The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1943-04-30
wNU Service, Union Trust Building

WNU Service, Union Trust Buildlng,
Washington, d. G.
II was a soft, Washington spring
afternoon. The late shifts Of gov
eminent workers were hurrying
home. The two guardian magnolias
that stand on the White House lawn
were tipped with the rays Of the
setting sun. My thoughts were nei-
Their on this blissful scene nor on
the latest news Of the battlefront
which I had just finished broadcast
ing. Frankly, ! was concerned chief
ly with dinner.
The announcer was just finishing
the commercial and was picking
my hat up from the sofa in the
studio when I saw the engineer beck
oning to me from behind the glass
wall of his goldfish bowl. He held
up paper on which was printed
"Stop in News Room-Important!"
/ did. The atmosphere was tense
as it is frequently these days. A
notice had just appeared on the news
ticker to the effect that the White
House was about to release an inn
portant statement.
It is possible, but not probable,
that the thing we were all thinking
that statement was going to an
nounce but didn't, will happen be-
fore these lines reach print-the in
vasion Of Europe. Until it does, we
shall continue to expect it and while
the busy home front keeps our nose
pretty well to the grindstone, one
hint from overseas and an atmos-
phere of suspense envelopes the
Capitol.
Secrecys Curtain
Meanwhile, there is the feeling
that tremendous things are happen
ing under heavy curtain Of secrecy
in Europe even the hint OF which
does not reach the press or the pub
lie.
Russia, Of course, is a mystery.
What is happening there? Is the
remarkable Red army, which in the
past has seemed to be able to draw
endless men and supplies from no.
where after each crushing defeat,
finally exhausted? Spring came ear
~ to the steppes this year and the
Germans, if they are able, will
launch their annual summer often
sive month earlier. They hope to
be able to break the Red army this
time and then hold back the rem
nants with a sparsely manned but
intricate line of defense while they
turn their attention to the Allies in
the West.
No one knows what the strength of
Russia is today. One does know
that terrible hate has been enkin-
died in the whole race against the
Germans and it is reported that the
Red army has threatened that II
Soviet forces ever do reach German
soil, they will leave no human being
living. One story has been spread
through Switzerland that if an Al
lies army is on the continent when
Russia breaks Germany's eastern
frontiers-if she does-that the Ger
mans will open their western front
to the Allies and let them in rather
than expose themselves to the Rus
SLAMS.
Plan for Prisoners
Another report has seeped out OF
Russia. It is continuously repeated
that simply because Of the incon-
venience of caring for prisoners,
both the Germans and Russians have
been shooting men who are captured
or who surrender. On the other
hand, the Russians are said to be
carefully preserving some Of the
men they take. Russian propagan-
da, dropped over the German lines,
is very alluring. Some OF the PAM
phIets instruct the German soldiers
to surrender and bring with them
the 1eafiet which acts as a passport.
Then, according to report which
has come in from neutral country,
the prisoners are carefully exam
med and a small percentage weeded
out for Soviet indoctrination. They
90 through a long course Of instruc-
ton so careful that it is said finally
only 10 per cent are accepted as
satisfactory. These elite are then
trained to be used as the spearhead
of political invasion Of Germany.
Hatred, like that in Russia, has
poisoned all Europe. There is be-
lief now on the part Of many of the
conquered countries that the Ger
mans, having given up hope of VIC
tory, intend to 60 forward with a
systematic determination of other
races within their reach, as they
have in Poland and with the Jews,
so that regardless of what happens,
the Teutonic stock will dominate