In Russia the Soviets resort a striking success -- a so a series of developments that are not at ell so favorable. These two^elements of success and failure have a common element. Taking the bad Soviet news first, we find it in the area south of the River Don. There ihe Red A army retreat continues. TheGermans claim that they have captured the city of Voroshilovsk, and have cut another vital railroad line. The Nazis insist the ir that^fcxir forces have reached the Kuban River -- which is just north of an important oil field area. If this be true, they are nearing the great range of the j mountains of the Caucasus .df-VloE scow, in giving place names that concern the Russian retreat, does not the Germans so far south not nearly so fpp. But tonight*s United Press dispatch from Moscow indicates that the enemy is driving FUSSIA - 2 TP nprilously nerr the arrg o:1’ the mountains. 'And an explanation is given.! Marshal Timoshenko is faced with the XH* worst of geographical handicaps. His lines of railroad communication have been repeatedly cut by the German f d vane e. . \The Nazis, on the other hand, have the advantag-e of tn'C network of railroads to their rear. They are able to Vhift forces with ease, while the Soviets can do littleV if any shifting. Because of the cutting of their ra ilroaX lines, they are unable to reinforce their armi s in th\ Caucasus, and Timoshenko has to depend altogether on hi\ own units, worn out, and running short of material. The terrain is entirely suited to the Mazi^ Panzers, the flat plains m north of the Caucasus Mountains. This element of railroad communications is part a sharp s uc c e s s J— t hr of a story of Soviet. A defeat to the Nazis in the sector of Stalingrad. LONDON There ves a Parliamentary sensation in London today, the House of Commons was suddenly called A A into secret sess on. ^ 'P&e-—tafrog-p tffcPt L;, l ^sflSPPc^Sf^ iie-ij 11 iAj lee, The Ho;as^ — w^nortn:.riiorLxiiJO^ iuiizeten Lord Privy- Seal Sir Stafford Cripps snoke the traditi nal formula. He used the words: "Strang'ers are present. " That^ the expression always used in calling a secret sessicn. The strangers were ushered out, and were kept out -- for about ten minutes. The secret session was that brief, with Deputy Prime Minister Clement Attlee, making a terse declaration *to the Commons. We donH know what it was all about, but the inevitable rumor is -- Second Front. On the other hand there is an Axis versin which refers to rumors that Prime Minister Churchill is in Moscow. B b - p - s ; s * e e r t a —rr-ftt~rtri-=± ii v I i am s n e-n -tTTd ay. GANDHI In India, the British have seized a document which they hope will help to check Mahatma Gandhi. This document is a proposal that Gandhi placed before r» the Working ommittee of the Indian National Congress. In it, the Mahatma stated that, upon winning independencej India probably would enter into negotiations with Japan. This resolution, advanced by Gandhi, was opposed by the other Nationalist leader, Pandit Nehru. Xle is said to have argued that .the Gandhi fo'rmula woikld make the world think that the Nationalist leader ws* lining up with the enemy. So Nehru proposed a substitute, which committed India to the cause of the United Nations - in the event of Indian independence. The Nehru substitute was adopted - and the Gandhi idea of negotiating with the Japs was put on the shelf. Now the British have acquired possession of it, after a raid on Nationalist headquarters. They are publishing it and expect the document wi]l influence the attitude of th 1st Party which GANDHI - 2 meets on Friday. That party meeting is expected to put a prompt okay on the Gandhi call for non-violent resistance to the British. But the revelation of his intention to deal with the Japs may change the picture the British hope. ABMY ABROAD In the British Isles hereafter the American Military authorities will have jurisdiction over all offenses committed by American soldiers. This was decreed today in a bill passed by the London House of Commons. The British are mighty ticklish about the enforcement of their laws, but now, if American soldiers violate those laws, they will not be brought up before British courts. They will be subject to judgment by the American military authorities. This is quite a departure for GreatBritain, and there is a shock of noVelty^«4M4tt4—1-etti-ne—fr-omobody e-jrs-*-1 d rtrl——Uis—i-a-w—t, h o T^a 1 m , This was indicated in the debate that accompanied the bill into Parliament. Several M.P.'s objected. One demanded: "Are all our affairs to be dictated from Washnfton, or are we to retain some rights and sovereignty over our own laws?" The objectors were ARJY ABROAD - 2 quicly over-ruled, an! the bill wcs passed. As an example of the sort of thing to which the nev/ arrangement will apply, we have the story of a British-American fracas in North Ireland. Today in the County of Antrim an inquest was held into the killing of a British soldier at a fight in a dance hall. Several American soldiers were injured. Testimony showed that a British Pioneer Company organized a dance, and a number of American soldiers attended. The British soldier^ that was killed got into an argument with an American. He had some sort of broomstick for a weapoh, and the American was heard to say: "If you strike me with that, *11 knife you." was later found'-- knifed. This occurred in the confusion of a free-for-all, in Wiich some fifteen British and American soldiers battered away at each other. Aim .ABROAD - 3 In court today the coroner stated: "I trust that this unfortunate incident will not mar the good relation existing between British and American forces. DUKE Grrrt Britain today celebrated an event that v.as both royal and American -- the baptism of the bab,y son of the Du!ke of Kent, brother of King George. Queen Elizabeth was there, and, by way ofcoincidence, it was her birthday. Her Majesty celebrated her forty-second birthday, today. It is customary for royal infants to have a royal list of Godparents, and that was the case ix at the christening of the baby prince Lud gy -- with one exception, a striking exception. The God-parents included King George the bixth King Haakon of Norway, Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands, the Duke of Gloucester, and theCrown Princess of Greece. And now for the exception -- on the list there was one Godfather not royal at all. Which takes us to the American angle. Duke As it happened, the young son of the^ka^ of DUKE - 2 Kent was born on the Fourth of July, and I suppose that suggested the idea. The Duke sent a cable to President Roosevelt, askin- the President if he would stand as Godfather for the babe. There was an immediate tVhite House response -- delighted. And so one of theGodfathers of the royal child today was President Roosevelt. ^ TP" And the child was christened Michael George Charles Franklin -- Franklin as in Roosevelt. The christening ceremony was performed by the Archbishop of Canterbury. The babe wore a lace Hun^^ntir^ robe bequeathed by Queen Victoria. When the Archbishop sprinkled him •”ith \rr water, Prince Michael George Charles -Franklin began to <ryx cry. And he continued to cry all during the rest of the ritual -- wailing with a shrill, inxigant indignant voice. He sounded exactly like a royal baby or any othei b aby. SA30TUERS President Roosevelt announced today that he will reveal the saboteur verdict -- within two cr three days.” The President has been studying the voluminous records of the trial by the Military Commission, and will complete his study before he makes public the sentences passed on the foazi agents who were landed by U-boat to commit sabotage in this count ry. LINDBERGH Toriay at Indianapolis Charles A Lindbergh testified in the trial of V.'illiam Dudley Pelley, accused of sedition. The appearance of the famous aviator drew a crowd. The courtroom was jammed, and several hundred peoole thronged outs ide". n Lindbergh * s testimony was brief -- lasting for about ten minutes. He was not called as a witness for the defense, but he offered^in one word in support of Pelley^. head of the one-time -rf7 Silver Shirts, a Fgscist "out-fit. 11 Lindbergh stated his belief that before Pearl Harbor most Americans were opposed to going into the war. He said: "It was my impression that the majority of the people opposed ur enterinr the war before we were att; eked.” He as asked v/het'her he had made any effort to determine public opinion since Pearl Harbor "No sir, I have not," he replied. He stated that he had not s poker^publicly since we _____ LINDBERGH - 2 were attacked, aa-d^. told vh at he^s been doin^. A A A ' nSince wr America entered the war,n he said,^J way I devoted my time and energy to helping out in any could in connection with the war." i.MI^I£AN_BLACK_MAH^ET The news from Euro r carries a good deal of mention of -- the Black Market. That means illegal and secret dealing in goods that are rationed or otherwise restricted. And today we hear of an American: Black market. You/night think it to consist of the unlawful selling of such thinf^as gasoline and rubber tires to motorists or sugar to housewives. But it all concerns something more industrial and imoosing -- if, steel. ''Testimony tells of a systematic violation of wartime priorities by a Bi-eck market in steel.11 The r, tsu-KTSclosure transpired at a Congressional Committee hearing in Louisiana, an 'investigation of a bhi shipbuilding contract which was cancelled. The Higgins ffair,--The Louisiana shipbuilder, Andrew Jackson Higgins had a contract to build two hundred Liberty merchant ships, and this was cancelled. There has been a lot o " debate about t-fliutest imony been for fcxxs day// ^ /L going on _ ___ -- - AFRICAN BLACK .^ARKET -2 Today a son of tfee shipbuilder was giving evidence. FranK Higgins was telling about the operation of his fathers shipyards. A Congressman asKed where the plant got its steel. At this point Andrew JacKSon Higgins, father of the witness, jumped to his feet. He was in the audience. "Go ahead and tell them, Fran*," he said. V>hereupon the son stated that the Higgins plant had been procuring steel in violation of priorities -- from the Black market. He spoxe of various warehouses which he described in these words: "Bulging to the doors with Blac* Market steel." Later today, President Roosevelt indicated that there ought to be an investigation of the BlacK JarKets dealing in steel. In Washington, the charge was made today that the Rubber Reserve Corporation is hindering the production of synthetic rubber. The statement was made by Arthur E. 4 Pew, Vice-President of the Sun 0i1'Company. He told Congressional Committee that the Rubber Reserve Corporati has been remiss in turning down - the Houdry process. This is the famous catalytic method which, having been a triumph in the refinement of hi^h octane gasoline, has now been turned to the production of butadiene rrTTfi—a Number One ingredient in making synthetic rubber. The Houdry process, stated Arthur Pew, provides a rapid method of manufacture and. requires less of the materials of which there is a shortage. Speaking of the Rubber ReserveCorporation, he stated: "They have adopted a program, and despite figures and facts, have refused to change it." He added that the process has been offered to other firms on any terms the government may desire, and that several other oil companies probably will adopt it if permitted to do by the Rubber Reserve Corporation. so LABOR It was announcea today that the A.F. of L. and the C.I.O.will soon begin negotiations for a reunion of the two factions of Labor. This was stated in Chicago by William Green, President of the A.F. of He said that delegates of tne two organizations would meet for the purpose of bringing to an end the seven year war between the Federation and the C.I.O. He was asKea -- what aoout John L.. Lewis? Viilliam Green said that woufd be a problem to be solved by the present 0.1.0. chieftain -c- Philip Murray. L. W p hear that the new peace move in the ranks of labor was suggested by President Roosevelt. They say that at a secret White House conference on July Twenty-Third the President urged the A.F. of L. and the C.I.O. to settle their quarrel in the interests of national unity and war production. CIBCUS There is nothing more than a fire in a / A circus meagerie, and the one in Cleveland today was a terrifying melodrama of flame and wild animals. rr. I have just had a telephone call from Beverly Kelly, representative of the Ringling Brothers - Barnum and Bailey Circus - Bev telling me how Et began. ■ A One side of the big menagerie tent suddenly caught fire,- the canvas blazing up for no apparent reason. Beverly Kelly tells me that the wind was blowing from nearby railroad tracks to that side of the tent, and maybe a spark from a locomotive fell on 'the canvas. But that is not certain. Anyway, the blazing tent set fire to a litter of hay rtamong the animals - and the fantastic! A horror was on One hundred valuable animals were killed - bullets putting an end to those that were too badly injured. The andir^at^ottt-~reo^«s-o-f—A^b ig elephant herd was led out to safety, and behaved magnificently. Two elephant were lost. They had to shoot one trann^H Kir +K/-, CIRCUS - 2 Twelve lions and tigers had to be killed, eight zebras, eight camels, deer, monkeys, and so on. One xhx * camel dashed about dragging a flaming sheet of canvas on its back. The animal got free and is okay. ^iiieKR Three negro roustabouts chased an ostrich that was racing around with its plummage on fire - those magnificent ostrich feathers. ..The negroes caught the /L bird, thew it to the ground and put out the fire. A Gargantua, the gorilla, and his bride, "Toto, came through all right. They were in another tent The circus people formed bucket chains in fighting the fire - the fat lady passed the bucket to the tallest man in the world. And he passed it to the tatooed lady - and so on down the line. G-ir-euo peyf ormcTS riokod -theirr^ A had ^trinedy ge44ing- •t h^ns^ | o ut—of- i- Th-er-e tives ^-1 circus will go on. tome* mioo-ing ,-^h ut 11.<a ehO'W —in b cnt -la o »»*-QiUwie"- in--G lo v 0J 0 i P i-—* i y