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PACE 2 THE FLATHEAD COURIER • WEEKLY NEWS ANALYSIS Allied Command Moves to Clear Africa And Secure Control of Mediterranean; Hitler Decrees Added Nazi Sacrifices In Effort to Bolster Failing Manpower EDITOR'S NOTE When opinions are expressed in these columns, their are those of Western Newspaper I nion's news analysts and not necessarily of this neve*paper Relei‘sed by Western Newspaper unison How the U. S. task forces apply what the high command describes as "Swift Massive Strokes" against the enemy is illustrated by the above photo showing troops going aboard an air transport in New Guinea, equipped for marching or fighting or both when the plane reaches a destination in front of the Japs. TUNISIA: Activity Stepped Up Indications that the long awaited offensive to drive the Axis out of North Africa might be near, were seen in reports of the recapture of several central Tunisian positions with which the enemy had sought to form a line of protection for the flanks of Marshal Rommel's army retreating into Tunisia from Libya. Conferences of top American and British military chiefs in Casablanca even after the departure of Presi- dent Roosevelt and Prime Minister Churchill had emphasized the impor- tance of the next Allied moves. Lieut. Gen. Dwight Eisenhower's American forces had driven the Ger- mans back from six to nine miles in the Ousseltia Valley and had pressed steadily toward a pass through which Rommel's troops must pass in their effort to join Ger- man Gen. Von Arnim's army. Rommel's widely strung out rear guard had been constantly under at- tack by General Montgomery's Brit- ish Eighth army. One of the heartening features of the American activity was that this drive had recaptured several posi- tions of tactical importance previ- ously lost by the French when Ger- man armored units had smashed through their lines. AIR BLOWS: By 'All-American' Team Ominously prophetic of more and deadlier blows at the heart of Ger- man industries and naval bases were the first "All-American" day- light bombing attacks in which swarms of unescorted Flying For- tresses and Liberators smashed at the naval base of Wilhelmshaven and industrial installations at Em- den. While three of the unescorted American bombers were lost on the Wilhelmshaven-Emden raids, United States headquarters said that a "number" of enemy planes were de- stroyed. Hitler's northern flank was given a pounding when the shipyards in Copenhagen, Denmark, hitherto un- scathed, were bombed by the RAF. The principal targets of this raid were U-boat engine factories which are working for Germany. RUSSIA: Cause for Rejoicing With President Roosevelt and Prime Minister Churchill's joint note in his hands promising decisive blows in the West, "Uncle Joe" Stalin could look with considerable satisfaction on affairs in the East. How well the Russian offensives were going was indicated by a steady parade of Soviet communi- ques reporting successes all along the line. The Red army had driven forward to within 60 miles of Rostov, with the recapture of the railroad towns of Ataman and Yegorlyk. To the north, the Ukrainian offensive westward from captured Voronezh had pressed on to within 80 miles of the big Nazi base of Kursk, with the reoccupation of Gorsehechnoye. The Russian Stalingrad trap had closed its jaws on all but a few scattered remnants of the 200 Axis divisions of 200,000 men who had besieged that industrial stronghold. HITLER: Produce or Die Significant of even sterner meas- ures ahead on the Nazi home front was Adolf Hitler's decree imposing compulsory labor service on all Ger- man men from 16 to 65 and all women from 17 to 45 and hinting the death penalty awaited slackers. Observers who had been puzzled for weeks over Nazi radio propa- ganda stressing the seriousness of the military situation in Russia now readily saw that this device had been employed to prepare the Ger- man people for new sacrifices of a most bitter and stringent nature. Clearly Hitler was trying desper- ately to solve his manpower prob- lem. Allied military experts esti- mated Germany must recruit at least 1,000,000 new men to fill the gaps in faer army. DRAFT CALL: Faces Fathers in '43 Evidence mounted that the draft- ing of married men with children would be under way before the end of 1943, following the U. S. high command's announcement that the nation's armed forces would total 10,420,000 this year. Observers recalled a statement some time ago by Maj. Gen. Lewis B. Hershey, selective service chief, indicating that the supply of child- less married men would last only about 10 months. The statement in- ferred that drafting of men with children would begin around next October if 10,000,000 or more were to be called without drafting 18 and 19 year olds. Since General Hershey spoke, the mininium draft age has been low- ered to include those ag brackets, but the gain thus made i0 the num- ber of draft eligibles has been off- set by deferment of all men 38 years or older, apparently reinstat- ing his forecast. NAZI PEACE: Offensive Is Nipped As political observers viewed in perspective President Roosevelt's historic North Africa conference with Prime Minister Churchill, the conviction grew that one of the most significant but unheralded results of that meeting was the forestalling of a prospective new German peace of- fensive. For several months it had been evident in world chancellories that Hitler would offer a compromise peace as part of his 1943 plans. Re- ports had indicated that his pro- posals would be made through non- belligerent Spain and would include an offer to withdraw from Western Europe while still retaining territo- ries occupied in Poland, Russia and the Balkans. In the light of these disclosures the Casablanca declaration that the Allied nations would be satisfied with nothing short of the unconditional surrender of Germany, Italy and Japan, definitely destroyed this spu- rious peace offensive. President Roosevelt's visit with President Vargas of Brazil at Natal, en route home, was significant of the solidity of South America's adhesion to the Allies. Observers believed Axis peace moves would make no dent in Latin America, even if made through still -neutral Argentine. HIGHLIGHTS . in the week's news CANBERRA: Prime Minister John Curtin told parliament that from the outbreak of the war to the beginning of 1943. total Australian battle casu- alties in all combat theaters were 52,148. The number comprised 6,826 killed, 23,892 missing, 9,059 known prisoners and 12,371 wounded. Aus- tralian casualties date back to early 1941 operations in North Africa un- der General Wa yell. NEW YORK: Pearl Buck, author, expressed the fear that "through political domination an international Fascist government may follow this war and seize the peace in the name of world order." Speaking at an In- dia independence celebration here, Miss Buck said: "There are men of -many nations who are thinking of world organization in terms of world military power." SOUTH PACIFIC: /up Casualties Heavy From New Guinea came .en.. Douglas MacArthur's consolin,; an- nouncement that American casual- ties in the victorious Papuan cam- paign were less than half the Japa- nese losses. Previous statements had said that a Japanese Papuan army of 15.000 had been wiped out. This indicated American casualties might have totaled 7,000, including those in- capacitated by sickness. As General MacArthur consolidat- ed his forces for the drive to clear the enemy out of the rest of New Guinea, military activity was limit- ed to continuous bombing of enemy bases. The raids included a heavy concentration on Lae, which is ex- pected to be the next target of Mac- Arthur's offensive operations. The navy department disclosed that a new Jap air base established within easy raiding distance of Guadalcanal in the Solomons had been strongly attacked by Atherican bombers. The new Jap airfield is on Ballale island, about 300 miles north- west of Henderson airfield on Guad- alcanal. The navy likewise announced that in air action over Wake island, a number of Jap Zero planes had been shot down, while all United States aircraft had returned safely to their fields. CORN GROWERS: Reap Big Benefits Corn belt farmers and western wheat growers will get the lion's share of the $595,500.000 in benefit payments to be distributed among growers for complying with last year's federal crop control pro- grams, it was indicated in a prelim- inary report of the department of agriculture on 1942 farm subsidies. Southern cotton farmers will get the smallest amount since 1936. largely because of the improved price position of this crop. The department's figures disclosed that payments to wheat farmers will total $133,477,000, compared with $107,353 for the 1941 crop. Corn payments will amount to $188,219,- 000, which is the record for that crop. Payments on the 1941 crop totaled $130.186,000. Cotton payments for 1942 will amount to about $78.833,000, com- pared with $184,957,000 in 1941 and a peak of $265,595,000 for the 1938 crop. Until the 1942 crop year, cotton pay- ments exceeded those for any other commodity. YANKEE FOOD: Aids Russ Offensive That American lend-lease food shipments have helped the Russian armies deal their deadly blows to Hitler's Nazi legions was revealed by Claude R. Wickard, secretary of agriculture. Food shipments to Russia which rose sharply as the winter offensive progressed went directly to the Red FOOD ADMINISTRATOR WICKARD army, Wickard disclosed. "In De- cember, for the first time," he de- clared in a report to the war council of the National -American Wholesale Grocers association in Chicago, "shipments to Russia were larger than the combined shipments to the United Kingdom and other British destinations." Discussing the 1943 outlook, Mr. Wickard said that "our armed forces and those of our Allies will require almost a quarter of all the food we produce." RUBBER PROGRAM: Green Light on 55% While a house of representatives naval committee ordered an investi- gation of charges made by Rubber Administrator William M. Jeffers that "army and navy loafers" were interfering with war production, WPB Chairman Donald M. Nelson disclosed that he had directed that 55 per cent of the synthetic rubber program for which Mr. Jeffers has been battling vigorously be carried through "as rapidly as possible." In testimony before the senate rubber investigating committee, Mr. Nelson defended his curtailment of the rubber administration's de- mands and declared he was aiding Jeffers as much as possible without serious interference with other ur- gent war production. The 55 per cent rubber plant con- struction program means that 25 synthetic rubber plants will be com- pleted as early as possible, the WPB chairman indicated. Mr. Jeffers had been demanding right of way for 65 to 70 per ceat of the original Barich program. Ground Observer Corps Scans Sky Day and Night More than 1,200,000 volunteer members of the ground ob- server corps of the aircraft warning service are on the alert 24 hours a day throughout the coastal areas of the United States, just to mal& sure it doesn't happen here! Approxi- mately 750,000 of these serve under the I Fighter Command from Maine to Florida, scanning the skies night and day for hostile aircraft—all under supervision of the army air forces. Since December 7 the banker, the butcher, the baker and the housewife take turns at watching the skies at their local observation post, none ever more than six miles apart. Ob- servers "flash" reports are phoned into stra- tegic centers where flights of planes are post- ed and passed on by officials. The following photos were taken at the Kingston, N. Y., observation post. Left: Chief Observ- er Mann and a group of his help- ers at the observa- tion post. Judge John T. Loughran is shown (left) phoning in a report. In , picture at the right Miss Jane Holcomb and Mrs. Lorraine Isaacson are shown at the post doing an extra shift together. Harry Netburn, a grocery clerk, is one of the observers. He is shown above at his regular du- ties. Right: Housewives, too, lend an eye. Here Mrs. Gladys Bashall, one of the observers, is shown in her kitchen. Mrs. Margaret Margaret Logan, beauli- cian, who is an assistant chief ob- server at the post. Michael Mazztwa (left) in his barber shop. Michael serves from 4:00 to 6:00 a. m. Mondays. " Dr. Murray 11. Greene, chirop- odist, who serves at the post from 12 to 2 each Wednesday. Local citizens sit in on a meeting to discuss observation post matters. Washington. D. C. CROWN PRINCESS MARTHA The crown princess of Norway is now a full-fledged member of the "Short -Snorters Club," with such other distinguished personages as Winston Churchill and Henry A Wal- lace. It happened as the Princess Mar- tha was returning by clipper from England to her home in Maryland. The stewardess on the plane asked if she were a member of the club, which requires every member to carry a marked $1 bill as a certifi- cate of membership. She was not. Whereupon other passengers prompt- ly presented their dollar bills—token of membership in the club—for the princess to sign. She wrote her name in ink, "Mar- tha, Crown Princess of Norway," across a dozen dollar bills that day, as the plane soared over the Atlan- tic. There were 14 passengers, and she signed for all except her lady- in-waiting, Ragni Ostgaard. The plane had been some time out of England before the passengers realized they had a princess aboard. She appeared on the passenger list simply as "Mrs. Brown." But some- one recognized her from pictures, and the word got around. While most of the passengers played bridge, .the princess read a book. At night she tucked herself into the little sleeping compartment, lower berth, while the lady-in-wait- ing climbed into the upper. She chatted with passengers as if she were merely Mrs. Brown, and when the trip was over, passenger Fred Williams of the British air ministry remarked: "She's quite the most charming' lady I've ever met." • • • HURLEY AND TIMOSHENKO When friends asked Brig. Gen. Patrick J. Hurley, just back from Russia, to explain the Marshal Timo- shenko's mysterious disappearance from the limelight, Hurley dodged the question as follows: Timoshenko is the George Wash- ington of Russia. Washington re- treated all the way from Boston to Yorktown. He lost one battle after another, but he figured that as long as he had his army intact, and the vast reaches of North America to retreat into, he might lose the bat- tles but he would win the war. And he kept on retreating until he was able to spring the trap on Corn- wallis at Yorktown. Timoshenko also followed the re- treat strategy—from Kharkov to Rostov to Stalingrad—but kept his hrmy intact. He is a tremendous figure in Russia. His name is stamped on the hearts of the people. (Editor's Note: Marshal Timoshenko is now on the northern Leningrad front. it has been disclosed. A letter to Stalin from commanders on that front was headed by Timoshenko's name). * • • LATINS LOVE RUSSIA Latin American fear of Commu- nism has long kept those countries from recognizing the Soviet Union. But Soviet military successes have persuaded the Latins that the Soviets will emerge among the victors in this war and will be a power to deal with. Thus some of the countries below the Rio Grande are coming around to diplomatic recognition of the So- viet government. Cuba is sending br. Aurelio Con- cheso, ambassador to Washington, to Moscow to open a legation, which will later be in charge of Dr. Raoul Herrera-Arango, also from the Wash- ington embassy. Mexico is sending her minister counselor from the Washington em- bassy, Dr. Luis Quintanilla, to be- come minister to the U. S. S. R. Foreign Ministers Gabriel Turbay of Colombia and Alberto Guani of Uruguay are in Washington today, where they will discuss with Soviet Ambassador Litvinoff the establish- ment of missions in Russia. Colom- bia recognized the Soviet in 1936, but has never sent a minister. It's also reported that Ecuador and Venezuela plan similar action. Thus far, however, Colombia is the only country on the South American continent which has recognized the Soviet Union. There are substantial possibilities for trade between Russia and Latin America after the war, and some of the Latins are getting on the band wagon. Note: Argentina, the only Latin American country not to break with the Axis, is scared sick over the prospect of a Russian victory and the danger of communism. • • • MERRY-GO-ROUND Spanish pressure on Paramount will cause some changes in the movie version of Hemingway's best seller "For Whom the Bell Tolls," but it will probably be released to the American public in April—despite Franco. ( U. S. Chamber of Commerce Pres- ident Eric Johnston will run for the senate in 1944 on the Republican tick- et against Senator Homer Bone, Democrat. Johnston is one of the few politically minded men ever to sit in the crusty throne of the U. S. chamber. ( The WAVES, gradually taking over more of the navy's paper work, are bringing in some smart officers, among them Lieut. Rebecca Gross, former managing editor of the Lock Haven (Pa.) Express and one of the few women managing editors ir the country. CLASSIFIED DEPARTMENT FISH FISH—FRESH OR FROZEN Carp or buff, lo. '1 cents per lb. Write MeNEIL BROS. - SAO, MONTANA HOTEL LEGGAT HOTEL • LOCATED in the Heart of Butte's Business District. . RATES —Comfort $1.50 t tl : • --Courts+, EQUIPMENT ALMOST NEW complete pasteurizing equipment. Price $830.00. Write BOX 1684, MINOT, Noun' DAKOTA. BONES BONES WANTED THE WELSH MINERAL CO.. 13th and N. P. crossing in Billings, Mont is paying War Time Prices for — Dry Prairie Bones "Bring 'Eon in" FARM LAND FARM LANDS Wite fZotr; listing on :1St eSes.rtaAeirn. farms, stock ranches. Some excellent buys. If you're concerned about what sort of gift to send a friend or rela- tive in one of Uncle Sam's branches of the services, your worries are over. If he smokes a pipe or rolls -his -own, the answer is a pound of tobacco. Numerous surveys made among soldiers, sailors, marines, and Coast Guardsmen show that tobacco ranks first on his gift list. Local tobacco dealers are featuring Prince Albert in the pound can for service men. Prince Albert, the world's largest -selling smok- ing tobacco, is a big favorite among many men in the service. —Adv. How To Relieve Bronchitis Creomulsion relieves promptly be- cause it goes right to the seat of the trouble to help loosen and expel germ laden phlegm, and aid nature to soothe and heal raw, tender, in- flamed bronchial mucous mem- branes. Tell your druggist to sell you a bottle of Creomulsion with the un- derstanding you must like the way it quickly allays the cough or you are to have your money back. CREOMULSION for Coughs, Chest Colds, Bronchitis —Buy War Savings Bonds— SNAPPY FACTS ABOUT RUBBER Reclaimed rubber Is th• product resulting from the processing of scrap rubber. It is prepared from used rubber articles that or• cleaned, purified and reads plas- tic for re -use in rubber mcmu- torturing. Crude rubber in 1899 was selling at $2,200 a ton. At th• 1923 high Wall selling at $2,755.20 per long ton. Inglne•rs hove designed the tires for one of the arrny's limps to resemble the camel's tread, nature's provision for support on shifting sand. A commercial user of tires reported that an Ammipol synthetic rubber lire used on a light truck returned over 35,300 miles before it was re- capped. This tire, with SI otherk was placed in test service early in 1941. A 33,000 -ton battleship required 168,000 pounds of rubber. That Nagging Backache May Warn of Disordered Kidney Action Modern life with Its hurry and worry, irregular habits, improper eating and drinking—its Halt of exposure and infee, tion—throws heavy strain on the work of the kidney.. They are apt to beeome over-taxed and fail to filter excess acid and other impurities from the life-giving blood. You may suffer nagging backache, headache, dizziness, getting up nights, leg pains, swelling—feel constantly tired, nervous, all worn out. Other sign. of kidney or bladder disorder are some- times burning. scanty or too frequent urination. Try Doan's Pill*. Doon's help tho kidneys to paw off harmful excess body waste. They have had more than half a century of public approval. Are recons. mended by grateful users everywhere. Ask pour neighbor! DOAN'S PILLS •
