SUNDAY, AUGUST 9, 1942 THE MICHIGAN DAILY PACE: TEMER SUNDAY, AUGUST 9, 1942 PAGE THREE The Week In Review Foreign People stopped trying to keep up with the strange combination of the old and the new that is Russian geography this week. Eager to seize on the name of any town or generala that had anything to do with a vic- tory, they saw no reason to go on memorizing the names of people and places that marked defeat. They wanted an heroic siege as at Sevas- topol and Leningrad, or a victory like that at Rostov in 1941. Only such names and places would they learn. They had little interest in the towns that marked the way to Stalingrad and the Caucasus. They refused to speak or mention the cities that lay filled with German dead along a Nazi road to victory. In this attitude people were only human, but in this attitude they were making a grave mistake. Names per- sonalize a war, bring it close to home, but the American people wanted it at a distance, far enough away so they need only say, "The Russian situa- tion looks bad." Pretty mild words, those, for what happened to Russia in the days which edged into eternity this week. In the Caucasus the ruthless slashing of coordinated tanks, air- planes, infantry, paratroops and oth- er instruments of Nazi warfare cut through Soviet lines. Breakthroughs at varying points along the line, stubborn resistance in others. A gal- lant dike of defenders could not plug all the holes opened by the wearing, pounding sea of, invaders. They had enough men, but the weapons weren't there. Another of the famed Nazi pincer movements circled south from Ros- tov and one of the pincerheads reached within 30 miles of long- sought oil at Maikop. Though Bel- aya Glina on the southeast and through Krasnodar on the south- west the Hitler hordes swept through land that first saw military might in the days of Genghis Khan. At the same time that Maikop was endan- gered, Russian defenders along the shore of the Sea of Azov were in equal jeopardy. A drive to Maikop would cut them off from the main force, isolate and softenthem for the kill." The equally important drive on Stalingrad made less . progress, but any joy over the battle was of a purely negative variety. It was like saying that the Nazis weren't in Moscow yet. The fight raging this week-end was in the furthest west bend of the Don-a river which by this time its history has stained, like the Marne, indelibly red. It now appeared that behind Stalingrad on a line behind the Volga the Russians would do or die. Many experts didn't give them long, Pearson and Allen only a few short weeks, others a few months; but the observers spoke with a huge "if" in mind. They saw Russia fight- ing on indefinitely-perhaps to vic- tory in two years-if she could have a Second Front that was a real front in more ways than one. On three things now does the fate of Russia depend, on its indomitable spirit of complete sacrifice, on a huge reserve army poised behind the Vol- ga, and on the word of her Allies not to let her die without a blow in her behalf. -* * * Russia appeared to be very little worried about the Japanese menace in the rear, but military observers saw that she was not ignoring the busy little yellow men whose un- ceasing activity wins grudging ap- proval from an enemy that hates their complete lack of anything but barbaric principles and Russia was still only a wounded bear with plenty of kick left in both fore and hind feet, and Japan knew it. One Congressman asserted that actual undeclared war already ex- isted in the North Pacific, but like most Congressmen he was fortunate- ly ignored by Russian diplomats. If Russia believed everything said about her in our Congress the war would be over by now. * * * What Now, Little Men? The Japs have so much territory to cover that they could embark on any of three major campaigns at any time, one of them being the Russian venture. Her top generals this week were poised at the point of the Man- chuokuo "dagger, but she made what must be interpreted as at least feints in two other directions. On the MacArthur front the crafty Nips did a 'good week's work that might well wrinkle the brow of America's military idol. They com- pleted a semi-circle-whether for de- fense or offense nobody knew-but it was broken only by Port Moresby. On this semi-circle whose focal point is Point Darwin, they took a new set of islands which moved the Red- Balled bombers 200 miles closer to their target. And at the same time they moved nverland in New Guinea. Establish- Lesson In Russian Geography Domestic-y CargoPlanes At Last the U. S. Navy had commenced an offensive in the Tulagi area of the Solomon Islands. If the move is in full force it may mean that Japan will have not only to give up plans for concentrated at- tack on Port Moresby, but might have to call off the dogs in Siberia. Throwing Japan on the defensive here and in the Aleutians where the Navy has also reported extensive of- fensive operations may be the begin- nings of an offensive in the Pacific which will paralyze Japanese plans. The Navy announcement also told Begins Campaign earlier in the day by the Army Min- ister of Australia who warned the people there that invasion of the continent remained a distinct possi- bility and even a probability. The brief communique did not de- scribe the action in the Solomons, the small atolls northeast of Aus- tralia and slightly southwest of New Guinea, flanking the Coral Sea. * * * Two-Way Trouble In India the principal threat re- mained the Jap army in Burma, but the short-range problem was what to do about Mohandas K. Gandhi, the All-India Congress, and their civil disobedience campaign-a cam- paign which opened Friday to the personal exhortations of the famed ascetic. Gandhi had wavered on the issue for months, Cripps had made a trip to India to talk with the little Hindu, British leaders had palavered for hours with the Congress, Roose- velt had sent a wire, Johnston had gone to India-but the decision was merely delayed. Britain, in refusing Indian freedom after the first war, had sealed her fate in much the same way as the boy who cried "Wolf." This time Britain looked to Gandhi and other Indians like a bigger wolf than Japan. That's why British mili- tary leaders in India looked with trepidation at the Burmese border. * * * Allied Council In England, the Second Front was the topic of the day not only in the streets and pubs. An Allied Council met to decide the fate of Russia, but one wondered whether or not they any longer held the fate of Russia in their hands. The RAF winged its way over Ger- many and France with bombracks and machine guns, carrying and de- livering capacity loads to such Ger- man industrial centers as Duisberg, but there were no more Colognes or Hamburgs. Its high command also admitted that the all-out bombings of early June had cost the RAF more planes than the Germans lost, some- thing to be expected, but still dis- heartening. Mussolini lnit Wood pile By the way, what's going on in Africa? Are they waiting for Musso- lini to go north before they start anything? ** * The Western Hemisphere was qui- et again this week with the excep- tion of Argentina, a country split Leads New Attack Miracle production man Henry J.: Kaiser has at last been promised the opportunity to apply his magic touch9 to 500 70-ton "Mars" flying cargo" boats, with even 200-ton ships some- where in the offing. To an American public that had just received from the Office of War7 Information a startlingly sharp slap in its too-optimistic face, this was the best possible news that could have come out of the domestic front. Many an individual, previously1 content with the lavish praises which businessmen and ex-businessmen have been heaping upon our produc- tion efforts, were rudely awakened by the OWI blunt statement that:7 "As a nation we are not yet more' than ankle-deep in the war ... pro- duction of small vessels for the anti- submarine campaign is still laggingl and in June was less than half of schedule." "Even if shipbuilding continued to a rise and sinkings to decrease, we$ shall probably be well into 1943 be- fore we again have as much mer- chant shipping as we had on Dec. '7, 1941." With this warning ringing in its ears, the nation could take some comfort at least in Production Chief7 Donald Nelson's announcement that Kaiser would soon get a letter of in- tent to build 100 flying boats in his shipyards on the West Coast and that he would be allowed to build 400 more if the first order turned out satisfactorily., There is only one string attached to the announcement and Kaiser is confident it will not trip him up. Nel- son said that the entire plan is "con- tingent upon the construction not in- terfering with our combat plane pro- gram." He added, however, that he had hopes this would be possible-"at least we can try." Although everyone else seemed gratified that Nelson and the WPB hAd at least given recognition to the amazing production genius of Kai- ser, the Navy was reportedly object- ing strongly. Just why Navy offi- cials should object to what seems the obvious solution to the submarine menace is (ificult to understand- but it has always been difficult to understand the "brass-hat" mental process. At any rate. even if the Navy re- fuses to sign the contract. it seems likely that Nelson--once more act- ing in the diynamic fashion that has been sadly missang of late --will fall O.I s fly R,-fots MOHANDAS K. GANDHI of sea and air attacks on Kiska, Japanese-invaded Aleutian island off the coast of Alaska, but there was no mention that this attack was con- tinuing and it was assumed that it was more a heavy raid than a gen- eral offensive intended to drive the Japanese invaders from their bases. The communique issued in Wash- ington followed a pronouncement ADMIRAL CHESTER W. NIMITZ by terrific internal dissension-the people for the U.S., the government for the Axis. Waldo Frank, famed American author, was ordered to leave the country, but before he could comply six thugs worked him over in his hotel room. Argentine citizens really got sore about that, but with- out a leader they had no channels in which to express their anger. - Hale Champion DONALD NELSON back on his wartime powers and sign it himself. And it is certain that Kaiser is more than ready to act. He is the sort of man who dreams the impos- sible and then sets about making it possible. He is about to make 70-ton flying boats a possibility and has al- wausis INTHE CAUCASUSI pntORO SHILOVGRAD S 0 osg KAMENSK ". ALILT STA4 G RO ROSTOV ' DoG E 4e OpOL * St S"y~ . BATAISK d( PROLETARS .N RLO SA SALT MARSHES and deserts ill RAH1kA suited to mechanized warfare UNDER rAmay channel Nazi drive west CONSTRUCTION tiQto great plains. "TIKHORETSK --:. S. t W KROPOTKIN - : .n .,tr" ' "_A-'AV R VO ROSHILOVSK - .f-//fl:f/(/ .r/. .f/4 ni y.rt_?f r, ": :.. ".. "'+4 ,t,,! ,',,lr^4 r' , 44 MOUNTAIN BASTION: Nazis ,'SHP pe inemust fight uphill over -10,- 000-foot Caucasian Range if "R'a Russians retire to mountains, block the few passes. - ;RLEND-LEASE HELP by plane ship and overland anpplnelnknn .viaTrans-IranianRairoad and highways could Ccu o.tmaintain resistance behindmountainront. -WideI ord ,tu , }U ,~ , t~~rY Etv~ i er, ' 'rE ltlr4' ) ,r,,i; ." f jl a k JII ' ; ^ RIV NG don for Cauasus oi Yt.,,Naziarmies hae struck _ t, Ug' the grfa1111rthwest p. s.- .ttlonce they gJ ,inrr s ,r- 'ftot""y IVIN d uau onr aucsasdushoilthed sapp yrmies hverucrk AZ fiedy phe iader's"tanksgra"find"Masycoll"ngeforns ilesn.E LFEDSRVEw wrdFers ----- ready begun to dream about those in the 200-ton class. If we ever over- come the submarine menace, it will be largely because of the vision and the ability of Henry J. Kaiser, mir- acle production man. s * * Extermination Week This week was a bad one for trai- tors, saboteurs and pro-Axis propa- gandists, seven of whom received the death sentence, two long prison 'terms at hard labor and three were convicted of sedition and are now awaiting sentences which are certain to be severe. First to feel the wrath of a United States at war was Max Stephan, German-born American citizen, who learned-but steadfastly refused to believe-that he would be hanged for the assistance he gave escaping Nazi Oberleutnant Peter Krug. Federal Judge Arthur J. Tattle has decreed that because "Stephan never lost his love for Germany," he shall die on the morning of Friday, Nov. 13, in the Federal Correctional In- stitution at Milan, Mich. Six Saboteurs Die Two days after Stephan received the death sentence and exactly one month after a military commission had begun the secret trial of eight Nazi-trained saboteurs, six of them died in the electric chair in the Dis- trict of Columbia jail. Two of the Nazis escaped death "because of their assistance to the government of the United States in the apprehension and conviction of the others." They were Ern'est P. Burger, who was sentenced to life imprisonment at hard labor and George John Dasch, who received a sentence of 30 years at hard labor. The death of the six was kept as nearly secret as their trial had been. Although a reporter for the Inter- national News Service broke the real story of the sentences on Friday, the President denied its truth until after the electrocutions had actually taken place at noon yesterday. The Presi- dent also announced that the rec- ords of the men will remain military secrets until after the war. Pelley Is Convicted In a clear demonstration of what Americans think of the home-grown type of Nazi, a Federal Court jury- including six Hoosier farmers-de- creed that William Dudley Pelley and two companions were guilty of sedition. Former leader of the fascistic Sil- ver Shirts and publisher of The Gal- ilean, Pelley was convicted on 12 counts and faces a maximum sen- tence of 20 years in prison or $10,000 fine for each. Toward Labor Peace Out of Chicago this week, where the United Automobile Workers (CIO) held their national conven- tion, came rumblings of dissatisfac- tion with the way the war effort is being conducted, proposals to in- crease its effectiveness and another insistent-but seemingly futile-cry for equality of sacrifice. Most important news was the pro- posal by CIO president Philip Mur- ray that the CIO and AFL enter into close cooperation to end all jurisdic- tional strikes for the duration of the war. He said that if the AFL would agree to the creation of a joint com- mittee, with an impartial arbitrator, tot handle all disputes which may arise between the two labor organi- zations, he would "assure America that. there will not be another strike caused by jurisdictional disputes in the United States during the war." MurrayCharges Evasion Two days later, however, Murray was forced to send a telegram to the War Labor Board charging that Wil- liam Green, president of the AFL, has tried to evade the proposal for unity. Green had announced to the news- papers that he did not have the power to agree on arbitration. If the Murray charge is true-and it appears to us that it well may be- Green will have to do a lot of ex- plaining to prove his sincere inter- est in winning the war. We hope, however, that the CIO president was mistaken and that the two organi- zations agree soon on a real, work- able method of arbitration. Other Labor News Other labor news from the conven- tion included the following: 1. Notice was given that unless all workers-union and non-union-re- linquished overtime pay for work on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays, the UAW would have to revoke its policy of doing so. Union leaders charged that this contribution of the UAW to the war effort had been re- neateiuv ed hv rival lahr groups NO MILITARY ANALYST attempts to minimize the gravity of the Nazi threat to Russia in the drive into the Caucasus, but despite Axis gains in the savage on- slaught, Hitler is still a long way from gaining concrete returns from the rich between-seas area. There are two very serious factors weighing against -.. v_ _ . . . , -__ « ......- .. w .. .r r - i . s fh An estimate of the situation in the Caucasus now brings the general conclusion that Hitler's toughest fighting is yet to be done. The terrain in the North Caucasus is ideally adapted to mechanized fighting, in which the Nazis are brilliant. * * * f*- mrr tni' m'Af PAT1\T om mrn1 t rn'irv fnr tsnnk gninv- and Caspian Seas from northwest to southeast. Even Maikop, the small oil field closest to the German ad- vance, is in the first foothills of the range. Other key p objectives are protected by the mountains. EVEN if the Axis forces succeeded in occupying the nil objectives, the Russians could retire behind the