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HomeMy WebLinkAboutZurich Herald, 1943-04-22, Page 6• VOICE OF THE PRESS A BUSY MEMBER Gordon Ross is one of .the hardest -headed men in the Cana- dian Parliament, He manages to operate an orange grove in Cali- fornia, a large wheat farm near Moose Jaw and the business of an active parliamentarian. Last year Mr. Ross became convinced that America would be short of vege- table oils, so he bought up all the sunflower seed he could find and raised Canada's largest single crop of sunflowers. They were peofiteble and they provided use- ful oils. —Vancouver Sun —0— MANPOWER ON THE FARM .A horsepower is roughly esti- mated to be the work which one and one-half horses can do. And a nen on the farm, is the work of eight hired men done by a a:leer, his wife, and a dog. --Peterborough Examiner —0— INTERNATIONAL FORCE Aeierican bombers were escart- ed back to their bases after a raid by Norwegian fighter planes led by a New Zealand wing com- mander. That's the kind of League of Nations that means something. —Windsor Star —0— ENCIRCLEMENT The Axis in Tunisia have in front of them the British, the Americans and the French, above thein the British and American air fleets and behind them the blue Mediterranean and the Bri- tish Navy. —Port Arthur News -Chronicle —0— BILLY BISHOP KNOWS Air Marshal Billy Bishop is still urging a "healthy hatred" of the Axis. He doesn't seem to think that the "This hurts me more than it does you" attitude is enough. —Sault Ste. Marie Star —0— THE SAVING GRACE A sense of humor may be de- fined as that which saves a girl in slacks from going into hys- terics at sight of a 1928 snapshot of her mother in knickers. —Boston Glebe —0— WHAT WE SHOULD DO We should 'quit worrying about Russia quitting and dropping be- hind until we catch up with Rus - eta. —Brendan Sun —0— LEGTIMATE HOARDING If you muse hoard, concentrate ou accumulating war savings cer- tificates. PLANE IN A PLANE etetseneee With wings taken off and tied beneath the transport, this British • P-40 Warhawk fits snugly inside a giant Douglas C-47 Skytrain some- where in Africa. The P-40 was being flown to a base for repairs. Ships Used To Be Launched By Men Launching' a ship with cham- pagne means more than swinging a bottle against a steel prow. To prevent splinters from flying into the face of the lady who says "I christen thee Tuscaloosa," the bottle is encased in a, mesh holder. Provision is also made for a sixty - foot strip of red, white and blue bunting woven to keep its shape after the bottle has been smashed. Preparation of the bottle take about five hours. The whole ceremony dates from e time when a hunching was at- tended with human sacrifice. With a decline in bloodthirstiness red wine was used symbolic blood'. At first the wine was drunk in a toast and the cup flung after thet ship. Champagne was introduced simply because it was more ex- pensive. Once uppn a time men (priests in very early times) al- ways launched. ships. In the nine- teenth century women took their places. 23 U -Boats Lost In Month Of March THE WAR • WEEK — Commentary on Current Events Bombings Alone Cannot Brine. War To Successful Conclusion That the most difficult period of the war is still in the iudet- Inite future and that the victory may not be won. until 1944-1945, or perhaps, later, probably stom from the Decreasing effectiveness of the Nazi le -boat campaign. If the Allies cannot deliver men and .supplies to the fighting fronts they cannot win the war. If their already hae- secious supply lines were disrupted for any long period of time It would be most difficult and, per- haps, impossible for them to launch their officially promised as- saults on Europe this year. The Nazis have the ability to get up off the floor as they did on the Southern front in Russia and their is the feeling in some quarters that the Russians may have over- exerted themselves in their great offensive. There is also the pos- . MIAMI that the Luftwaffe is not dead, but is merely playing pos- sum, An underground German radio station said last week that Ger- many lost six submarines during ,IVIarch in the Atlantic or Medi- terranean and that 17 additional flaboats did not return to base end are regarded as lost. The broadcast said nine others were damaged but made port and 11 were damaged slightly. In all, 1,039 crew members were dead, missing or possibly prisoners. March lessee exceeded February, the broadcast said. New construction still is ahead of U-boat losses, according to the radio, but only a little and Allied defenee measures are improving. It's Double Summer Time In Britain ----- Great Britain last week went bn double summer time until Aug. 15 to take advantage of the early sunrise. The change shortens the black- out by an hour. The new time puts Gi eat Brit- ain six hour ti ahead of eastern war time in the United Statca. Step -Up Air Assaults Yet, the Nazis can be defeated under water as well as ou the land and in the air. The Attlee were late in tackling the submarine problem in earnest but the means dor combating it are becoming aYailable. The so-called "rim -of -the - wheel" thesis that bombings from bases in Britain, North Atrica, the Meddle East and Russia could be decisive has gained strength in official (marten. Rim -of -the -wheel advocate% would step up the current air as- saults ou German industry and transport to twelve 1,000 -plane raids per mouth. They hold that when 36 such raids had been made, victory would be within the Allies' grasp. LIFE'S LIKE THAT the bombers leave their basea their takeoff would be anuouuced also, Thus, it is argued, industries in a score 01' more of cities would be paralyzed. The theory demon- strates couteniet, which appeat'a to be justified, for the N4Zifi' ab- illt.y to fight oft bombers. Where es The Luftwaffe? In view of the clear-cut and mounting air superiority of the Milted Nations In the European and AM= theatres, and in vieW also of the success of the Russian Winter offensive, one certainly Is entitled to ask what has becoine of the vaunted might of the Ger- man air arni. From time to time there are reports of great reserves of giant bombers in the Retch: bombers capable of making' the 7,000 -mile round trip flight from the nearest available European fielcfs to our own Atlantic shoree with a bomb load. In this .connec- tion scene figures of distance are highly significant, since range is a balancing factor against load. It is only 93.0 miles from Berlin to Vyasma, only 230 from Smo- lensk to Moscow, 550 from Greece to Tunisia, 350 from Naples to Bizerte, 140 from Cagliari to that Tunisian stronghold and ninety nines from Sicily to the same port. From Paris to London is only 220 miles. If the Flying Fortresses and Liberators and the R. A. F.'s Lan - casters and Stirrings have been able to make the devastating raide from Great Britain on German cities—it is 580 air miles front London to Berlin—why have not the German bombers of this re- puted armada struck itt reprisal on Great Britain, laid waste Mos- cow, or turned the whole Ude in Tunisia from the near -by epring- boards .af Italy and Greece?. - Does It Exist? Presumably the answer is to be found in several factors. Itt the first place, one may questiofl the existence of any such fleet. Fail- ure to use it when the tide of free- dom is running so heavily against the Axis in the air on each of the several vital fronts surely puts a large interrogation point against its reality. Secondly, shortage in both quantity and quality of fuel and lubricants may make full use of existing aircraft by the Ger- mans impossible. Thirdly, the con- stant attrition of both pilots and planes of the Luftwaffe may have depleted necessary fighter pro- tection for such bombers as are available to a point when they can- not safely be risked. It is probable that all these factors enter into the mystery of Germany's pro- gressively developing comparative weakness in the air. "Sitting Ducks" Now, of all times, it wuold be foolish to -underestimate t h e strength at the enemy. He may have cards up his sleeve which will prove dangerous indeed. In- creasingly it . appears, however, that limiting factors as to produce tion, design and certain accessory weaknesses of the German combat air arm are contributing to the mounting odds in favor of the 'Un- ited Nations in the skies. Russian courage and blood have shown that the dread Panzers were not invincible. In the harsh, broken country of North Afric,a the Stukas have been described as "sitting ducks" and have -fallen prey to the Lightnings and the Warhawks, the Mitchells and the Marauders in an everincreasing bag. It be- gins to appear that the beinedaled Goering has missed his greatest ehance. The failure to date of the vaunted Luftwaffe to rescue Rom- mel and to strike back blow for ruinous blow on Britain is per- haps the most heartening current aspect of the war„ The rim -of -the -wheel theory is strengtleened, rather than weak' ened, by the fact that its pro- ponents do not hold that air bomb- ings alone can bring the war to a successful conclusion. "After the rim -of -the -wheel has been made secure, after Germany has been contained, after the air attacks have been brought to a proper in- tensity from all sides, then will be the time to equip our land forces for a concerted push against a tottering German struc- ture. Russian troops from Russia, British and American troops from the Middle East land bridge, Bri- tish, American and French troops from the Gibraltar bridge, British and American troops ewasmitirat last over the Channel—these are the land movements which can administer the coup de grace. The time for it will be' after our com- bined air power has cut the hub out of the wheel." This appears' to be the current plan of attack, Advance Notice Au interesting proposal is that bombing schedules be announced by radio a week in advance. When By Fred Neher sonaething, Dwiglit! 'You've THE UNCONQUERABLES AN EASTER MORNING IN POLAND Around a table in a crowded shabby room in a Polish city, once thriving and proud of its place in the march of civilization and progress, but now shattered and in decay, a little group had gathered to eat together the Eas- ter breakfast. Compared with that meal in days of peace, this was a poor parody. But by indomitable endeavor, pooling of resources, and ingenuity, enough had been provided to serve as symbols of the traditional Polish Easter fare. The assembled company, mostly womeu, on this outstanding Polish family holiday, were more keenly aware than on ordinary clays of the tragedies that had befallen, and of loved ones they would never see again. But on this occasion they had, as it were, resolved to put aiway sorrowful thoughts and smile and talk of other things. And for a time things went well. * * Then a young woman who had suffered recent loss found the strain too great and broke into weeping. Conversation hushed. In- stantly an elderly woman rose -from her place, laid her hand upon the •girrs shaking shoulder and standing erect, iu a voice without a tremor addressed her: "Do not weep. Today, the Day of the Resurrection, is not a day for tears. Remember the words of the Lord, His assurance that He would rise again. And He did rise, and we are celebrating His resur- rection, as so many have celebrat- ed it before us, and will celebrate it atter us. Don't weep; for Po- land will rise again. And then the martyrdom of your dear ones will be enshrined and live forever in the memory of the nation, and God and our dear country will comfort you." * * With that the speaker walked slowly back to her chair at the end of the table. But the sobbing ceased and the voices that took up the interrupted conversation were strong with a reassured faith and confidence, strong in the knowledge that what has never perished must of a certainty rise again. British Armies Will Take Sure Revenge British armies have already in this -war done a great deal more fighting than is apt to be recog- nized, says The Navy (London). They have had sad and serious reverses—often because the dice were loaded impossibly against thein, and sometimes because per- formance fell short of aonception. But the British armies Which be- gan with the small highly trained expeditionary force which fought its way out of Dunkirk and went on with the insufficiently trained contingents which did • their tdanmedest in Norway, are now a great and formidable power. They will, we are convinced, take a sure and ample revenge for all the setbacks which they passed your driver's test!!!" have suffered. "And it seemed," said the guest who related this incident, "as if the room lead euddeuly been filled with aunshine." Fog Is No Longer Hazard To Fliers Research in aviation to further the war effort has brought xnany new advances in the industry, in- cluding an invention that means the elimination of the hazards of blind flying through fog, even at night, says President Ernest R. Breech of the Bendix Aviation Corporation. He divulged no details, stating that "these developments are so broad in the scope of their appli- cation for military purposes that I cannot hint to you how this has been accomplished. "1 can tell you that it is no longer experimental, and 1 can give you positive assurance that fog, even at night, will join the long list of weather hazards con- quered by man in his desire to fly, "Man's genius has added other great invention to the long list of engineering advances that now assures the airline pilot, re- gardless of actual weather condi- tions, a ceiling and visibility un- limited." Sir Edward Beatty With his employees his rale. tions were the finest, says The Ottawa Journal. There was the day, telling his great heart, when Grant Hall brought him a list of workers to be laid off. It was a cold wintry day. "E. W.," as they called him, looked at the list, then turned to a window to gaze out at a blizzard that was raging. All he said was: "This is a helluva day to let men. out, Grant. Let's forget it." Thus Edward Beatty, sportsman, humantiarian, philanthropist, rail- way builder; in heart and soul a big Canadian, To him, to all his kind, our country and Empire owe much. May we keep long and honor his memory. 1 Tugs Go to Sea by Rail WHEN ships go down to the sea by rail a difficult transportation problem is involved. A record in rail transport has been set by operating officers of the Canadian National Railways in the recent successful movement of two large tugs, built far inland, to the seaboard. "Ward" and "Watch," terms as- sociated with security and guardian- ship, are the names of these tugs. They were transferred from their native element in Georgian Bay waters over the lines of the National System to an East Coast seaport where they are now engaged in war work. These 60 -foot overall tugs were built at Owen Sound, given their trials there, taken from the water and swung on board fiat cars to begin a railway journey of more than 1,300 miles. That sounds simple but a tug cannot be knockeddown or folded up, particularly in this instance where the steel hulls are welded. Height and breadth of the hull provided material for a lot of operat- ing headaches which lasted from Owen Sound to the Atlantic. Placed on her side on a flatcar the top of the load was 18 feet, 9 inches above the top of the rail. The actual beam of the tug is 14 feet 6 inches so that when loaded on the car the hull seeetesteeiseeseeek nese- • projected two feet beyond the car edge on one side, the awkward posi- tion being due to the necessity for establishing a safe centre of gravity. Overhang constitutes a problem on any part of a railway and particularly so at curves. It was necessary for the National System engineering depart- ment to check the plan of every bridge between the terminal points, a big task when carried out over 1,300 miles. Some clearances were of the scantiest, the smallest being barely one inch from the top of the load at a point where a highway crossed over the reilway. The side overhang was a bigger problem than the height and it Was necessary to arrange for every train in which this load was included to move at restricted speed when the _second track was vacant. The entire transportation involved a series of carefully planned movements. The transportation was carried out successfully and "Ward" and "Watch" are now in salt water performing their tasks of moving barges in the Canadian National lighterage service which daily handles great quantities of supplies and war material taken from the rail terminal and transferred to ships carrying vital cargoes for the United Nations. ••021=9,1111011122:9: MINIENNIMINi 0......11011.11111!1.......01.11.11 REG'LAR FELLERS—He's Stuck with 'Ern ) PUT peers. - OR Tilt% *-rAirtys PAS-MVEVI flKf STM? Ws.1131.41 'Tiles Is Pt, 4040 PLACA. Cktair WSW ValtiVeS irttiKr ettitain /—• WaLleTtesTS A FUNNY oMLt 1 WO TSUI el tA1 Milt) ettel IVIG SOO'S Md *MOO By , ••••••••••1111.11111111111= GENE BYRNES J DID `(00 Do AsnereIN4 kertel FIVE. roar..t4it s-rpoos NAD JuSr A a411- ',AO? um. ; • •e eta 11.1, e, tIpts .m004