The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1941-07-03

(By Staff WritCr)


against Russia, future action of
the United States seems to center
around two clear-cut policies:
Cd Since the aid which we can
give is still limited, we will con-
centrate it in the hands of the
British rather than attempt to
spread it out to Russia or any 9TH
er enemy of Hitler;
(2) We will keep a clear divi-
sion in thought between Russia
as the center of communism and
Russia as an enemy of Germany.
We will permit no slackening of
our anti-communistic activities
but at the same time will co-ope-
rate with Russia in our mutual
problem of -Hitlerism.
Fully aware of the difficulties
Of working with Russia, the ma
jority of officials here, neverthe-
less, feel that it is a major victory
to have Russia in on the side of
Great Britain. For, ever since the
Germans and the Ru a n S
reached an agreement two years
ago, there have been many who
feared that Russia would enter
the war on the side of Germany.
Even if Hitler should be able to
defeat Stain, and thus get access
to large supplies of oil, wheat and
munitions, most analysts here
point out that getting these sup
plies by a difficult and costly
war will obviously make Hitler
much worse off than if Russia
had become his ally and furnished
supplies merely for the asking.
Experts on the fighting ma
chimes of various nations disagree
widely as to the strength of Rus
sian resistance, but it is believed
that Hitler may have bitten off
more than even he can chew in
attempting to take on Russia and
Great Britain at the same time
and on such widely scattered
fronts.
Great interest is being shown
here in the effect which the Rus
sian development will have on
the labor troubles caused by
communists in this country. 1t
was common knowledge that COM
munists had orders to slow up
our defense production and the
big strike at North American
Aviation was blamed entirely on
the activities of communists. Will
they continue to attempt to slow
up our defense production under
the present changed and badly
muddled conditions?
There is little reason to believe
that this phase of communism
will be continued - and if the
communists are ordered to CO.
operate with our defense produc-
ton that again will be in the ma
ture of another victory for anti
Hitler forces.
Germany, it is known, already
has begun to spread propaganda
in this country aimed at breaking
up the about defense attitude of
our people, by pointing out that
we now are aiding communism
if we fight Germany.
Isolationists in congress also
are using this argument as rea-
son why we should keep out of
the war. This attitude was clear
ly expressed by Rep. Hamilton
Fish of New York, Republican
member of the house committee
on foreign affairs, who said:
II do not believe that Ameri-
can mothers want to send their
sons to Soviet Russia to fight and
die for communism or any for
eign dictatorship. I am sure the
non interventionists in America
will shed no tears in having the
communists in this country lined
up with the war-makers."
The majority of congressman,
however, seem to agree that the
Russian participation in the war
offers an opportunity for Britain
to intensity her attacks on Ger
many and that while Germany is
engaged on the Russian front we
should rush all possible planes
and other available equipment to
England to increase her strength
Immediately.
The Russian development, what
it will mean, and what we should
do about it has overshadowed all
other subjects here, including the
attitude of Germany toward the
Robin Moor sinking. The feeling
on that incident is that we are
virtually at war with Germany
anyway but whether and when
it becomes a fighting war may
hinge on Germany's attitude to-
ward such incidents as this. There
are still some who think that in