THE ALAMANCE GLEANER
?
VoL LXX GRAHAM, N. C.f THURSDAY, JULY 13, 1944 No. 28
WEEKLY NEWS ANALYSIS
Dewey Pledges Strong Postwar
Market for American Producers;
Batter Nazi Defenses in France
Released by Western Newspaper Union. ??????
(EDITOR'S NOTE: Whea eplnieas are Mprnacd la Aim mIuus, Air an Aim ef
Wests ra Newspaper Galea's sews analysis and aet necessarily mi this newspaper.)
^5*ip*n U. S. marine* pay last reapects to fallen bnddie* en Saipan in
EUROPE:
Big Battle
Id a great drive to encircle the
Nazi defense pivot of Caen on the
eastern end of the 125-mile Allied
front in Normandy, British Gen.
rvernara l>. mom
gomery compelled
German Field
Marshal Von Rund
stedt to commit
large forces to the
raging tank battles
on three sides of
the town.
As Montgomery
forced Von Rund
stedt's hand on the
east flank, U. S.
troops resumed the
attack above the
Gen.
Montgomery
vital communications hub of St. Lo
to the west, and U. S. engineers un
dertook to clear up the wreckage
is the port of Cherbourg to permit
its early use for funneling in sup
plies.
With Montgomery reportedly us
ing 100,000 men in the Caen drive
and pushing the offensive under a
curtain of heavy artillery, tank and
aerial fire, the Nazis were compelled
to call in reserves to stem the Brit
ish thrust, which threatened to re
move the pivot on which the enemy
had resisted Allied advances.
Russia
Within 250 miles of flaming front
in north Russia, German troops
slowly fell back before the powerful
surge of Red forces chewing into the
big bulge overhanging the south
ern end of the battle-line, and
Hitler's last springboard to Moscow.
The Germans were compelled to
retire from prepared strongholds
when large Russian forces broke
through their lines on all sides,
threatening to encircle them from
the rear.
In Finland, the Reds continued
their offensive in the face of stiffen
ing resistance both on the Karelian
isthmus near the capital of Helsinki,
and in the lake country farther to
the east.
Italy
With the Germans moving in re
inforcements and increasing their
artillery and anti-tank gunfire, the
Allied advance up the Italian penin
sula was slowed by hard fighting.
Still operating in the mountainous
terrain which lays before their last
major defense line guarding the
rich Po industrial and agricultural
region to the north, the Nazis were
taking every advantage of the
rugged country to impede the Al
lies.
As U. S., British and French
forces fought steadily ahead, the
Nazis were converting little villages
into small fortresses.
MEAT:
Beef Scarcer
Because of a 12 per cent decrease
in supply at rationed beef as a re
sult of larger allocations to the
army, navy and lend-lease, point
values on steaks and roasts for the
month of July were raised to their
highest levels.
Nearly all cuts of Iamb were re
turned to rationing, with only
breast, flank, neck, shank and lamb
patties point free. Depute shortages
of better grades of pork loins, all
pork will continue unrationed
Point-free for over a week, all so
called soft cheeses, including most
varieties except Cheddar, were put
back on the rationed list at four
points par pound. Canoed milk was
raised ta two-third point per can
fron? imJulf.
PACIFIC:
Serious, Says Tokyo
Facing compression on the north
ern end of Saipan island by ad
vancing U. S. troops, the Jap de
fenders offered vigorous resistance
to attacking Doughboys in the moun
tainous interior after having been
driven from the southern extremity.
Sheer cliffs, blind ravines, and
rough, wooded ridges bulked before
the Doughboys as they fought their
way forward over the rugged ter
rain, broken in many spots only by
goat paths.
As U. S. troops tightened their
foothold on Saipan, the enemy re
ported that naval aircraft continued
attacks against American shipping
supplying the ground forces, and
added: "We, the 100,000,000 people
of Japan, must realize now, if ever,
that the outcome of the battle of
the Marianas will exert a very seri
ous influence upon the future war
situation."
GOP:
Shape Fight
Under the leadership of Gov.
Thomas E. Dewey of New York as
its candidate for President and Gov.
John W. Bricker of Ohio as vice
president, the Republican party wUl
make the 1944 campaign on a plat
form designed to assure a strong
American market for U. S. produc
ers.
In the field of foreign relations, the
party's 1,657 sweltering delegates to
the Chicago convention approved a
platform based upon C. 8. coopera
tion with other nations to preserve
world peace without impairment of
sovereignty or self-rule and with the
consent of the senate in accordance
with constitutional provisions.
In addition to guaranteeing the
producer a protective tariff to ex
clude cheap foreign competition, the
party agreed to the principle of es
tablishing an "American market
price" for agriculture, and approved
crop adjustment during periods of
abnormal surpluses.
Quick restoration of Drivate busi
ness in the postwar world was prom
ised through speedy settlement of
cancelled war contracts and orderly
disposal of surplus goods. The party
also pledged lower individual and
corporate taxation consistent with
government expenditures when con
ditions permit.
Knows Answers
Surrounded by a battery of news
paper men in the grand ballroom of
the Stevens hotel, "Tom" Dewey
gave his first press interview as the
GOP's presidential candidate, show
ing a tactical skill in answering the
barrage of questions.
In reply to queries, Dewey said
future developments might make
compulsory military training neces
sary; that congressional power to
declare war to resist aggression
would not hamper operation of a
world cooperative program to pre
serve future peace, and D. S. ac
quisition at Pacific bases would be
left to future events.
Declaring that the party's program
did not refer to "high" but rather
to "adequate" tariffs, Dewey said
the heart of the foreign trade plank
was centered in the sentence calling
tor U. 8. cooperation in promotion
of world commerce. At first, federal
help may be required to assist in
providing full employment, Dewey
said.
"Are yon satisfied with gas ra
tioning?" someone asked.
"Do yon know anybody who to?"
Dewey retorted.
DIPLOMACY:
Troubled Relations
Finland'! refusal to lend its ear
to U. S. approaches that it negoti
ate a peace with Russia, and the
tiny Baltic state's determination to
remain in the war beside Germany
following promises of military aid,
led to an open rupture of relations
with this country.
At the same time, U. S. Ambas
sador Norman Armour was recalled
from Argentina for consultation with
state department officials, following
reported increasing Axis sentiment
in that South American country, par
ticularly since the invasion.
Meanwhile, Gen. Charles de Gaulle
was scheduled to confer with Presi
dent Roosevelt over alterations in
the U. S. attitude toward the French
National Committee for Liberation
as the provisional government of re
occupied territory.
CASUALTIES:
Total 250,000
As a result of losses of 24,162 men
during the first two weeks of the
invasion, total U. S. casualties up to
June 22 approximated 250,000 killed,
missing and wounded.
Total Allied losses in France
were 40,549 for the two week period,
with the U. S. dead averaging 12.7
per cent of American casualties; the
British 13.5 per cent a ad the
Canadian 12.9 per cent.
A large percentage of U. S. losses
in the invasion came in the first
two days, when elements of two
divisions ran into a German
division practicing maneuvers on
the beaches. Enemy casualties were
estimated at 70,000.
For the first four years of the
war, Prime Minister Churchill
placed British losses at over 667,000
men.
CHINA:
Japs Gain
Pressing their drive in southern
China, the Japs threatened to seize
the country's entire eastern sea
coast and secure an jinbroken rail
route of over 1,000 miles.
The Japs pushed their offensive as
U. S., British and Chinese efforts
to open up a. back-door into south
eastern China* from India slowed in
the mountainous Burmese Jungle
country.
U. S. warp lanes Joined in the
valiant Chinese defense against the
Japs, who continued their favorite
tactic of driving forward on either
side of by-passed strongholds. Allied
thrusts to open a back-door to China
continued even as the Chinese asked
for greater assistance to resist the
enemy.
TEtif ACT "|
cotnuwwT (xnNomjns m imi
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LEND-LEASE:
In Reverse
With the United Kingdom, Aus
tralia and New Zealand pitching in,
Britain'* reverse lend-lease to the
U. S. tor the two years ending last
March totaled 2% billion dollars,
and if continued at the same
rate as the first three months of
1M4, was expected to approximate
2 billion dollars for tha whole year.
Out of the United Kingdom's con
tribution of almost 2 billion dollars,
the U. S. received rail transporta
tion to invasion ports; British
planes; airfields and other con
struction; fresh vegetables and
other foodstuffs; lightweight gas
tanks; 29,000 miles of steel landing
mats; thousands of parachutes,
and 2 million pair of woolen socks.
Meats and dairy products consti
tuted a major portion of Australia's
reverse lend-lease of almost % bil
lion dollars, while foodstuffs mad*
up one-third of New Zealand's con
tribution of over 100 million dollars.
CIVILIAN GOODS:
Feeling Pinch
With large stockpiles dwindling
and scarcities of material and man
power prevailing, the public will
start feeling the shortage of civilian
goods mora and more from now on;
an official of the War Production
board declared.
Although some demand for such
merchandise as electric irons, alarm
clocks and aluminum kitchen-ware
will be partially met this year, WPB
disclosed, manufacture of stoves and
other steel products and availability
of lumber are expected to be affect
ed by shortages of materials.
In remarking on the continued re
rtrict?oo of textile production be
cause of the tight labor supply, a
WPB official declared; "Our man
power is not always sppttsd to the
right things?there probably is plan
ts if it wars properly distributed."
FBI terns and G-Maneuvers
In the gangster film about Roger
Touhy and his gang the producers
lost a few good tricks which appar
ently the gov't agents didn't tell
them about?after Touhy and his
mob were recaptured. . . . Frix
ample: When the FBI went into the
rooms of two of the gang?they
didn't notice a match stuck at the
top of the door. ... To let the
gang know if anyone entered during
their absence. One mobster had
started opening the door when he
realized the planted match was
gone. ... So he started firing his
revolver. . . . The agent came out
snooting too, and two of Touhy's
pals were hit by the marksman and
went to heaven.
Then there's the episode in the
butcher shop. ... A uniformed
chauffeur turns out to be one of
the Touhy gangsters. He went to
purchase meat In the neighborhood
for Touhy (and the others) who
didn't risk coming out of the house.
. . . The butcher shop, however, was
staffed by G-Men. . . . After a signal
from one butcher a bike-rider
G-Man tailed the chauffeur to the
scene where Touhy was hiding. . . .
But the confederate was not dis
guised as a chauffeur in the actual
kidnap. . . . The movie people ap
parently didn't want to offend the
devout by sticking to the facts. . . .
The disguise worn by the gangster
in the meat shop was that of a
priest.
The average newspaper read
er, recalling Touhy's mob, will
think the snatched man Is the
rich Jake the Barber, victim ef
that gang. . . . Bat in the film
the producer* purposely switched
things to give the story mora
pep. . . . Jake the Barber's
real tortures cannot be screened
or even written about?so vile
wore they. ... Bo for the screen
the authors and director bor
rowed several Interesting Items
from the kidnappings ef a
wealthy youth named Boecnthsl
(in New York) and the Ursehel
snatch in the West. ... AB the
kidnappers are new rusting and
rotting In prison on sentences
for lite.
The moit frightful moment In Di
rector J. Edgar Hoover'* entire life
happened that terrible 5 In the
morning?when the night wai itill
black. . . . Hoover and aome of the
agent* attacked the Touhy mob
from the rear of the building?other
FBI men covered the front. . . . Mr.
Hoover, revolver in paw, climbed
over the back fence and tread softly
to the back door, where he let out
the most piercing shriek ever heard
anywhere in the whole world. ... It
teems that a poor, little, inoffen
sive, sleeping black cat was stepped
on by the most famed of all G-Men,
and it let out one screetch, which
the startled G-Man tried to out-hol
ler.
FBI agents the other day were in
vestigating a theft of gov't-owned
cigarettes destined for overseas
shipment. . . . The foreman, who
had denied any knowledge of the
theft, produced a package of cigar
ettes bearing a give-away gov't
label. . . . The agent, who had
mooched a cigarette with a definite
purpoee, forthwith arrested the
foreman, who was charged with the
crime. *
??
On* of the problem* eenfreet
lag the FBI thee* baps Is the
appreheastoo of MUridaals ob
taining moaep frandnlentlp un
der the Servicemen's Depend
ents Allowance Act. Sixty-nine
s?iletl?* kan rershad dnring
the Brst tea moaths of the IK4
?seal pear. Aa oddity ia the
FBI's Has sa this sabject has
to be with a LoaistiPe, Bp.,
womaa whs, srhaa enerOsaeb
bp FBI agents, offered to retara
foarteea M ehecfca she gat IBo
gaUp, bat habat speat. She salb
she hab kept aB the checks ex
cept eae, which the seUier him
self cashed, aab that she was
saeet wSBag Is retara them te
the Government.
The alertness of G-Men was dem
onstrated again the ' other dap in
Los Angeles. An agent spied a man
on the street whom be recognized as
a fugitive?a wanted notioe had bean
Issued a few daps before. Although
the suspect produced phony selec
tive service cards, the G-Man was
persistent and took his fingerprints,
whereupon the fugitive admitted his
identity as Walter Rap Carroll,
wanted in Washington State In eon.
nection with ? $25,000 narcotics rob
bery.
Don't Worry About Your WAC Oversea; She's Healthier
And Happier Than When at Home, Says Medical Officer
PVT. MAKION DcGRAT oI Mil
waukee, Wis., briafs sa armload of
homemade bread tote the meashall.
Excellent food la credited to a larso
extent for the splendid health rec
ord of the WACa overseas.
STROLLING DOWN the roadway to the estruM at the aid Frith
convent which I* their barrack* to Nerth Africa are thee* hi WACe
whe are assigned to the headqaartoas oflees of Allied (ere* hiadqnsrtiin.
They are, left to right, Mary C. Weeds, Everett, Mass.; EDea Ciiln,
Missoula, Mont.; Mary UTiagstoe, Chattanooga, Ten.; I note James,
Stan City, Iowa; aad Elizabeth Page, Eseaaaba, Mich. A ana to passing
to the background.
LETTERS FROM bora* an the j
beat moral* booster*. 8ft. Betty
Jan* O'Leary oI PttUbnrfh, Pa.,
sounds the welcome "mall can."
AWACIB NwaAMee tap P
ru4 rf tta wwp iMP Mrm u
? karrmeks, g*rtmg a tai kta
Major Janeway Tells
About 14 Months With
N. African Contingent
By GERTRUDE BACHMAN
Rtlcuad by Wntbrn Nmptpir Uatao.
WASHINGTON, D. C.?If your
daughter, sister or wife is a
WAC and stationed in the Medi
terranean area, you are prob
ably worrying a lot more about
her than she is about herself.
Maj. Margaret Janeway, Medi
cal corps, U. S. army, gives a
report that should put to route
all unnecessary fears.
"They are never sick," Major
Janeway told a press conference in
Washington. "The Fifth army WACa
have had an amazing health record
from the beginning."
Of 1,800 women soldiers who
landed in North Africa since Janu
ary, 1943, only 12 have been sent
home for medical reasons. Dr.
Janeway believes that this record
may prove one thing?that the more
primitive the circumstances, the
better a woman thrives.
"They take hardships in a spirit
of fun," Major Janeway said.
When the first contingent went
over in January, 1943, it found cir
cumstances definitely primitive.
The trip over wasn't exactly a sum
iner cruiso?especially since moat
nf the women hadn't ever been to
aea before. They landed at Oran on
January 13, and took a train for
Algiers. They discovered their quar
ters to be an old French convent
with no heat and no water. They
used their helmets for carrying
water from an old well in the court
yard and for wash basins. It was
bitterly cold. Major Janeway said:
"It was May before we thawed
out, and it was May before we could
i get an occasional good night's
| sleep."
The women slept 13 in a room on
straw mattresses placed on double
decker bunks, wore all their woolen
clothes and wrapped themselves In
three blankets when they went to
bed. Those on the night shift were
envied because they slept during the
daytime when there were no air
raids.
On Doty 13 Ham Dally.
Such were the conditions of their
employment. The wages of WAC
privates are the same as those of
G. I. Joes?)S0 a month plus 10 per
cent of the base pay for overseas
duty. The hours were 13 a day,
seven days a week. Since curfew
was at 7 p. m., and the Algerian
shops vers closed st that time,
there was no point in time off.
During this whole period, despite
hardships ? or what most of us
would rnnaidar hardships ? there
were no seriom Illnesses and very
little Jitters, Major Jancway said.
A three-bed dispensary had been set
up in what was described as "a
large closet" in the convent. This
eras used only as an Isolation ward
tor those with colds and as a
room tor an occasional rest of M
hours for the very weary. Major
J anew ay said that after such treat
ment most of them were reedy to
go back to their Jobs. Despite all
the dire warnings, not one WAC con
tracted any of the diseases they had
been told very carefully to guard
against .
When mors WACs arrived in Al
giers in May, the entire WAC colony
took over an apartment house which
provided more comforts, and
much more warmth. The number of
beds in the dispensary was in
creased to U.
Of the ? women who cams with
this contingent, only thrae had ta ha
returned to the States. The reason
given was "excessive nervousness."
The three women were aged 30, 39
and 40 respectively, and had back
grounds of nervous instability. What
had been a potential inability to ad
just at home under secure routine
now became complete maladjust
ment. Major Janeway said they
Just "couldn't take it."
No diet deficiencies were discov
ered. Army food was more than ade
quate, and in addition, the WACs
were the friendly concern of army
and navy men. They received
oranges, eggs that cost $3 a dozen,
and a general supply of "nice spoil
ing." The navy men?who vied with
the tradition of their marine broth
ers for having this situation well in
hand?even obtained pillows for the
WAC bunks.
"Every time a girl got a letter
from home," Major Janeway said,
"Mama wanted to know if she was
getting her vitamins. She was, but
she didn't know it Fortunately,
their folks started sending them
vitamin pills and that settled the
problem for us. They ate their pills
and felt better."
Toe Maeh Son Tea.
The power of the North African
sun was an unknown quantity to the
WACs. Anxious to get a smooth tan,
they discovered, to their dismay,
that it could very easily be over
done. After a few painful burns.
which kept the victims away from
work, eunburn was classified "not '
line of duty." That meant that any '
WAC who was not sensible enough
to get her sun grsdually, would 1
have her pay docked for any time
she was off work. They soon learned
how to do it gradually.
By November, three more WAC
companies had reported for duty in
Algiers. In December, one company
fresh from the States went direct
ly to Italy.
The healthiest women in the
whole Mediterranean area, Major
Janeway found, were the Fifth army
WACs living in tents very close be
hind the fighting lines in Italy. They
were part of a communications
platoon based at Naples and half
up toward the front, living in tents,
working the command post mes
sage center. They were with the
Fifth army in North Africa and fol
lowed when American troops took
Naples.
Major Janeway said that the
WACs at the front and those in
North Africa, tor that matter, are
so healthy because they do not have
time to spend in "frivolous activi
ties."
There is no special training for
keeping the WACs in trim. In wto
tar they don't have much appor- i
tiattjr for asardae, but in summer ]
they swim. In North Africa, a pre- I
vide* each women, after eo long a
time, a tour-day rest period. A rest
camp has been established M miles
up the coast from Algiers. It was
opened first tor those earliest WACs
who were beginning to look a little
fatigued after their lA-houts-a-day,
seven-days a week grind with ao
passes from January to June.
No similar arrangement has boss
made in Italy as yst, but Major
Jane way believes that one soon will
be.
Oaly to Marriages.
In 14 months, there have only
been six marriages at WACs in toe
Mediterranean area. It is passlhl*
that a three-month wafting period
-known as the "eooliag-ofl" period
?after announcing marriage hden
tiona to the commanding officer is
the reason. This is an army regale
tion and applies to both men and
woman.
In regard to tfao unhappy stories
that have been circulating about the
morals at the WXCs, Dr. Janeway
cited medical statistics which
showed definitely these rumors to bo
figments of somebody's imagination.
The women were homesick at
times, but "ngt too badly," Major
Janeway said. Six weeks after the
first group arrived in Algiers, how
ever, there was no mail from home,
which resulted in many a tearful
night. But the regular arrival of
mall after that, and the strict
regimen took care of homesickness
pretty thoroughly.
There have been no battle casual
ties among the WACa. One woman
was injured, and one killed in a
jeep accident There was plenty at
bombing, but the bombs fell "just
across the street" from the Algiers
barracks. The bombs would hit the
same spot night after night During
the day the damage would bo re
paired, and that night it would be
undone. Yet nooe of the WACs was
hit
A piece of shrapnel hit the bed
In which a WAC was sleeping, but
she was unharmed. There was soma
dispute between her and the occu
pant of the next bunk as to whom
the piece of shrapnel belonged.
Major Janeway said that the jobs
nrhich the WAOa perform, and about
?rhich "they are eery keen" are
thoee of stenographers, telephone
operators, drivers, cooks, and all
kinds of communications jobs.
Asked if the WACs overseas feel
that girls at home are lgrka^aisiral
?-*
?bout not Joining up Major Jaae
wajr replied: "They rirtaMlj dol"
She continued:
well-balanced woman to stand op
bar own podasmh takes a level
headed woman to keep roatod and
to maintain bar aanaa of bn ii."
-.to ?