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Zurich Herald, 1942-10-01, Page 7PUNTING ON THE THAMES This American boy and girl find that punting as done on the Thames has nothing to do with football. The boy in the background iss doing the punting—or paddling—of the boat while Pvt. Edward Correll of Reading, Pa., and Eleanor Shaw of San Francisco relax. Both are automobile drivers for U. S. forces in Britain. INDIYIDUAL itljeij'.. rm Ia»WINI�� A Weekly Column About This and That in Our Canadian Army Several young gentlemen of my 1Yequaintance have dropped out of sight in local circles. No more are they seen at the sgare dances that have recently become very popu- lar at a dance pavilion not far away. The local "hot doggery", where boys and girls who never have any appetite at meal times stuff themselves at odd hours to the detriment of pocket money that can't stay in pockets, will have to struggle along without them. No longer, will these par- ticular young gentlemen—three of them English — three French speaking — strum their guitars end other: musical instruments in my living -room. No longer, that Is, until their that "leaves" roll around and they burn up in uniform, heavier, more erect and bronzed, to earn—and deserve—the admiration of their dancing partners. They have gone off in several direction's, the Infantry, the Air Force, and to work on the con- struction of a strategic highway. Tile girls who have swum and bi- cycled and hiked and danced with *em all summer set me right ashen I made some rather acid comments upon the boys who are rpt to are paid almost as much per hour in highway construction at the soldiers and airmen get per day. "They've been turned down for the Army", was chorussed at me, "and, anyway, by the time they tray for board and room and olothes there won't be much dif- ference in their pay." Another point mae by the young ladies In putting this old soldier too rights was that the road-inak- ars,•.will. probably be in almost as great danger as their pals in uni- form. It all goes to prove, two things --4tbitit'•even an old sbldie•r has no right to jump to conclusions—and that Wake is more than 'cue way to be, ix service' fa:the Doriitnion la this, fight .for self-preservation. Probably the most illuminating Ileature of. this suddeet exodus -- and sit- yang mien fbm a small oomunity.leaves a noticeable gap •is the tranquilfty •that 'has re- •eoened .upon those who play the, stellar roles. ' • We older people don't realize the 'problems' with-whicheve have faced our juniors. From our sot ideas and politically muscle -bend brains, we evolve a series of mys- tifying regulations and cohditiOns. Then we expect youngsteesr just ont of school to understand what we haven't courage enough to tell them when their minds are busy trying 'to adjust themselves to a life that has none of the pro- tection with , which we surround ' their school days; Put yourself in the position of a 'teen age boy. ; He suddenly: be- comes conscious of a world that is peopled mostly by contemporar- ies in uniform. Ile learnt that a khaki uniforrte minus the,. word "Cantina" is the badge of the "deaf- tee". Others in. khaahi but wearing "Crai`71 i." ire ; rolnnt:cer s ' •Their will be accepted at the Age of eighteen but will not; go overseen Until they are nineteen, 13ut if they do not volun1..er they will not be called until they are twenty. What shall he do? We can't tell him. We should be able to tell him what we want. We are the people, aren't we? We govern the country, don't we? We've got to wake up. If we are going to ask our young gentlemen to enlist to save us from an enemy who will spare no one, the least we can do is to make quite clear 'what we expect of them. That's why I say that the most illuminating feature of what has been ha,ppenin.g in our village is the descent of tranquillity upon the young gentlemen. There are no perplexities left for them. Now they are in uniform the Personnel Selection directorate will see to it that they are em- ployed where they •fit in best— which estwhich means they will have great- er opportunities for advancement and promotion than was the lot of the private soldier before this war. They have no decisions of a major character to make. They are doing their duty and are in the hands of men trained to em- ploy them to the best advantage, men who know that their own autuse, their own safety, their own lives will be in the hands of these youths they are training. What about us? We are older. By now the perplexities of life, should not be as troublesome to us as they are to the 'teen age world. We can't rely upon an Admin- istrative and Training Staff to di - feet our activities into channels where •we can be of the greatest service to our country and, ther'e- for'e, to ourselves. Which' makes our duty all the more plainer! Most Needed Items Listed In Britain • Most needed clothing in Great 'Britain includes' .wool sweaters, undervests, underpants, overcoats, pajamas, socks, Stockings and boys' shorts, for ages from six to sixteen. The need is greater for boys than for girls.' More than 50,000 babies have been born in the emergency homes for 'mo$hers established ender Britain's evacuation pro- gram. VOICE OF THE PRESS "FORGETTING" ABOUT THE WAR There are some people who say they do not want to see a Ellin about the war, read a book about It, or do anything else that re- minds them of it. They say they want to forget about the war. They even say they are tired of readi:'t' about it in the news- papere. These are the people who are selfish, self-centred and indul- gent; who hate to be reminded of anything that disturbs their peace of mind. That is not the mentality that will win the war. We can only win it by measuring up to our responsiblities to the utmost of our capacity, in the interest of others as well as of ourselves. —Stratford Beacon -Herald —0— COULD LIFT BOOKS Ottawa hints that the gas ration for pleasure motoring may be re- duced soon. A good start might be made at the ration board if it would lift for. a few weeks the coupon books of motorists convict- ed of exceeding federal speed limit of 40 miles an hour. That would compel these individuals to save gas and rubber by not using either at all, for a while. —Edmonton Journal' —o— ANY GERMAN A GOOD TARGET Ideas of targets have changed vastly since the war began. At the first the British airmen were not permitted to bomb certain military targets, because they were so close to civilian centres of po- pulation, a number of civilians might be killed. But, since Hitler started in- discriminate bombing, the British Idea is that any German is a good target now. —Windsor Star —0— COMMANDO MATERIAL Wild disorder continues to mark local wrestling matches, with spectators battling each other here and there and storm- ing the ring, while the odd con- testant claps a hold on the ref-. one. There seems to be plenty of Commanda material there. —Montreal Gazette —0— FOR DOG -OWNERS No normal person is happy about hitting a dog with his auto- mobile, and sometimes it is very difficult to avoid some of the - little rascals who haven't been taught not to chase cars and to keep out of the street. Can't dog owners think of the feelings of motorists, too? —Christian Science Monitor The Indian rupee is worth ap- proximately 30.05 cents. Australia Meets War Emergency An example of the remarkable progress made by the Australian munitions industry in speeding up production since the Japanese en- tered the war comes from Queens- land. When the Japanese launched their attack against Pearl Harbor, the biggest munition factory in Queensland was in course of erec- tion. By the end of January it had begun the production of small arms ammunition on a small scale. Today the factory is producing all classes of ammunition in enor- mous quantities, and it is going direet to the firing line. Cart- ridges of all kinds and big shells are being turned out at this fac- tory in an ever-growing stream and output will continue to in- crease day by day and week by week until maximum production is attained by the end of this year. Girls In War Plants In four months the staff has grown fourfold, from hundreds to thousands, and before the end of the year the present number will be doubled again. Hundreds of machines are being operated by girls who a few months ago were typists, clerks, factory hands, waitresses, daughters of farmers and gn;aziers, and the like. Few of then had ever handled machinery before but, after a few weeks training, they are now doing a job which the factory executives cannot praise too highly. Some of them are on work that has never been done before by women. In munitions the greatest precision is necessary and had early production at this new factory been below the rigid standard demanded, itcould have been excused. This was not the case. On the contrary, from the beginning of production in Queensland, the ammunition has been passed by inspectors of the three fighting services. Miracle of The Age This is only one example of what has been happening through- out Australia since war began. The change -over from civil to de- fence production by Australian industries has been described as one of the miracles of the age. With no previous experience to guide them, Australian industrial- ists are today turning out every type of armament and defence equipment in staggering quanti- ties for a country that a few years ago was considered purely from a primary production point of view in the world economy. Today Australian industries are making things which, even as late as 1940, could not be made there. A melting pot for optical glass instruments in a Canadian factory contains about 2,000 pounds of glass at each melt. After the vari- ous operations, about 500 pounds of usable glass is obtained. LIFE'S LIKE THAT By Fred Neher (Copyright, 1.4;£, by Prod licher) "You're moving into the nicest neighborhood. - • We all have the best times—talking about one another." • REG'LAR FELLERS—Slow-Collections THERE'S THAT GUY WHAT OWES US A DIME FOR MINM' HIS CAR! BRIEF WAR SUMMARY On long-range, there's hopeful feeling: Russia shows signs of holding out, despite Stalingrad situation, keeping Nazi array busy on Eastern front, Bombings of Germany are slowing down the Nazi war production. The Nazis have a big reserve of finished war equipment, but the air raids on factories and communications will delay the replaeementrs months hence. Japan has over-extended her supply lines. They are vulner- able, and Japanese shipping Is faring badly. These factors add up to a plus for the Allies on the long pull, but the outlook in the next few months is esrotbably not so good. Axis Campaign in Russia Hitler appears about to bring his campaign in southern Russia to a conclusion which may be satisfactory to him for the pre- sent. He has •not annihilated the Russian armies, as he set out to do, but he has immobilized them in the south for the time being at least. And, since Russian terri- torial, material and manpower losses on other fronts have made large-scale, successful Russian of- fensives improbable, without strong Allied support, Hitler sen- sibly might be expected to offer the Russians peace so that he dould consolidate and capitalize on his extensive gains while there is yet time. A. Nazi peace is utter- ly unacceptable to Stalin, how- ever, and Hitler is preparing Win- ter quarters for a holding army in Russia prior to turning else- where in a sink -or -swim effort to finish the war quickly by en- trenching himself so firmly on the Continent that further fighting obviously would be impractical. If he is permitted the initiative, the focus of activity is expected to shift to the Middle East, where he presumably anticipates an Allied attempt to clear him out of North Africa, open the Mediterranean and launch an offensive against relatively unprotected flank in Europe. There are increasingly, definite and detailed indications, however, that the initiative le about to be taken away from hurt, Allied Naval Power It may now be stated author- itatively that British naval power is greater than when the war lie- ges, and that American naval power Is considerably greater than it was December 6 last, Admiral King has intimated that the Am- erican two -ocean navy will be "ready" by June of next year. Some important seafare develop- ments are wisely kept secret, As to failure to reveal fully certain Iosses, they are hardly in excess of the expected cost of oper- ations. However, as somebody has put it, "whichever side pulls the fewer 'boners' will win the war," Censorship veils the actual situ- ation in India. The Nazis put everything they have into attacks on convoys in aid of Russia. Talk of an Allied Generalissimo con- tinues. The British inflationary threat is largely checked by strict rationing, in contrast to American reliance mainly on other controls, Excess purchasing -power becomes "forced savings" when allowable purchases are rigidly restricted. It should be repeated that the Am- erican tradition favors offense and it may be assumed that the high Allied decisions to which Presi- dent Roosevelt• recently referred are in accord therewith. Canada At Dieppe Canada's complaint that its part M the Dieppe raid and other fight- ing has been underrated, particu- larly in U.S. newsreels, is not to he minimized. Canada is not a large country, but its contribu- tion to the war is a large one and its troops did shoulder the major burden at Dieppe. It would be wise for Canada, England, the U. S. and all of the other United Na- tions to remember that they are fighting the war collectively, that separately they might not be able to fight it at all. LISTEN TO "COUNTRY NE.'S" ITEMS OF INTEREST FROM ONTARIO WEEKLY NEWSPAPERS EACH SUNDAY AT 2 P.M. CFRB - 860 On. Your Dial Socialists In Italy Rising Against Fascism The Socialist Party in Italy, which Benito Mussolini's follow- ers in early days forcibly disband- ed was reported today to be rais- ing its head against Fascism. A dispatch from Zurich quoted Swiss Socialist circles as declar- ing that the Italian Socialist Par- ty in recent months had been re- organized with "illegal units" mul- tiplying in factories in the great- er part of Italian territory. The Socialists recently helped in a strike at the Fiat works, where they suddenly quit their jobs and demanded an increase in pay. Six hours later, according to this account, company officials ac- ceded to the demands and the strikers went back to work. Although strikes are prohibit- ed in Italy, the newspaper said, "nota policeman or soldier show- ed. himself" during the strike. Flowers Forecast Mild Autumn The veteran Johnny Thomas, well-known Fort Erie prognosti- cator, does not agree with ee\'er'al other old -tine weather, forecasters here that folk in the Niagara Dis- triet are in' for an early Fall. "It is my belief that lee. will hive• a; mild, ()Atelier;and NoVereber, too." Mr. Thomas conintenteil: "One reason is • that • the, wila. asters are just commencing to bloom, and as the,,e, Tlowers are sensitive to frost, it is my belief 'It old Dame. \aiure• knows bet- . ter than the average :hunialr door." BVI-SY, YOU LITTLE RUFFIANS I OWE NOBODY BUT MY TAILOR AND 1 -IES TOO POLITE TO REMIND ME OF IT! T 1 • 1 1 KE SN 01-I, BOYT HE 1-1 T SEE'4 IT YET! Women Likely To Stay On Farm Farm women are not likely to be directed' into other occupations because the work they now are doing has a high priority rating, Mrs. Rex Eaton, assistant direc- tor of National Selective Service announced. - Farm women from 20 to 2A years of age, inclusive, are re- quired to register with other women in the same age group. This registration is compulsory. Postmasters have been author- ized to act as registrars in rural districts. Women now working on farms will be registered as "farm women." But this does not mean that they will be "frozen" in their present jobs, Mrs. Eaton says. Farm work usually tapers off during the 'winter, and Mrs. Eaton urged that young women who are free to turn to other work- in slack seasons do so, K> Min s In Greece Daily Occurrences A high German official who escaped .to Palestine informed the Greekovernment that 3,000 of the islanders have been exeeseted by the Germans and that tei•ror- ism of tiie most grave char- acter. continue;:e• :\nests • and shootings occur daily' on Crete, the big island •south of Greece', this official whose name may not be disclosed reported. He said condemned persons were forced to dig` their own graves and that the 1,]copse WM.! forced to witness exec.Yttions . of their towneesep..... • By CNE BYRNES r:L�\66 oee ��"�---:,i�c•a7:;X "— �-�"rte 4 Ogee- * cp 4 AS 1.40) �dy1. •