Milford chronicle., 1943-01-08
A WEEK OF THE WAR

New Years Day 1943 marked the
first anniversary of the formation
of the United Nations. In his first
press conference of the new year
President Roosevelt recalled the
world situation that existed one
year ago when 20 nations, bound
together by the universal ideals of
the Atlantic Charter. signed the
United Nations declaration and
thus created 1.-The mightiest coali-
tion in history" (Three other ma
tions have since Joined this coali-
iiOn.)
Today the unity achieved by
these 29 signatory powers is bear
ing rich fruit. The United Nations,
said the president. are passing
from the defensive to the often
sive. ever conscious, however, of
the supreme necessity of planning
what is to come after, of carrying
forward into peace the common
effort which will have brought
them victory in the war.
Our task on this New Years
Day is three-fold. Mr.. Roosevelt
said: first. to crush completely the
present bandit assault" upon civ
ilization; second. so to organize
relations mOng nations that
/ forces of barbarism can never
again break loose, and third, to CO.
operate to the end that mankind
may enjoy in peace and in freedom
the unprecedented blessings which
Divine Providence through the
progress of civilization has put
within our reach
Axis economic strength and
weakness was outlined in begin
ning-of-1943" balance sheet issued
by Milo Perkins. executive director
of the Board of Economic Warfare.
Germany, said Mr.. Perkins. has
passed her production peak but is
still economically formidable. and
there is little likelihood of eco
nomic collapse in Germany in 1913.
Japan. however. is much stronger
in raw materials than she was a
year ago, and except for a major
weakness in shipping she is now
within reach of a powerful and in
trenched economic position. The
ability of the Axis powers to sup
port defensive warfare is especially
ma. ked, he said, but as both econ
omies are strained, infiicting bomb
ing damage on Germany and at
lacking Japanese shipping will
have immediate effects on these
war production.
PRODUCTION Il
AS for U. S. war production,
Chairman Nelson said that in 194S
his country expects to produce
lbout twice as many arms as were
produced in 1912, spending better
han S9O,O0O,0OO,O00 for war, as
to 1925 S52,O00,OO0,000.
November armament production
showed the greatest monthly gain
ince the U. S. began to rearm in
he summer of 1940-four and one
bird times more war material
urned out than in the month be-
ore the Jap attack on Pearl Har-
,or. Mr.. Nelson gave the box
core of November war production
over October): airplanes, up IS
'ercent; ordnance, up IL percent;
army and Navy vessels, up per-
ent; merchant vessels, up 26 per-
ent, and other munitions, up 8
ercent.
Special attention has been given
o the items most needed in the
ype of warfare now being waged
n North Africa, with outstanding
aims recorded in the output of
pursuit planes, med
lm bombers, smaller transport
lanes, and Navy fighters, and also
n the production of the self-pro-
elled guns used in tank warfare.
Right now the U. S. is turning
ut enough rifle and machine gun
each month to fire SO
Ounds at each individual soldier in
he Axis armies. In one year of
ar, production of small arms am
lunition has increased $50 per-
it is still going up.
Backing up our production of m