Zurich Herald, 1942-02-26, Page 2[THE WAR . WEEK
Commentary on Current Events
Loss Of Singapore Increases Peril
To Dutch East undies and Burma
Four years ago Great Britain's
mighty naval base at Singepare
waa officially opened, At that
time, it was declared by experts
to be au impregnable bastion of
British power and prestige in the
Far. East. Today the power and
the prestige are lost.
Japan beeame the master of
Singapore one week after the Mi-
kado's forces began to stem the
island, ,and nine weeks after they
began their drive from bases M
Thailand and Indo-China on down
the Malay peninsula to their goal
at Singapore, It was a brilliantly
planned and executed campaign.
Not since the. fall of France has
the Allied cause suffered such a
severe blow, The loss of the Gi-
braltar of the East a catastro-
phe to the United Nations and an
iromeasureable gain to the Jap-
anese. The land, sea and air
forces, perhaps 200,000 men,
used in the capture of the strong-
hold, are now freed to concent-
rate on Sumatra and Java, the
last barriers on the way to Burma
and India.
Peril In Burma
The Allied armies in Burma
have been forced to retreat but
reinforcements are arriving. The
planes of the R.A.F. and the
American Volunteer Group (or-
iginally organized to guard the
Burma Road) are playing an im•
portant part in the fighting. They
have shown recently that in one
theatre at least the Japanese have
not won air superiority.
Large Chinese forces composed
of seasoned fighters with four
yearsexperience of war hava re-
cently arrived from the north to
bolster Imperial defences in the
Burma region.
In Allied quarters it is feared
that Japanese reinforcements
will be sent to the front north of
Malaya where a comparatively
small Japanese amy is advancing
toward the vitae port of Rangoon.
It is on the docks at flangoon that
eupplies are unloadec for Free
China. The genearl outlook is
far from favorable. The men-
ace to Burma has far-reaching
significances. This rich British
Crown Colony is a bender of In-
dia and a gateway to China. The
importance of the colony is evi-
dent, not only in increaeng Japa-
nese pressure and Allied rein-
forcements, but in the temporary
presence at the front of Getteral
Sir Archibald Wave11, generalis-
simo of the United Nations in the
Far East.
Battle In Dover Strait
Three German fighting ships,
62,000 tone of striking force,
have escaped from the harbor of
Brest under cover of foggy wea-
ther and a heavy smoke screen.
With a powerful escort of destroy-
ers, minesweepers, motor torpedo
boats and air squadrons, they
eaded at top speed for the Strait
of Dover and the North Sea. They
d red the 'sea power of Britain
in its home waters and after a
great sea battle lasting for five
hours made their escape to Ger-
man waters.
Mr. Churchill has declared. that
Britain's war position has been
simplified by the removal of the
German warships from Brest. He
gives the following reasons:
(1) A threat to British convoy
routes has been removed, and the
enemy has been forced to leave
an advantageous position.
(2) the diversion of Britain'a
air bombing effort from Germany
o th port of Brest, which, though
necessary, has been so wasteful,
is now ended, and a heavier scale
et attack on Germany from the
air is now pesible.
(3) The Scharnhorst and the
Gneisenau received damage dur-
Mg the run from Brest which will
keep them out of action for some
time to come.
(4) neeore those warships can
again go to sea to take any active
part in the war, the Royal Navy
will be reinforced by various im-
portant units of the highest qual-
ity, and a similar strengthening
process is going forward in the
Navy of the United States.
Plea For Unity
The British Prime .Minister's
recent broadcast was in the es-
sential points an appeal to the
nation and Parliament to stand
firm and give the government a
solid foundation for its work.
When he surveyed the power of
the United States and its reeour-
tee and felt that they were now
9n it with the British Common-
wealth, all together, hcwever long
it lasts, until dent or victory,"
Mr. Churchill said that this was
the first and greatest event ht.
had to report to the British people.
"That is what I have dreamed
of, timed at and worked for and
now if has nine to peas," Mr.
Churchill said.
But at -the same time he bal-
anced the good of the Latest war
developmente—in which he in-
cluded the efforts of Rus.sht—
egainst the heavy and grave
events elsewhere. And frankly
telling the people throughout the
world that he spoke "undo t the
shadow of a heavy and far-reach-
ing Military defeat", the loss of
Singapore—Mr. Churchill went on
to call for a spirit of unity and
new exertions in this dark home
Adverse news "01' many miefor.
tuna and gnawing anxieties" lay
before us, Mr. Churchill said but
from that very fact he invoked a
new spirit of toughness from the
people who march against the
Axis,
"This is the moment," he con-
cluded, "to display that calm and
poise, combinea with grim deter-
mination which not so long ago
brought us out of the very jaws
of death, Here is anothei occa-
sion to show, as so often in OUT
long history, that we can meet
reverses with dignity and with
renewed accessions of strength.
VOICE
OF TILE
PRESS
HORSE AND BUGGY LOVE
Looking back over the years, we
can see that, in the horse -and -
buggy days, making love in the
moonlight was far and away bet-
ter, more wholesome, more sacred
ceremonial than anything the
speedier automobile has to offer
the boys and girls of this genera-
tion True, Old Dobbin never ran
out of gas, never suffered a flat
tire? But such artifices were un-
necessary a generation ago. If the
youths of today were acquainted
with these delights of which we
are .speaking, they would not be-
moan the possible passing of the
pleasure car. Getting back to old
ways would be a prospect alto-
gether pleasing. We have but one
suggestion to make: That it is just
as easy to pick the wrong girl in
a buggy as in an automobile.
—0-
-Brandon Sun
NEW EXPORT FIELD
Formation of a Bean Growers'
Association should open the way
to a new, profitable market for
Western Ontario farmers. The
growers are acting promptly on
the suggestion of Hon. J. G. Gar-
diner to prepare to ship dried
beans to Britain, from which has
come a request for this form of
food.
This is another product which
this district is in, a splendid posi-
tion to supply. It adds to the
variety of the 'goods which we
can send to Britain •and the new
market will be of benefit both tb
our farmers and to the Old Land.
—Windsor Star
--o—
LITTLE DARLINGS (1')
The child psychologists had.
better get busy in London, Ont,
where some of the little darlings
appear to be dangerous young
beggars. At least, that's the im-
pression we get from this bit of
precautionary wisdom in the Free
Press: "Never speak unkindly to
a child. A child's nerves are very
sensitive. Besides, it may shy a
rock at you."
—Ottawa Evening Citizen
—o—
NO SCREAMING
Officers of the Canadian Wo-
men's Army Corps are being
taught to issue commands with-
out screaming. They really don't
need the instruction. Countless
men can testify that the most com-
pelling commands they ever heard
were in low, honeyed tones and
started off, "Darling, don't you
think you'd better . ."
—Windsor Star
THE FAMILY CAR
According to information gath-
ered by the Ontario Motor League
the average distance travelled in
a year for motorists in the old
part bf Ontario is 15,500 miles
and the average consumption of
gasoline. is 854 gallons a yegue
—Fort William Times -Journal
• --c—
TIRE NUISANCE
Standardization to one size of
tire for all cars might simplify our
future tire problern, by creating
another nuisance at the same
thne:' "Can I borrow one of your
tires for the week -end?"
—Kitchener Record
N WitiCtiCE
I PAVI N
A Weekly Cohn= About This and That in The Canadian Army
A few columns back this space
was devoted to that branch of the
Individual Citizen's Army admin.
intend by the Master General of
the Ordnance, It was remarked
that there would be more corning
on this subject.
Now, following the arrive; in
Great Britain of an advance party
of the First Canadian Base Ord-
nance Workshop, seems to be a
good time to re -open the subject.
"Biggest" seems to be the con-
trolling adjective for pieces about
the M.G.O.'s branch. First we had
the biggest mail-order house —
now comes this new Base Ord-
nance Workshop which is without
question the biggest repair and
service station in the world.
But it isn't so much the new
workshop I want to talk about as
the unconventionality that char-
acterized its formation.
Unconventionality is as much
trade mark of the M.G.O. branch
as are superlative adjectives.
Which is just as well since ,this is
an unconventional war.
Prime piece of unconventiouale
ity, of course, is the heading of
the most rapidly expanding branch
of the Canadian Army by a civil-
ian. As you know there was a
precedent for that in English his-
tory.
Now, and this brings us back
to the Base Ordnance Workshop,
here is another example of the
type of unconventionality that is
going to help us win the war.
Overnight an ex -private, who had
made his name a big one in the
operation of peace -time mechan-
• ized vehicles, was promoted to
• Liue.;enant-Colonel and appointed
to comreand an army orgaelzation
for which no pattern existed. The
ex -private, who had been too busy
in the years between wars to
carry on in the militia, was G. A.
Secord, of Toronto. One day he
was Mr. Secord, operator of the
Hertz Drive Yourself System, the
next he was Lt. -Col. G. A. Secord,
officer commanding the First
• Canadian Base Ordnance Work.
• shop.
Here is an amusing paradox.
The man responsible for this lat-
est unconventionality is Victor
Sifton, Winnipeg newspaperman
and Master -General of the Ord-
nance—who reversed the process
when he was appointed to his
present position.
How come? If you'll stand for
a bad pun the answer is, 'comme
When Lieut, -Colonel. Sifton
first volunteered his services for
the duration of the war he was
appointed Executive Assistant to
the Minister of National Defence
and his name is still painted on
the opaque glass of an office door
on he same floor as Col. Ralston's
office.
The legend reads: "Executive
Assistant, Lieut, -Col. Sifton." For
economy reasons it was obliterat-
ed by a sheet of paper pasted over
it when Sifton took over the
M.G.O. job.
But when he took ovee the new
vaiantommat....1•41.1*......,,nom••••••••••=m4......1.01.1.16•101•1•10•••••=11,14
20 WAYS TO SAVE
SUGAR BY USING
BEE, MU
Made from Corn
History Repeats Itself 1.9I8, the "Canada Food Board,
Ottawa," published a booklet—which said in part—"Olucose and
white corn syrup are perhaps the most satisfactory and least =men.
sive sugar substitute) available" . . "the board recommends the
use of glucose wherever possible." (Bee Hive Syrup is 95 % glucose.)
Bee Nive Syrup is not an "intense sweet"; it is half as sweet as sugar,
therefore the natural food flavours are permitted to dominate more
pleasingly.
• Sweeten your cereal, fresh fruit
and porridge with Bee Hivel
• Use Bee Hive Syrup when
making apple sauce, stewed
rhubarb, stewed apricots, etc.!
• Use Bee Hive Syrup as a sauce
on rice, bread, cottage and
other favourite puddings!
• Sweeten your coffee, and cocoa
with Bee Hive!
• Use Bee Hive Syrup in pre-
serving!
• Use Bee Hive Syrup for cake
icings!
• Use Bee Hive Syrup on ice
cream 1
• 176e Bee Hive Syrup in fruib
juice(
• • Use Bee Hive Syrup in making
candies!
• Use Bee Hive Syrup as a milk
modifier in baby feeding!
• Try Bee Hive Syrup in recipes
for cake—buckwheat cookies,
cocoanut pudding, chocolate
cake, fruit cake, jelly roils,
junket, marmalade, oatmeal
drop cookies, oatmeal scones,
potato drop cookies, white
cookies, etc.1
ST. LAWRENCE STARCH CO: LIMITED, Port Credit, Ont.
Other Products, Durham Corn Starch, St. Lawrence Corn Starehi
Ivory Laundry Starch. Si. Lawrence Refined Corn Oil.
Sweeten with Bee Hive Syrup!
MADE FROM CORN
job Lt. -Col. Sifton became Mr.
Sifton—demoting hixeself just ex-
actly the same number of steps
• that he pronioted Lt. -Col. Semen
And on the door of his present
office there', appears just this:
"406, Private!"
Unconventional? The word
gems pale.
Just recently President Roose-
velt appointed 'William Knudsen
Lieutenant -General to do the
same job in the United States.
"Lieutenant" is pronounced
"Lootenant" in the United States
and is accorded somewhat the
same pronunciation by the British
Navy. Soldters and civilians in
the British Empire pronounce it,
as you know, "Leftenant." This
isn't army slang, it is true, but it
is in line with the minor research-
es into colloquial terminology
conducted from time to time by
this column.
We have scouts at work and
hope to publish the results of their
reconnaissance next week.
•
•1:` he' ee
ee.'..;ae •
efteene; eeee,erane. en, age..e.v. eta teeeeetreeetee
eeeahe::
t.`1, r..re ;V, e •
'We can, my clear, as easily as we bought
the radio, Me washing machine and other
things around the house. small amount down
and the balance in weekly or monthly payments
we'll never miss. The bank ho explained how
easy it is".
What's that you say? can we afford to? Aly
dear Nary, we just can't afford not to. 4ad
you know there's lots of things we can give up yet
before we feel any tea/ hardship. Thank
goodness, here's something we can do to back
the men and women who are making the
. real sacrifices."
EVERYONE can buy a Victory Pqatd!
Space Donated By
•
1.1711211WOM1,1•111.......!
REG'LAR FELLERS—A Real Surprise
-nes-lee ' -4,0i
YOUR. LITTLE COUSIN IS
COMING 10 VISIT YOU /
WHAT A BEAUTFUL*
CREATURE/ WI -IAT LOVELY
•GOLDEN CURLS /
patiMIONNIIINC22:
BOY / t'M A SUCKER FOR
•OLDEN CURLS/ HERE'S
WHERE .t MAXE A HIT/
wedx ,trvo.....o.imaiminanisnraftrwrawkwtmemassaimve^wig
c-1,1-ELLOPINHEA/ HELLO*
PUDDINWEAD /I'M YOUR L1T11.E.
COUSIN4 CHAUNCEY/
By GENE B''RNES
t‘iciviketv z THINK OF TAt'fIen
11BOI4/
THAT SATlM1I-I
EINS TO L LeLOOD
e4V,
Leeeeeeeeee
Il
, 4,,,,,771e41ezT770700,,,,
IS
e ,1,11
, aw......04,14.4.......goomuwatiomoiwia,roorioxoure#001
;I 4
. , rae:21;:r"35618,:':tj:IP