The daily monitor leader. [volume] (Mount Clemens, Mich.) 1942-19??, 1942-10-14
BY DEWITT MACKENZIE
Wide World War Analyst

LONDON, Oct. IA - Stain
grad the Magnificent continues
not only to hold its ground but
to muster the strength to count
erattack the Boche, thereby in
creasing the margin of the de-
feat which the Allied Nations
are in the process of administer
ing to the harried Hitler.
The stand of Stalingrad is
one of the wonders of the world.
Still, l believe we shall make
mistake if we allow our salts
faction to blind us TO the cost of
this defense and to how that cost
might fleet the speed with
which the Allied war machine
is travelling toward victory.
USED GREAT POWER
Of course, it is difficult to
think of Stalingrad in terms of
other than those of mountainous
strength. Certainly great power
has been there but when the
epic finally is written we likely
shall find stark courage and
willingness to die have been
greater defense than have bull
lets.
In any event, while the Red
armies have been hammering
Hitlers boasted legions to bloody
pulp the Muscovites themselves
suffered grievously. Like the
Germans, the defenders lost
hugely in both men and mater
ial.
If there were the only drain,
the Reds could stand it.
They have wellnigh inexl-
haustible reservoir of manpower
and equipment is replaceable.
That is equipment would be re-
placeable if the Soviet still had
the great industrial facilities
with which it began the war
and this brings me to the real
issue:
LOSE INDUSTRIES
The Muscovites have lost a
heavy percentage of their vital
industries in Western Russia to
the Ukraine, the breadbasket of
the Union, and so much other
agricultural territory it may
well be that Uncle Sam will
have to ship food to them this
Winter.
True, Premier Stain rushed
fresh industries into being be-
hind the mighty barrier Of the
Ural Mountains. He has created
new fields of grain. He is build
ing Russia within Russia.
However, that doesn't replace
the huge diversified industrial
output or the oceans of golden
grain which the NaziS have
overrun. Nor does it alter the
fact that the Red transportation
system in western Russia has
been disrupted and that the
route into the Hinterland be-
hind the Urals is a long, wind
ing trail. 1t is monumental
task to support a civilian pop
ulation and great armies in the
fighting zone under such con-
ditions.
CRUCIAL WINTER
In short, the Russian Bear is
faced with the prospect of living
on his own fat this coming cru
cial Winter unless fortune thaWs
the earth out a bit for him.
There you have, / believe, the
basic reasons for Moscow in
sistence on the opening of a
second front.
AS pointed out in yester-
days article, the Russians aren't
inclined to talk much about
their affairs. They play their
cards mighty close to their vests
and for this reason the general
publics of the Allied nations and
probably the Russian public 1t
self have not heard a lot about
exactly why the Reds want that
second front so badly.
Well, they want it as soon as
possible because if they have to
90 through this Winter fighting
in the Caucasus against Hitler's
full land strength they will ar
rive in the Spring without hav-
ing had a chance to recuperate
and repair some OF the neaVy
damage they have suffered.
WANT ACTION
They want ALI d action
which will draw maybe 90 Ger
man divisions away from east
ern front quickly.
It is obvious that there is no
military operation that would
drain off such great number
of Nazi troops as an at ! *
VI