The Wilmington morning star. [volume], December 31, 1944, FINAL EDITION, Page 4, Image 4

About The Wilmington morning star. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1909-1990

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\ FOUR_-_-—
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MEMBER OF THE ASSOCIATED PRES!
AND ALSO SERVED BY THE UMTED PKESI
With confidence in our armed forces—witl
; the unbounding determination of our people
; we will gain the inevitable triumph—so heir
us God.
Roosevelt’s War Message
1 SUNDAY, DECEMBER 31~ 1944
1 TOP O’THE MORNING
Lord, as we look out across the broad
' fields of the Universe and observe Thy
plans and provision . .we stand in Thy pre
sence with bowed head and a contrite heart
. ... In the blue sky by day and the twinkle
of the stars by night we witness Thy
glory and feel Thy majesty . . . May we
lift our hearts at this time not in supplicat
ion for something we do not have but in
gratitude for that which we do have . . May
we join in a mighty chorus with all Ameri
cans, of praise and thanksgiving for the
way Thou hast already blessed America. .
And finally, Lord, give to our enemies,
1 and to us, a deeper appreciation for the
beauty of life, for the warmth of friend
ship. . . for the depth of character, for the
imDortance of honor, justice, and truth, and
for the majesty and power in the ideals
I of Jesus Christ Our Lord.
From “A Thanksgiving Prayer”
By Mr. L. A. Martin
“Presenteeism”
i _
The Army is reported to be considering a
plan for honoring workers with uninterrupted
1 attendance records by awarding them pins
: for “presenteeism.” The plan was inaugurat
| ed by the B. F. Goodrich Co. of Akron,
; which recently presented pins to more than
400 workers w’ho had not missed a day’s
work since Pearl Harbor.
Considering the pride with v/hich both man
agement and workers wear the Army-Navy
E pins, it seems both just and psychologically
sound to try out the Goodrich scheme gen
erally.
The country has deplored absenteeism, and
made great efforts’ to combat it. And rightly
so. But in doing so we have taken for granted
those who have stayed on the job. Certainly
this was no more than their duty, so long
as health permitted. But it is not be won
dered at that some of these faithful workers
may have been a little resentful of being
taken con'-antly for granted.
Some tangible form of application is cer
tainly due them.
Full-Time Job
Vice President-elect Truman showed good
judgment in his announcement that he planned
to devote his full time and efforts to the
job of being vice president. For that job
promises to be a man-sized assignment in the
next four years. And we don’t think Mr.
Truman is putting himself in the Throttle
bottom class by electing a narrower range
of duties than that undertaken by Henry Wal
lace.
As presiding officer of the Senate. Mr. Tru
man may help to guide that contentious body
on a wise course of foreign po'icy. And, as
liaison man between the capitol and the white
house, he will have an opportunity to pro
mote executive and senatorial co-operation in
the vital concldsions of peace treaties and
our membeiship in the postwar United Na
tions organization.
Mr. Truman brings to his naw post a repu
tation for integrity and the respect of his
eollagues in the Senate. If he can use these
assets to help bring about a peace settlement
in accordance with the people’s wishes, he
will have raised the office of vice president
considerably above its traditional importance.
-v
Basic Role
Tribute to the nation’s shipyards is given by
H. Gerrish Smith, president of the Shipbuilders
Council of America, who said at a dinner cele
brating his completion of 50 years in the in
dustry that he considered—to quote an As
sociated Press dispatch—“the mammoth pro
duction of the last few war years the greatest
accomplishment of the past half century.’’
It has been astounding, a marvel of organi
zation and production. Yet. it was accomplish
ed without fuss and sputter, management and
labor calmly going to work in the early dart
days of the war; shouldering a mammoth loac
and smoothly walking away with it.
The ship is basic in war. Without it ther<
can be no movement, no support; plainly n<
action. From earliest recorded time, it ha;
been the elemental factor in trasportation, ii
life itself. It is the builder of civilization, thi
precursor of dessemination of mankind. In wa
or peace its role is vital, imperative. No sub
■titute will do.
Mr. Smith’s words are not empty talk. Th
evidence is all about us, on every sea, ii
every port.
A Long War
How long is the war going to last? For the
country and most of its fighting men, perhaps
I another year or two. For the many who won’t
5 come back. Another day or week or month.
■ But for thousands upon thousands of others
it will last for 20 or 30 or 40 years, through
the daily reminders of infirmities, shocks.
' fears and shattered nerves.
The causes of these thousands misfortune
will be forgotten by other as the years pass
and today’ sharp events blur and fade. Only
the evidence of the misfortunes will remain.
And the thousands will become pitiable or
eccentric old men to their families, their
friends, and the casual passers-by’,
i It is alw’ays so with war. This year the
1 number of neuro-pychiatric patients of orld
War I admitted to veterans’ hospitals is high
- er than ever before. The peak is expected
in 1949, 31 years after Armistice Day. For
many veterans of 1917-18, the impact of war s
. peak intensity did not come in Belleau Wood
i or Chateau Thierry. It awaits them in the
■ years ahead.
' And it will be so after this war. The Vet
erans’ Administration already is looking to
ward the peak year of 1975, when it is ex
pected that 300,000 beds in veterans’ hospitals
will be needed to care for this war’s surviv
ing casualties. Already there are 90,000 beds
in 94 hospitals, and 10,000 of those beds have
been added since the G. I. Bill of Rights
was passed.
In many ways problems of military medi
cine are easier in this war. Speed of trans
portation, sulfa drugs and use of blood plas
ma have saved countless lives. Many wound
ed soldiers and sailor today are back in
service after recovering from wounds that
would have meant death or permanent dis
ability in the last war.
But there are new' problems, too. While
there are no gas cases today, there are more
burns than in World War I. There are more
and severer neuroses, the consequence of his
tory's most terrible war. There are stubborn,
recurrent tropical fevers.
To combat these Big. Gen. Frank T. Hines,
Administrator of Veterans' Affairs, recently
established a special medical advisory group
includes leading authorities in all special
fields of medicine. Thev will study new Droh
lems rising out of this war. advise on pro
curement of competent personnel for the Ad
ministration's expanding needs, and determine
the research and educational facilities need
ed in the Veterans’ Administration and co
operating agencies.
This new group is another example of the
Veterans’ Administration's zealous discharge
of its duties. But the best efforts which it
can give can only repair some of war’s dam
ages. For many it can only minister, not
cure, as the war becomes a dim memory,
but suffering and sorrow remain.
But though there may be no cure for these
patients, it - is possible to prevent a recur
rence in another 25 years. That, however,
is a task for the world’s leader of govern
ments, not its physicians.
-V
What, No Carpets?
Hitler is now described by his stooge, Goeb
bles, as having shut himself “from the daily
joys of life and all its comforts” in order to
plan for Germany in her hour of danger. He's
like a monk, austere and plain, denying him
self even a bit of cocaine now and then. Life
is bare for him, plain and without any ease
So Gobbling Goebbles says.
Enjt surely he does not deny himself a carpet
on the floor, those carpets which it was said
earlier in the war he was wont to chew when
in rnirp nupr cnmp *pf hark Pprhans his kppn
ers have to remove them for that very reason.
Could be it that he is in a strait-jackets—
something exceedingly conductive to the re
strained, simple life.
-V
Raw Deal
There are many allusions to the “raw cour
age" of American soldiers battling the Ger
man breakthrough on the Western Front. It
is fine. No matter how many men in an army,
nor how well drilled and disciplined, the ele
mental necessity is courage. Without it an
army just isn’t.
But it should not be required of these men
to fight with only raw courage. They need
weapons, the best and the most weapons. They
are fighting German armored divisions and
they need armor against them—tank and can
non. Courage should not be penalized, made
to fight under handicaps.
mat means a raw aeal lor the courageous.
That isn’t a fair deal or a square deal.
---v
Figure It Out
Dangling before the motorist has been the
hint that with synthetic rubber production
stepped up and with the end of the war in
Europe in sight he might get new tires within
six months. It was always six months ahead.
But the war in Europe isn’t now in sight. So
forget the tires.
Latest report from the tire authorities is
that there will be fewer for those who- quali
fy, none at all for other people. That’s leaves
i it up to the car owner. He can take the best
i possible care of his tires or learn to walk
■ again. Even with the best of care, he may
• have to walk, later.
He will get new tires when Germany and
Japan are beaten, and then maybe about six
i months after civilian production is resumed,
i Figure that, and you will know when he gets
. a new tire.
CAROLINA
FROM THE
CAPITAL
By ALLEN J. GREEN
-Star-News Washington Bureau
WASHINGTON, Dec. 30.—The Coast Guard,
after an investigation, has decided to retain
one Coast Guard fireboat and crew in service
at the Port of Wilmington in disbanding port
security force which has policed the harbor
since Pearl Harbor, Vice Admiral R. R.
Waesche, Coast Guard commandant, said to
day in confirming previous announcements.
The investigation followed complaints that
to demobilize the port security force com
pletely would leave vital harbor facilities un
guarded.
"The decision to discontinue port security
activities in Wilmington was part of the Coast
Guard’s policy to confine such activities to
the largest and most active ports in the coun
try,” Admiral Waesche wrote Representative
. uajaiu
“The changing war situation has made nec
essary certain adjustments in the port securi
ty program in order to provide men needed
ftir the more urgent duty of manning addi
tional vessels recently constructed for over
seas duty, for port security work beyond the
continential limits of the United States, and
for increased port security duties in West
Coast ports where shipping is becoming con
stantly more active.
“This action which has largely been effect
ed in areas of the United States does not
constitute a lessening of the war effort but
merely reflects a change in emphasis made
necessary by the progress of the war.
“Futher investigation has been made with
respect to the question of continuing port se
curity activities in Wilmingon. As a result
of this investigation and in view of state
ments made as to the importance of his port
to the war effort, it has been decided to re
tain a Coast Guard fireboat and crew in Wil
mington to afford fire protection to impor
tant waterfront facilities of the city. However,
for the reasons outlined above, it has been
found necessary to discontinue other port se
curity activities in this port.
“You may be assured in this connection
that, if future developments in the progress
of the war should dictate the necessity there
fore, the Coast Guard will take appropriate
action to adjust the proection for the Port
of Wilmington to the new conditions.”
The port security force at Wilmington con
stituted one of the larger military forces sta
tioned there in the earlier days of the war,
necessitating construction of a barracks and
mooring of a quaterboat at the Customhouse
wharf to house the personnel.
NEW FACES
There will be a number of new faces in
the staff of secretaries to members of the
North Carolina delegation when the 79th Con
gress convenes next week. Jack Spam, former
mayor of Greenville and prominent eastern
North Carolinian, is leaving the office of Rep.
Herbert Bonner of the First District, to be
come secretary to the new junior senator,
Sen. Clyde R. Hoey. Joseph Butts, secretary
to Rep. John H. Kerr of the Second District,
and Percy Meekins, secretary to Rep. Robert
L. Doughton of the Ninth District, have re
signed to open law practices here. And North
Carolina’s only freshman representative, Joe
W. Ervin of Charlotte, elected this year from
the Tenth District, will bring a secretary of
his own. i
WILL BE DELAYED
The reintroduction of the Rivers and Har
bors bill in Congress will not be accomplished
until some half-dozen vacancies in House com
mittees are filled, Representative Joseph J.
Mansfield, chairman of the House Rivers and
Harbors committee declares.
This bill, killed after a wrangle between
the Senate and House over inclusion of a
California irrigation measure, means about
$1,500,000 in port improvements to Wilmington.
-V
EDITORIAL COMMENT
RESTLESS YOUTH
Chief of Police John M. Gold told the Gray
Hi-Y Club that “the highest percentage of in
dividuals arrested in the United States during
the last year was in the 17-year-old group.”
This fact is freighted with significance. It
places new emphasis upon the perils which
surround the transition period wherein adoles
cent youth begins to move into the realm of
maturity. This is one of the most dangerous
periods in the lift of the individual, a truth
apparently too often overlooked by modern
parents.
war conditions nave naa an unaemaoiy po
tent influence upon the lives of our growing
boys and girls. Especially is this true in mili
tary camp areas and war industry centers.
But the problems of youth are not altogether
peculiar to wartime periods. They are a con
stant challenge to parents, to religious, law
enforcement and social welfare leaders.
There are many approaches to the juvenile
delinquency problem, but all of them involve
the vital element of co-operation in which the
parents and other relatives of the child must
assume a vital role. There may be good sub
stitutes for many things, but, as Chief Gold
implies, there can be no satisfactory substitute
for reasonable and proper parental guidance
and discipline in the life of a child.
The trouble too frequently is that some par
ents do not learn or keep themselves reminded
of this truth until the child has reached its
teens, and then it often is too late lo impose
the sort of discipline which would have been
accepted by the youngster in good spirit had it
been introduced much earlier and consistently
maintained through the years.—The Winston
Salem Journal.
SO THEY SAY
We construct whole ports for unloading ships,
roads, airfields, housing facilities and storage
dumps. In a few short weeks we convert an
isla-J into an American base.— Lt.-Gen. Bre
hon B. Somervell, Army Service Forces chief
♦ * *
No general ever has all the munitions of
war that he can use, and we can’t give Gen
eral Eisenhower too much. The sky’s the lim
it.—Maj.-Gen. Levin H. Campbell, Army Ord
nance chief.
. . • • •
They (Jap flyers) have no formations and
use asinine tactics. If a 35 - hour student of
mine at home made the mistakes they do,
I’d wash him out.—Capt. David W. Thompson
of Oak Park, 111., at Mindoro.
j
Just Another In A Long Succession Of Messenger Boys
C WON. BC66 SAY )
) COLLECT, (
C VL-EA6E / )
WITH THE AEF
Battle ror Bacon
BY JOHN GROVER
(Substituting for Kenneth L. Dixon)
CALCUTTA, Dec. 16—(Delayed)
—(JP)— Ingenious Yanks turned a
Maharajah’s palace into a packing
plant to win the battle for bacon ir
the India-Burma theater.
Succulent side meat, juicy hams
and all choice other cuts of hog that
sing in a skillet are going forward
to the GIs up in the bamboo be
cause a few Americans wouldn’1
take what semed like good advice
The jungles of Orissa and the
united provinces are full of pigs
—but such pigs! These aren't the
contented porkers of the U. S. Mid
west. They're mean, lean wild hogs,
with the three-inch tusks and ar
anti-social attitude. The Indians
give these hammer-headed, vicious
wild boars plenty of room.
So. when base depot No. 2. ir
charge of getting the groceries up
to the jungle, decided that these
:ing-size Indian Razorbacks had a
date with a mess sergeant, the old
jlndia hands said it couldn't be
jdone.
Lt. Col. M. C. Coop, an Army
I veterinarian from Abilene, Tex.,
Jgot the job of military hog calling.
Indians told him his hogs, when
snared by Indian hunters, would
refuse to eat in captivity, thus fail
ing to plump out into luscious
roasts and chops.
The drawling Texan opined that
! any hungry hawg would go for his
garbage right smartly. Just to
make sure, the captured wild boars
were kept without food for the first
two days. Col. Coop's hunch was
right. When food was put in front
of the animals, they went right to
work hogging it down.
There was no room for a pack
ing plant, so the Army, working
through British authorities via re
versed lend-lease, snapped up a
palace as a butchery. All the down
stairs rooms were cleared—ornate,
furniture still is stored upstairs—
and Col. Coop installed his scald
ing vats and pork production line
in the Salons.
The help is all Hindu. No Mo
hammedans will work around hogs.
(In the beef processing plant, the
workers are all Mohammedans, as
Hindus revere cows). Workers are
examined medically weekly. Amer
ican health standards are main
tained and every carcass under
igoes a rigid post-mortem.
! The hogs are fed leftovers from
the GI mess anu can't be finishec
on grain, as is usual in the states
Bengal has a tough time getting
enough food grains for its teaming
population. However, the wild hog:
do all right; they finish off solid.
These Indian prokers never be
come thoroughly domesticated
When one gets loose the GI’s anc
Hindus grasp a handful of pain
tree until the menace is corraled
Several workers around the pig
gery have been badly bitten.
It takes four men to throw ant
muzzle a big wild hog at killing
time. The accepted technizue fo:
shunting a 200-pound hog is grab
bing him by the tail, and dragging
him backwards, making sure no
to let go.
The pig detail was forced to im
provise all equipment now in use
They crossbred a motorcycle ant
meat-grinders to make a powei
sausage mill that now turns ou
300 pounds an hour.
Currently the piggery has mori
than 1.600 hogs on feed, and is pro
cessing approximately 150,001
pounds of pork monthly. The fig'
ure will be increased to roughlgt
450,000 pounds a month when de
tails of the operations are complet
ed.
Wheeler Wants Senators
To Proclaim Peace Aims
By DOUGLAS B. CORNELL
WASHINGTON, Dec. 30.^—(i?*)—
Senator Wheeler (D-Mont.) pro
posed today that the senate for
mally proclaim its own peace
aims, “in the absence of the Pres
ident's taking a stand.”
He filed with the senate secre
tary, for introduction when the
new congress meets Wednesday,
a resolution which would place the
senate on record for creation of a
“federation of European nations”
and for:
A united nations political coun
cil to settle European territorial
issues.
Plebiscites under international
supervision to let liberated coun
tries pick their own forms of gov
ernment and leadership.
A united nations economic and
social council to promote eco
nomic advancement, social secur
ity and labor standards.
Adoption of a universal bill of
rights.
Extension of democratic prin
4 PERSONS HURT
IN AUTO WRECK
Four Maffitt Village young per
sons were injured, two of them
seriously, when their automobile
slithered off Carr avenue in East
Wilmington and crashed into a
tree about 11:30 p.m. Friday, it
was reported yesterday by State
Highway Patrolman M. S. Parvm.
Most critically hurt was Nell
Griffin, 16, who received lacera
tions of her right jaw, both eyes,
cheek and lips, requiring 68 stitch
es, abrasions of the head, arms,
chest and possible skull fracture
Madeline Braswell, 17, sustained
a fractured left leg and forehead
abrasions that were considered
serious.
Slightly injured were the driver
of the vehicle, 16-year-old Guy Eu
banks. head lacerations; and E.
J. Windham, 21, forehead abra
sions.
Young Eubanks, operating the
automobile that belonged to Wind
ham’s father, E. T. Windham, was
arrested on charges of driving
without an operator’s license.
Patrolman Parvin said the ac
cident occurred as the automobile
ran off the side of the straight
piece of road and crashed into a
tree, completely demolishing the
vehicle. “The road was slippery
and they were traveling too fast,’’
he added
ciples and “preservation here of
our American way of life.’’
Often a critic of administration
foreign policy. Wheeler told re
porters he had prepared his reso
lution for this reason:
“With the administration appar
ently doing nothing with reference
to activities of Russia in taking
over the Baltics, Balkans and a
big slice of Poland contrary to
the Atlantic Charter and every
thing the United States has stood
for, with England seeking to grab
off spheres of influence and con
trol over Greece, Italy, Belgium
and Holland, it is high time that
in the absence of the President’s
taking a hand, the senate of the
Ur.f.ed States ought to declare
itself and state the peace aims
of the United States of America.”
The Montana senator beat an
other group of legislators to the
punch. Senators Hatch (D-N.M.)
and Ball (R-Minn.) have been
wrestling for days with the idea
of some declaration of congres
sional views on current inter
national issues and peace prob
lems.
The suggestion for a United
States of Europe, or a federation
of European nations, is nothing
new to Wheeler.
Dixie Defense Command
Will Be Absorbed By
Eastern Section Soon
WASHINGTON, Dec. 30.—(A>)—
The Army’s Southern Defense
Command will be absorbed by the
Eastern Command, effective next
Monday, the War Department an
nounced today.
The consolidation is to “effect
an economy in personnel, as well
as to simplify proceedures in op
eration,’’ the department said.
Lt. General George Grunert,
chief of the Eastern defense com
mand. will head the consolidated
organization with headquarters in
New York City.
The Southern command was
headed by Major General C. Pratt
who recently left that assignment
to become chief of the Western
defense command.
Thirty-seven per cent of France’s
land is arable, and about 38 per
cent of her prewar population
was directly engaged in agricul
ture.
--—V
U. S. production of 52.008,000
bushels of flaxseed in 1943 was
one and one half times the 1932
41 average.
WARD ROW RULING
PLANNED TUESDAY
CHICAGO, Dec. 30.—(UP> — A
controversy between the Federal
government and Montgomery
Ward & Company was in recess
today with decision as to the op
erator of the plant, pending until
Tuesday.
Sewell Avory- defiant chairman
of the board of the mail order
firm who has said that the army
will have to throw him out ‘‘or
fence me out,” occupied his office
until the usual quitting time and
left for home expressing determi
nation to be on the job next Tues
day.
Meantime, baffled army officers
who had been denied working
space by the company after gov
ernment seizure of the Ward
plants Thursday moved a van load
of furniture into an auditorium
not far from the spot where 70
year-old Avery held forth.
The army created its own work
ing space, t v/as explained be
cause there were no vacant of
fices and those in charge did not
want to use space required by
Ward executives who, under the
army’s plan, will continue doing
their regular jobs
Although Ward vice presidents
had refused to deliver to army of
ficers certain accounting books and
records, Hugn Ccx, assistant at
torney general who came here in
rnnnppHnn with loml ^4
the seizure, said before leaving
for Washington that “Army ac
countants now have access to the
oooks.
But having access to the books
was only part of the battle for
records. There were no Ward ac
countants around to explain cer
:ain phases cf them.
In Federal court Friday Cox a%d
attorneys for Wards disagreed in
p calm and polite manner with
^ox seeking an early hearing on
i petition for a temporary injunc
;ion and Ward’s asking a delay in
jrder to collect information for
ise in challenging legality of
President Roosevelt's seizure or
ier.
-V
APPOINTED
WASHINGTON, Dec. -30.—(Pt—
rhe Navy announced tonight ap
pointment of Lt. Comdr. John E.
Ponley, Riderwood, Md„ as officer
n charge of the press section,
3ureau of Public Relations. At
he same time designation of Lt.
iV. Joynes MacFarlan, Arlington,
/a., as executive, officer, press
section, Bureau of Public Rela
ions, was announced.
Four or five species of aphids
iommonly attack fruit and foli
ige of the apple tree.
Interpreting
The War
By KIKKE L. SIMPSON
ess "ar Analyst
Allied and Russian guns
the North Sea to the Adriafc"- a
the Danube to the Baltic arc - r 4
mg out something more tha-‘
old year. ln*
This New Year's eve week
they are sounding the knell 0f ■ '
Germany in a fashion tha- -n
warrants predictions 0i-a- ‘
warfare in Europe will ha\Vf -
ed in a total German defeat v. ,h’
in another twelve months.
Only a week g0 on Chr -
eve doubt lingered, not as to'r
ed Nations victory, but a • -
time it would take to aerie f !
A resurgent Na7.i .. , '•
the west which bored deep'
American lines in Belgium a u
stalled Russian from h. ’PV \
and a slowed Red Armv sie^' f
Budapest had upset Allied r;/
tions of the time it mi<>ht tat"
to finish the job.
Within the last seven days how
ever, there have been dram.e
changes in the military siiua: n
in Hungary and in Belgium T-?v
have set the victory clocks of V.
Allies ticking again, tollin > of • „
hours of the dying old vear'aH
recording the birth of 1945.
As the old year ends the \a
master bid to avert or delay' de
feat in the west has passed
crest. The boldly planned and
skillfully executed winter counter
attack between the Roer and M0'.
elle is American held. The BeleVa'i
bulge is shrinking, not expand.* ;,
as the foe pulls back most ex
posed elements under rising ore*.
sure of concerted Allied coj. »r
thrusts.
There is small prospect that tnt
Nazis can ever regain the initia
tive and momentum in a major
way. Paris reports that a German
retreat into the Siegfried line de
fenses had been ordered lacked
confirmation. Even if true it would
not end the threat of German o'
' fensive maneuvers or mean a Nazi
'• flight in rout from Belgium.
Counter-attack to effect orderly
disengagement of large forces for
planned withdrawals is the accept
ed military technique in seeking
escape without disaster from
tenable positions. German mill
tary pi ofessionals have time and
again proved on all fronts their
, mastery of that art of minimizing
1 losses in forced retreats.
That they fully sense the deep
fin i n rf rlorirtfir 1 m f Vv n..
' in Belgium is obvious even if the
; method they adopt to avert a cvi*
■ ical disaster there is not as ;et
disclosed. They cannot doubt ‘rat
General Eisenhower’s abandon
ment of the Saar basin offensive
; to summon Patton's hard charg
ing Third Army to the battle of
movement in Luxembourg and
Belgium was dictated by more
than defensive necessities,
I It is primarily offensive in char
acter, that broad-fronted Ameri
can move up through the sagging
southern flank of the Nazi Belgian
bulge. Patton’s troops are on the
cutting edge of the potential trap
in which the enemy has risked
the floker of his army in the wesv
If he escapes, ihe war there may
drag on for many bloody months,
but if he is snared it could be
the beginning of the end for Nazi
Germany.
In Hungary within the Christ
mas-New Year week the Russians
scored heavily also. Street fight
ing within Budapest presaged the
early fall of that powerful outer
rampart guarding the approaches
to Vienna and the Danube gap be
tween the Alps and the Carpathi
ans that leads into the heart of
Naziland from the south.
Even more ominous for the foe
was simultaneous Russian ad
vance toward that gap on both
sides of the Danube northwest of
Budapest.
Into that menacing Red Army
twin advance up the Danube soon
can be thrown also the near
forces released from the Budapest
siege ring. Russian capture of t:ie
city is too clearly foreshadowed
to be in doubt. The battle is roil
ing almost as close to Berlin from
the south as it has so long stood
from the west in Holland and Ger
many itself and from the east n
Poland.
The war in Europe may have
to ome extent distracted home
front attention from events across
the Pacific.
However, ominous for Japan fl
been General Mac Arthur s s
so far in the central Philippine*
there still is far to go to bring
Japan to the same plight as
in which her Nazi fellow
nals stand in Europe.
Distances in the Pacific sti 1 °■
long ahead, however, and ec* •*
longer over cuimuun*^- .
to the rear as the Amenc
tank presses forward. ...j,
The ul imate role tha!
empire forces are to pl*> ! rv-.
conflict, the place resu,^€’'1 ,s,
nese forces may hold ’ ■
flung campaign ;
against Japan, what Russ a ^
do there as well as m
battle clutch with Germany jn
rope are all imponderab q(
They make any time predict^ r
victory across the P®cl ‘c
stage mere guesswork.
Gen. Wilson, Chiei
Of British Mission,
Namedjiey Marshal
LONDON, Dec. SO-^-^chie!
Henry Maitland Vilson ,--s5io!'
of the British Joint ,St* eieva*ed
in Washington has oeer. p{
to field marshal, the
announced tonight. allied
Wilson, former Savrejn^ ^
Commander in the * 1 Field
theater, succeeded the asS1?n
Marshal Sir John Dill in the
ment at the American