The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1941-07-10
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National and International Problems
Inseparable from Local Welfare.
This government is making no
bones about the fact that it has little
faith in Soviet Russia, and holds ex
treme distaste for the Communist
ideology. The British government
has taken much the same position.
However, both Of the Democratic
powers have welcomed Russia as an
|ally. They are working on the basis
that when your house is in danger of
burning down, you must accept your
|neighbor's aid, whether you happen to
like him or not. Big job now is to
lick Hitler, and all other considera-
tions and problems must be held in
allegiance until that is done, in the
view of Mr.. Roosevelt and Mr.. Chur-
|chill.
The Presidents official proclama-
|tion placing Russia under the lease
lend act is primarily gesture. We
have little to spare, in the light of
our own needs plus England's, and
even if we had much to spare the
shipping problem would prevent de-
livery of goods in appreciable guam
titles. And Russia, of course, has a
far larger, far better equipped mill
tary machine than ours.
Hope of many is that Russia and
Germany may wear each other out
that the doctrines of both Commun-
ism and Naziism may perish on the
Russian steppes. In the view of mill
tary authorities, there is small chance
of that happening. Most of them
think that the German army is too
efficient and too we'll organized for
the Russians-even though the Red
army is probably larger in man pow
er, and may be larger in tanks, field
pieces and other equipment. At the
same time, they think that Russia,
even though she eventually loses, may
inflict staggering casualties on the
Germans. Reports of the early days
of the fighting indicate that is hap
Ipening.
The German-Russia war is giving
England chance to tremendously in
crease her aerial raids on the Cont
nent, while Germany is preoccupied on
the long Eastern front. British
planes, say London sources, are going
over in waves of $50 and 400. They
are big, multi-engined planes, and
they are laden with a new type of
bomb which is supposed to be extra
Ordinarily potent. Great damage is
being done to German industrial and
military areas.
In the meantime, it is interesting
/ to speculate on what the historians
will say about this war. Never in the
history of conflict has there been such
a shift of loyalties. A few weeks ago
Russia was regarded by most as an
enemy and German ally-now it
looks as if she will sink or swim with
the Democracies. Finland used to be
much admired in this country-now
she is to all purposes German ally
SO is France, which was an Ameri-
can friend for almost two centuries
The small Balkan powers have all
sided with Germany-Croatia, Slo-
vakia, Hungary, Rumania, ETC. These
little countries have no love for Ger
many. But they have intense hate
for Russia.
Big question, yet unanswered, is
what stand Japan will ultimately
take. She is member of the Axis,
yet she has peace treaty with Rus
sia, and she can't keep both agree
ments. Some optimistics think she
will eventually desert Germany and
join hands with Britain and the
United States. Japanese statements
of policy so far have been vague in
the extreme. A good argument can
be made to the effect that Japan
could secure more for herself by "co-
operating" with this country than by
keeping tied to the apron strings of
nations which have their hands full
thousands of miles away.
Still another subject of speculation
is what influence the German Russian
embroglio will have on this country's
possible entry into the war Most
seem to believe that it has postponed
our becoming an actual belligerent.
Reason for this stand is that Ameri-
can policy will be to wait and see
what happens in Russia before jump
ing in. Also, the new war has given
! England a breathing spell, and has
made an immediate attempt at inva-
sion of the Isles out of the question.
According to w. w. Chaplin, |. n.
5. defense expert, "By the first of the
year, barring acute shortage of such
materials as aluminium or major de-
lays due to new strikes, the American
warplane industry will have achieved
such mass output that one American
company will virtually be duplicating
the entire German production of COM
bat planes" This company is Curtiss
i Wright, which plans production of l,
500 aircraft monthly. And the pro-
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