The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1945-05-03
Observations
Training Of New
hinese Divisions
Nearly Finished

Nearly tlnlSheu
The number is secret. but Chi
nese divisions, weliarmed with
American equipment. are ALREADY
pretty well along in training Most
OF the requirements for the armies
they will put in the field are being
met much sooner than many had
anticipated after the opening OF the
Ledo-Burma road Training is the
main problem now The Chinese
are expected 10 be sufficiently good,
however. 10 hold down a substan-
tial number OF Jap divisions on the
Asiatic mainland should Macarthur
decide 10 make a frontal assault
on the Jap home Islands after
cleaning on his tanks. That will
probably be the toughest ighting ~
the much OF the type en-
countered on Two lima and Okina.
va There are plenty OF mountains
and caves from which the Japs
will have 10 be blasted and the
local population is likely 10 be less
cooperative than even the Ger
mans
LOOK FOR a substantial pairing
down Of lend-lease supplies for
Russia in the fifth protocol now
Under negotiation After We Day.
Russia should be able 10 turn back
much of her manpower TO recon
struction and supply many OF her
own needs. Already much OF her
best land has been liberated and
can be converted 10 producing for
Russia's needs. Liberation was in
plenty OF time for the spring plant
ing. Recent Russian request for
three million pairs OF shoes in the
coming year was turned down. Too
much danger OF Americans going
shoeless.
PRESIDENT TRUMAN is telling
friends in Congress who ask him
about running in 1s4S that he is
thinking only about winning the
war and the peace-and not about
his political future.
Nevertheless. Democratic leaders
In Congress are already. beginning
TO talk OF Mr.. Truman as the one
man who holds out promise OF
keeping the Democratic party to-
gether. He is being called the 'har-
mony candidate" OF ls4s.
Middle-of-the-road Democrats are
pulling for him and hope he will
carve out a record as president
that will hold laSsr in Hne and,
nj the same time. soften the an
tagonism which had flsred against
the administration OF President
Roosevelt
Political forecasters see a major
fight in the Democratic national
convention in lslS unless Mr.. Tn
man makes such good record
politically as practically 10 paralyzs
any opposition. In the event OF
q fight. the President would be
the middle-roAder candidate and
Commerce Secretary Wallace and.
possibly, Senator Harry Byrd, OF
Virginia. would be the candidates
OF the left and right factions, re-
Spectively.
The Germans are making last
ditch effort to sever our~aupply
lines to Europe and Fleet Adm.
Ernest J. King says that the Ahles
are on the alert fora final. des-
perate U-boat offensive around the
British Isles where submarines
still are active.
Here's the inside dope on what
King told e recent closed session
OF the House Appropriations Com
mittee:
The submarine menace around I
the British Isles" King said, lis
a very serious one They are
operating very cleverly and we
have mustered a great deal OF 1
snti-su bmarine force based in and .
around the British Isles to deal I
with that one menace because they 4
are making a determined effort to
cripple our supply lines that SUP
port General Eisenhowers effort .
in Europe. A large part Of that .
support comes directly from the
British Isles"
THE CENSUS BUREAU has Just .
finished tabulating the votes cast
by absentee servicemen in the No
vember election and has dis
covered that 20 per cent voted.
This figure Significant -RhaH
compared with So per cent-the .
percentage OF all the incubation.
military and civilian, which voted F..
last time Absentee military bal 1
lots accounted for 56 per cen; OF .
the total popular vote OF 4s.025,6s4.
over half Of the sGsl.l60 service
votes were returned by men from
elk states-New York. Pennsyl-
vsnis. California. Ohio New Jersey
and Illinois,