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Zurich Herald, 1942-01-08, Page 2VOICE OF THE PRESS 0,1*.• AIRMEN'S DINGHIES Rubber dinghies carried by air crews of the R.A.F. in a pack measuring 16 inehes by 8 inches are one of the contributions to Britain's war effort made by Un- ited Kingdom manufacturers of corsets, silk stockings, mackin- toshes and so on. Like the carbon dioxide gas used for inflating the dinghies, which normally goes overseas in millions of bottles of Britain's famous table waters, most of the goods nornially pro- duced by these companies are known to shoppers in most parts of the world. These rubber dinghies have al- ready saved many lives, Tor in cold weather airmen wearing the "Mae West" jacket who came down in the sea could not expect to survive half -an -hour's immer- sion. Now, however, even a 400 kb. man can sit in his dinghy, stop leaks from a pin -prick to a can- non shell hole, propel it with a pair of rubber hand -paddles (made by people who usually turn out ladies' underwear), light sig- nal flares (supplied by firework manufacturers) and sustain him- self with emergency rations sup- plied by the makers of dainty boxes of chocolate. —St. Thomas Times -Journal. TO BED BEFORE MIDNIGHT From the Canadian Osteopathic Committee on War Effort comes a suggestion which at first glance may be :.anghed off by many but which in reality is worth thinking about; it is that we should all be in bed by midnight. Many statements have been made by responsible authorities that our health standard Is not what it should be, and the nervous and labor strain of these days is working a heavy and increasing toll. The osteopaths point out that more rest is the cheapest and yet most effective answer to this inroad upon our vitality, and few who study such matters will dis- agree. —Ottawa Journal. DRESSED TURKEYS Turkeys, the Wartime Prices and Trade Board rules,are dress- ed only when they are bare. It is just another of those mildly con- fusing anomalies, such as the fact that bread rises when it sets, and, in the price of sleeping car ac- eomodation, the lower berths are always higher than the uppers. eeeeseeee‘eseeeeeeeeeeee -....eeeseee-e-e-exieseer 04,53,po, NAZI EMERGENCY If Mr. Churchill suddenly were to take personal command of all the British land forces we should know a grave emergency had arisen. That is what Hitler has done in Germany, and it must be • an event of deep significance. —Ottawa Journal. ISN'T.IT A SHAME? Berlin correspondent complains that the Russians are attacking the German invaders at night and that Nazi soldiers are "under con- tinuous strain and can find no sleep at all." Now, that's what we'd call downright mean. —Windsor Star. TIMELY TID-BIT "Hitler is reported to be search- ing in the state libraries of Paris, in occupied France, for a copy of Napoleon's reputed secret memor- andum, entitled 'How I got out of Russia.' —Woodstock Sentinel -Review. NEUTRAL As the British writer, Vie Oliver, well says: "As far as the present international conflict is concerned, I am completely neu- tral. I don't care who kills Hit- e.- ler," —Windsor Star. RULE OF BUGS A chemist, alarxned by priori- ties, says that without insecticides bugs will rule the world. What makes him think bugs don't rule a large slice of the world right now? —Stratford Beacon -Herald. INKLING OF TRUTH "Some women who say they suffer in silence may mean that when in silence they suffer." —Belleville Intelligencer, FITTING Germans pronounce the letter "J" as we pronounce the letter "Y." Thus Japs become "Yaps." Well . . —Woodstock Sentinel Review, RECIPE The best way to improve a vegetable dinner is to add a nice, juicy steak. —Vancouver Sun. Scrap For Warships --- Enough scrap metal has been collected in Britain in two years to furnish material for two cruis- ers, 10 or 12 destroyers, 10,000 , anti-tank guns, 15,000,000 shell and 10,000 tallies. JAP "TIN FISH" CAUGHT BY UNCLE SAM A mass of torn, twisted and dented steel is all that remains cif this two-man Japanese submarine that was shelled, rammed by a destroyer and blast ed with a depth -bomb during Hawaiian blitz. The forward half of the craft has been ripped to pieces. The wreck was raised by U. S. Navy from bottom of Pearl Harbor for first-hand examination. Army of Russia Still Marches On In September, after a lively few months, the German High Command said: "Russia as a military power is finished." Last July 2 Dr. Otto Dietrich, the Nazi press chief, sounded off prematurely en the same topic, and wound up with: "I have never misled you." What he said that day includ- ed: "The power of resistance of the Soviet armies has been brok- en." "Unbelievable chaos has closed over the Soviet armies." "The encircling, dismembering and annihilation of the huge Red forces guarding the road to Minsk and Moscow has been com- pleted." Sonia other little gems from the Dietrich press conference: "The last Russian army groups are being wiped out." "There is no doubt that the whole Russian front is smashed." Air 2 aid Sirens For Ontario Cities Ontario's larger cities will have air raid sirens very soon. eeereeeeeeeee, •wax---3:haelialit.ylkes• Sinn is ender wa'y at Burlec, 'Lim- ited, Scarboro. Firiat order from Ottawa is for 60. The sirens can be heard four and a half miles away under good oonditions. It is a twin -note type, automatically controlled by a "whaler relay" which transmits the warning signal or the "all clear" as desired, by operating a designated switch. The siren to be made is of the type approved by the home office, A.R.P. depart- ment, in England. U. S. Airlines In Emergency Test . — Oranges from California, pe- cans from Oklahoma, oysters from Baltimore, baked beans from Boston and scrapple from Philadelphia — a veritable feast. Only it wasn't. All these delica- cies were flown to New York re- cently not so much for eating purposes as for a test to show how the 362 transport planes of the United States' 19 commercial airlines could carry 2,896,000 pounds of food to New Yorkers in a war emergency. It's A Long Time Between Stitches Mrs. Caleb Fox Jr., Production Department Chairman of the' Red Cross in Philadelphia, reports that a middle-aged volunteer showed up with a half -completed knitted sock and asked more matching yarn to complete it. Noticing it was an off -shade, Mrs. Fox inquired when it was started. Caine the reply: "During the first World War." Americans To Stay In Canadian Forces •C.anielieen.. officials atty„tilikt United1States volunteers 1W-710 ae‘ ada's fighting forces are expect- ed to remain where they- are ra- ther than return to the United States for service. Nearly 10,000 men from "south of the border" are serving in the Canadian Army, and 10 per ceree of the air crews trained and in training for the Royal Canadian Air Force are from the States. The female frog deposits from 600 to 1,200 eggs annually. BEAUTIFUL CATHE RAL The million -dollar Cathedral in Manila, where .Taps rained bombs on the undefended Philippine capital. ilattri • Theatre of War In Vast Pacific Many Thousands of Islands in Pacific Brought Into The War, Relates The Sault St. Marie Star. This is an amazing war which is now in progress in the Pacific Ocean. Mr. Churehill, when he announc- ed the opening of the British of - Pensive in Libya a few weeks ago, spoke of the operations there being like those of a sea battle; with strategy and tactics being extend- ed over a wide area. But even Mr. Churchill did not at that time vision operations of the scope of those now being carried in the vast expanse of water that lies be- tween Asia and the Americas Prem. Yokohaina to ancouver is 4,280 miles and from the same Jap- anese port to San Francisco is 4,- 525 miles From Yokohama to Honolulu is 3,440 miles. Russia's 1,500 mile battle line has seemed a tremendous distance. But it is dwarfed by a war which takes distances such as those in the Pacifie, And think of the many thousands of 'sands which ae scattered over that great area. There are some 7,083 islands in the Philippines, which stretches for a distance of one thousand miles. In. Japan, without .taking into account the territory It holds in. China, there are some 2,322 islands, stretching over 1,600 miles, and having a population of 100,000000 people. In the Netherlands Indies' there are about 2,000 islands, spread over a territory 3,000 miles in length from Singapore to Borneo Then in ad- dition there are the scores and hundreds of islands 'which owe al- legiance to Britain, France, the United States, Russia, Japan, Aus- tralia, New Zealand which are dot- ted over the map. Airplanes and modern war lies - eels have brought a strange war to a strange. territory. Nazis Hide Truth From Own People The Germans are trying to hide from their own people their huge losses in Russia by regulating obituary notices, asserts London Calling. Since the start of the Russian campaign there have been four orders regulating obituaries, it is said. The first prohibited firms and party organizations from publish- ing them; the second ordered the reduction in size by half; the third limited the number to twenty- five daily, and the fourth instrac- ted editors to censor the text. ees and War Honey mixed with foods and drinks Nv ere inclueed in the daily diet of the ancient Romans, So highly did they prize this food that. the Roman Emphe armies even carried their ownbee-hives with them wbeneser they invaded a foreign land. TI -IE WAR - WEEK -- Commentary on Current hvents Allied Heads Meet In Washington To Plan Defeat of Axis Powers "The Prime Minister of Great Britain," said the Presidentiet Secretary, Mr. Stephen Early on the evening of December 22, "is now with the President. He ar- rived by air and was met by the President at an air station near Washington. He was accompanied by Lord Beaverbrook and a tech- nical staff." "There is, of course," continued Mr. Early, "one primary objective hi the con- versations to be held between the President and the British Prime Minister and the respective staffs of the two countries. That purpose is the defeat of Hitlerism through- out the world. "It should be remembered that many other nations are engaged to -day in this common task. Therefore, the present confer- ences in Washiagton should be regarded as preliminary to further conferences which will offically include Russia, China, the Neth- erlands and Dominions. It is ex- pected that there will also be in- volved an over-all unity in the conduct of the war. Other nations will be asked to participate in the over-all objective." Issues Involved The problem. of co-ordinating the vast issues involved could be summarized under the following headings: 1. Britain, kinerica, China, Russia and the Netherlands stand unshatterably united against any separate peace with any part of the Axis and they are making the fullest conceivable pledge to each other that only a peace ap- proved by all will be accepted by any. 2. A supreme Allied War Council will be immediately or- ganized to direct the composite strategy against the composite forces of the, Axis. The highest and most critical decisions of pol- icy will be settled by common agreement in the interests of the most effective war plan and all the theatres of the fighting will be co-ordinated in the interests of this common strategy. This is to give effect to Mr. Roose- velt's repeated declarations that the world -scale aggression of the Axis can only be defeated by the world -scale strategy of the Al- lies. 3, There will be an unreserved pooling of the implements of war and they will be dispatched to the fronts where they are most needed in accordance with the necessities ef the broadest strat- egy. 4. Russia's entry into the war against Japan will be decided by joint agreement as to when and how it will be most effective. 5. There will be agreement on the essential peace objectives outlined by Mr. Roosevelt and Mr. Churchill in the Atlantic Charter. 6. The alliance will not au- tomatically terminate with the conclusion of the war. It is de- signed to constitute the beginning of a peace alliance against fur- ther aggression—the beginning of a world policy force to prevent future war. 7. The mechanism of close consultation is planned to form the basis of economic and social collaboration in the period of post-war reconstruction. Conference In Moscow It is significant that the initia- tive of this Allied Council did not spring from any single one of its members. It arose almost simul- taneously from all of them, in- cluding strong leadership from Generalissimo Kiang Kai-shek in • Chungking. Tho councils from which the present argument is emerging have been ihi progress for some time in Washington,. in London and in Moscow, Foreign' Secretary Anthony Eden and Prime Minister Joseph Stalin in Moscow have reached an agreement in full on conduct of the war and especially on "the ne- cessity' for the utter defeat of Hitlerito Germany". There was also an exchange of views on questions relating to the post-war organization of peace and securi- ty. In the last war, lack of con- certed effort cost the Allies dear- - imantsmana.a. orme....musentairsenavor eumeigloreurremesm REGTAR FELLERS--Mouseproof - qgfed;S--..7es-*a ly. In this war, with the anti - Axis coalition sprawling over most of the lands and seas of the world, prompt action is now being' taken to weld the Allied forces into an efficient fighting unit. The strug- gle, Mr. Churchill said, if man- aged well, would take only half as long as if managed badly. Grave Problems In speaking of the onslaught of Japan which presented grave problems, Mr. Churchill said: "If people ask me, as tney have a right to ask me in England, why is it you have not got ample equipment of modern a.re.ait and modern weapons of all kinds in Malaya and in the - East Indies, I can only point to the victory General Auchinleck has gained in the Libyan campaign. Had we divided those gradually -grow- ing resources between Libya and Malaya, we would have been found wanting in both spheres. `If the United States has been found at a' disadvantage at cer- tain points in the kacific, we know that it is to some extent due to the fact that you have been giving us of your equip- ment for the defence of the Brite ash Isles, and above all for your help in the Battle of the Atlantic, on which all depends, and which is, in consequence, successfully and constantly maintained. Of course it would have been much better if we had had en- ough resources of all kinds to be at full strength at all threat- ened points, but considering how slowly and reluctantly we brought ourselves to large scale preparation and how long those preparations took, we had no 'right to expect to be in such a fortunate position, Post-war Problem The choice of hew to dispose of our hitherto limited resources had to be made by Britain in a time of war and by the United States in times of peace, and believe history will pronounce that upon the whole, and it is upon the whole that these mat- ters must be judged, that the chocie made was the right one.” Although Mr. Churchill stated .in Washington that conversation would not include post-war prob- lems, that the present emergency came first, we -must consider his words spoken to Congress. "If we had kept together after the last war, if we had taken common measures for our safety, the re- newal of the curse need never have fallen on us." After winning the last war to- gether with partnership between Great Britain was dissolved and each went their respective ways, even becoming rivals. The ques- tion of war debts, the selfishness of British and American commer- cial policy, the disarmament com- pact, the lack • of accord of the Far Eastern Policy all worked to- gether to break up the union of the English-speaking peoples. This is the mistake which Mr. Churchill and Mr. Roosevelt are now trying to repair. Normandie Seized By United States Armed coast guardsmen, acting on naval orders, have seized the $60,000,000 French liner Norman - die, one of theelargest, proudest and finest ships afloat. Led by Capt. ,Tohn Baylis, guards- men swooped down on the 83,423 - ton liner at the Hudson. River pier, where she has been laid up since the beginning of the war. The Normandie could be used either as a transport or as an air- craft carrier. She was designed and built •ro speedy conversion. Capt. Baylis said he had removed about 200 seamen from her. in Washington, the department of justice said the French seamen woulit be released and placed on parole. Built in 1935, the Normandie is the third largest ship M the world, exceeded only by the British Queen Elizabeth and the Queen :Vary. }ter length of 1.029 feet makes her lour times the height of the Statue of Liberty— a gilt • froth France to the "United States. — By GENE YRNES atoomervotnWhimi.nmieurktlikeamtmiaotausiO•intriamentssuemoto1µ..irtimatuftwootimaraltmem,ntrineditnalturekise* • „21 4 tcrvest IA A