastern europe is primarily interested in producing commodities for his own consumption there is reason to believe therefore that the production and export of agricultural commodities in eastern europe will decline this will result in a lowered living standard 0 italian prisoners save U S manpower million man days italian service units in the U S helping to relieve the manpower shortage by contributing one million man days per month of essential skilled and unskilled labor at military installations total approximately mate men the war department reported the members of the italian service units wear class 13 army clothing from which all army buttons and insignia have been removed and on which have been sewn distinctive sleeve and hat patches bearing the word italy they are paid 24 monthly which approximates the 80 cents per work day paid ordinary prisoners of war engaged enga ged in labor the government receives the regu lar wage scale for their work italian prisoners of war who are believed to have fascist connections or leanings and those who do not volunteer tor for assignment to the service units are kept in prisoner ot of war camps on the same bases as german or japanese prisoners although are not under armed guard another manpower saving they are under the direct command and supervision of a relatively small number of american officers and soldiers they are not allowed to leave military reservations except under supervision and escort of american army personnel RATIONING smaller supplies already wa warned arned of a 12 per cent reduction in meat for the next three mon months ehg civilians took the first big hitch in their belts for the curre current quarter with the announcement of e sy increase in the point values of sausages and canned meat products while news of the tightening of these and other controls over fats and oils occupied the home front it was announced that all babies leather shoes would be rationed after april and efforts were being made to increase the output of fabric footwear for adults in raising the point values on pork sausages and canned meat products OPA said that there would be 5 per cent less meat available during april but the decrease in supplies would hit civilians civilian s harder in may and june coincident with the new controls over the aforementioned meats it was announced that point values alap would be boosted on lard along with shortening margerine and salad and cooking oils aft D hit shortage vr 1 discussing the meat shortage the national li livestock com committee mittet american of the american farm bureau charged that low price ceilings retarded increased production of beet beef and said assurances of minimum returns would lead to greater pork output the committees report came even as congress conducted hearings on the tight meat situation with representatives of all branches of the industry calling for an upward revision vision in ceiling prices to stimulate cattle feeding and relieve processors of the squeeze between costs and sales returns in establishing ceilings on grade AA and A beef the committee said OPA assumed that the last or pounds a steer gained in the feed lot was mostly fat later wasted in the kitchen on the other hand the committee declared fat of a steer is distributed through its meat speaking of pork the committee stated that farmers cut hog production at the governments request and would raise it again if guarantees were forwarded against market breaks LABOR management Post ivar charter william green left eric johnston center and philip murray confer on labor management charter recognizing managements control over its own business and labors right to organize and bargain presidents eric johnston of the U S chamber of commerce william green of the and philip murray r y of the CIO signed an agreement looking toward good relations between employer and employee in the postwar world when lower production might lead to unrest in effect the agreement proposes the establishment of voluntary machinery for the peaceful settlement of disputes and continuance of production in the postwar period to take the place of present wartime wartime 4 government controls regulating p relations toward this end creation of a special arbitration board appeared likely in reaching the agreement the parties tended to relieve managements fear that an oversupply of workers might be led into a violent left wing movement after the war and labors apprehension that companies might deliberately hire surplus help to break unions released by western newspaper union |
