The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1941-10-17
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Washington, ID. G.
DELAYS TO RUSSIA

Washington, ID. z.
DELAYS TO RUSSIA
There were two inside reasons for
the slowness Of the u. S. mission
to Moscow in sitting down at the
conference table with Joe Stain.
One was the technical difficulty of
the fight across Germany. The 9th
er was China.
The fight from London to Moscow
is not the easiest thing in the world,
since about a thousand miles is
across enemy territory. The British
bombers which make the fight use
as much of the night as possible
over German territory and also go
up to tremendous attitudes.
The U. S. mission to Moscow
also had to fly in sections-three
different planes, flown on different
days, with the time of departure
kept a dark secret. And the last
sections were delayed in London.
The Chinese delay Of the mission
to Moscow occurred before Averill
Hartman left Washington, when it
was proposed that China, nearest
friendly neighbor to Russia, should
sit in with Hartman, Stain and the
others. Hs5
But the state department objected
and for a highly unexpected rea-
son. Appeasement-minded diplo-
mats inside the state department
claimed that a Chinese mission to
Moscow would offend Japan. The
United States was trying to woo ia
pan away from the Axis, they ar
gued, and so nothing must be done
to rub the Japanese fur the wrong
way. M
In the end, Japan reaffirmed its
partnership in the Axis; but only
after the U. S. mission to Moscow
already had started, also after Nazi
victories in Russia seemed on the up
grade once again. So the appease-
nent policy of the state department
got nowhere.
NOTE-Key to japanese policy of
friendship for the United States or
allegiance to Germany always is
the barometer of Nazi military sue
cess. If Hitler is winning, Japan
will stick by him; and if the U.S.A.
looks stronger, it is vice versa.
q. S. MILITARY ATTACHE
Gen. John Magruder was recently
appointed head of the U. S. mill
tary mission to China in order to
heal the slight to Chang Kai-shek
when he was not permitted to send
an envoy to the Hartman confer
ence in Moscow. But General Ma
gruder is more famous for another
chapter in his life.
When he was U. S. military at
tache to Switzerland in 1888, Ma
gruder sent a report to the war de-
partment on the march Of Hitler's
mechanical forces to conquer Aus
tria. In this report he said that Nazi
tanks and trucks were of poor quail
ity and that many of them had
broken down en- route to Vienna.
This U. S. military report was
Immediately picked up by the Brit
ish who placed great confidence in
the word of U. S. military attache.
Today, Hitler's tanks and armored
cars are the model for modern war
fare.
th~ ss
MRS. ROOSEvELPs JOB
A friend of Mrs. Roosevelt came
to see her at the White House, to
talk about the First Lady's new job
in the Office Of, Civilian Defense.
She was much, impressed at Mrs.
Roosevelt's grasp Of the problems,
but a little disturbed at the holiness
of some of her plans.
So thinking of Director LaGuar-
dia, the friend demonstrated: IF
you introduce such bold ideas, what
will the mayor say?"
The First Lady smiled. "My
DEAR" she said, 81 don't think. the
mayor will say No, to me."toa8
NOTE Mrs. Roosevelt cannot
spend full time at her desk in the
O.C.D., and, during her absences,
the job will be held down by her
good friend Mrs. Henry Morgenthau,
wife Of the secretary ofthe treasury.
MERRY-GO-ROUND W
What the army needs for men in
southern areas is short pants. The
long trousers are too hot and diff
cult to keep clean. British officers
observing the maneuvers wore
shorts and looked cool and swagger.
Observed one second army wit
anent the fact that the war games
were, held in the "Cajun'' (Arcadi-
am section Of Louisiana, "45O, 900
soldiers and all looking for Evange-
line"
Attention, Mr.. Tom Dewey: The
U.S.O. did not show up very help
fully in the maneuver area. In some
of the towns the local organizations
did make an effort to. provide the
soldiers with bathing and laundry
facilities, but in general the U.S.O.
fell down on the job. It should have
made special arrangements for the
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