The Waterbury Democrat., 1944-07-11


over. The conclusion is that 90 pei
cent of the war in Europe is still tt
be won.
The same thing holds true in the
Pacific, where U. S. forces battling
on Saipan are just at the outer edge
Of Japar's inner defenses.
There is not even the / per cent
toehold on Japan proper. All the
thousands of islands of the Philip
pines and the Dutch East Indies
have yet to be liberated, while on
the Asiatic mainland the Japs hold
all Of Malaga, Burma and Eastern
China.
Why, then, Is 1t so impossible to
realize that these are long hard
roads ahead?
PRODUCTION DOWN,
CONTINGENCY UP
Admiral King and Generals Mar
shall and Arnold report to the Pres
ident that the war effort must not
sag, yet the plea fails to register.
Army tells the War Production
Board that deliveries Of munitions
are behind schedule-aircraft pro-
duction off 5 per cent last month,
heavy truck production off from 10
to 81 per cent in May, tire produc-
ton off 16 per cent for the second
quarter.
The sad fact is that Army produce
ton, which aggregated 81, 1886, 900, 900
in May must be stepped up to 3d.
270 1000, 900 a month by late fall-an
increase Of II per cent-but even
Though the pay Is 500 a week,
these figures make no impression.
Though the pay 500 a week,
there is difficulty in recruiting cleo
tricians for two vital construction
jobs at Pasco, Wash, and Knoxville,
Tenn, requiring no less an official
than Undersecretary Of War Robert
p. Patterson to appeal for 9o-day
volunteers.
War Manpower Commission con-
trolls which went into effect July l
to meet just such situations as those
arising at Pasco and Knoxville, are
accepted-but grudgingly.
The Fifth War Loan drive goes
It's lethargic way towards quota full
fillment.
Casualty figures are just numbers
so long as they don't hit ones i'm
mediate family or friends.
Appeals to cut down on vacation
travel go unheeded.
Victory gardens are fewer in num-
Der than last year.
Politics is becoming more intrigu-
Ing than war.
FIGHTING SPIRIT
A MINUS FACTOR
Complacency oozes from every
wall, like an unartistic hanging Of
dead ducks and fish. The desire to
go in there and hit EN- all the hard
er, now that the enemies have been
forced to stand and fight. Is missing
everywhere except in the military
and naval forces themselves.
Perhaps all this Is only natural.
The news from the fighting fronts
Is too good. Even military leaders,
while calling for continued effort
one day. radiate optimism the next.
General Arnold, back from in
spection Of the European theater,
says German airplane, ball bearing
and petroleum refining have been
reduced two-thirds, solely by aerial
bombing.
Secretary of the Navy Forrestal
reports the Jap pre-war merchant
fleet of from ~ to IA million tons
reduced from a third to a half by
submarine, fleet and plane action.
Trying to view the situation real
istically-without either optimism
or pessimism - Secretary Forrestal
admits the net impression from any
review of recent operations is fav-
orable and the cumulative effect of
a number of these reviews gives the
impression that the war Is nearly
over, even when that is not the case.
"And this" he comments in coming
a neat phrase, "is not intended to
be any pious affirmation Of the OBJ
vious"