Des Moines Tribune from Des Moines, Iowa • 4

PA OR FOUR DES MOINES TRIBUNE. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 1943. Japanese Pacific Advantage SOLO? Invoking the Anti-Kickback Law Lawrence Assails 'Cold-Blooded' Policy of Withholding Needed Help for Our Forces There. BV DAVID LAWRENCE. WASHINGTON, D.

The American people may well pray for victory in the Pacific. For many do not know that the United States navy is outnumbered and that our air forces are pitted against more planes and better located bases than are those of Japan. The decision to favor the European theater of war as against the Pacific is of abstract importance only up to the point where the American people begin to under- nfr.vi.r1 Viof tVin 1 1 C' 13 Viaitl Of suffered in the Pacific would Yn rv 1 1 Iocs States forces were better supplied. l-XWltKNCK. The cold-blooded decision to wait "until after Hitler is beaten" before sending the American army, navy and marine units in the Pacific the reinforcements they deserve wHl stand up before public opinion only as long as American forces are victorious anil can keep up the record of victories with relatively small losses.

ON DEFENSIVE. Naval men go into battle not always when they want to but when they find they must. Thus the big engagement now going on in the Pacific appears definitely not to be of America's choosing as yet. The time had not come for a full scale offensive by our naval forces. The United States navy is still on a defensive basis, for ever since last August when the invasion of the Solomon Islands was begun in order to protect the Australian-Hawaii supply line, our troops, airmen and warships have not ventured beyond these island's and have Instead been absorbed in warding off repeated attempts by Japan to recapture lost ground.

This in a broad sense satisfies the Japanese people because if they can keep the American fleet occupied indefinitely among island bases nearly 3,000 miles away from the mainland of Japan there can be no lowering of morale inside Japan. PLANES NEEDED. It is known, on the other hand, that the Squabbles Over Clapper, Quoting Output Figures, Declines to Worry Over Petty Agency Quarrels. RY KAVMOND CLAPPF.R. WASHINGTON, D.

Those headlines are back again "WPB menaced by its worst internal row." So what? Let the row go on. We have had several hundred them, and the first dozen or two were interesting. They had us scared into thinking that if the controversy wasn't settled at once, war production would stop, everything would stop except Hitler, who would be over here on the next boat. WPP. can have its vorst internal row for all I care, WS ,,,,,1 if ffirnvrn1 at jKi'i'KKS, far 1S i am concerned.

I'm not listening. War production rattles on during rows as well as between rows. If is like a Chinese theater audience that goes right on talking, gossiping, reading newspapers and wandering about to greet friends, without being at all disturbed by the drama on the stage that proceeds to its tragic, climax. "i So war production proceeds without much regard to the drama on the confused stage at Washington. PRODUCTION UP.

For instance, while this latest WPB row was being advertised as the biggest yet, the figures came out showing that in December we delivered to the army, navy and our allies 5,489 airplanes. That is about 1,400 a week. December production of planes was 677 more than in November. How do you like that, Hitler? Last year we prod nerd almost as much steel as the other United Nations and the Axis combined we actually would have passed them with two weeks' more production. 'fi -i So let WPB have its worst internal row and sec if anybody cares, or even bothers to know who is rowing with whom.

RUBBER AND OAS. William Jeffers, the rubber administrator, says there hasn't been a pound of synthetic Is iniiW sfcirArt mit Des Moines Tribune Puhlinhcd virv (1v "-xcppt Sunday by The Resistor hikI Tribune Company, 71.1-15 Locimt ami nterel at the pontnffire of 1ps Moinea. as second class matter un1r the art of March 3. 1S79. Sl'BSCKH'TION KATKS BT MAIL.

IN IOWA Trlhune, one year, Sunday ReKister, one year. Sfi: payable in advance. BY MAIL OUTRIDE OF IOWA Trlhune, one year, Fundav Reeister. one ear, payable In advance. DKCKMRKR riKfTI.ATION.

KKT FAID Daily ReKiter and Tribune 311,249 Dally Register Duly Tribune .,.180.011 .131.238 Sunday oe, Moines Register. 377,605 In Dp Moines, Pally Rerla'er and Tribune 100,090 Sunday Recister 58,024 Member of The Associated cress. Tl-e Asortatrt Press la entitted exclusively to for republication of all news dispatches crrditefl to it in this paper ind of local news of spontaneous origin puhllshed herein. Riehts of republication of all other matter published In thl newspaper are also reserved. Finnish Dismay.

It is obvious that little Finland would like to be able to get out of her uncomfortable alliance with the Nazis, yet save her face and settle with the Russians without any serious loss of territory. President Ryti made a speech the other day in which he implied that Finland wanted nothing so much as to restore herself to the pood graces of the United States. Naturally we are looked upon as intermediaries between her and Russia who would be both sympathetic and fair. Also there has been a ferment of rumors ell over Europe that Finland was talking "tough" to Berlin and making new gestures toward alliance with Sweden, in preparation for returning to neutrality. All this is most natural.

The Finnish people are on the lowest possible food rations pome of them are said to be virtually starving this winter and they can't get supplies from either Germany or the United Nations. The belligerent boasts about how they were going to take the Karelian peninsula away from Russia have now changed to a different tone, of course, since the Nazi army began to crumble in the east. Yet Finland was attacked, in the beginning. No matter how defensible Russia considered her "reasons" for this attack to be, it looked like unprovoked aggression to most Finns. The best we can hope for in these circumstances is that both Russia and Finland will shortly express themselves as willing to call the whole thing off, until the fin points can be ironed out later.

Mrs. George Cosson. The death of Mrs. George Cosson, atter a short illness while in California, will be lamented by everyone who knew her, and that includes a host. Mrs.

Cosson was a fine woman, a good citizen, who just naturally was a leader in the thinking and the doing of her community. Wit, logic, and clear expression were among her attributes. And the broader qualities of vision, kindliness, human sympathy. And many others that made her a rounded citizen of Iowa, qualities such as we'd all like to have. Her family's loss is also a much more general one.

Beware a Trapped Maniac. We shrill not ea pit iilutr no, never. We tun 'j be destroyed, but if ire air, ice. shall ditto a world with us a wmid in flames." Hitler to his Nazi party intimates, 1932. F.ven in 1932, Hitler was making plans for the war though he confidently expected to WIN it.

in quick, easy Mops. He actually seemed to be doing this from through 1910. Rut from the first, he was making plans on what to do in case of defeat and resolving not to repeat the surrender. Once Hitler publicly told the German people that it was better to win a furious blitz victory at the cost of a million men than to spread similar losses over four years of cautious fighting and perhaps lose. Now his war is well into its fourth year anyway, and already conservative authorities are estimating his casualties at four million.

Hitler's hopes of winning are not entirely lost he still has the submarine campaign and the chance of a coming spring offensive. But he must surely be thinking more end more of his alternative plans plans for a grand smash in which he will wreck the world. The ex-Nazi, Rauschning, who is our witness for the remark quoted at the beginning, pays Hitler hummed a few bars of Wagner's opera Gotterdammerung right after ho said it the opera in which gods and men, entangled in hopeless strife, smash everything and set it on fire. This mania makes a first-class political difficulty for us in trying to liberate occupied territory. Unless we can do it with terrific speed, once we start, we may find ourselves "liberating" only charred ruins.

That is unquestionably a factor in our temporary willingness to deal with Axis puppet rulers and even Axis puppet allies In certain critical circumstances. Foster Homes Needed. During "normal" years, juvenile authorities here have transferred problem children from their parents to other families, where it was thought better surroundings would improve their development. The war has changed that. For a number of reasons, it has become almost impossible to find suitable "boarding homes" where children can be sent.

Many residents have been opening their rxtra rooms to war workers rather than underprivileged children. Or the former owners nf boarding homes have themselves gone Into war jobs. As a result, arrangements of a temporary port have to be made for care by a children's home which does not have the facilities to assume added burdens. Some children who are actually being mis-trented at home have to remain there because there is no place to send thenr. No arm-bands or uniforms or other Visible awards are offered to keepers of "boarding homes," of course.

But any who can open his home to under-privileged children and help rear them as good citizens would be Pfrving the community mighty well. The Tribune Readers Say: (These letters arc from Des Moines Tribune readers. The views expressed may differ widely from The Tribune's own views. Brief letters are the most intcrcstiny. Thry irill be shortened if lack of space, requires.

You must give your name and address. Write only on one side of the paper. Contributors are linntcd. to not more than one letter a -month. Letters and their contents become the property of the newspaper and cunnot be returned.) "Pegler Is Aiding Hitler." To the Keillor of The Tribune; I seldom fail to read Pegler's column.

Neither do I fail to read Hitler's speeches; and the motive for reading both is not admiration. One tries to understand Pegler's motive. For examples, take this: as the first operation in the establishment of the Four Freedoms everywhere in the world, we would have to depose our gallant ally, Joseph Stalin, and liberate the and this: "Russian communism is no less oppressive, dictatorial, brutal and treacherous than Hitlerism." In referring to the left column of the same page, we read from The Tribune's own editorial writer: "The brotherhood of man plays as big a part in the 'religion' of Communism as it does in the religions of the western democracies." Other facts concerning Russia with which any free-minded person is acquainted are: illiteracy lias been decreased from 85 per cent to 15 per cent or 10 per cent in the last fifteen years; public health has been greatly improved under the Soviets; venereal diseases have practically disappeared; racial prejudice is unheard of and illegal; Soviet leaders, realizing that abundance in consumer goods and services such as America has is possible only in an advanced industrial society such as America is, proceeded to build that advanced industrial society; Soviet leaders, knowing that peace and security are indivisible, proceeded to aid victims of aggression in Spain, Ethiopia, China, and Outer Mongolia. Had the western democracies followed a like policy regarding early victims of aggression, World War II would never have arrived. What is I'egler driving at? He is not promoting United Nations unity, a necessary element in winning the war.

He does create distrust of our most valuable ally, thus aiding the Axis strategy of divide and conquer. Pegler is aiding Hitler, and rcg-ler is not an ignorant man. The Anaconda Copper company aided Hitler. The secretary of Congressman Fish aided Hitler. Pierre Laval aided Hitler.

People who love their own lives and those of their fellow men do not respect any person who does these things consciously. The man who does it unwittingly aides our enemies no less. Russell Coppock, Humboldt Public schools, Humboldt, la. Writing the New Treaty. To the Kdilor of The Tribune: Around the treaty table of the victorious Allies will again be American isolationists who will attempt to give Germany another "just" peace, as after World War I.

If any terms at all are given the Germans, they should incorporate all the stipulations the Nazis so "kindly" gave the countries they conquered. For these terms, call in the Poles, Russians, Norwegians, French, Greeks and the rest of them. They could write the treaty very well indeed. Keep the politicians out; let military men handle the situation. A Russian captain told Quentin Reynolds that if, alter Germany's collapse, United States and Britain let the Russians ho the army of occupation, the problem of what to do with Germany would Vie effectively answered "after a period of six weeks." Let those who have suffered most in the war write the peace.

Justice will he done. ,1. P. (illhousen, Hull Des IMolnes. Wants Local Option.

To the K'lilor of The Tribune: Don't you think it is about time for the good newspapers of this state and city to use their influence to the legislature, to restore the constitutional right of the people of Iowa, to vote on the liquor and beer questions? Do you think it is fair to the people that the legislature should make such laws so the city council and the county supervisors have the power to grant permits to sell beer any place, even next door to you if hoy want to, and people have nothing to say about it? If this is a democratic form of government, let us have it that way. Or call our boys back home. John Schutt, J547 Des Moines Des Moines. Submarine Problem. To the K'lltor of Tho Tribune: The problem is an old one and it is not being solved.

David Ijawrence, in The Tribune for Jan. 2(3, suggests a. different governmental procedure, to try for something better but where it can be found no one knows. Our present large interests are founded upon the work of inventors of a few years ago. There have been no such major inventions in the last 20 or 30 years.

Where did all our great inventors go so suddenly? They must exist. But how can they be found and brought to life again? Connors, R. R. No. Fort Dodge, la.

'Herr von To the Kditor of The Trlhune: Did anyone, outside of a good fascist, ever do anything that Herr von Kaltenborn didn't criticize? His objection that the Russian ambassador or the Chinese ambassador to England did not attend the famous Casablanca meeting was about the "pickiest" thing he has yet sprung. His broadcasts, instead of being labeled an analysis of the news should be termed a paralysis of the news. L. R. Page, 1720 Grand Des Moines.

20 Years Ago. Krorn The Trihiine'x Files of 10'J3.) Tlie Lausanne conference tiroUe in disorder whin Turkish representatives refused to stfn the treaty vryed upon them by Britain, France, Italy and the United states. Turkey's position was that the old Ottoman empire government laid (ranted vast confessions to foreign com pa nies and governments, the recognition of which, by the neie Ankara regime of ustapha. Kcmal would impose too heavy an economic burden upon the young republic. Jsmet Pasha, head of the Turkish delegation, rejected all attempts to dissuade him from leaving the conference.

Fear was expressed in London that the. conference failure might precipitate war between Britain and Turkey. American naval experts want to see a large scale offensive started and thty are anxious to get at the Japanese mainland from more than one side. This is natural stralegy but it cannot be achieved without the acquisition of more air bases and these in turn cannot he captured unless an abundance of Flying Fortresses and fighter planes are macfe available to dominate areas within which our naval units and invading troops may safely operate. 'i The two navies are engaged in just a "feeling out process." It would be disheartening, indeed, if the American navy found its progress toward the main objective blocked by the results of another naval engagement which, while leaving us with the Solomons inUut, still does not clear the "way to an immediate assault on Truk, the Japanese Pearl Harbor, or Wake Island and other strategic bases from which the Japanese can operate their numerically superior, though qualitatively inferior, airplanes.

ONE HIT! It takes only one hit from a dive bomber to disable a battleship or a cruiser and as long as the Japanese have more airplanes in action than we have, the American people may well pray that the United States navy may get more of the breaks than the enemy. Unless 1 he American troops, airmen and naval units in the Pacific get a larger share of America's airplane and ship production than has been allotted, the future may bring some uneasy days and some serious losses for which the administration that seems to care more about Europe than the Pacific must ultimately take the blame. The administration has been lucky thus far that no major defeat has been suffered in the Pacific since Pearl Harbor and it is confidently hoped the luck will continue, but, the truth is the American flag Is being carried by units that face an enemy, better supplied with ships, planes and bases. I STA EN CONCEPT. This inequality, moreover, is deliberately maintained because of a mistaken theory that most all of our production must be concentrated in Europe.

The Japanese-American war may be prolonged years beyond its due date for ending because of this mistaken concept which, at least until recently, has guided the Roosevelt-Churchill strategy. War Production rubber produced in a government-owned plant, and Undersecretary of War Patterson says 't ain't so and that a lot of rubber has been made in government-owned plants. And Mr. Patterson has some figures which sound as though Mr. Jeffers is incorrect.

Bui. even while they light, if out before a congressional committee, the White House lias given the go-ahead on the schedule that will give synthetic rubber and high-octane gasoline both the best possible break. i' It is like this controversy over the size of the army. While officials and congress argue about it, the army goes right on expanding according to plan, because it has the White House go-ahead. "BUTTON LIPS." You can tell these people not to quarrel but they will go on quarreling.

Mr. Roosevelt told them months ago to button up their lips and to clear their dirty cracks about each other through Elmer Davis. It is about as futile as I expect to be the order of General Eisenhower that no one over there must criticize an ally. (ieneral Eisenhower can issue his order but it will be the first, time in recorded history if it stops soldiers in one' uniform from making crack about soldiers in another kind of uniform. You might as well trying to prevent the army from criticizing the navy and vice versa and the marines from being a little tactless about them both.

It isn't very good manners, and it doesn't help, but not very much can be done about it. PETT Fit I CTION S. War and war production seem to go on regardless of what people say about' each other. The current that cariies everything along now is big and swift. We spent 5:2 billion dollars on the war last year, which Is about $1 a day, which is a lot of money and just, about four times as much as we were putting out in 1911.

So it doesn't much matter whether WPB is menaced by its biggest internal row, or whether anybody around here can get along with Mr. Jeffers. The war and war production have become so big and have acquired such momentum that the individual details and petty frictions that once were so important now have little more effect on the total job than a quarrel between a couple of bricklayers over what Westbrook Peglersaid, hurry might upset her, but once outside, he stood looking up at her window. She settled herself and I had time to notice her charming gray hat with magenta and gray feathers, which gave just the right touch of color to her softly waved hair. Then she caught the man's eye, leaned forward eagerly and waved her hand.

A smile of understanding and affection spread over the woman's face and I thought to myself: "One of the blessings of age is to learn not to part mi a note of sharpness, to treasure the moments spent with those we love, ani to make them whenever possible good to remember, for time is short." Time is never long enough for happiness anyway. I wonder if this is one of the things youth might learn from age. I was struck by the fifth in a series of war time conversation pieces by Bonaro W. Over-street, which appeared in a paper la.st Sunday. The following lines seem to be.

good advice for all of us: "Don't, stop ninnlintf, hut make, your wauls so bit tliey cover everybody not so lit! In thry cover just yourself." This is the advice of his mother to a little colored boy who was finding it hard to face some of the frustrations which come to minority groups. But these aren't the words which should be said just to one group or to one age. They should be said to all of us. We must want for others, not ourselves alone. Pegler Advises Victims of Job Fee Shakedown to Submit Receipts to Justice Department.

BY WUSTIiUOOK PFGLKK. WASHINGTON, D. C. To all American workers who have been robbed of any portion of their pay by any dirty union parasites as the price of admission to work on any government project but were not admitted to union membership: Greet lugs If vou will collect vour 1 icceipts for the money sur rendered under this evil shakedown, practiced mainly by construction unions of the American Federation of Labor and send them to Tom C. Clark, chief of the war frauds unit, Department of justice, Washington, accompanied in each case by letter, preferably brief, you AR.VOI.lt.

an explanatory may see such union vermin punished. Wherever you worked, whether on a cantonment in Massachusetts, an air field in Texas, a shipyard in California or a pipeline across Illinois, if you were forced to pay graft to any such thieves under threats of dismissal, ami provided you were not admitted to full membership in the local union, you have been robbed within the present meaning of the anti-kickback law and the penalty may be a fine as high, as $10,000 and five years in prison. Already, lour such crooks have been caught in Albany, N. and lined $10,000 each. They are the McGraws, Thomas F.

and John, George J. Mannl and Jacob Re tar. Their racket was to shake down workers on the Voorheesville war project, for $2 a day. They extorted about $50,000 on one job alone, were indicted, and pleaded guilty to The Reslnter und Trlbunt conspiracy under the anti-kickback law. They did not even put up a contest.

SISPFNDF.D? Thereupon William K. Maloney of Chicago, the international president of the racket, announced that they would be suspended from office in their local. If McGraw and Mannl were suspended from office, they nevertheless continued to sell work permits in the name of the local on another job and moreover, there are report now under investigation that the workers in, their jurisdiction have boon further shaken down for money to pay the four $10,000 ftn-s assessed in the Voorheesville case. That, too, would he familiar union practice. The anti-kickback law was dusted off by poor old Thurman Arnold after he had lost two contests in the Supreme Court under tha anti-trust and anti-racketeering laws.

Two ago, (he U. S. district attorney in the southern district of New York, told me the anti-kickback law wouldn't apply to kickbacks extorted by unioneers, but Mr. Arnold got desperate and finally authorized Mr. lark to xco what he could do with it.

tt Jj! ifi Up to now, we can't tie positive that it will work Iweuiise you know how this Supreme Court stands on union racketeering since that opinion of Justice Byrnes vindicating highway robbery by unioncers even though they had criminal records. TO F.H.I. But so far everything is all right and if you have been robbed of your pay under th corrupt permit-system, practiced by so many A. F.L. unions, send your receipts to Clark with a 'letter explaining just what happened anl he will turn tho individual cases over to tha F.B.I, for verification.

Of course the Supreme Court may deride that the ant i-kickhack thing doesn't apply to thievery of unioncers, in which case you are still faceless saps in the eyes of your government. But pnls, up to now it certainly does lock; ns though the dam has bust. to the end his quote on a show was money in the bank. He had voice that dripped worn, aod lie had a talent for insult that was devastating. The best part nf it was that hi Insults made sense.

There are people who are still digging some of his 1934 barbs out of their Only recently, be" shed 100 pounds being ill. When a vic-11m of his drama criticism said to another victim: "I see where Woollcott has dropped over 100 pounds," tho other asked: "On whom?" Another of his hates was a N. Y. mag editor. He and the ed were mates on a servicemen's newspaper in France during th last war.

Woollcott contributed to th mag in its early days when he was a celebrated writer, and that mag was only a hop or two ahead of the sheriff. Later, when the mag got into the biue chips, it published everything it knew about him, much of it confidences he told the editor when they were pals. He divorced It at once and evened matters one evening in "21" when the hateful editor tiled to make peace with him. "Are you still sore?" the mag man aked him in front of several mutual friends. "I could write a honey about you." said Woollcott, "and you know it! I could Mart by telling what you did to soandso and reveal what happened over at soandso's (naming people and so forth) and after I told all or that I could tell the world about the time jou (deleted because this newspaper Isn't explosion proof) DO YOU WANT Mfi TO GO ON FROM TIIF.IIE?" The editor, witnesses swear, fled In terror and has been In and out of the hospital five times since that episode suffering from the hornir.

The Times summed up his life handsomely in its farewell: "Alexander Woollcott occupied a unique position on the New York scene. Through a long apprenticeship as reporter, dramatic critic, soldier, lecturer, essayist and actor, he gradually perfected himself for th role that the magic of radio would open for him that of first raconteur and gos3lp." On Broadway With Walter Winchell White House Burns Midnight Oil The Town Crier. Alexander Woollcott went out in character. Tt probably would have tickled The Town Crier to know he would make his last exit bickering. He was that sort of fellow.

He figured the best way to die was in harness. You probably do not recall his comments on Kleanora Duse, the great actress. She passed away in a Pittsburgh hotel, during a tour which had brought her out of retirement. moaned tho obitters, "how very sad! What a place for a great lady to die, so far away from her sunny Italy ami the scenes she lovetJ." town un it. 'Rubbish! Duso To which he dissented: was a trouper.

Show business was in her blood. It was the best place of all to die, in a hotel room, on a tour, with the sound of her last applause ringing in her beautiful cars:" Shouts and Murmurs: With nearly everybody hreaking their back trying to become a dramatic critic, he suddenly quit that job, saying: "Oh, I'm just tired of fighting my way through Times Square crowds at 11 p. Most of his pieces about the first World War (up front, too) dealt with the gayer aspects of soldiering. Kven the way he wrote it up, it sounded like a. lark.

Once a lady asked him: "Where were you when the Ainus-tice cmne 7" "Probably," interrupted a colleague, "in some corner crying his heart out!" As a drama critic he rated the most expert of the hide-removers. Iots of players smart where he hit them, and it used to be said that if he were mysteriously murdered the cops could easily hold at least 2,000 New Yorkers on suspicion. But most of the showfolks regretted his retirement. They had often bled from his stabs, but they realized he was good for the theater. He had enthusiasm for it, something not many of his aisle cronies had, then or now.

Right up feSrW Mrs. Roosevelt Protests Husband's Late Working Hours. Philosophizes on Youth, Age. BV ELEANOR ROOSEVELT. WASHINGTON, D.

THURSDAY Yesterday was filled with the usual variety of appointments and, in the late afternoon, I went rather sadly to see my daughter and her husband off for Seattle, Wash. These are such uncertain times one 'M 'p can not help but dislike all Eoodbves. I devoted the evening to my mail and, at midnight, went in to find the president VS' still deep in tne accumulation which had greeted him. I protested that no secretaries should be at work at midnight, and she picked up almost as big a bundle of finished mail SIRS. KOOSKVKI.T.

as that which remained unfinished in the basket and went home. I saw an amusing little scene in the train the other day. A white-haired, charming woman, came in with a slightly hurried, flustered look. All her tickets were bunched up in her hand. She was followed by a gentle looking white-haired man, who saw her seated and then left.

I surmised ha thought her i (tf MUM.