The Waterbury Democrat., 1940-06-04

navy give absolutely no
In fact, to use the bluntest Ian
guage, II will take o military mir
acle 10 prevent an overwhelming
German Victory, including tho
occupation OF London.
And unfortunately, miracles IN
modern warfare occur Oh the side
with the most tanks and air.
planes
The fighting which took place
In Flanders last week probably
was the most desperate In the
history Of the world, even bloodier
chan the Battles OF the Marine
and Verdln. Corpses were piled
house high. The trapped French
and British made the Germans
pay In floods OF blood for every
foot they advanced. They knew
that most Of them had no chance
OF escaping, but their objective
was TO weaken the Germans,
give time 10 General Weygand 10
strengthen the defcnseS OF Paris.
The key TO this war land also
TO American defense) rs 10 re-
member that khaki does not stop
machine-Run bullets, while tanks
do. Also that II rs impossible 10
whip an enemy whose airplaneS
can spy ous every move and blast
that move even before " gets
started.
The air and tank preponder-
ance OF the Mails " the crux OF
their successes.
ROY HOWARD'S AItMIST1CE
Dynamic Roy Howard, smartly.
attired little boss OF the ScrippS.
Howard newspapers and frequent
critic Of the New Deal, brceSed
into the executive offices for
conference with the president,
White House reporters immodl-
ately rushed forward TO interview
him.
First question WAS popped by
Felix Bolair crack New York
Times newman. With deadpan
innocence, he inqulrod Bringing
IN armlstlce, Mr.. Howard"
Howard, whose premature
scoop" on the signing OF the
World War armlstlce In 1918 rs a
newspaper epic, Joined In the
burst OF laughter.
u. y. RIFLES TO ALLIES?
There Is something awful
funny about the War Department
order Of March IA, 1910, prohibit
Ing the sale OF surplus Army
goods to anyone who might even
be suspected OF passing them on
10 the Allies.
The President OF the United
States has outlined q policy OF
helping the Allies In every posi-
bic way short OF war. The Cabinet
has worked out a policy OF selling
the Allies airplaneS previously Or
dered by the Army. And yet the
War Department has Issued an
order preventing the sale OF It's
surplus goods to any agent OF the
Allies or anyone even suspected
OF being an agent.
All this came 10 light last
week when the French and
British purchasing missions at
tempted 10 buy some Enfield
rifles and some 75-MM. field
artillery guns held by the Army
from the World War.
This In itself indicates how
desperate Is the position Of the
Allies. One year ago, these
guns were considered out Of
date.
The Enfields are part Of 81
100000 gur.s manufactured dur
ing the World War, In part for
the British Army. About a mill
lion were sold TO the Chinese
leaving 1,850,000 In government
warehouses. Also In government
warehouses are 1900 field artil-
lery pieces, which General Mar
shall has said need new gun car
riages and would cost $1,000 each
to remount.
ALLIED NEED DESPERATE
However, the Allies want TO buy
them for immediate use. When
they asked Secretary Morgenthau
about IL he showed the War De-
partment order under their nos
es. This makes purchase impos-
sible.
The War Department claims
that this order was written IN
conformity with the Neutrality
Act, and was Issued with the full
knowledge Of the president. How
ever, high-powered American