^ I'Ll J4-0 . EGYPT A most terrifying paradox of war is being waged on the Egyptian desert. The latest word from Rome is that the Italian commander, Marshal Graziani, has pulled the Libyan camel corps and desert cavalry riders out of the battle, and has thrown in a huge force of mechanized fighting equipment - one thousand Badw^slxG^miits, says Homy. These include mobile artillery, tanks and swift desert sleds on huge balloon tires. Rome describes the scene of this clash of modernized war as being wrest of Sidi Barrahi, and that fits in with 14 yesterdayfs British announcement of^t forward base of the Italian advance into Egypt. The Italian communique further states that Graziani is lit’ v £ ji gQ ywyO tyw communications with '.ti tht hi it ish cut. yfrhF—the assumption that the British isolated a A ^ the 'if7 large Italian force in^Sidi Barrani area.*1 Prime Minister Churchill in the House of Commons today spoke of Iascist holding out against violent attacks* ns stated the probability of three Italian divisions being broken up, cut to EGYPT - 2 pieces. Tne latest British estimate of prisoners taken is - twenty thousand. All of this seems to indicate that in capturing Sidi Barrani the British surrounded large Fascist units - some captured and some still resisting. And a desperate attempt is being made to relieve.-“Fne main Italian army in A ^ Libya, hurling a full force of mechanized equipment, a thousand motorized units - says Rome. The Italian account gives a fantastic picture of the Egyptian battle. None of the usual phenomena of the desert - no camel corps, no wild riding native horsemen. They1uut. Instead, it’s an ultra-modern melee of tanks, armored cars and machines on balloon tires. Swift movement across the sands, * 5 confused that Britons and Fascists, in their armored war machines, find themselves tangled in a maze - such a maze that the crews leap out and attack each othei with hand grenades. wild clashes^15*1 clouds of dust A The battle order is so A And the desert road along the coast is being, shelled by the British fleet. Such is tonight, s picture of ultra-modern battle EGYPT - 3 on the ancient desert - those sands over which eternity seems to /-tuvsJL c*=f- |fSW£ have broodedThe desert that time forgot y-^ow fie brought down to date by the fury of >rfacuc-Qji*u^- "" # uAeanwhile, in Italy things are restive. The Italians behind the Fascist censorship, have become aware of defeat - uT^-e^-vc. T£ j Z the humiliating state of affairs in frrcum^ and the sharp aid A A dashing success scored by the British in Egypty Today there was official Fascist talk against Marshal Badoglio, the Italian Commander-in-Chief who resigned. There1s angry newspaper denial x of the supposition that Badoglio was opposed to the Greek adverture. One prominent Fascist writer puts it this way - obviously meaning Badoglio:- 'nA certain person who should keep quiet,n he writes, "is saying in drawing rooms and to friends on hunting trips that he did not want the Greek itfaf campaign and such undertakings needed a greater number of A divisions, ^t should be known that this same person had promised to carry out the action with forces already stationed in Albania. Anything to the contrary is untrue.n LCYPT - 4 This l:ind of snapping in the official press indicates an uneasy state of public opinion in Italy. This as all the world is wondering^ about the condition of Italian morale.[ Is the Fascist regime about to collapse? Is Italy about to be knocked out of the war? Or will defeat mean that Nazi Germany will take control in Italy? 1 That is a possibility to be reckoned with - remembering an analogy of that former World War, wheijAustrian defeats were followed by the Germans taking control of the Austrian army LOTHIAN The news from London today immediately brought rumors bearing on the question - nWho will be the successcr to Lord Lothiian as British ambassador to Washington?” wames are mentioned as possibilities - prominent names. Anthony Eden - for years an ace figure in the London Government. A Oliver Stanley - who was President of the Board of Tradd in the Chamberlain Cabinet. Malcolm MacDonald - the Minister of {fealth, who is a son of the late Prime Minister Ramsay MacDonald. It is to be observed that these political personalities^ » are or have been members of the British Cabinet. In London parliamentary circles the conjecture is - that Prime Minister Churchill, in nominating a successcr to Lord Lothian, is likely to select a member of the Cabinet - present member or past member This is a vivid reflection of what; Britain thinks of the post of British Ambassador to Washington. To Britain at war, it is perhaps second in importance only to the post of Prime Minister. The very circumstances of the death of Lord Lothian dramatize this importance. Last night a momentous declaration was made, a L0T5IAM - 2 declaration ol historic importance in these troubled times )f ours. And that declaration can almost be called - words .from the tomb. The statement was read before a gathering of tile American Farm Bureau Association at Baltimore. It came,from ih11 triPb Ambassador, Lord Lothian. But it was not delivered by him personally. It was explained that^the Ambassador was - ”slightly indisposed.” t>o his address was read by the counselor of the British Embassy, Neville JA Butler. This occured during the dinner period last evening. At thafr very hour Lord Lothian was ili unto death, and a few hours later he passed away. So we can almost say - words from the tomb. These words bespoke the British belief that the war against Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy can be won, and can only be won, with the aid of the United States. ^The statemert by Lord Lothian pictured a grim year to come for Great Britain. NineteenForty-One, he said, will be a time of trial and ordeal. A victory could not be expected until Nineteen Forty-two. He f orecftYr ri r ****** whiafe-oould ov-efttually by Jr)\m Till IT *11 + Tn rvnry roffp'??*. L --- a.. TvA? serious words:- "We have no illusions about Nineteen F 03 ty-One," he said, l,Itts going to be a hard and dangerous year. Our shipping losses have recently been formidable. In one week British Allied and Neutral losses were nearly two hundred thousand tons. But we*re not in the least dismayed.KIXK With help from you wefre confident that we can win and win decisively in Nineteen forty Two." In every respect this somore statement may be classed under the mournful head of — last words. LOTHIAN ■- ? ^¥TP-Uii_aa=gatfa>, msumful.. -- V. The death of Lord Lothian was not announced today hours after tne event. Then the news emanated from the coroner in Washington, net from the ambassador's mtt physician. Ve are told that no physician attended him - he was a Christian Scientist. The malady from which he died was uremic infection. ^His passing evokes universal expressions of grief - with President Roosevelt leading a long series of tributes. Lord Lothian was one cf the most popular ambassadors Washingt ever knew - liberal minded, exceedingly democratic.^ in his r on later life, he was one of the top ranking peers ) A out his beginning was very‘different. We made his way in the British diplomatic service, but was without title or land until middle age. Then he inherited the peerage left by his cousin, the Tenth Marquess of Lothian. With that peerage went vast estates, four castles, and a whole string of titles - »axgHfc*x Marquess, Viscount, an Earl twice, a Baronet four times. i LOTHIAN - 4 His first prominence in the international spotlight came when he v.as right-hand man to Prime Minister Lloyd George in the World War. He accompanied Lloyd George to the Peace Conference, and was a principal lieutenant to the brilliant Welshman in the negotiations that culminated in the Versailles Treaty I myself wmXxt made the acquaintance of Lord Lothian at that time in tsx Versailles days. Subsequently I encountered him again on various occasions. The, last time during the coronation /Vt <9^ t~ aJj dt f" festivities in London. I met him ^ Lady Astor^ place at Sandwich,^the south coast, an area now ferotrfously by 'o me he seemed like a perfect example or the British diplomat and aristocrat - /A always the completely democratic peer. Perhaps his chief mental quality was a fine sense of justice. He thought that Germany had been treated harshly in the period after the war. A -■■■" - - . He was reputed to be a member of ito Lady Astorfs Cliveden set, A * and to have favored a reconciliation with Nazi Germany, But after Hitlers broken wrord at Munich and the seizure of LOTHIAh - 5 Czechoslovakia, Lord Lothina became one of the strongest anti-Nazis in England — his feeling of justice outraged. There are reports in Washington that the body of the Ambassaodr, the Marquis of Lothian — may be sent back to Engladn in a United States crusier. That would be a striking thing — an American cruiser traversing the war zone! bKITlL-H AID It was made official today that the administration ViO’jId do nothing about British credits until Congress has acted. Here1s a statement made by Secretary of the Treasury Morgenthau, He refers to the Johnson Act which forbids the extension of credits in the United States to any nation that has defaulted on its war debt, and he says: "I certainly would not be a party to a loan to Great Britain or any other country, if it comes under the Johnson Act - without being directed by Congress.17 To this he added - "Furthermore, nobody has asked me for a loan." This refers to Secretary Morgenthau^ discussions with Sir Frederick Phillips, Under-Secretary of the British Treasury. The Under-Secretary has been presenting a balance sheet of the financial situation of Great Britain - but apparently he hasn!t mentioned the subject of a loan. ijRITIvH. A X0 It Aas made ofiicial today that the administration v.do nothing about British credits until Congress has acted. here!s a statement made by Secretary of the Treasury Morgenthau. He refers to the Johnson Act which forbids the extension of credits in the United States to any nation that has defaulted on its war debt, and he says: nI certainly would not be a party to a loan to Great Britain or any other country, if it comes under the Johnson Act - without being directed by Congress.” To this he added - furthermore, nobody has asked me for a loan.” This refers to Secretary Morgenthau1s discussions with Sir Frederick Phillips, Under-Secretary of the British Treasury. The Under-Secretary has been presenting a balance sheet of the financial situation of Great Britain - but apparently he hasn!t mentioned the subject of a loan. JULIAN Up in Canada it looked for a while as if military glory mi. ht fall to the lot of Colonel Hubert Fauntleroy Julian, the Black Eagle of Harlem, /fe offered his services to the Royal Air Force for fighting and flying in the Battle of Britain. So they proceeded to give him a physical test. The Black Eagle is forty-three, and sometimes even the^tgsySltes^ warrior has to get a little flabby and physically not so fit at that age. $ But Colonel Hubert Fauntleroy Julian passed the examination with complete success - all those complicated tests they make of bodily health, eyesight, muscular coordination, etcetra. So all the Black Eagle had to do wasjbo pass an actual flying test, show how sKillful he was in the handling of an airplane. Well, the Colonel has had a lot of experience. He first acquired fame when he started on a trans-Atlantic flight to Africa and cracked up in a swamp on Long Island. He &k achieved headlines when he became an Ethiopian ace in the Flying Corps of Haile Selassie, and proceeded to demolish a plane right in the presence of the King of Kings. He has made the front page in every recent war, and only lately JDLIAfl 2 challenged Hitler's Chief Lieutenant Goering to an airplane duel over the English Channel. Such was the oackground as the Black Eagle too* Off at Ottawa to show his aviation prowess in a practice flight. With him flew an officer of the Royal Canadian Air Force - and that was lucky, so the story goes. Today's account from Ottawa tells of a nerve tingling moment, in Which the Canadian officer had to seise the controls from the Black Eagle - to prevent a crack up. It lool.ed like a catastrophe, until the officer took over and handled tne piane himself. Thanks to that fact, they landed safely - and the Black Eagle is still waiting for his Canadian wings fiATIOHAL GUARDS Tnere's to be a delay in putting the next batch of national Gaards into the Army. According to the schedule ninety-six thousand A of the State soldiers are to be taken into active service between January Sixth and April First. Howeyer, there will not be enough housing to accommodate them. Army camp accommodations won’t be ready — there’s been a delay in the cons true tior^rork. So the induction of the ninety-six thousand *will be^i«ri' 7 ygd ^ so said Secretary of War Stimson today. How long will the delay be? Between one week and two and a half months, said the Secretary. DIVORCE When a lady has had three husbands you^ think she v. Know something about marriage. In fact, one trial would seem to be enough to teach anybody plenty. However, matrimony is like other^things - youfve got to give it a little time. V'itness the case of Virginia Hill, a twenty-three year old oil heir||ess. Today in New York, Virginia was suing for divorce from hei^third hushand. And she says she’s all set to acquire a fourth. After being married three times,^to wants to find out what it’s like to be married, XIx&mfcX&tx&uuaxiLnrtjUKx She's wistful and even soulful about it, and explaina.it this way:- ”1 haven’t been married long enough to any one man to know what it’s all about.” So she intends to be wedded again - for at least two or three days this time. hi^AiNAS Herefs one of those grotesque events in common life - worth telling because they sound so odd. In broonlyn, a banana peddler wanted a hot plate for his kitchen stove. He had no .uoney, but he had Dananas, so he went to a store selling stoves and offered to make a trade - some bananas for a hot plate. There was bargaining and dickering and finally the stove dealer agreed to swap a hot plate for a big buncji of bananas. The oanana man thereupon demanded a gas hose to go with the hot plate. Tne stove dealer said he!d have to have some more bananas for tne gas hose - or at least a few pineapples. Hut the banana man had no pineapples, ^nd that*s when the fight started. As a result of the hot plate-banana-gas hose controversy, the stove dealer was stabbed and injured - and tonight the banana man is cooling off in the civic refrigei’ator - the cooler. Hugh here is all hot and botnered writh a message he has for you.