Evening star., 1943-01-07

of the same major strategy Of
the United Nations.
Great rains and appalling mud
and very limited communications
have delayed the final battles of
Tunisia. The Axis is reinforcing
its strong positions. But I am
confident that thought the fight
ing will be tough, when the final
Allied assault is made, the last
vestige of Axis power will be
driven from the south shores Of
the Mediterranean.
Any review of the year 1942
must emphasize the magnitude
and diversity of the military ac-
tivities in which this Nation has
become engaged. AS I speak to
you, approximately one and a
half million of our soldiers, SAIL
ors, marines and flyers are in
service outside our continental
limits, all through the world.
Our merchant seamen are carry
ing supplies to them and to our
Allies over every sea lane.
Cites Amazing Growth
OF Allied Air Power.
Few Americans realize the
amazing growth of our air
strength. though l am sure our
enemy does. Day in and day out
our forces are bombing the enemy
and meeting him in combat on
many different fronts over the
world And for those who ques-
ton the quality of our aircraft
and ability of our flyers. point
to the fact that, in Africa, we are
shooting down two enemy planes
for every one we lose, and in the
Pacific and in the Southwest Pa
cific we are shooting them down
four to one.
We pay the tribute Of the
United States OF America to the
fighting men of Russia and
China and Britain and the va
rious members of the British
Commonwealth-the millions of
men who through the years of
this war have fought our COM
mon enemies, and have denied
to them the world conquest
which they sought.
We pay tribute to the soldiers
and flyers and seamen of others
Of the United Nations whose
countries have been overrun by
Axis hordes.
AS a result of the Allied occupa-
ton of North Africa. powerful
units of the French Army and
Navy are going into action with
the United Nations forces. We
welcome them as Allies and as
friends. They join with those
Frenchmen who, since the dark
days of June. 1910, have been
fighting valiantly for the liberia
ton of their stricken country,
We pay tribute to the fighting
leaders of our Allies, to Winston
Churchill. to Joseph Stain and
to the Generalissimo Chang Kali
shek. There is very real
unanimity between the leaders of
the United Nations. This unity is
effective in planning and carry
ing out the major strategy of this
war and in building up and main
tanning the lines of supplies.
cannot prophesy. l cannot
tell you when or where the United
Nations are going to strike next
In Europe. But we are going to
strickland strike hard. I can
not tell you whether We are going
to hit them in Norway or through
the Low Countries or in France
or through Sardinia or Sicily or
through the Balkans or through
Poland-or at several points
simultaneously. But I can tell
you that no matter where and
when we strike by land we and
the British and the Russians will
hit them from the air heavily
and relentlessly. Day in and day
out We shall heap tons upon tons
of explosives on their war fac
tories and utilities and seaports.
Credits Production Front
For Gains in Battle.
Hitler and Mussolini will un-
derstand the enormity of their
Observation-Disclosures the Nazis
would always have the advantage
Of superior air power AS they did
when they bombed Warsaw, Rot
terdam, London and Coventry.
That superiority has gone
forever.
Yes-the Nazis and the Fascists
have asked for it-and they are
going to get it.
Our forward progress in this
war has depended upon our prog
ress on the production front.
There has been criticism of the
management and conduct of our
war production, Much of this
self lf-criticism has had a healthy
effect. 1t has spurred us on. 1t
has reflected normal American
impatience to get on with the job.
We are the kind of people who are
never quite satisfied with any,
thing short of miracles.
But there has been some c.iti-
cism based on guesswork and
even on malicious Justification OF
fact. Such criticism creates doubts
and fears, and weakens our total
effort.
l do not wish to suggest that
We should be completely salts
fed with our production prog
reSs. today. or next month. or
ever. But I can report to you
with genuine pride on what has
been accomplished during 1912.
A year ago We set certain pro-
duction goals for 1912 and l943.
Some people. including some ex-
perts. thought that we had
pulled some big figures out of
hat just to frighten the Axis.
But We had confidence in the
ability of our people to estab-
lish new records. That conf
dence has been justified.
Of course. We realized that
some production objectiveS would
have to be changed-sc, ne ad-
juSted upward and others down.
ward; some items would be taken
ont of tho ,,roorop, cop,nIotol,,