United China Relief given $7 million
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Roving Reporter
By Ernie Pyle
With U.S. forces in Algeria – (by wireless)
I have been delving further into this strange business of Axis sympathies among the people of French North Africa. It is very involved.
The population was all mixed – Arabs, Jews, Spanish and French. And there didn’t seem to be much national loyalty. It looked as if the people, being without any deep love of the country, favored whichever side appeared more likely to feather their nest.
Outside the big cities, Algeria hadn’t fared badly under the Germans. But the cities had been actually starving, because the Germans bought produce direct from the farms, and the cities couldn’t get it.
America has already contributed shiploads of food to the Algerian people, but for some reason little of it showed up in the public markets. City housewives find the stalls bare as usual, and they mutter about “les Américains.”
The Germans paid high prices to the farmers for their crops, and paid in French money. They didn’t levy the terrific indemnities here that they did in France. Hence the farm population actually prospered, and had almost nothing to kick about.
Now this year, Algeria has the biggest orange crop since the war started. In distant sections, oranges were actually rotting on the trees for lack of transportation. The farmers blame the Americans for this, and I suppose with some justice. True, we have already arranged to ship vast cargoes of oranges to England in returning convoys, but we can’t spare enough transportation to get the whole crop to the docks.
Buying of crop would help
As far as I can see, the only way to get the Arab, French, and Spanish farmers on our side would be to buy the whole orange crop, even at the high prices the Germans paid.
When the Germans took control, they demobilized the French North African Army. That suited the people fine. They didn’t want to fight anyway. But now the army is mobilized again, and people are saying:
Under the Germans, we didn’t have to fight. Under the Americans, our leaders make us go into the army again.
They are passive about it, but many of them are not happy. There was a deep fascist tinge among some of the officers of the regular army. I’ve tried to find out the reason. As far as I could learn, it was mostly a seeking for an ordered world to live in. The people and the army alike were disillusioned and shattered by the foul mess into which Paris had fallen – the mess that resulted in catastrophe to France. They were, and are, bitter against the politicians and the general slovenliness in high places. They wanted no more of it. They wanted things to run smoothly. They wanted security – and they visualized it as guaranteed by the methodical rule of the Axis.
The German propaganda here has been expert. The people have been convinced that Germany will win. Lacking any great nationalistic feeling, the people jumped onto whatever seems to be the leading bandwagon, and they think it’s Germany. Propaganda has also made them think America is very weak. Literally, they believe we don’t have enough steel to run our factories or enough oil for our motors.
Americans misinterpreted
German propaganda has drilled into them the glories of the New Order. These people believe that life for them under German control would be milk and honey, perpetual security and prosperity. They really believe it. Also, our troops have made a poor impression, in contrast to the few Germans they’ve seen. We admittedly are not rigid-minded people. Our Army doesn’t have the strict and snappy discipline of the Germans. Our boys sing in the streets, unbutton their shirt collars, laugh and shout, and forget to salute. A lot of Algerians misinterpret this as inefficiency. They think such a carefree army can’t possibly whip the grim Germans.
Most of the minor peoples of the world expect discipline. They admire strict rulers because to them strictness is synonymous with strength. The Algerians couldn’t conceive of the fact that our strength lies in our freedom.
Out of it all I gather a new respect for Americans, sloppy though we may be. They may call us Uncle Shylock, but I know of no country on earth that actually is less grabby. In all my traveling both before and during the war, I have been revolted by the nasty, shriveled greediness of soul that inhabits so much of the world. The more I see of the Americans and the British, the most I like us. And although Germany is our bitter enemy, at least the Germans have the character to be wholly loyal to their own country.
Once more, I want to say that this stratum about which I am writing is not a majority of the people of North Africa. Much of the population is just as fervent for Allied victory as we are. But there is this Axis tinge, and I wanted to try to explain why it existed. Personally, I don’t feel that it can do us any grave harm.
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War and Hollywood
Super-glamor will rule the screen
By Harlow Church, special to the Pittsburgh Press
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CANDIDLY SPEAKING —
Place for woman at peace table
By Maxine Garrison
These are days of strange and splendiferous happenings. It has even been suggested in all seriousness that there might justifiably be a place for a woman at the table which will follow this war.
Let us quickly pass over any small remarks about the wonder being that no one’s thought of it before. The notable feature is that the suggestion has been made and, forsooth, approved by men.
The justification is pretty obvious. Women share with men the responsibility for the current mess. Although they did not win the vote until 1920, and are therefore technically absolved of responsibility up to that point, they certainly had their share of fostering the “Eat, drink and be merry” philosophy which lulled national and international conscience.
The catch in that philosophy is that you aren’t nearly so likely to die tomorrow as you are to have to live through the mess of your own making.
Women are sharing with men the job of fighting the war. They are enlisted in all branches of our armed services. They are building war machines and making war supplies.
Women, side by side with men, will endure the duration and whatever may follow.
It seems only natural that they should have a place at the peace table.
Leading nominees so far seem to be Mrs. Roosevelt, Mme. Chiang Kai-shek and Clare Luce.
I will stick my neck clear out to here, and suggest a woman’s panel including Mrs. Roosevelt, Mme. Chiang Kai-shek, and Dorothy Thompson. The enthusiasms and knowledge of such women should fuse into a definite influence for good.
The general inclusion of women as members of the human race in good standing will spur individual women everywhere to increased and even prouder effort.
U.S. War Department (January 6, 1943)
Communiqué No. 288
North Africa.
French headquarters reports that Allied aircraft and artillery destroyed 12-15 tanks of the enemy force which attacked French positions at Fondouk on January 3. French counterattacks also inflicted casualties on the enemy. In support of operations by French troops, Allied bombers escorted by fighters yesterday attacked Cherichera, north of Fondouk, and fighter sweeps were carried out.
Our bombers also attacked the railway yards at Kairouan, and four enemy aircraft attacking one of our airdromes were destroyed. Two of our planes are missing from yesterday’s operation.
U.S. Navy Department (January 6, 1943)
Communiqué No. 241
South Pacific.
On January 5:
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During the darkness of the early morning, a U.S. task force of surface units successfully bombarded the Japanese airfield at Munda on New Georgia Island.
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As the task force retired, it was attacked by Japanese dive bombers. Four “Wildcats” (Grumman F4F) intercepted and shot down four of the enemy dive bombers and probably destroyed two more. All “Wildcats” returned safely after the remaining enemy planes had withdrawn.
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“Marauder” medium bombers (Martin B-26) later attacked enemy installation at Munda. Results could not be observed.
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During the afternoon, “Flying Fortresses” (Boeing B-17), escorted by “Lightning” fighters (Lockheed P-38), attacked an enemy heavy cruiser at Buin on the island of Bougainville. Results were not observed. Our fighters were attacked by 25 “Zeros” and float-type biplanes. Three enemy planes were shot down and 2 others were probably destroyed. Two U.S. fighters were lost.
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“Flying Fortresses” attacked and scored a bomb hit on a Japanese transport in the Shortland Island area.
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During the day, 84 Japanese were killed in mopping-up operations in the Mount Austen sector on Guadalcanal Island.
Communiqué No. 242
North Pacific.
On January 5, “Mitchell” medium bombers (North American B-25) bombed an enemy cargo ship 110 miles northeast of Kiska. The ship was left burning and was later seen to sink.
On January 6, a “Liberator” heavy bomber (Consolidated B-24) scored one direct and two near hits on an enemy ship 185 miles southwest of Kiska.
The Pittsburgh Press (January 6, 1943)
PLEASURE DRIVING BANNED!
Autoist must prove his need, OPA chief says
Order effective at noon on Thursday
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Rayburn wins speakership in close vote
Congress convenes with bipartisan pledge to fight bureaucracy
By Lyle C. Wilson, United Press staff writer
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MacArthur’s bombers sink 9 Jap ships
Supply vessels, transports blasted at Rabaul; 6 Zeroes downed
By Don Caswell, United Press staff writer
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Japs’ herdlike march into face of death described by woman who escaped Malaya
British lacked the means to make stand, Koppers group told
For 600 weary miles, she retreated with the British… through Penang, and Ipoh, and Kuala Lumpur to Singapore.
There, recuperating from two wounds suffered in Malay, she witnessed Jap bombings, and the city’s swift fall.
At almost the last moment, she escaped on a cattle boat to Java, eluding Jap submarines and planes.
That was part of the story Mrs. James Bines, former Elyria, Ohio, woman, who lived in Malaya for seven years, told a war bond sales committee of Koppers Co. employees in Pittsburgh today.
Husband still missing
She drove an ambulance during the fighting in Malay and when Java fell, she fled once more, on one of the last boats to sail from island, landing in Australia, after a 58-day voyage, extended almost to the Antarctic to escape the Japs.
Mrs. Bines doesn’t know yet where her husband is – the last time she saw him was on the December morning in 1941 when the Japs began their invasion of northern Malaya.
He was manager of a British firm, and, like all other British subjects, was sent to the front to fight.
Mrs. Bines said:
He was armed with a World War I gun. That’s all we had… no planes, no anti-aircraft, no anything. I had volunteered as an ambulance driver earlier, and I went to my unit. We’ve never seen each other again.
Help fails them
She continued:
We fought hard, but you can’t hold any place in the world without planes. Those Japs had anything, and they bombed and dive-bombed until our towns were blown off the map. Flesh and blood can’t stand that very long.
With Japs infiltrating around them, often by such clever ruses as donning slacks and white shirts, and then bicycling into British ranks with their Tommy guns concealed, the beaten forces were forced back to the tip of Malaya.
We made our best stand on the Perek River, where we thought we might get the long-expected trip, but it never came.
A bridge of dead
Ipoh fell, and then Kuala Lumpur, Mrs. Bines arrived in Singapore, where she had a little respite before the invaders took that too. She told of the famous causeway.
It was not completely blown up, and the Japs were able to make repairs. Then when they were ready, they marched across. We trained all of our guns on that causeway, and our few planes machine-gunned the length of it.
They came marching on… like animals. Climbing over their own dead, always coming on in a solid line.
Our guns blasted them off for perhaps a hundred feet. Shot cut through their ranks. New men moved in to take the places of the ones who were slaughtered.
Still they came
Our gunners actually came sick at the number of men who were killed, but the Japs came on.
They never stopped… life meant nothing to them…
Mrs. Bines said:
We were caught like rats in a trap. Japs in front of us, and nothing but the sea and sharks behind.
But she did manage to escape to Java, where it was “the same story of too little and too late.” Then she reached Australia.
Hong Kong stories verified
Mrs. Bines won’t talk of the atrocities she has seen.
I refuse to speak of them, but I have seen terrible things – and whatever you read that happened in Hong Kong is true.
Now resting at the home of her parents in Elyria, she’s planning to take flying lessons and fit herself into the war effort in any way possible.
Meanwhile, she has this message for Americans:
You people here at home are asked to give only money, and you’re very fortunate.
Wickard plans to ease local tie-ups in food
Drastic cuts to bring better distribution, officials say
By Fred Bailey, United Press staff writer
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Allies capture Tunisian hills from Germans
British Libyan army pushes nearer Tripoli; Axis bases bombed
By Edward W. Beattie, United Press staff writer
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Ex-Soviet general is U.S. Army private
New York (UP) –
A former Soviet brigadier general who narrowly escaped being purged in 1937 is a private in the U.S. Army.
The induction of Alexander Barmine Dec. 4 was revealed after he had spent three weeks at the Fort Dix, New Jersey, Reception Center, during which time he concealed his Red Army background from members of his company. He is now in a training battalion in New Jersey.
Barmine fled from his post in Athens in 1937, rather than obey a recall to Moscow and possible execution in the purge of the army general staff. His friend, Marshal Mikhail Tukhachevsky, was liquidated.