The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1942-03-26
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National and International Problems
Inseparable from Local Welfare

1--WE are now shutting down. Good
bye until better times Long live the
Queen"
These courageous, defiant words
were the last spoken to the world by
the official Dutch broadcasting station
lat Bandoeng, the city which was
made headquarters for the Allied COM
mand in the Netherlands East Indies,
latter Batavia was lost. At the time
lthey were spoken, the Japanese troops
were in the suburbs, and it was clear
lthata Java, one of the most important
of Pacific positions, was now securely
in the harsh hands of HirOhitO's brown
legions. Another all-impOrtant area
had fallen to the enemy-an enemy
(which, in only three months of war,
had made incredible progress. In those
three months, the United Nations had
taken major defeat after major de-
feat. All they had to comfort them
was the knowledge that the enemy
had paid big price for his victories
in men, ships and materials of war
The story of the loss of Java is the
old story-the story that is perfectly
Expressed in the phrase, "tOO little
and too late" The Dutch defenders
fought extremely well. SO did the hand
| full of Americans and Anzacs who
were with them. The United Nations
naval and air units did all and more
than could be expected. The odds were
simply too great. The initial air SUI
Ipremacay possessed by the defenders
at the beginning of the action, was
soon lost-Japan is said to have
Thrown 1000 planes, the larger part of
her entire air force, into battle. The
little Dutch fleet was almost entirely
destroyed in brave and daring opera
tions against far larger, far more
powerful Jap fleet. On the ground in
lyader troops outnumbered the defend
ers tremendously, and their equipment
was far better. Japan landed seven
| to ten divisions, of about $4,000 men
each, on the island. Most important
| tithe Of the aid they expected from
Ilhe United States.
Where will Japan strike next? The
australians expect they will be invad-
ed, as well subjected 10 air attack, and
are preparing for Il last ditch stand.
There are rumOrs that Hitler is work
ling to persuade the Japanese to aid
| him by attacking Russia through Man
churia. Many an authority is convinced
that IN attack on the West Coast of
the L. $. is we'll up on the Jap military
calcndar-an attack that might even
IaSSume the scope of an attempted in
Ivasion. Whatever happens, it is clear
that the United, Nations will suffer
more hard blows unless and until it is
1posSibc TO send gigantic quantities of
planes, weapons, Supplies and men to
the key points in thesPacifc. The last
| few months have provided a terrible
example of the futility and waste of
fighting battles with only token
! forces.
Here in America, production is get
ting into high gear But all the planes
and tanks and guns in the world are
useless unless they can be sent to the
battIcfrontS Thus, our war problem Is
largely Il shipping problem. 1t is clear
that ship output must be speeded up
fast. 1t must do more than offset the
toll taken by enemy submarines and
surface raiderS-it must far extend it.
Estimates say that then tons of ma
teripl of various kinds must be shipped
for every soldier in an eXpeditionary
force-and 40 tons must he shipped
for every soldier in Il completely mech
anizcd unit That indicates the colos-
sal Ship-biulding job we have ahead.
In this connection, it is significant
that the enemy is concentrating his
naval attacks on tankers. 1t is said
that troop ships have been deliberately
IpaSS"d by submarines on the search
for the vessels which carry that basic
Sinew of war-oil. That is certainly
logical. Exported air and naval
strength must be accompanied by limit
less quantities of fuel, if it is to be
effective Tanker losses so far have
been dangerously high, and new pro-
duction is not adequate
The lesson is clear. We must have
more efficiency and less politics. There
must be harder, more productive work.
No one need doubt the quality Of
United Nations troops. They have
demonstrated their valor time and
Iagain. They simply haven't been given
the tools the job demands.
X X X
Best guess now is that the new
| |TreaSury-propoSed tax bill, which
would double income taxes in the mid
IDLE income bracket, and impose Il long
| list of increases in commodity and
leNcise taxes, will not pass in it's origi-
lnal form.
| In the opinion of many, the bill does
not 30 far enough into lower-income
brackets In addition, sentiment for IA
general sales tax, on everything cX-
Icept foods, is unquestionably growing
|ThiS tax, of course, would hit every
worker, every income group.
| If is nrpb,lhli ibnt Snmn SNStnh will