Small 7th Army Guards
Americans In Rhineland
The Journal’s Washington
correspondent is in Europe
where he will visit eight of the
member nations of the North
Atlantic Treaty organisations.
By EDWARD H. SIMS
(Special Correspondent of Th«
Charlotte Labor Journal. Writing
From Europe.)
Heidelberg, Germany.—Lieuten
ant General Manton E. Eddy’s
7th Army is the major American
force that stands between 176
Russian divisions and the Rhine
river. Above Eddy, and Com
mander in Chief, European Com
mand, is General Thomas T. Han
dy. These two men, scholarly
adn soft-spoken soldiers, hold in
' their hands the fate of more than
25,000 U. S. civilian, Western
Germany, three U. S. fighting
divisions and other military units.
North of the 7th Army—in the
British sone of Germany—are
four British divisions. By the end
of the year, the French will have
more than twice that many be
hind the U. S. 7th Army. But,
even adding them all together,
plus Dutch, Belgian and any oth
er available troops, the task of
General Dwight D. Eisenhower
(in overall commanS) will be a
hot one, should a Red Fnvasion
ick off any time soon.
By the middle of next year,
two more American divisions will
have arrived in Germany, bring
ing the U. S. total to five. They
will be added, to Eddy's 7th Army,
giving it a second corps and
rounding it into a full-strength
Army, Newsmen, visiting vari
ous European countrea on a spec
ial tour, aw elements «f eae of
that Army’s divisions l®
day or two ago. It was the wind
, up of the first field maneuvers
held on the Army’s new training
ground in Germany—an expand
ed end realistic training ground.
• The armored division exercise
gave visiting journalists a good
idea of the increased fire power
of an American armored division,
and the tactics now being taught
tank and infantry teams. Medium
tanks of the Hell On Wheels di
vision (that’s the 2nd Armored)
chugged, churned and fired away
in full view during the exercise.
Artillery, machine gun mortar
and recoilless rifle fire supported
the infantry along with the tanks.
The infantry moved forward un
der a hail of fire and took the
objective. It was a good show.
But, of course, the big question
.in everyone’s mind was whether
this division, and the other two
American divisions n Germany,
plus Ailed divisions, could hold off
the Red army any length of time.
Could they put up a good fight at
the Rhine, and how long would it
take the Reds to reach the Rhine
—from which they are only 71
miles at one point? Handy and
Eddy were asked point-blank what
they thought they could do in case
of a sudden attack, and though
their answers can’t be quoted,
cContinued On f^age 4)
Charlotte OPS Field
Service Is Expanded
In the Field Service program
the Charlotte OPS operates vir
tual branch offices ip cities
throughout the district. After a
beginning in July with weekly
operation in 11 counties, the
service was quickly expanded to
include 30 cities. And by No
vember 26 another 30 will be op
erating. This puts an FS office in
every county in the district, and
j it means that every business in
' the district is within 26 miles of
an office.
There were several reasons for
this expansion and the main ones
are that this service proved effec
tive and cheap. Businesses have
t been using the service; in ita car
rent 30-location phase approxi
mately 600 contacts a month are
i realized. OPS is doubling the lo
cations to 60 without having to
hire any extra personnel and by
keeping only one additional busi
ness analyst in the held instead
of at district headquarters.
Letters have already gone out
to Volunteer OPS committee
, chairmen in the cities that are
I being added. Three men from the
Charlotte office are already on the
road interviewing these chairmen,
viewing the poepectiv* locations,
land publicising the initiation of
the program through the news
outlets of the communities.
On November 26 the new sched
ule begins, and six business an
alysts take off on their circuits.
The last of the 60 towns will re
Ic^ve the •***»»* Deegmber 6,.
1 This new program necessitates
| cutting the present schedule in
i most of the cities now being
' serviced, but three months of ex
' perience shows that length of
(time allotted by the new sehed
, ule is adequate for the traffic in
>ach case.
UMivu vw»mj
Gaston county’s participation
, in the Volunteer Committe pro
pram was recently riven a big
, whoop in a nationally-circulated
, publication, Governmental News,
ta quarterly published in Milwau
kee and popular among public of
ficials in all ranges of govern
ment from municipal to national
The article is titled: “Gaston
, County Organizes For OPS.”
j Neville Wiggins of Alarka
, writes that OPS activities in his
.community seem all right to him.
He says: “I cannot think offhand
of any suggestion.”
I - * * *
The Crystal Ball
Look out for a lot of changes
in OPS regulations from now on
allowing costs to be passed on to
the consumer, in line with the
Herlong and Capehart amend
ments. These amendments were
fought all the way up and down
the line by DiSalle, but although
the Senate voted overwhelming'’/
'Continued an Page 4)
FIRST DEFENSE DO*1> FLAG CITY IN N. C.
Marine Serg-ant Jamea B. Na»h, of Durham, returned war hen
and former prisoner of the Communist* ia Korea, raiaea the toft
U. 8. Defease Bond Flag City award ia North Carolina at eereatoaiei
held oa Foot Office grounds ia Durham.
CHURCHILL LIKELY TO VISIT U. S.
The information specialists are now pre
dicting a conference between President
Truman and Prime Minister Churchill, say
ing that such a meeting between the two
leaders is highly desirable in an effort to
clarify the position of the English-speaking
nations on a number of important matters.
It may be that Mr. Churchill will under
take a more vigorous foreign policy, both
in the Near East aqd in the Far East, al
though it is not likely that the United States
will commit itself any further than it has in
connection with the proposed security ar
rangement, already rejected by the Egyp
tian Government. The pact, it is under
stood, will be carried out regardless of the
Egyptian attitude.
There will also arise certain questions in
connection with the operations of the North
Atlantic Treaty Organization. One of these
revolves around the selection of a Supreme
Commander of the Atlantic Ocean regions.
This is certain to cause discussion because
when an American was tentatively appoint
ed early this year, the storm of controversy
arose in England. Mr. Churchill was among
those who vigorously insisted that a Brit
ish admiral should have the post. He based
I his objection to the American commander
on the loss of naval prestige on the part of
the British.
Another matter, which is not receiving
much publicity, involves the possibility of
a loan for the British. Caught in the
squeeze between larger defense expendi
1 furs and declining economic position, fi
nancial experts would not be surprised if
the British request a loan.
There is no likelihood of any serious dis
cord as to the proper course to adopt to
wards Soviet Russia. The armament pro
gram in Great Britain, sponsored by the
Labor Government, will be continued but
the possibility exists that Mr. Churchill will
be somewhat more vocal in proclaiming this
DEFENSE COSTS $280 PER YEAR PER
PERSON
In the last sixteen months, or since the
beginning of the Korean War, the govern
ment of the United States has obligated or ,
paid out about $420 for each man, woman
and child in its defense effort.
While our rearmament bill for the year
preceding the outbreak in Korea was $13,
200,000,000, the vast sum of $62,900,000,
000 has been spent or obligated in the stu
pendous rearmament program set in mo
tion when the North Koreans began their
aggression.
These figures do not include the money
spent or appropriated for economic or mili
tary aid to friendly nations. They do not
include, of course, an expected request for
$8,000,000,000 before next summer to meet
defense costs not already covered by appro
priations. Nor do they include the money
to provide increases in military pay scales
that have already been requested. Of the
amount, the Defense Department estimates
that between five and six billion dollars will
be necessary for the war in Korean alone,
the total depending upon the intensity of
the conflict.
Of the $420 that each American citizen
will theoretically pay for rearmament of the
last sixteen months, nearly two-thirds will
go for planes, ships, tanks, weapons, ammu
nition, electronics and other major military
equipment. .About 30 per cent will go for
military pay and allowances, research and
development and other activities. The bal
ance will go for petroleum, clothing, food
and for construction.
UNPREPAREDNESS RISKS FREEDOM
Early in 1952, the United States will be
called upon to approve the report of a civil
ian commission, which recently recom
mended a program for the development of
universal military training at the earliest
practicable moment.
There will be considerable debate about
the issue, with many people lighting the
phrase, universal military training, rather
than the suggested program, which, upon
study, is rather limited and lacks a great
deal of being what the title suggests.
The United States has gone into two
world wars in a state of ghastly unprepar
edness and, despite the losses that this con
dition entailed, reduced its armed strength
to military impotence almost immediately
upon the cessation of hostilities. The pro
posed plan is an effort to assure that this
country will have a minimum body of ex
perienced soldiers, ready for any emergency.
While it is somewhat limited in its present
scope, the presumption is that as the pres
ent manpower shortage relaxes, the regular
and orderly training of all young men will
be expanded.
Universal military training, according to
General of the Army George C. Marhsall.
will be “a greater deterrent to possible ag
gressors or murderers of world peace than
even the atomic power, now in a rapid state
of development.” Because the threat of
war will prevail for many years, the former
Secretary of State thinks that “to be un
prepared these days would be a tragic risk
of our ,freedom.” He wants a program of
military training that will be ‘‘reasonably
secure against sodden fluctuations of public
opinion.”
ATOMIC WEAPONS CREATE A “REVO
* urnopr
Recent Russian atomic explosions indi
cate technical advances since earlier Soviet
blasts and that the Soviet has bombs “in
adequate quantities” to run tests, accord
ing to Robert A. Lovett, Secretary of De
fense.
Explosions that have occurred in the So
viet Union should spur this country to
atomic research and production, savs Mr.
Lovett, if superiority in quality and num
ber of weapons is to bf maintained.
According to another scientific writer,
who has had some experience in watching
atomic research and production, says MrJ
Lovett, if superiority in quality and number
i of weapons is to be maintained.
According to another scientific writer,
who has had some experience in watching
atomic explosions, the United States is
making such progress that it would be sui
cide for any enegiy to attempt concentration
of troops or material in small areas.
The man making this assertion is Wil
liam L. Laurence, who was the only news
paperman to watch the dropping of the
atomic weapon during World War II. Mr.
Laurence rode in the plant that carried the
atomic bomb that fell on Nagasaki and he
says that “it was a model T*’ compared with
the weapons developed since that time.
Future historians, in the opinion of Mr. j
Laurence, will look upon the Nevada tests!
as "a great turning point” of history, since
development of atomic weapons from a
strategic to a technical force has created a
revolution in warfare. Although qew atom
ic weapons are not in production, the Unit-'
ed States could, in this man’s opinion, cut
some of the larger ones in its stockpile to
smaller size for tactical use.
(Atomic bombs of the size used to subdue
Japan have now been made two and a half
times as powerful but, in his opinion, be
cause of their power and destructive prop
erties, will only be used as a weapon of re
taliation if the Russians use atomic bombs
against the United States.
The new, smaller bombs being tested in
Nevada, says Mr. Laurence, will nullify and
neutralize larger weapons. With these tac
tical bombs ready to enter the mass produc
tion stage, no enemy could dare to mass
men in small areas or to depend on pill
boxes and concentrations of equipment, such
as artillery and tanks.
NEWS AND VIEWS
y ALEXANDER S. LIPSETT
(An ILNS Feature)
Americana have been told over
and over a grain how Europe prof
it* from the outpouring of our
resources through ECA and other i
foreign aid channels. The Mar
shall Plan, it i* claimed, has j
built popular resistance against
communism and Stalinism. Well,
let’s find out from an unimpeach
able source — impeachable even
from the standpoint of the bit
terest Moscow hater — how the
ordinary people overseas are
making out.
i i From Msgr. Edward E. Swan
storm, a leader in American
Catholic welfare activities abroad,
comes the assertion that Italy’s
anti-communist regime is doomed
unless the working people share
directly and fruitfully in the
blessings of America’s gifts.
Speaking before the National
Catholic Rural life Conference
in Boston, the chnrchman told of
more than 3,000,000 ‘‘surplus'*
Italians who have become danger
ously articulate.
A trip through the Italian hin
terland, seldom visited by tour
ists, is a frightening experience,
he said. The people there live
in a state of poverty inconceiv
able to Americans.
SPECIAL PERMISSION IS
NECESSARY TO MOVE
OVERSIZE VEHICLES
Raleigh.—Motor Vehicles Com
missioner L. C. Rosser reminds
i motorists that they most get spe
cial permission from the Highway
department before moving over
sise vehicles on State roadways,
Offenders will face arrest by the
Highway Patrol, he said.
Rosser voiced his precaution on
|basis of a recent news story
relating an incident where nine
| persons were killed when a pro
jecting bull dozer blade slashed
through a passing bos.
Purchase Union Label gifts
and make it a vary Marry Christ
Truman Attacks “Gang-Up”
On Control Of Inflation
Washington, D. C. (ILNS)
Samuel Gompers. president of
the American Federation of La
bor, with the exception of one
year, from its founding in 1881
to his death in 1924, was honored
as the architect and builder of
the American labor movement at
the dedication October 27 of
Gompers Square, a triangular
park containing a massive Gom
pers monument.
President Truman, who dedi
cated the park, praised Gompers
as a leader who fought "a long,
unending fight for human jus
tice."
“It is an unending fight be
cause the forces of reaction never
give up," Truman continued.
“They have the money and they
have the power and they never
really believe that the people
ought to govern themselves."
Great progress, he said, had
been made since Gompers' day.
“We no longer subscribe," he
added, "to the nonsensical idea
that economic well-being trickles
down the scale from the well-to
do to the wage earner. We have
proved that if the wage earner
and farmer are prosperous and se
cure, the rest of the people will
be prosperous and secure. To
day, the working people of the
United States are better off than
any workers in history."
Pledges T-H Fight
The President's addteeo wm
featured by a pledge ta> eoatinue
the fight for repeal of tile Taft
Hartiey Act and a slashing attack
on enemies of inflhtiaB control.
He assailed the influence of prof*
it-seeking special interests and
charged Congress failed to pro
vide the means for effective curb
of inflation.
The administration, Truman
said, although trying to do its
best was unable to hold prices
down because "scores of special
interests have ganged up for the
purpose of securing short-run ad
vantages for themselves at the
expense of the rest of us.”
Truman said that throughout
its fight for human justice, a sta
ble economy, rising production.
and world peace, the American,
labor movement had followed the i
principles of Samuel Gompers. J
“And,’’ he added, departing from !
the teat of his prepared speech, ■
“all these principles have been
carried forward by my friend
here, William Green.”
Fight For Freedom Stressed
AFL President William Green
sat directly to the right of the1
President and on the left of Mar
garet Truman, who accompanied
her father to the dedication cere-'
monies.
•.Samuel Gompers strove to
keep America's wage earners free (
—free from dictation whether
from employer* or from govern
ment,” Green said in one of the
chief addresses. “These funda
mental purposes made him the
leading opponent'of Karl Marx,
who urged workers to seise and
operate the government to solve
their work problems,”., Green add
ed. “Marx taught the erroneous
doctrine that economic methods
and conditions determine the so
cial, political and intellectual life
of men. Gompers made war on
such doctrine and relentlessly at
tacked the disciples of Marx—
both Socialist and Communist —
for their philosophy took no ac
count of the soul of man.”
Secretary f the Interior Oscar
L. Chapman, who served as mas
ter of ceremonies, said that Gom
pers was “not only a great trade
unionist, but a great educator*
He said in large degree the
“strength of America can tie at
tributed to the fact that we are
free of class struggle,” and that
it was due in large part to the
work of Gompers.
“In naming the park for Mr.
Gompers,” Chapman said, “we are
acknowledging that Samuel Gom
pers was one of the architects of
♦he noble American house in
which we , are privileged to Hye
while we work out our destiny as
a free people.”
Other speakers were Secretary
of Labor Maurice J. Tobin and
Clement P. Preller, president of
'the Washington Central Labor
Union, who made the welcoming
! address. The invocation was by
the Rev. George C. Higgins, Na
tional Council of Catholic Men.
Rabbi Louis Barish gave the ben
ediction. There was a band con
cert by the Musicians Union. Pan!
Schwarts, president.
Gompers Associates Honored
Special guests included two
close associates of Samuel Gora
pers, John P. Fery, retired presi
dent of the APL Metal Trades
department, and Miss Florence
Thorne, still active in the AFL
research department. Another
special guest was Mrs. Florence
Gompers MacKay of Washington,
a granddaughter of the AFL
founder. President Truman read
a letter from Mrs. Samuel Gom
pers expressing regret that her
health would not permit her to
attend and her thanks for “the
great tribute to my late hus
band.”
Gompers Square Is on Massa
chusetts Avenue, between 10th
and 11th Streets, a block from the
AFL building and the Interna
tional Association of Machinists
building. Naming of the square
in honor of Gompers was first
suggested some months ago by
John Herling, editor and publish
er of John Helping’s Labor Letter.
The suggestion was taken up by
the Washington Centra! Labor
Union and other organisations
and individuals.
The Gompers monument shows
the AFL founder seated, sumMOkd
•d by figures symbolising justice,
liberty end other principles of
organised labor. On the face of
the monument are famous mes
sages from Gompers urging labor
to hold fast to voluntary prin
ciples and shun compulsion. The
monument was dedicated by Pres
ident Franklin D. Roosevelt Oct.
7, 1933. It is the work of Sculp
tor Robert Aitken and was paid
for by voluntary contributions
from working men and women ;
throughout the nation.
New Auto
Engines Uses
Less Fuel
The average American motorist •
used 215 fewer gallons of gasoline
in 1960 than he would have used
if he had driven the same distance
in a 1930 car with 1930 gasoline,
according to C. L. McCuen, general
manager of the Research Labora
tories Division of General Motors
Corp. ,
Mr. McCuen credited this saving
to industrial research by both the
automotive and petroleum indus
tries. The two industries, he said,
have progressed together, with the
automobile supplying a demand
which the petroleum industry has
filled through research to bay rove
motor fuels.
Gala Given C ns to mere
The average mileage of Ameri
can motor vehicles in 1950 was
9,550, he said. The 1930 car. he ex
plained, would have used 935 gal
lons of 1930 gasoline in covering
that distance, whereas the 1950 car
burned only 720 gallons.
“These are the economic gains
which the petroleum and automo
tive industries,” he added, “have
made together over the period from
1930 to 1960, and have passed on
to their customers.
AFL MAPS DRIVE
TO GET OUT VOTE
Washington (ILNS)
Executives, of AFL unions from
all over the nation made plans at
a meeting here to register as
many as possible of the federa
tion’s 8,000,000 members for the
11852 national election.
The top committee of Labor’s
League for Political Education
( met to discuss ways of increas
; ing the registration at the polls
, of union members and of raising
I a good sized fund for use in the
1952 election.
The league revealed that a spot
check among its 44,000 local un
ions showed that from 11 to 02
per cent of its members were
registered for the 1950 elections^