Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1942-08-07
Dismal News
About Russia
Propaganda
Stain Spreads Reports
Direct From Moscow
BY PAUL MALLON

WASHINGTON. Aug. Tn
w timations\ that The Russian
war effort is in danger of COM
plete collapse, and a separate
peace IS imminent have been
Swirling around the frlngeS of
news from Moscow.
The same suggestion has gone
into official ears here from the
Russian official grapevine.
Even United States congress
men have heard from Russian
lips such comments as:
We'll. II YOU get pushed back
and back, what can you do"
An eminent American news
writer in Moscow has gone so
far as 10 predict the war will
be lost for us on the Russian
plains within 40 days unless a
RritiSh-American invasion re-
lieveS the pressure on the Reds.
An American columniSt IN
Washington has broadcast on
the radio the same prophcsy,
which he expects will come 10
pass unless the invasion is
started Immediately"
A IL these things make the
~ Russian prospect seem GER
tainly disastrous and convey the
implication that We must bear a
responsibility for the disaster
when il occurs,
One thing TO remember, while
reading and hearing current
stress placed on this viewpoint,
is that IT all comes from Mos
COW one way or another-not
from the NaziS or even from
our own officials.
Russia, unlike the Uni [ @ d
States, controls all outlets Of
comment from within its bor-
derS. Any newspaper account
really has an unofficial govern
ment label, as the Russians
generally use foreign news out
lets for diplomatic purposes
(again unlike the L lit d
StateS).
All that these stories really
prove TO the initiated, is that
Stain is using diplomatic re-
sources TO hasten Washington
and London into a diversion eff
fort.
THIS second front propaganda
L method is also natural
one for the Reds to fellow for
their internal use in Russia.
Their troops morale is OBJ
viously bolstered by prospects
of an early second front.
Now l do not say disaster
will not occur. | merely point
out tho news from Russia must
be understood in the light Of
this diplomatic situation.
No one here knows what toll
the Reds are eXacting from the
advancing Nazis If they are
making Hitler pay the Sevasto-
pol price for his gains, the loss
in territory and even Caucasus
oil need not cause collapse of
the Russian war effort.
Unless Red army morale has
been so weakened that II will
be unable TO continue resistance
if Stalingrad goes and the
Caucasus falls, the situation
does not make separate peace
an immediate necessity.
In the absence of an unbiased
reporting from the front, all
that can be done here is to
withhold military Judgment.
WHILE everyone in this coun-
w try has eagerly wanted a
second front every day for
weeks and months past, the
date for starting one, is not 10
be selected by commentators,
or even, unhappily by Russia,
but by the military directors
of Britain and the United States,
who alone can Judge when they
have accumulated enough
strength 10 attempt IT,
Also, when the news even
tually comes out as TO what has
happened TO our conveys on
route 10 MurmanSk. the public
will know how much we have
contributed in lives. ships and
material TO the Russian cause.
No one is justified yet in as
Stunning this country has not
done all it could. Britain can
answer for herself.
NEAREST congressional dis
: ' triet to Washington is that
Of Representative Howard Smith
runpng along the opposite
banks Of the Potomac in DemO-'
cratic Virginia. Large numbers
1T federal employees live there in
homes closer 10 the White House
than many in the city itself.
Presumably TO represent their
viewpoint, the Sccrctary-treas-
urcr of the International ASso-
citation Of MachiniStS (AFL)
Emmett DAWSON, a former
mayor Of Alexandria. Va. and
no novice at politics. entered the
primary race against Smith.
Here was a straight clear-cut
issue drawn on a national polti-
ical theme Of the day-a labor
leader running against a con-
gresham who had denounced
strikes and labor racketeers. and
running under circumstances in
VIII b government employees
were expected 10 contribute
strong voting power