The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1942-11-05
Economic . . {.
National and International Problems
Inseparable from Local Welfare

the last Economic Highlights" for
the duration of the war. Every issue
of this feature column since it's be-
ginning some years ago, has been
written by one editor-ROderick Lull
Mr. Lull enlisted in the Army re-
Gently for officers training. He has
been ordered to report Immediately,
necessitating this abrupt announce
ment. He will be on leave of absence
from Industrial News Review, and
while his column will be missed by
many an editor and reader. we are
| sure they all join us in wishing Mr..
| Lull success in the service and safe
| return.
For the first time in it's history. this
country is fighting war on all the
and all the oceans. American
troops and/or equipment are now en-
gagged in every battlefront from Russia
| to Africa. And the numbers so engaged
Twill increase vastly and swiftly in the
future. 1t has taken us long time to
move from the defensive to the often
| sive stage in our war strategy, but we
are gradually getting there.
This is the first real 'global war"
history has ever known. BY compari-
son, the wars of the past were localized
Operations. The master plan laid down
by Hitler at the beginning should now
be clear to everyone. First, it was
necessary for him TO conquer all of
Europe, and to make it as invulner-
able to invasion as possible Second, it
was necessary for him to obtain the
Vast oil and grain resources of Russia,
land to eliminate the Russian army as
Il first-rate fighting force. Third, his
Ially, Japan, was to take command and
dominate in the Pacific. Fourth MS
IarmeS, working in concert with those
of Japan, We're to take over the Middle
East and India. The United States
would then, in effect, be an island sur
rounded by unfricndly waters and cut
IOlT from all relations with the balance
of the world. Then, at his leisure
Hitler could set about the job of finally
defeating us.
This must be the picture that was in
| lIlitler'S mind when he sent his troops
into Poland i'm 1899 The first step has
been taken-all Europe is in his power
and Allied raids such as that made
against Dieppe show that he has built
formidable defenseS. The balance of
the steps have not been taken-and
the magnificent fight put up by the
| Russians must be given much of the
credit for that. Rommers Afrika Korps
might have driven through to Suez had
mot it been necessary to divert more
Iand more Axis troops, planes and sup
plies to the Russian front. Japan might
have gone farther yet in the Pacific
! had not the superb Russian resistance
made it necessary for her TO maintain
big garriSons facing the borders Of
ASiatic Russia. And RuSsa's stand
must have had Il depressing effect in
Russia. That WAS the first promise of
conquest to his own people that he has
mot been able to live up TO. \ dictator
who cannot keep his word no longer
wears the aura of invincibility.
This does not mean that the United
Nations yet have the upper hand in
the war. They have not. They have lost
Imuch and taken Il most nothing.
| Whether or not Russia can continue
rs an effective, hard-hitting bclligerent
is the graveSt of tOday'S unanswered
questions. The great battle of the
Pacific is as yet in the preliminary
stages. The obvious reluctance of
United Nations leaders to deal frankly
with the all-mportant issue of the
second front indicates that we are still
Il long way from being really ready to
carry the war home to the enemy. The
Iproblcm of shipping is not solved -
Though there has been an encouraging
decline in U-boat depredations. And no
one yet knows whether the faint placed
in air power by some Allied com
mandcrS is justified.
In short, we have not stopped the
y. Axis we have slowed ii. Japan
lis finding her long Pacific supply line
lCoStly-We have taken Il tremendous
toll of Jap ships and planes and sea-
men. German losses in Russia, even ii
we greatly minimize the Moscow aC-
counts, must be enormous, and Il large
Ipart of The casualties consist of first
line veterans. The Axis, 10 sum up, has
.lSpcnt much of it's strength in the war
to date-We have spent little of ours.
| Here at home the domestic situation
lis clearing. The problems of supply and
production are being handled better.
Some effort is being made TO deal
effectively with the crucial manpowcr
situation. The drafting of the Is and
10 year-OldS will give the military
forces about 100000 first-c IA $ $
soldiers. There's plenty of confusion,
lplenty of vast" motion still, but it is
gradually lcSScning.
J! Recent reports from all the battle
fronts indicate that new American
equipment is vastly superior TO that
lof the past The Flying Fortress has
,lprovcn itself The best plane in the
)World of its kind 1t carries Il smaller
Ibomb load than the British Sterling,
lbut it is much less vulnerable To attack.