The Alamance Gleaner VoL LXVI GRAHAM, N. C., THURSDAY, JUNE 13, 1940 ~ No lg WEEKLY NEWS ANALYSIS By Farnham F. Dudgeon Full Strength of German Army Hits New French Defense Line; First Nazi Bomhs Fall on Paris (EDITOR'S NOTE?When opinions are expressed In these cohunns, they are those of the news analyst and not necessarily of this newspaper.) n.i-.?^ by Western Nswspapsr Union. In Madrid, Spanish students, no donbt prompted by Rome and Berlin, recently staged demonstrations urging return ot Gibraltar, world's great est fortress, from English control to Spain. Until shortly after the Munich crisis, when England learned what she might some day have to face, only this high rickety fence separated the mighty fortress from the Spanish mainland. Since that time engineers have labored unceasingly to protect this Achilles heel of the key to the Mediterranean. In a war with England Italy may strike one of her first blows at Gibraltar. Its surrender may be asked as an alternative to ? German blitzkrieg on England, some war oracles claim. MORE WAR: Big Push With the tame deadly technique that has humbled Poland, Scandi navia, Luxembourg, The Nether lands and Belgium, Adolf Hitler turned from his "triumph" in Flan ders to launch a mighty drive through central France?aimed di rectly at that nation's capital, Paris. As usual this technique included the thousands of well-equipped troops, supported by the now famous and highly feared dive bombers, strongly armored tanks and the mightiest of heavy artil lery. Full strength of the drive struck at the heart'of the French line which stretches across 200 miles of French soil along the Sornme and Aisne riv ers. This line of troops, under the command of Gen. Maxime' Wey gand. was hastily bolstered while the Nazis were busy with thpir at tack on the British and French forces escaping from the Flanders battlefield via Dunkirk and the Eng lish channel. But if the allied line of battle had been bolstered it was done with French soldiers and not British Tommies. For from London came word that for the time being France would be forced to bear the brunt of the Ger man attack as the English In escap ing the Nazi trap in Flanders, fol lowing Belgium's capitulation, had been forced to leave behind huge stores of equipment. Until these could be replaced the British army could do little to help their allies on the continent. Wings Over Paris Not only were the German bomb ers doing their work on the battle front?they penetrated much fur ther than the troops. For the long expected bombing attack on Paris was carried out Evidently the first air raid was not aimed at the city itself but at . airports and other military objec tives on its outskirts. Even French officials admitted that it did not look like the "bombing of an open city" and while they promised to repay Germany, bomb for bomb, their at tacks would also be directed at stra tegic military points, they added. In this first raid about 1,000 per sons were killed, at least that many NAMES ... in the news C President Roosevelt became a grandfather again as a boy was born to Mrs. Anne (Clark) Roosevelt, wife of John, his youngest son. C Movie Executive Joseph Schenek was indicted in New York by a fed eral grand jury on 24 counts of in come tax fraud. A $400,000 tax eva sion is involved, according to the government's charge. more injured and immense property damages inflicted. The French re taliated with bombings of a Munich motor factory and military bases near Frankfort-on-Main. PREPAREDNESS: 'Tragically Short As the nation-wide drive to build up. military defenses went forward with every governmental agency straining to the utmost to be help ful, Gen. George C. Marshall, army chief of staff, told congress that manpower is the army's "tragic shortage." And he added it is the "only thing in a large measure, that can produce immediate results." Earlier he had said that procure ment of equipment was the most vital need, but when his testimony before a house appropriations sub committee was made public it was learned that he believed the army's maximum peacetime strength of 280,000 men would be unable to han dle "emergencies stemming from the current international situation." While he opposed suggestions that citizens military training camps be expanded to meet army personnel demands, he favored a plan, now authorized but never used, whereby young men could be trained for three or four months and then be allowed to go back to their regular occupations. Thus a huge reserve of partly trained men would even tually be built up. Compulsory? From some congressional sources came the prediction that if Germany wins the European war, such mili tary training will become compul sory. Setting up a training system of this type has been widely dis cussed since the President's recent proposal to give him control of the National Guard and Organized Reserves was announced. It is argued that under such a plan a defense system would prove less costly than attempting to build up a large army of permanent troops. Rep. Smith (Dem., Conn.) claims that half of the 1,500,000 youths who reach military age each year could be trained and would provide an adequate standing army during their terms of training. Under such a system these men would receive much less pay than regular soldiers. C. O. D. How all this (and the rest of the defense program) was to be paid for is proving a tough problem for con gress. For as it now stands the new pre paredness drive is going to cost U. S. taxpayers some five billions of dollars. And as the cost of main taining these new forces increases it is.estimated that the annual bill for new defenses will be something like $1,000,000,000. Most discussed plan for providing a major portion of this sum is one which calls for a broadening of the income tax base to include all in comes of $800 and up per year. At present the base exempt inn is $1,000. Running Mate? Prime favorite in the current vice presidential nomination stakes for President Roosevelt's running mate (should he "choose to ran") is Sen. James F. Byrnes of South Carolina. It is under stood that the President made definite overtures to the senator to become his partner on the tick et during a conference on a re cent Potomac cruise. STARS AND STRIPES: Salute If state laws so require, U. S. school children must salute the American flag, according to a deci sion handed down by the Supreme court. Reasoning: The flag sym bolizes a national unity?which tran scends all internal differences?re ligious or otherwise. In its ruling the court upheld action of a Penn sylvania school board which had ex pelled two children for refusing, on religious grounds, to salute the flag. In the little coal mining town of Moweaqua, I1L, four men, said to be members of a religious sect known as "Jehovah's Witnesses," were rescued from a group of aroused citizens who threatened violence after one of the fojir al legedly defamed "Old Glory." In Waxahachie, Texas, 90 mem bers of a religious sect were jailed after attempting distribution of lit erature described as of "a pacifist nature." Officials were forced into action after a deluge of phone calls objecting to the literature which urged nonallegiance to "man-made" government. PAN-AMERICA: Mr. Dies Goes South Rep. Martin Dies, chairman of the house committee investigating un American activities, announced that his probe will be extended to take in all of the 21 American republics. This news reflects congressional concern over reports reaching Washington that German fifth colum nists are active in South America. Mr. Dies said that his investigators are already gathering information along the Mexican border. Closest co-operation with other Western hemisphere nations is be ing sought, he added. Indelible Voters of the Republic of Panama turned out in record numbers to .l..t n cicvi m. muuuu Arias as their next president. This election had taken on particu lar significance because of re ports that the government had nipped an abor tive scheme to dis rupt the election and turn the day into an occasion | V I I /. .4 Dr. Araulfo Aria* ioi a (cvumuvru. In addition, the other preaidentiai candidate, one Dr. Ricardo Alfaro, leader of the oppoaitioniat popular front, withdrew hia name at the laat moment and urged hia backer* not to vote aa they were being "denied the right of franchiae." Just what be meant waan't exactly clear but one thing waa evident. Election of ficiate were taking no chance* on "repeaters" voting. Each voter bad to present his identification certifi cate and have hia forefinger dipped in indelible ink. POLITICS: Clear Field As the roar of Europe's war be comes louder, its effect upon the American political scene is daily be coming more pronounced. In the main, it has been most decidedly felt in the Democratic party, where party leaders feel these war condi tions will surely "force" President Roosevelt to seek a third term. It appears that he has the nom ination of his party safely tucked away should he want it. Paul McNutt has withdrawn from the opposition; Vice President dar ner is quiet and his boom apparent ly has fizzled; Senator Wheeler of Montana has said, "It looks Iflcs TTnnaeireH ?? iWXHCVWw aiA^ntf j i> Bruckart'a Washington Digest National Preparedness Drive Encounters Political Bickering Washington Correspondent Sees Defense Program Being Turned 'Into a Vehicle for Selfish Use'; Racketeering Labor Leaders Climb on Bandwagon. ? By WILLIAM BRUCKART WNU Service, National Preaa Bld(., Washington, D. C. WASHINGTON.?It la exceedingly difficult to maintain a balanced viewpoint in th$ national capital these days. War hystefia is flowing at higher tide than in any other city of the land. Washington is the nerve center of the plans for a great and' proper national defense scheme. That is bad. Yet, a calm perhaps would settle down and the serious job confronting the nation probably would be accomplished more effec tively and efficiently if some other and more dangerous factors were not horning in on the situation. It may not yet be so clear to tha folks outside of Washington, but I must report that the urgently need ed national defense program is be ing turned into a vehicle for selfish use. There is no longer room for doubt.. The tragedy is that many otherwise sincere and honest indi viduals in places of responsibility are lending aid to this chicanery and boring-from-within. The cold fact is that while patri otic and far-seeing folks are giving the best efforts available to the de velopment and execution of the na tional defense program, fumes and stench are beginning to arise from HERBERT HOOVER He chose lo disagree. the midst of this very serious busi ness. The condition is upon us and thus far there is no apparent effort on the part of anybody in authority to check it. One hears and sees how the de fense program is being speeded. One naturally offers commendation. But hardly is that applause given when through the cracks and the crevices comes the information that politics is preying upon the whole scheme. Some of it already smells to high heaven. The length to which some men will go to further their selfish political aims at the expense of all of us is beyond comprehension. And in the midst of these serious endeavors, also, comes the shouts and the threats of some racketeer ing labor leaders. As usual, that type is simply getting on the band wagon for the sake of publicity that they can get for their mouthings. It makes them appear important to benighted followers. Opponentg of Democracy Are Boring From Within Behind and beneath all of these things that are to be deplored is the creeping and gnawing of the ter mites who would be most happy to i destroy our form of government. They ara seizing upon the hysteria and the patriotism of the day to worm themselves into the spots where their concealed efforts will attract the least attention until the floor falls in. I have complained about these fellows many times be fore, and I shall continue to write about the dangers from them. They are in our government to the tune of several thousands. Again, little is being done about those, or the thousands that are at large. Let us begin with some details of the politics of the situation as it has existed now for several weeks. We should begin at the top. President Roosevelt is not less guilty than many of his supporters in the mat ter of playing politics. The President's speech to con gress was a good speech, a speech that should have aroused a sleepy nation. It did. But there were some parts of it about which there could be, and was, disagreement. Of those who disagreed, the Presi dent immediately said, in effect, that they were playing politics. He want ,