The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1942-07-30
Economic j.. f.
|~MhAahA
National and International Problems
Inseparable from Local Welfare

Itary tactics and strategy. They know
lpreciSely what is wrong with the
United Nations High Commands, and
they are convinced that they could
remedy matters in short order if they
were put in charge. That widespread
latitude underlieS the aggressive de-
mand that the British and the Ameri
cans Immediately open second front
in Europe.
In theory, the second front would be
of immense benefit to the Allied cause
1t would divert men and machines and
supplies from Hitler's Russian and
African offensive. 1t would give the
conquered people of France their Op.
portunity to rise up against their CON
queror and help destroy him. 1t would
mark the start of real effort to break
Axis power at home where Axis
power must eventually be broken.
SO much for theory. In actual fact
opening the second front now would
be one of the most hazardous opera,
tions in all military history. According
to all reports, the Germans have done
wonders in fortifying their continental
positions. In France alone, they have
about 100000 seasoned troops which
have been vigorously trained in prepa-
ration for an Allied invasion. These
troops have abundant equipment of the
first quality, and they have plenty of
air support. Their supply lines are Sc
cure, and they lie across land, not
|across water. The Germans have
massed gigantic amount of heavy
artillery, much of it taken from the
Maginot Line, along the French Coast,
and every possible invasion point is Il
fortress.
AS military history proves again and
Iagain, an Over-water invasion of enemy
held territory is the most difficult of all
martial operations - even after their
complete victory at Dunkirk, when
British military power was all but de-
IStroyed, the NaZi generals didn't feel
confident enough of success to make
the attempt. The enemy positions must
Ihaps weeks of artillery fire-and guns
do not exist which can adequately shell
the German positions from the British
side of the Channel. AS Il substitute for
|artilery, dive bombers would have to
be used-and their losses would be
enormous.
The losses in men which would fol-
low when the stage of landing opera
ttons was reached, is also staggering.
Without artillery. support, the landing
troops would have to advance against
completely shielded defenders with a
vast superiority in firepower Writing
I'm Golfers, Quentin Reynolds, one of
the best informed of war correspon-
dents, draws a vivid and probably
accurate picture when he says: Let
those who shout loudeSt for the i'm
mediate establishment of second
front IN France &. . visualize for Il
moment the cost, in equipment and life.
Let them visualize the waters of the
Channel running blood red under "A
white moon, and let them visualize the
bodies of thousands of British and
American soldiers floating in those
waters. If the persuasive eloquence of
The second-front brigade is followed, no
other result is possible"
This does not mean that a second
front is impossible. To the contrary,
every really informed military man is
convinced that one will be opened in
time, But it cannot be opened until
everything is ready. That means that,
first, there must be many more bomb
ingS of Germany and the Continent on
the Cologne scale. 1t means that Allied
troops must be given more and better
equipment that they now possess And
Ilt means that ways must be found of
causing distracting trouble for Ger
many at home
Some experts believe that airpowel
alone may create IA second front. They
look forward 10 Il time when three,
four five thousand ma jor bomberS will
be used nightly in raids against the
ANlS. Major dr SevcrSky is the most
eloquent exponent of this doctrine and
his recent best seller, Victory Through
Air Power, is a convincing work. The
problems involved here are those of
production, supply and coordination
|and the last two are even more inn
portant than the first. We are produc-
ln% planes on an ever-increasing scale
We have not yet solved the difficulties
that lie in taking them, their fuel, their
crews and their parts to the battle
fronts and keeping them flying.
In any event, many of those who de-
mand second front at once are ter
Iribly uninformcd. The High Command
has not opened second front simply
because it knows that the time is not
yet ripe-and because it also knows
that the United Nations must not be
subjected to another defeat of the Dun
kirk, Singapore, Philippines, and East
indies variety A great amount of
lgroundWork lie ahead before we can
really start a sustained offensive drive
|ot any kind against either Germany
or Japan.
X X X
Before long, definite action to impose
IA ceiling on wages is likely to be taken,
lpithpr bV CpOpraSc or Inv proSi dapt; ,