HEAR ii>AST lifju \ ja AA a ^' \J Here's the latest war news -- and it's Important^ ihe British today began their offenseive in North Africa, They launched a powerful drive against the Italians and Germans, and scored a fifty-mile auU advance. ) A dispatch from Cairo mentions the operation as a lull-dress affair, staged with fleets of tanks and planes — a large proportion of them American oailt, let it was a surprise blow — it was camouflaged so cleverly. One pwTwaf±x parldoxical factor was -the weather. rain — a heciyyraln dn the North African desert. But tnen. even the traditional realm of burning sands has yxt wet weather sometimes. Cairo says there was no resistance to the t fifty-mile advance - - so sudden and surprising. Large-scale fighting x has not yet begun — though it may be starting right now. Anyway, the long awaited offensive in North Africa is in progress. And no it remains to be seen how the imperial ^^rces will b to follow timlix up their first stroke of signal success. i We have nothing definite about the war In Russia, but there are indications that the Germans are launching another bi' time attack on Moscow — and, are breaking through. British sources are saying that right now the Germans are making their last major offensive against the Chief Soviet city - before the frosty completeness of winter sets in. their last It stories of how the Axis forces are suffering from the cold, freez- p-- — Ing. \^Berlin’s comment about the weather is that it has turned favorable for mechanized fighting - the mud gone, frozen, hard ground. would seem to be frosty- enough tight now — with insistent Soviet I Til© cas© of Finiand ie bacoming more and more a perplexity for London. Stalin is demanding that Great Britain declare war on the little northern Republic — whicti London has not yet aone. The United States has to be A considered. Secretary of State H^ll has warned Finland to quit the war against the Soviets - or forfeit American friendship, ^oday in tz^the^JJulted States Senate, by the way, Shipstead of Minnesata^enounced the CordelrTH^ll advice on the ground tnat Inputs the United States in e position of pl^y4tlg^rrand boy to Stalin. In London, Labor Members today demanded that the Churchill Government accede to Stalin’s desire. To which Foreign Secretary Anthony bden replied that Great Britain right now is making war against Finland. There is, of course. no declaration, and Eden used merely these w'ords, "all ■llitary and naval action." As things stand, about the only "liltary and naval action that London can very well be taking against Finland is — blockade. Meanwhile, we hear of renewed expectations - tnat the northern Republic may be persuaded to stop fighting the (' sMdii The rollowiag is given as a war headline - though it may not seem so important when aa a man merely says - "God bless you’’. However, when the individual happens to be Stalin, it’s something of an international sensation. In tEia Marxian communism, the creator of the universe is not recognized, an(^Soviet attitude toward religion has been one of the thorny points in the Brltish-American policy of aiding the Red Army. Hence, the iapaxtanfa Importance when Stalin Invokes the name of divinity. In an uncensored story by a United Press correspondent recently out of Russia, we are told of the celebrations that attended the visit of the British and American missions to Moscow. Correspondent Wallace Carroll relates that the British and Americans were pleasantly surprised by the personality of tne man of steel so long excoriated ruthless dictator. One American official described him in words, »‘a nice old gentleman”. ^ tnat Stalin frequently Furthermore, we are told he knows something resorts to biblical phraseology. Of* course^ 0 STALIN - about the scriptures - since he was educated for tne priesthood in the Russian Orthodox Church before he became a Red revolutionist. But it is a little bit surprising to be told that he sguiaur quotes tne bible more often than Muz Marx or Lenin. However, quoting the holy writ might be M considered good policy with the British and Americans. Still further, Stalin called upon the blessing of God. This occurred in a toast to President Roosevelt. Stalin S.id: ”May God help him in his task»^. And the United Press correspondent coa.ients that this startled some of the guests. as well it might. ^il 3 ^EYGAiiD Washington Is much concerned by reports that General Weygand has been removed as French Commander in North Africa. In consequence, the State Department Is putting off a decision xx In the matter of sending supplies of food to unoccupied Kxutf France. They won't do anythlig to help the French - until they find out about Weygand. Washington has no confirmation of the rports that A the African pro-Consul has been removed - but the rumor is Insistent, ns that-ftrnoral Weygnndj-^’Hi "tm being taken- out of -Morth Afftcay-Hfes-offered the post~Dj^ Minlctor of Wnr-Uir —Govoriaent— The solicitude of Washington is easily understandable, Weygand all along has stood against policies of yielding too much to the Nazis. As xb African Commander, he has been a bulwark against German schemes to get hold of such vital places as Dakar. ^11 be pro-Ma^ feetltjn In tiae V-i^7 O^^ernment has, ^tQiaed-~pfw^^«>4nanf^p ^ f£^r-AH«>aut--oeli-^b»P«bloPt There-ban. JASM - ® From ToKyo, the word comes that the Japanese newspapers have changed their tone toward the United States - have become much more friendly, -Yesterday the Japanese newspapers talked belligerently, but it was otherwise today. One important Tokyo journal sounded a keynote in phrases like this; »*We do not wish to see war between Japan and the United States. And, believing that the United States also desires Peace, we hope only tranquility in the Pacific," says the Tokyo A newspaper. The change-over since yesterday is rather dramatic and it’s all the more significant - since Japanese journalism reflects the views of the Tokyo government. « JAPAN ^ In our negotiations with Japan, the special Emissary from Tokyo and the Japanese Ambassador to Washington are waiting lor fresh instructions from their government. After their conferences with President Roosevelt and Secretary of State Cordell Hull, they communicated with Tokyo and gave a report of what had transpired. Whereupon they had to wait for tne ttld Mikado’s Government to give them further instructions about what to do. So that’s the way things stand in the Washington discussions that may or may not lead to war - a brief jiz period of waiting, and then the conferences will be resumed. Congressional opinion was expressed in opposite fashion today - by one of the Administration stalwarts — Peppery Pepper of Florida, and the Isolationist leader Wheeler of Montana. Senator Pepper demanded that no compromise be made with Japan, no agreement until Tokyo bta guarantees bo i-et its forces out of China, Indb-China and promises to commit no more aggressions. Senator Wheeler took the contrary attitude and thought a compromise could be arranged. COAL John L. Lewis has promptly turned down today* appeal tJo by President Roosevelt. He says **no** to the two alternative plans which the President proposed today jor ending the coal strike. One plan was to let the question of a closed shop wait until after the present emergency is over. Open the mines at once, :jid keep them working until the war crisis is passed - then take up the disputed point. The alternative proposal was - arbitration. Let the unions and the employers submit the closed shop question to the decision of impartial arbiters John L. Lewis, in declining both proposals, stated that he was speaking only for himself, ^e has not yet consulted the union policy board of two hundred. He has dtill to put the President's appeal before them. But the general belief is that the policy board, dominated by Lewis, will okay his verdict. The President'^s ex proposals were head Of the United States steel CorporatloCj««-^-**** companies COAL - ^ would follow suit. But tne head of the union says no - and so the strike continues. Today saw a spread of the walkout, with an increased crippling of the mines. lAines walWd out - i^gular mines Vat sell cVl in c^tra- s\li distinction to those thi^t are ownedXby the steVl compames V \ V for th^lr own u^e. There is an increasing demand for action in Congress, and more and more the apinlk opinion is repeated - that lt*s up to the President. / TRAljj One of the most terrifying of railro&d accident. occurred today near Van Nuys, California. It»s hard to imagine anything more fearsome - a string of cars on fire in a long tunnel. Three trainmen lost their lives, as rescue crews tried vainly to battle their way into the faiM flame and the smoke that had turned the tunnel into an Inferno, The Hassen Tunnel in a*±±M California is seven thousand feet long, nearly a mile and a half. And today a ninety-six car freight train went mx roaring into the tube. Inside, there was an accident. A coupling broke, and the freight train was stalled. Apparently there was a leak of oil from the tender of the locomotive, and this caught fire. A few cars behind the locomotive, was a tank car of gasoline - yua and you can readily surmise what happened. There was a tremendous blast of flame in the narrow spaces of the tunnel. and the train burned with a roaring fury - the tunnel like s chimney, A fireman who tried to light his way to the came out saying, »»lt»s like a furnace in there. One grim detail is found in ten carloads of cattle liestroyed. H ..J ^nTOMOBILES The production of automobiles is going to be cut by more than half - in Kebruwry. Today the O.P.M. announced that passenger car production during February of Nineteen Forty-Two will be limuuiKitxlij reduced by more than fifty-six percent, as compared with last February. A hundred and seventy- four thousand automobiles, as against a previous three hundred and ninety-six thousand. Meaning, that lor every one hundred cars produced last February, sm only forty-four will be manufactured during the same period next year. This - because of a shortage of materials, which are needed for national defense. ( r SF.CESSION AS if there weren't enough trouble already, thl: nation is faced with a problem of secession. Shakes of Abe Lincoln and Joff* Davis, The rskho news tells of a large area planning to withdraw, not from the union, however, but from the State of California and Oregon, Today at Yreka, California, a sans conference representing three counties met for the purpose of forming a new state. The counties are SlsKiyou and Del Norte in California, and SRzzy Curry County in Oregon, And they say there’s a tlxsilk likelihood thl that three others are likely to join the secession movement. It’s all because of a row concerning mineral resources in the Siskiyou mountains. The people in that section want the State Governments of California and Oregon to help in developing large deposits of copper, berylliumT^agnesite - valuable minerals. Important for national defense. The State Governments have not responded in satisfactory fashion - hence there of the coun A The conference that has gathered is studying the r 1+• <: leaders stateds* ^Make angles of the problem, and one of its leaae no mistake - ttie cojnties are deadly in earnest about this secession movement." And today the Siskiyou jiews began a campaign to * A select a name for the pr posed new forty-ninth state. However, there’s a good deal of suspicion that if California and Oregon will kick in i^vith help in developing the Siskiyou mineral zsxkswx resources, the secession would soon dissolve, so maybe there won’t be any new civil war. CL with a local'^rant and a local Robert E. iiee on the border of California and Oregon. L mp !WSPAPER m The new Chicago newspaper has selected a name. The world of jouraallsm has been agog for montRs ^aboin the new A venture launched by Marshall Field - a new morning paper to compete v^ith Chicago’s traditional oracle,”the Tribune”. And what would be its name? To dKsidKx decide that important point. they held a ten Thousand Dollar prize contest. That much cash to be awarded to the lucky person making the best suggestion. the name the newspaper would adopt. ?ou’d think that a ten thousand dollar prize contest. would result in something original - some novelty. There are many majestic newspaper names in this country - in addition to Tribune, Times, News and Journal. For example, tne New Orleans TIMES-PICAYUNE and the^ashlngton^INTELLIGENCER. And then there’s the Canton, Ohio REPOSITORY,^the Redondo, California, BREEZE, the Oil City, Pennsylvania BLIZZARD, and / the Lubbiich, Texas AVALAXiCHE. There’s the St. Charles Missouri COSMOS MONITOR, and the RiKaa Richmond, Indiana PALADIUM^^TAB. Not to bb forget the Bloomington, Illinois PANOGRAPh and the Watsonville, California REaii:>TER-PAJAROJIAN K MF.WSPAPER - ASD sun . Noble names of illustrious organs of publli Opinion. So what do we now find in SH k Chicago? What's the u name of Marshall field's new paper, the name pnssusdKst produced by the Ten Thousand Dollar prize contest? The answer is a three letter word, meaning a heavenly body round akd and hot - SUN. It’s to be the Chicago Sun. Well, there are plenty of SUNS in the flrmam^^ of American Journalism, and we now have another. And they’re paying ten thousand aollars lor that original inspiration. I could have tnought of it myself - Xiujc&klxagB The Chicago Sun. y 0=li ' ww A