The Winnipeg Tribune from Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada • Page 6

PAGE 6 utyp Mimtiprg Unburn A 80UTHAM NEWSPAPER Th Winnipeg Tribune li published at 25T Smith Stre Winnipeg, Manitoba, dally xcpt Sunday by The Snutham Company Limited and Wesley McCurdy, reapactlvtly a printing and publishing company and a newspaper publisher, each having their respective place of abode at Winnipeg, In the Province of Manitoba, and ia alto printed at the said address in the City of Winnipeg, Province of Manitoba, by the aid The SouthAm Company Limited. F. N. SOUTHAM WESLEY MeCURDY President Vice President and Publisher Britain. France, Russia AMONG all the unfavorable political news coming out of Europe, with Anglo American differences on the policy In Italy and the tragic situation in Greece (over which British critics are more outspoken even than any others) one favorable development should not be lost to light.

General de Gaulle has signed a twenty, year treaty of alliance with Soviet Russia. It is somewhat along the lines of the Anglo Soviet treaty of alliance signed In 1942. These two treaties, the Anglo Rusjlan and the Franco Russian, are mutually complementary. The Franco Russian treaty adds great strength to the Anglo Russian treaty and is most heartily welcomed therefore in Britain. As the United Kingdom Information Office points out, the Anglo Russian treaty of 1942 was no mere wartime expedient.

It is a twenty year pact and it is one of the main pillars of British foreign policy. Under Its terms, Britain and Russia are pledged to work together "for the organization of security and economic prosperity" in Europe. They have agreed "to unite with other like minded states in adopting proposals for common action to preserve peace and resist aggression." The treaty will remain in force until Britain and Russia recognize it as "superseded by adoption of proposals for a long term system of international security." German Battle Pattern THREE times In the present war at Kasserine Pass, in the "Kiev bulge," and at Avranches in Normandy the Germans have launched counter offensives of a scale and type comparable to that bow being made against the United Sta'es First army in Luxembourg and Belgium. In each of the three cases It tu a move of desperation which bought tire a ruinous price. On the German radio the new push Is being represented as a "battle of attrition." intended to make the struggle too costly for the Allies.

The balance of military power, on the western front as wH as in the overall picture, is so heavily SipiMt Germany that to invite "attrition la generalship on a par with that show by ths? Japanese In their suicide We may be sure that Von Rundstedt fs not prepared to carry attrition to any great lengths, or that he has any hope ef outflanking the Aachen Nijmegen threat which the First and Ninth UA, Christmas Party THE Christmas party at the Orpheum Theatre sponsored by the Associated Services Auxiliaries for all children of members of the three armed services borders on the gigantic. It is estimated that in the three days 5,000 children will have been shown a good time. In past years Christmas parties have been put on for the youngsters by various organizations. While these were all to the good it was inevitable that there should be a certain amount of overlapping and some children who were missed altogether. The present all embracing festivities get around these difficulties.

Congratulations to the Auxiliaries on a splendid job. Quiet, Please THE following letter which appeared in the London Sunday Express is quoted by the New Statesman and Nation: Everybody should be asked, when this war finishes, to be patient, tolerant, not bother any Ministries about food, lighting, not to start discussions and worry the Government, but just show their gratitude to all authorities concerned by keeping quiet and minding their own business. It is a safe bet a lot of controllers right here in Canada would be happy if a majority of Canadians were won to this detached point of view. Just think of it they could issue their daily directives and no screaming would start up; nothing but a great big beautiful silence. No one would bother Mr.

Gordon about new girdles, nylon stockings or standard time. Mr. Illey would have quiet to continue to turn out reams of those tricky income tax forms. In fact no Canadian 1 would speak to anyone in the government. A controller's Nirvana that's what It would be.

Winnipeg Traffic THE Advisory Traffic Commission has made recommendations which should peed up traffic in Winning removing certain bottlenecks which at present impede iti low and add to the hazards on the streets of this city. The recommendations include purchase of land at the corner of Osborne and Corydon, now part of the Gladstone school ground, In order to smooth out In default of the adoption of such pro posals "it shall remain in force for a period of twenty years and thereafter until terminated by either of the contracting parties." The new Franco Russian alliance pledges those countries to mutual economic and military assistance for at least twenty years. Article 3, commits Russia and France to "undertake to adopt all necessary measures In common accord at the end of the present conflict with Germany to eliminate any new threat emanating from Germany and to bar the way to any kind of initiative rendering possible a new German attempt at aggression." As British authorities point out, the fact that France as well as Britain now has a long term treaty with the U.S.S.R., adds greatly to the security of Europe as a whole. In particular, It offers security to that group of neighbors In Western Europe which lie upon the fringe of GermanyFrance, Luxembourg, Belgium, Holland and Britain. We are still a long way from achieving an international world organization that will really work.

But the Anglo Soviet pact, taken with the Franco Soviet pact, offers bedrock upon which to build. Without a firm understanding between Great Britain, France and Soviet Russia, there can be no sure prospect of peace for Europe or for the whole world. the Second British and the First Canadian armies have posed against the Ruhr industrial area. The only original element In his thrust is the use of a new secret weapon. Otherwise it Is the same old story of buying time with tanks.

Effectiveness of the new weapon as support for his armor may be judged by the statement that he lost more than a fifth of his tanks in the first 24 hours. Allied air power has again given an impressive demonstration, not only of tactical effectiveness against German armor but also of a strategic effectiveness in choking off support. Tuw day rooming's rroiniw attark by S. Firrt army tanks nfi iriantry Is a wasFuring Indication that the Americans "pTe veil nrpHnized in depth. Further north of First army elements irl Dumi, wrmre the Cologne Aachro highway err hps the Row river, plairJy declares American confidence that the German thrust is belr.g contained.

the flow of traffic from Osborne street to Pembina Highway. As well, the commission suggests the straightening of the Crosstown Highway wherever possible. If these recommendations are carried ouf Winnipeg will have at least one direct thoroughfare cutting across the city in a north south direction. A good start has been made by the work already done on the Crosstown Highway. If similar improvement can be made on its continuation along Osborne street south of the Assiniboine to Corydon, Winnipeg will have a through traffic artery of which it may be proud.

Lady Astor LADY NANCY ASTOR, who is retiring from British politics because she promised her husband she would not run in the next election, has brightened up Westminster no end from time to time during the past twenty five years. She has represented the Sutton division ft Plymouth without a break for a quarter of a century. The irrepressible Nancy in one of her farewell speeches said she hoped the day would come when women were at the top in public affairs that time would come when the big three, Churchill, Roosevelt and Stalin, were ladies. Perhaps it would help if such a thing came to pass. One thing sure there would be no lack of conferences.

The ladies would be only too happy to swap chitchat about the Kremlin, Westminster and the White House including the trend Ir. hats. And certainly the freedom of speech would never again be endangered. However, one thing would be definitely changed no one could refer to them as the "Big Three." Passing Shots "In China," says a cosmic columnist, "it is a distinction to have more than one wife." It is the same In fact, one is placed apart, at the court's express direction. It Is only deer hides the air force seeks, for the manufacture of gloves for high altitude flying.

Pelts of hunters brought down by mistake are useless, as far as we know. "Germany has lost the war. Germany has lost the war," Hess keeps muttering on his solitary strolls. The Fuehrer may be nuts, as per rumor, but Rudy's head was never clearer. THE WINNIPEG TRIBUNE TUESDAY.

DEC. 19, 1944 Honeymoon Special Bloodshed Looms in Spain By RALPH ALLEN Toronto Ofobe awf Mail and Winnipeg Tribune War Correspondent ON THE FRANCO SPANISH FRONTIER In the clouded future of Spain only one thing is inevitable bloodshed. The war in Spain was no more ended by the victory over the Spanish people's armies than the war in France, Belgium and Holland was ended by the German Wehrmacht rush across Western Europe in the spring of 1940. If anything, Franco's truce by conquest has less reality and hope of permanence than any of Hitler's truces. For although in every country he overran Hitler touna iormer enemies ready to make the best of his rule, Franco is still unaccepted by those who fought against him in the Spanish Civil War, and is steadily losing caste among those elements that either openly supported him or offered him no active opposition.

But although Franco apparently had LJ. no nope or maintaining peace Fascist dictatorship, it does not necessarily follow that he will be unable to maintain the dictatorship. Among even saw Ralph Allen his most implacable foes the exiled mountain guerrilleros whose yearning for home and freedom is magnified by the simple thirst for revenge it is uneasily admitted that, so long as anti Fascist foreign powers refuse to intervene in Spain, any popular uprising against the dictatorship would run a strong risk of failure. By current international standards Franco's military machine Is probably weak; measured against the military potential of Spain's hostile but virtually helpless millions it Is frighteningly strong. Leaders of the 20,000 Spanish guer rilleros who found arms and training in the French Forces of the Interior insist they don't want to start anything yet.

And spokesmen of the guerrilleros' larger political organization, the Union Nad onale Espanola, deny that the widely publicized and abortive raid across the frontier which followed the liberation of Southern France was sponsored or endorsed by any responsible member of the Spanish refugee colony. In any case, they say, the size of the excursion was grossly exaggerated. There is so much conflicting evidence that an accurate appraisal of the "invasion's" size and significance still demands a certain amount of guesswork. The likeliest guess is that not more than 300 men were Involved, and that their mission was In the nature of an unofficial trial balloon which It was hoped might give some hint of the amount of active support from within Spain subsequent and more elaborate expeditions could expect. It did have two practical Immediate results, neither of them especially hopeful for the impatient Republicans.

Several German soldiers who had previously found refuge in Spain Joined In chasing the guerrilleros back across the border, went too far and were interned; and Franco immediately Increased his frontier guard. Between his owfi Falangists and his German soldier guests, Franco's side of the border is sufficiently well defended to doom any further raids by French based guerrilleros to almost certain failure, unless they are synchronized with well organized uprisings inside Spain. The French authorities have increased their own border guards, mainly in 'order to make sure that hot headed Spanish refugees stay outside the restricted zone along! the frontier. Franco's greatest danger undoubtedly lies within Spain itself, where eight major political and resistance groups have formed a patterned after the F.F.I. This supreme junta, according to the optimistic estimates of Spanish republicans in France, commands the sympathy of 90 percent of the Spanish population, including the majority of the Catholic clergy.

"Franco has the Church," one republican leader said today. "The rift between him and the Church grows steadily wider since he imprisoned Cardinal Segura last winter. Since then he has shot 160 priests." Franco's successor, according to the republicans, has already been chosen by the supreme junta. He is living within Spain and will be named by the people at the "appropriate time." Members of the Union Nacionale say they doubt that the "appropriate time" will be before the final defeat of Hitler. They don't agree with the theory, widely held among Frenchmen, that either after or before Germany's collapse Franco will flee.

"Unless irresistible political pressure 'Is brought on him from the Allies, Franco will not give the country back to the people without another fight to the death," a guerrillero leader said soberly. "Unless we get support our tasks will be hard and cruel. The Spanish people were the first to fight fascism, almost unaided. If we must fight fascism again it will not seem right, but we must fight it nevertheless." Opinions All the Japanese have to do in future operations is to project their indomitable spirits at the enemy and they will suffer internal fear that will defeat them before they get into the fight. Tokyo Radio.

What I have seen during my 17 days of touring England and France has convinced me that Britain and the United States will be much more closely bound together after the war than they have ever been before. There will be more understanding between our peoples. Rep. Victor Wickersham (D) of Oklahoma. Make It a Real Tribune Trumps By v.

v.m. TORONTO THE OOOFY THERE was a time when we people up this way used to refer to Toronto the Good, but I think we'll have to change it to Toronto the Goofy. That's the thought that occurred to me when I read a dispatch which said George H. Doucett, Ontario minister of highways, has approved some new traffic bylaws asked for by the City of Toronto. new bylaws call other things, pedestrians their hand when turning." for, among putting out That is an exact quotation from the dispatch.

No kidding. Ppabi nnur nn Tnrnntt ritaHoclrlan urill aiwrv via i vsmi a I tfl he supposed to use hand signals to in dicate a turn. Did you ever hear of anything sillier? No wonder I think we should call It Toronto the Goofy. Imagine or try and imagine a crowded downtown sidewalk, at around 5.30 p.m., with thousands of people hurrying in both directions. They're so jammed together there isn't room for anybody who intends turning a corner to stick out a hand without poking somebody else in the nose.

Yet, if they don't give a signal in Toronto they're breaking the law. Supposing a person has bundles under both arms is he, or she, supposed to lay the bundles down, give a signal, then pick up the bundles again? How about a woman carrying a baby is she expected fo wave the baby in the direction in which she intends to turn? What possible need is there for such a bylaw anyway? Have Toronto pedestrians started tripping over each other? If they have it's only because most of 'em walk around in a sort of daze anyway. Toronto is, as everybody knows, largely inhabited by westerners who have been lured east at fabulous salaries in order to inject a little bounce and bustle into the fading front office men of the firms they represent. These westerners, when they return for a visit, tell me the greatest handicap they met with on first arriving in Toronto, was the damp and draggy eastern atmosphere. After being used to the crisp exhilar Within Sight of St.

foul's From (31? Ulimw Today Greek Situation Still Obscure LONDON, December 19 British satisfaction at the conclusion of the French alliance with Russia is strongly expressed today by the diplomatic correspondent of The Times. He says the pact constitutes a strong comprehensive, business like arrangement that will build up Allied security after the war both in eastern and western Europe. Moreover it records another step forward in France's return to the front rank of nations. Projects for arranging for defensive collaboration among the western European nations can now proceed without raising Russian suspicions because the two main western partners are in close treaty with Moscow. Both in London and Paris it is suggested the British and French governments should' enter, into new agreements, and that conversations between all western powers, big and little, should be begun.

Both are possible, says The Times. They would be conducted with the design of fitting them into their place in the Russian alliance which allows in Britain's place supercession by worldwide organization for maintenance of world peace and security. The full plan behind Von Rundstedt's all out offensive on a sixty mile front Bible Message I those days came John the Bap tist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea, And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. Matthew 3:1, 2. Christmas Sock ating air of the West, they found It hard to fight off the lethargy and inertia that enfolds the average inhabitant of Ontario.

And it is such dullness of a person'! mental and physical capabilities that might easily be responsible for Toronton. ians tripping over each other at Inter, sections. However, as I've already Indicated, I don't see how hand signals are going to remedy the situation. If Toronto authorities Just want to ret goofy bylaws on the books, I can think of some which are Just as goofy, and might do some good. How about a bylaw prohibiting a wife from window shopping when accompanied by her husband? Or a bylaw to prohibit gals particularly 'teen age gals from walking along the sidewalk four abreast Then there should be a law against couples in love walking down the street arm in arm, with their heads In the clouds.

Such people obstruct other pedes trlans' progress. They should be required to use tide streets, or back lanes. And, while we're in the realm of such fantasia, why not make it compulsory for a woman to give a signal every time she is about to change her mind. Enforcement of such a law is just about as feasible as enforcement of a law calling for pedestrians to give signals before turning. If such a turn signal law was enforced having in mind the crowded sidewalks I've already mentioned it would soon be necessary to have a bylaw compelling a pedestrian to give a signal before giving a signal.

Only in that way could another pedes trian protect himself from getting a sock on the snoot. Too bad about Toronto. It used to be Toronto the Good (for what?) Now it's Toronto the Goofy. OVERHEARD ON THE AVENVE "The, trouble with him is he believes in quantity, not "World wide attitude toward dictatorships becoming clearer." And lfi: The fuehrer the better. that has brought his troops back Into Belgium and Luxembourg cannot yet be discovered.

There is no doubt, says The Times' special correspondent on the Luxembourg front that the Germans have made large gains. Their losses of armored vehicles and aircraft are already very great. Apparently the enemy Is aiming at a break through as at Sedan in the early stage of the war. Whether or not this offensive is Von Rundstedt's last reckless throw to ease Allied pressure on the Aachen gap or a break through into France again cannot be estimated. But the Allied high command can hold it and their air superiority is already beginning to tell.

Ceaseless blows have been rained by the Royal Air Force on the enemy's con centrations of armor and communications. The Allies have now to react with speed and strength so as to enable their ad vance into Germany to be quickly resumed. Fighting is continuing in Greece, says The Times' Athens correspondent with the British troops taking the offensive against the "liberation army" and clear lng the road to the port of Piraeus. Stiff resistance has already been en countered and British headquarters have again been under fire. The British are using rocket firing Beaufighters, tank and armored cars but their gains are not as yet Important.

The Averoff prison has been the scene of a desperate encounter. E.L.A.S. troops occupied half of it. Then Greek government troops drove them out, later E.L.A.S. units returned and set fire to the buildings.

British forces rescued seven hundred prisoners confined there. E.L.A.S. also attacked Royal Air Force headquarters determinedly but aircraft came to the ground staff's help and beat off the assailants, Politically the situation is unclarified. The majority of Greeks would welcome the Archbishop of Athens as Regent but the cabinet cannot make up its mind about it and individual ministers are now giving their views to King George of Hellenes in London. If, however, the Regent were accepted then his first task, says The Times' correspondent, would be to accept Premier Papandreou's resignation and obtain a new government that might be able to unite majority parties and to put an end to the present tragic struggle.

Four fifths of Hungary has now been over run by the victorious Red Army. Its offensives at present are directed not only against the German armies but against the mountainous region near the Czecho slovakian frontier where the bulk of Hungarian war industry is situated. The Russians are capturing an average of one thousand prisoners dally. During the trial of two Italian army generals on a charge of failing to defend Naples from the Germans after Italy went out of the war General Arisio witness for the prosecution disclosed the scandalous incapacity of Mussolini and the Fascist party to prepare Italy for war. General Arisio said the army was utterly unprepared for hostilities when it stabbed France In the'back.

Its rifles were out of date, its tanks insufficient and its aircraft poor. Because everything centred on i Rome army leaders lost all Initiative. (Tints South tm Strvlct CopjrrtSMI.