Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-12-03
us British
Tanks in Libya
Built in u. S.
Stand Up Well in Battle
but Fall TO Artillery
BY PAUL MALLON

WASHINGTON, Dec. "a
W British spokesman here,
who got into print with an
anonymous estimate that only
$50 American tanks were in the
Libyan drive, sharply UNDER
estimated our help.
The British had more than
1,150 tanks ready to roll at the
start of the offensive and IT'S
(about two-thirds) were ours.
No official source here has at
tempted to correct the Britisher.
The figures are still considered
a military secret, although the
Germans days ago obtained a
precise count.
Also still secret is the last
report from American observers
at the front, suggesting our
tanks stood up much better in
the later drive HRund Rezegh.
They bore the bl Lof the big
fight against the 46n light
and medium tanks, II were de-
stroyed in large numbers, due to
the superior strategic artillery
defenses perfected by Nazi Gen.
eral Rommel.
Aside from known defects,
however. their performance is
listed as Satisfactory"
ONLY 100000 draftees are
" likely to be called in the
next seven months. The army
now has 100000 men, and
plans to have 1,8O0,0 900 by next
June 30.
About 100000 more are likely
to be drafted in the ensuing six
months beginning July if the
international status quo con-
tinues. Present appropriations
call for an army of 100000
men a year from now.
Equipment for an army of s.
100000 is to be accumulated
under proposed appropriations
Gncl ding the new ST.
600, 100000 billD But the addi-
tional men above 1000, 200 are
not likely to be brought in I'M
less about war starts.
THE House merchant marine
Il committee, in executive
session, has run into evidence
that the British are crowding
our shiphandlers out of a share
in lend-lease business.
The lend-lease act gives the
British title at the docks to the
war materials we are advancing.
They have designated their
Cunard Line as handlers in this
country excluding American
firms from our own docks. AS
a result the stock of the British
Cunard Line has gone up 400
per cent since the war started,
according to the yet unpublished
committee evidence.
THE agriculture department
l. is having unreported trouble
with food stamp violations.
Numerous recipients of this
form of government relief are
buying cigarets and liquor, and
even swapping stamps for cash
in small stores.
No official figures have been
released, but the departmental
docket shows 6.919 violations
serious enough to require dis
ciplinary action. This covers
about 3 per cent of the total
of 100000 stores handling the
stamps.
Several hundred cases have
gone into the courts unnoticed,
for punishment. More thou
sands of complaints have been
made but evidence could not be
obtained.
Casual infractions are punished
by the compliance division of
the Federal Surplus Marketing
Administration. They generally
refuse TO honor the stamps
turned in -by1a violation and
eject him from the program.
THE government is to spend
L S110.000,000 in its food
stamp bounty this fiscal year
lending June 80, 1922 in a
time of unprecedented boom
employment.
Last year the government
gave away $80,000,000. Yet
strangely, the House economy
committee has not considered
abandoning this increasing APP
propriation. 1t is backed by the
farm bloc, not on the grounds
of relief, but TO boost prices of
surplus products.
About 100000 people in
families are now receiving fed
eral, state or local relief of
some sort, according to the
FSMA. THE figure includes all
members of the family, although
only one member may be receiv-
ing relief This is a drop of
about so per cent in the past
few years.
But federal economists say
the number will never get below
seven or eight millions. They
figure government support for
at least z per cent of the popu-
lation will always be necessary.