The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1944-06-01
Allies, Holding Offensive,
Have Invasion Advantage
'Veritas,' Famed British Military Expert, Sees
Nazis Handicapped by Being Pinned
Inside Defense Circle.
BY BAUKHAGE
Mem, ANALYST and Commentator.

all of Europe to Murmansk or all
around Africa to the Middle East.
But interior lines become weak
ness when nation goes on the de-
fensive. As a matter Of fact, Cen
eral Won Clausewitz, who wrote one
OF the most authoritative books on
strategy, said:
when you have to go on the de-
fensive, it is too late to 60 on the
defensive"
When you do so. interior lines
make it all the worse.
Veritas comments on the position
OF the enemy in the present situa-
ton as follows:
=. the fact that he Is inside q
circumference which he must MAIN
tain is deadly disadvantage be-
cause he is pinned down at every
point on the circle, whereas his OPP
ponents are free to exploit their la
| tent advantages Of exterior lines by
hitting everywhere at once il they
| choose"
Therefore in viewing the present
situation in Europe we must bear
these two factors in mind:
First, the Nazis can hold down the
revolution within until the Germans
realize that their last myth OF Sc
curly Is exploded. But second, the
strategic position Of the Allies, cou-
pied with their superiority in man.
power. air power and amount OF
equipment, gives them decided ad-
vantage.
Through the fog OF the battle, the
occasional glimpse we catch must
be interpreted in the light Of these
fundamentals.
Training for Formers
I Recently, the Office OF Defense
Transportation announced that pub
lie vocational training schools in 1870
cities throughout the country were
turning over to the automotive in
4 dustry constantly increasing
number of workers trained in one or
more phases Of automotive indus
try"
| The United States Office Of Edu-
cation is sponsoring the automotive
maintenance training program.
They are trying to help fill the gap
in automotive maintenance person
mel caused by the war.
But what many people do not
realize is that it is also conducting
courses that directly touch the farm.
Congress appropriated $l2,500, 600
for the food production war training
program which the Office OF Educa-
ton administers.
The minimum age limits for both
out-of-school and in-school persons
have now been removed and all
courses are now offered to urban as
well as rural persons.
Twenty-Five courses are being Of
fered in which the farmer is inter-
ested, and they run all the way from
the operation, care and repair OF
tractors, trucks and automobiles to
soil and water conservation. And
besides the various handiworks in
the mechanical line around the farm
such as machinery repair, wood
working, elementary electricity and
construction of farm machinery and
equipment, there are special courses
in milk production, poultry produc-
ton, eggs, pork, beef, mutton, lamb,
wool, soybeans, peanuts and various
commercial vegetable production.
There is general training for farm
workers, production Of fruit anc
! nuts, vegetable gardening and pref
: ty nearly everything that one has t
know how to do around farm.
These courses are conducted
through the cooperation Of the pub
! lie schools and are responsible Il
, the state board for vocational edu
cation.
William T. Spanton, chief Of tht
: division for vocational agriculture
. says he believes that on dollar-for
: dollar basis, no appropriations made
by congress to stimulate increased
food production have contributed
more 10 tfilS cru tifuii ifdS 1ccH " =
of the appropriations already mad
l to the u. S. Office Of Education TO
these specific vocational trainin
a programs.
q practically all OF our 5000 loca
9 departments Of vocational agricul
e ture, scattered widely Throughout
J. the entire country" says Mr.. Spar
ton. ''have available on the locs
) school ground well-equipped farr
r shop building where courses in farr
.. machinery repair are given to farm
5 ers and where, at the same time
IS their much-needed farm machiner
d and equipment can and is being az
q tually overhauled and repaired"