The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1943-12-23
Observations
Island Hopping
May Lure Out
Jap Fleet
BY Helen Essery

considerably more than the rather
costly seizure OF strategic bases.
What the Navy hopes to accomp-
lish is 10 lure the Japanese grand
fleet into an open showdown bat
tie for mastery Of the sea.
II is a safe bet that if the Nip
ponese fleet ventures forth to slug
il out with the American sea fore
es, II will be knocked out, al per
haps great cost to the United
States in ships and men.
But then. military experts agree.
Japan would be powerless 10 over
wage again an offensive war and
the road TO Tokyo particularly by
air-would be shorter
Naval authorities are inclined
10 believe that tho japanese will
not risk an open battle because
they realize that the American fleet
now is the most powerful armada
the world has even known with
guns pointed toward the Rising
Sun and the destruction of Japan
csc imperialism.
Secretary of State Cordell II
warning to Bulgaria to get o
the war will be followed BY
liar blasts az the rest OF Hitla
Balkan satellites.
OF course, Rumania and Hun
gary have been put on notice also
but wherever Axis satellites are
making the gesture of being at
war they will be warned to quit.
The warnings will become clear
er and louder as the Allies surge
forward. There is no timetable
for them, but they will be made
as military and political develop
ments dictate.
Hull's declaration to Bulgaria
10 quit the Axis gang was timed
TO coincide with internal govern
mental crisis in that country rath-
er than the outgrowth OF war
strategy conferences at Teheran
and Cairo.
incidentally, il was the dual
events OF the approaching Russian
army and the tri-power declaration
OF invasion plans from the east.
west and south" that brought on
the Bulgarian crisis and set the
leaders OF Axis.related nations on
their confused program to scram-
Bile the government in an effort to
create an impression that Bulgsr-
Ia is no longer so closely affiliated
with Hitlerism and the NaIis.
Farm leaders expressed fears
This week that the governments
huge landing barge program may
take some OF the materials orig
inally scheduled to boost the farm
machinery production goal for 1914.
With War Food Administrator
Marvin Jones promising farmers
that agricultural machinery pro-
duction for next year will be 80
per cent OF the record 1910 output,
this latest threat may cut farm
ers-who are badly in need OF
more machinery to meet the boost
cd acreage goals OF 1944-below
che minimum requirements.
WPB officials assert that they
are more worried, however, about
the farm truck situation.
Trucks are still short and the
gay 1t looks now farmers may have
to patch up their old ones to carry
out their farm-to-market transpor-
tation next year.
From WPB also comes word that
there may be some shifting OF ma
tsrial allotments within the mill
tary requirements TO provide parts
for farm machinery. II the land
ing barge program takes certain
metals away, other government
projects may be dipped into for
needed items, 3 WPB official de-
clared.
American farm organization
with one possible eXception-are
gradually breaking away from
their pre-var isolationism stand,
II is believed by Washington OBJ
servers.
This fact was borne out by I'd
ONeal, chief OF the American
~ VI buitdu TtuVi dtlOhy III q re-
cent Chicago speech.
ONeal's address showed a trend
for an International farm organ
iIation and a desire OF the farm
ers 10 cast off government help
in favor OF taking the bull by the
horns" and working out their own
methods OF salvation.
After IL years OF government
control, the farmer. many observ-
ers agree. is favoring the indiyid-
ual initiative program OF the old
days
Prediction: That in postwar
days the farmers OF the United
States will Join together in con-
ferences with farmers Of England
and other nations 70 work out such