U.S. WAR EFFORT

Grey River Argus, 23 May 1942, Page 5

U.S. WAR EFFORT

LABOUR’S PART

C. 1.0. Solidarity

CONFIDENCE IN PRESIDENT

NEW YORK, May 21

The C. 1.0. and United Auto Workers’ President, R. J. Thomas, told the United Steelworkers’ Convention at Cleveland to-day, that their unions would battle with forces which try to break up the labour movement, from without or within. Mi' Thomas made a tribute to Philip Murray and said: It can never be said of him that he gave his support to the Presidency, and who had never previously been a friend of Labour. lie declared that Philip Murray isn't preaching isolationism, ,nor (setting himself above the President of the United States, nor attempting to undermine the President in this war.

Thomas was obviously referring to his expected showdown with John Lewis, which will probably be on Monday. The steelworkers gave all ovation to Thomas, standing.

STEEL TRADE EXPANSION

WASHINGTON, May 21,

Mr Walter Tower, president.of the American Iron and Steel Institute, at the annual meeting to-day, said the industry was now 1 consistently making over seven million tons of steel monthly. Every time the clock ticks, three tons of steel are being poured somewhere in the United States. The steel mills are now making nearly twice the tonnage plates of all the rest of the world. The United States plate figure alone next month would be a million tons.

WAGES TAX PROPOSED

WASHINGTON, May 21

The Treasury recommended a proposal to the House of Representatives Ways and Means Committee to deduct a flat 10 per cent, from all wages and salaries, as an income tax instalment.

CONGRESSMEN NOT TQ ENLIST,

WASHINGTON, May 21.

Speaker Rayburn disclosed that both Colonel Knox and Mr Stimson were of the opinion that Congressmen should not enlist in the armed services, otherwise Congress . would be depleted by the loss of experienced legislators.

SUSPENDED ECONOMIC

LIBERTY.

NEW YORK, May 21. Ex-President Hoover in a speech at the National Industrial Conference Board, said Mr Roosevelt must be given dictatorial economic, powers, in order to defeat the Axis, but he warned the nation that it must secure the recovery of suspended liberties after the war. Mr Hoover ciescribed the economic measures necessary to win total war as plain Fascist economics.

U.S. SHIPBUILDING.

NEW YORK, May 19. The “Journal of Commerce’s” Washington correspondent says: If the Maritime Commission obtains the steel needed, Mr. Roosevelt’s goal Ox 15,000,000 tons of merchant shipping a year will be exceeded. While 3t ships were completed in April, ovei fifty will be finished in May, and ship launchings at three daily will be reached in Autumn.

WAR RISK INSURANCE

V/ASHINGTON,’ May 21

The House passed and sent to the Senate, a resolution increasing the war risk insurance fund by 210 million dollars, after the Appropriations Committee had reported that merchant ship losses were too great lor the companies to bear the risk

western front is pounding the enemy, day and night, destroying men and war material. Berlin radio states German tank divisions advanced considerably in the central sector, and that Russian counter-attacks failed. The Mayor of Moscow warns the people to be prepared for further German raids. He said that the city s air defences were stronger than ever. There has been no alert in Moscow for two months.

A London Estimate

RUSSIAN NEEDS. A QUICK VICTORY. LONDON, May 17. As the Spring offensive begins on the Russian front, one imperative factor overshadows both Russian and German armies—time. If time is the essential incentive behind the Nazi drive, in view of the mounting power of Britain, and the United States, it is likewise a spur to the Russians because the peak of the* Soviet effort is likely to be reached in 1942. The Russian slogan, “Victory in 1942,” is a plain statement of Russian needs, if the nation is to avoid cracking under the strain of the colossal industrial and military effort. If the Germans lost nearly alt the ground they gained since October, the Russians have likewise profited little since January. They have been unable to reduce the German advanced strong points, including Staraya Russa, Rjev, Viazma, Briansk, Orel, and Kursk, for which rea§on they are still without control' of the great lateral railways, the possession of which would have strengthened the front. Nevertheless, Russia faces the second Summer offensive better-armed and equipped, with larger reserves, and probably stronger in numbers, than last year. This has been made possible by the Winter pause «• Looking at the other side of the picture, it is likely that Russia’s industrial capacity, which is 60 to 70 per cent, in tact, is bigger than the raw material’ basis on which it rests, due almost to the total loss of the Ukranian mining industry, also the loss of Krivoirog’s iron ore and Donets coal. Although stocks were built up with great foresight, yet the decline in output has come sooner, for which reason, it mav be difficult to maintain peak production for another year of war. Labour will likewise be affected, due to the enormous mobilisation, and great losses of population in occupied territories. The loss of valuable agricultural supplies will also tell eventually, but an active campaign is in progress to assist agriculture, the prospects of which are believed to be good. It is hoped that the 1942 crops will be a record. These factors indicate that the Russian Kharkov thrust is not merely an answer to the Kerch attack, since , it must have been in preparation for weeks, Droving the Russian commanders' refusal to confine themselves to fighting defensive actions, under German-imposed conditions. The first act in the world’s greatest and most important battle, has begun, with both sides casting an anxious eye on the outrunning sands of time. ;