* THE DANBURY REPORTER
Established 1872
WHO IS WINNING THE WAR, ANYHOW ?
T On the Red Army's 25th birthday Josef Stalin
made a speech in which he said that "Russia's
fighting- millions, bearing- alone all the weight of
r the war in the absence of a second front in
Europe—
"Have started the mass expulsion of the Axis
from the country and have put out of action in
20 months 9,000.000 enemy troops, including 4,-
000,000 killed."
Continuing, Mr. Stalin said:
"The Russians in 3 months have routed 112 ene
my divisions, killed more than 700,000 troops and
taken 300,000 prisoners, a total of 1,000,000 men,
besides 7,000 tanks, 4,000 planes, 17,000 field
guns."
No one will discount the epic struggle made by
the brave Russians, who have written their
name in history as among the toughest fighters
of all time.
But Joe Stalin is venturing far afield when he
says "Russia is bearing alone the weight of the
war."
The world knows the terribly tragic spectacle
of German armies eating their way across Rus
sia when American lend-lease came to the res
• cue with thousands of planes, tanks and food.
Without this material assistance the Russian
could-not have stood against the panzer
divisions of Hitler.
To come down to brass tacks, no nation is justi
fied in boasting that it alone is winning this war.
Jt is the mutual assistance given to each other
that is enabling Russia, England, China and
America to crush the Axis menace.
Without the British fleet that has constantly
guarded the Atlantic lanes, American help could
not have reached England and Russia. Without
the Russian manpower England must have been
• crushed. Without American production, Russia,
England .and China would be today conceding
that most terrible of all consummations—a Hit
ler peace.
SPRING IS HERE
Beautiful Spring has come.
We heard it today laughing, prattling, singing,
skipping.
t We saw it in its pristine beauty and careless
ness, its petite naughtiness, its lovely tresses
- caressed by the playful wind.
Its name is Martha-Ann, hyphenated person
ification of the charming season of bluebirds,
butterflies and daffodils.
• • Two little girls playing together all the day
long—Martha Wilkinson and Ann Marshall—
romping over the meadow, hunting the first vio
let, baking mud pies, building tiny houses with
sticks and pebbles, chasing the ducks, watching
the bombers go over—talking about their papas
—papa Marshall way up in cold Boston training
at Harvard University to fight this cruel war—
k papa Wilkinson faraway in ATrica where the
purple skies bend down to kiss the Medittera
nean.
Was ever anything lovelier or sweeter than in
nocent carefree childhood, the little kids who
are of the Kingdom of Heaven. n - . j
Volume 72
Current Comment
Danbury, N. C., Thursday, February 25, 1943
MENACE OF THE HOME FRONT
i The victory of America in the war is seriously
'threatened by the vicious sinister clique operat
ing in Congress.
I The administration is throwing everything to
!the winning of the war regardless of cost, you
'might say. Can cost be a consideration when
freedom is the stake?
| The saboteurs - a bi-partisan vicious sinister
I clique—are throwing in everything to balk
Roosevelt—to hell with victory in the war.
Winning of the war is secondary to winning
over the President.
I The clique is composed of Republicans en bloc,
with some exceptions, and a handful of vengeful
|Democrats, Roosevelt haters. Republican Sena
tor Taft has sounded a warning that too much
jof this thing will injure the war effort.
But birds like Byrd, Wheeler, Clark, George,
Reynolds - pseudo Democrats and synthetic pa
triots —are much less concerned over the appall
!ing Axis menace than about the "bureaucracies
jof Washing-ton"—their excuse for fighting-
Roosevelt.
j In the unthinkable victory of the Axis, it is
really doubtful if the cactus Senators Wheeler
|and Nye would be so severly discomfitted. On ac
ieount of their loyalty to Hitler's interests in the
past, they may envision Qui-ling loaves an; 1
fishes.
! ALL SET FOR TIIE SEA RLITZ
! Dispatch from Washington says the new 45,-
! 000-ton battleship lowa hits the water this week,
,the finest, deadliest boat in the world, commis
sioned in New York recently, seven months
ahead of schedule —
And that its sister ship the 45,000-ton New
Jersey will be ready in two months.
Highest naval experts say the lowa or the New
Jersey either could have defeated the whole
German battle fleet at Scapa Flow in 1916, when
the British and the Huns shot it (out in the
North Sea.
These latest additions to the American fleet
carry armored resistance wElch airplanes can't
dent and whose guns will efface all probable re
sistance on the oceans anytime the Japs want
a fight.
And then when we think about the 35,000-ton
French Richelieu recently added to our navy,
the way ahead must hardly look roseate to thej
rat admiral who promised to dictate peace in the
White House at Washington.
EVER WELCOME VISITOR
More and more parents, sweethearts and!
friends are sending the Danbury Reporter to
the boy in the distant camp or across the seas.
You may send him the big daily that prints the
news of the world, but betcha he had rather
have the old home paper that tells the short and
simple story of home sweet home, where the sun
shines brightly on the beautiful Stokes county
hills, and at night the moon beams softly on the
old plantation.
The Reporter is only $ 1.00 for 52 visits, postage
paid to anywhere. . * , »
EDITORIALS
Published Thursdays *
CONFOUNDING THE CRITICS
j Roosevelt slipped another smooth one over hig
'critics the other night when he spoke over the
radio.
j The occasion was the Democratic dinners and
; Washington's birthday.
The President was to make a political speech,
his first since the late elections Ik- was to use
the opportunity for a sly bid for a fourth term,
and to unleash hidden forces and propaganda
for the 194 \ designs.
There was a fume in the wind. He had fouled
all other speakers by dominating the air. Mean
knives flashed.
| Then what happened ?
The President in his broadcast didn't mention
politics at all, but read the Epistle of Saint Paul
and the Sermon on the Mount. Sentences that
electrified all the world.
The enemy was amazed, disappointed and con
fused. Each hater went way off and sat down.
And did not learn, and they have not yet learn
ed that the thing they mo.-t greatly feared had
already ensconced itself in the hearts of the peo
ple—the Fourth Term.
! It is there—pluck it out if you can.
'!
NEWS IS BETTER TODAY
j
L tno American lv di.- v".:raged at tb ' re
(Verses on the battle IV ■ »nt in At'riea.
| The news \ much ' ctter today. Yh. American.;
and British are di King the enemy buck and dik
ing him pay dearly for his temporary successes.
In the meantime the big tough British Sth army
is steadily drawing nearer to Rommel.
All in all, the situation is now favorable on all
I fronts. The Russians continue to smash the
lHuns, killing and capturing them by the thou
rands. In the Pacific the Americans are superior
in the air, on the land and sea.
The giant production of American planes,
tanks and ships is slowly turning the scale
against the Axis powers. - - ~
- • -• ■»
THE FIGHT FOR FOOD XI
The battle is on for food in Stokes county.
Hardly ever before since the memory of man
started functioning have there been more prep
aration for things to eat. .
j Thousands of men, women and children are
getting ready. Tools are being sharpened and
slick mules are switching their tails in anticipa
tion.
Cattle, hogs, milk, butter, poultry and eggs,
corn, hay, beans and potatoes tomatoes and cab
,bage, lettuce and carrots and onions, squash,
okra, green peas-the menu is tempting and
saving.
Food will win the war. Food will whip the Axis.
Food will keep us healthy and hale and happy.
Tt is reported from Washington that Ex-Presi
dent Hoover may be called in to take care of the
food situation. He will be the very man for the
job, being- experienced in the fine art of short
rationing.
* * * Number 0,595