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i rs. eo Ca Neal Co ey EET \. a day. British Character Impresses Soldier Letter From A U. 8. Soldier, in Christian Science Monitor The longer I stay here the snore 1 am impressed by the un- dying spirit of the British people. "Fach day, 1 mean that Jiterally, there are new evidences of their admirable courage. There if no end to what the péople won't do to further their war effort. - The whole country is fighting this war. Old men, young children, the women, as well as the eol- © diers--all do their part and, be- lieve me, they make their efforis count, 3 X . - We at home don't know what "all-out" efforts are. The dif- ference is that in America we talk war, but over here they ave living the war. There is scarcely a town or village which hasn't suffered from cruel destruction. These people have seein their neighbors and loved ones dying as a result of the merciless total war of the Nazis. Because of these things the people have a stropger con- viction that what they fight for is right, They will stop at no sac- vifice if it will further the war effort, ... . . . My outlook and attitude toward this war has been changed. 1 have a zest for it now that I never had before. The Germans have not made war_on. military objec- tives over here. They have de- liberately avoided points of stra tegic importance and instead have attacked women, children, and the aged. 1 never thought 1 would or could kill a man before. . , . I am still cognizant of the =anec- tity of life, but nevertheless 1 would not hesitate to destroy life {to protect it. But getting back to the subject --the people go without clothes, give up their automobiles, walk ~ . - feven days a' week, go without delicacies and all but the bare necessities of food; they donate their libraries for wastepaper sal- vaze. they do all that is humanly possible to make material avail- able for war--and all this without a whimper. Their only concern fs: what more can I do? * . . Several days ago I was in a candy shop and asked if they had any kind of sweets that 1 could buy. The clerk replied that she was very sorry but she couldn't do anything for me unless IT had a ration card. A lady was in the store with two children about b years old. She overheard the con- versation, and as I turned to walk\.Js out she stopped-me, "Here." she said, "you may have my ration for this week; T know you must miss sweets over here, and 1 can do without them." I thanked her but of course refused to accept, It made me ashamed of myself; there she was with two childrey-- and willing to give me her rations. * . * Today when the sun came sout it got very warm, and the ocean looked so good that I mentioned that I would like to go for a swim, but did not have a bathing "costume," and didn't have the coupons to buy one. 1 immedi- ately had two offers to-give me enough coupons to buy a suit. . It takes two coupons for a bathing suit and 1 understand the yearly allowance 'of clothing coupons is only 30. That's how they would deprive themselves to give a strangrer enough coupons to buy a bathing suit! s Don't worry about me. Pm now in the land of character, among people with the most ad- mirable qualities of heart and soul, C. B, Salvage Among articles brdught to a W.V.S. centre for salvage, The London Times relates, were two swords given by a general--the sword he used in the last war, and that of his son, killed in the present war. WAR COSTS Sir Kingsley Wood, Chancellor of British Exchequer, told House Commons that war costs had ased from £12,000,000 to * £14,000,000, about $10,000,000, o estimated year's bud- equal to $22,500,000,000 in | A money wold - likewise ho fncreased. FETT re This handshake between General Henri Giraud (left), High "AN HISTORIC M OMENT" go Commissioner for French North Africa, and General Charles De Gaulle, leader of the Fighting French, symbolized a closer under- standing and a promise of co-operation between the two French factions. French Morocco. They are pictured in the garden of a villa in Casablanca, Seated between them, his face obscured by their gesture of friendship, is President Roosevelt, who commented: "This | is an historic moment." Ways Of Saving Men Of The Sea Experiences of scores of men who reached safety after their merchant vessels were torpedoed will aid other merchant seamen in savnig their own lives, Studies hy the United States Coast Guard, experiences and em- ergency measures taken by men drifting in lifeboats have heen pub- Jished in a lifesaving primes 'de- signed to help save seamen's lives it their ships are sunk." = "Simple things that the land- lubber dismisses as trifles not worth botlicring about," the coast guard rays, "ean mean the differ- once between life and death to men i a lifeboat." A bit of metal--part of a tin can--fastened to the oar of one life boat glittered brightly In the sun and attracted attention of a rescue vessél, Now, the coast - guard says, every 'life boat will havo a metal mirror to reflect the __BUN'S rays. There'll be plastic whistles in every seaman's equipment, too. Police whistles now are carrfed-- . but they're metal, and in extreme cold can't be used without tear- ing the lips. ' Ladders from engine rooms fix- ed | firmly in place, rescued men have reported, frequently snap- ped or were torn loose by the con- cussion when torpedoes struck a ship. The result -- ships will have supplementary chain or wide lad- ders hanging loosely, The fol problems in life hoats also. have been studied. To sup-- plement dry rations the coast guard recommends canned fruit Juices be placed in all boate. Niness caused by drinking salt water also Is outlined in the book, It tells how to catch' rain water -In canvas spread in the life boat --but, here's the trick, the first caloh of water musi be discarded, for the canvas invariably is coat- ed with salt spray which pollutes the first catch. Women Over Forty Are Best Workers Britain's huskiest women are not all with the fighting forces or In the civil defence services, In one comparatively small Thames- side area, which eannot be other- wise identified, 800 women--half the ecrew--work at one-of the big- gest raliroad freight depots. When women were first hired in March, 1941, it was estimated that five women would do 'the work of three men. After a few months the proportion was re- duced to four to three, and today it is about level. The only job they cannot do is locomotive driv- ing. J Eighty per cent of the women are married and a large propor- tion have children, Those who do not have relatives at home put the children in day nurseries, A recent report of the British Supply Couiicil states that 40 per cent of Britain's production work- era are women, Shipyards employ three times as.many women- work- ers as they did a year ago, and 16 per cent. or 105,000 of the railroad employees are - women. Women over forty make the best workers and are "more thorough more reliable and more willing to learn," the report concludes," Publisher Didn't Know Everything This is the story of an Amer- jcan publisher who discovered when he flew back from England that one of his co-passengers was David Bowes-Lyon, brother of Queen Elizabeth, writes Leonard Lyons in The New York-Post, The publisher engaged him in con- versation and began to criticize the British for their failure to solve the India problem. The Brit- isher reminded the publisher that 30,000,000 Indians were born within "the 'last few years and that the problem is a constantly changing one, involving countless difficulties. continued to criticize the British for failing a solution. Bowes- Lyon listened and then inter- rupted: "By the way, if I weren't the Queen's brother, dp you think I should make a speech about _ Negroes and America." The noted publisher stared at him and ans- wered+*Don't you! dare." But the publisher VOICE OF THE ABOUT HORSEMEAT Although some housewives are hostile to the idea of cooking horsemeat none of them have ac- tually kicked over the traces yet. On the whole we expect that plans in that respect will go off without a hitch. But look out for gallop- ing indigestion! : ~--Peterborough Examiner eer PLAN A GARDEN The Food Controller says there will be rationing of most foods in Canada before the end. of this year. = Why not think about it now and prepare for a bang-up backyard garden to produce fresh greens for the table, real health food for the Summer season? --St. Catharines Standard --0-- HE DISAGREED In a letter before Pearl Har- bor a German citizen reported to his American cousin as follows: . "Dear Uncle Karl: We are all fine, The war has harmed none of us yet. Hitler says he is giv- ing us a new prosperity. Cousin Hendrick, who disagreed, was buried yesterday." -- Financial Post --0-- WHERE ARE THEY? . Hitler is demanding 250,000 Hollanders to fight his battles for him. . What. has become of the "master race," when it nceds so many foreigners to do its fight- ing, if its defeat is to be staved off? --The Argonaut 0 THEY WILL REPAY Remember, the birds you feed now, while snow covers the ground, will repay kindness by 'guarding gardens from insect pests next summer. --Christian Science Monitor rife FRONT COMING TO HIM They now say that Hitler is afraid to return to the Russian front. But why bother, if der front is coming to der fuchrer? --Winnipeg Tribune --_---- REVERSING CHARGE "Butter shortage caused by storm," announces a 'Toronto paper, - Oh, no; "Storm Caused by Butter Shortage." --Ottawa Citizen Air-Sea Rescue : When United Nations planes, raiding from Britain, are shot up over continental Europe, the fly- ers know that their chance of es- cape is good if they can reach the sea before bailing out or crash- ing. In waters around England the Air-Sca Rescue service, with its speedy ambulance boats and specially equipped planes, has saved more than 1,300 air crews since 1940. LIFE'S LIKE THAT [is mooean=| Ts = ~ "What did 1 tell you about reading at the breakfast table!!!" Boy Scout Week February 21 - 27 Open Scout Meetings To Be Held During Week The Chief Scout for Canada, His Excellency the Governor-General, has proclaimed the week of Febru- ary 21-27 as annual Boy Scout Week throughout Canada. During this week Canada's Boy Scouts and Wolf Cubs will be displaying their movement to the public, The week will be featured by special national broadcasts, father and son "gatherings, open Scout and Cub meetings, displays, ral- lies and other gatherings designed to give the public a picture of what the world's largest boys' movement seeks to do for the boys of Canada. His Excellency the Governor- Gelieral, the Earl of Athlone, is the Chief Scout for Canada. His _ Excellency is peculiarly suited to the highest Scout office in the Dominion. As a 'young lientenant in South Africa at the turn of the century his' commanding officer was the then Col. Robert Baden- Powell, lafer founder of the Scout movement, The Chief Scout tells the story that Baden-Powell often discussed with him his ideas about Scouts, many years before the or- ganization - was launched. The Governor-General was also Chief Scout of South Africa when he filled the vice-regal office in that Dominion. Since coming to Can- ada he has continued his keen Interest in Scouting, attending meetings of the Dominion Execu- tive Committee, and frequently appearing at Scout' rallies, He is an enthusiast for the Scout uni- form and has appealed to Boy Scouts across Canada to wear the tull standagd uniform. on all suit- able occasions, and to wear it creditably. Army Rejects Man Waacs Take Wife Mrs. Frederic Amour, twenty- three years old, kissed her hus- ~ band good bye when he left to "take his Army examination. "Be a good soldier, dear," sho eaid. "I'll carry on." She wept a bit, then said to herself: "I'm going to help him. The sooner we- all get into this, the sooner it will be over and we can be together again." An hour later, she enlisted in the Women's Auxiliary Corps. Then she returned home, expect- ~ing an emptyg house, a solitary dinner, Instead, there was'Fred- die wearing an apron, stirring arf omelet. "Surprise, dear. I haven't been accepted," he said. a "Surprise, dear," she replied, "I have!" : Russian Tricks Annoy Germans The German press is attempting to explain defeats on the Soviet front by declaring that the Rus- sians tricked them, a Swedish cor- respondent reported recently. Russia's concéalment of her real military power and skill in camouflage. resulted - in surprises for the Germans even during the second year of the campaign, the press complained. 2 The Russians were said to have- changed the names of many places, built new towns whose existence was kept secret and laid new railways which were not shown on any maps available to the Germans, : -- - victory to smash "THE WAR - WEEK -- Commentary on Current Events Threat To Australia Removed New Disasters Fa cing Hitler The long and hard-fought battle for the Island of Guadalcanal. in the Solomons apparently has end- ed, Japanese Imperial: Headquart- ers reports that its troops had been withdrawn from the Island. The conquest of this island which safeguards Australia - and our lines of communication gives American forces undisputed pos- session of a base which becomes a threat to Japan's major bases in the Pacific. It was an exclusively American show -and the first land the Japanese myth of invincibility and demon- strated that with proper training the American soldier is far super- for to the Japanese. Moreover, by being forced to admit "withdraw- al" the Japanese military have lost face before the emperor and 'the people of Japan. Kursk Recaptured The fall of Kursk, according to The New York Times, is one of the gréat Russan victories of the war, Recapture of this key city opens a broad new corridor for the entire Russian offensive. It Is the first breach in the German Win- ter Wall that stretches from the Baltic to the Black Sea and the fall of the city necessarily imperils the whole structure of German defense in South Russia. Beyond Kursk the Ukrainian plain stretch es to the Dneiper. The loss of Kursk may have con- sequences for the Germans as dis. astrous as the annihilation of their besieging army at Stalingrad. Both cities were symbols--Stalingrad of heroic Russian resistance and Kursk of Gprman power to strike. Kursk was the bridgehead from which the Sumnter offensive was Jaunched last year, Stalingrad was the tidal mark at which it * Iter- ed and failed. Within five months ot Hitler's invasion the Nazis had seized Kursk and its network. of strategic "railways. For fifteen months they have been fortifying the city, linking it up with other "helgehog" centers, developing it as a base for attack and a fort- ress to resist any assault, Yet the Russians swept over it in a single day. This indicates one of two things, perhaps both. Either the morale- of the German Army, after four months of defeat, has deteriorated seriously or the German Iigh Command has decided that its ijm- mediately available reserves and supply system are unequal to the task of holding 'the 1941 victory llne in the Ukraine. It may be the Germans were already with. drawing from Kursk when the Russians struck, and were neither in strength nor mood to fight. Now that the Winter Wall has- finally cracked, Germany must count heavily on the possibility of Russian exhaustion and the likeli- hood of a-sea of Spring mud to bog down the Soviet drive. But hat drive Is still rolling ahead -- with undiminished power, while German efforts to "disengage" their armies seem to weaken. General Mud is still far from the battle line. And in the north, where fresh Russian armles are gathering, his arrival will be de- layed even longer. London experts predict that Hit- ler, facing the dire necessity of shortening his lines and concen- trating his forces to avert a new defeat, will use last year's Win- ter line as a stopping point only, and _that he will retire, eventually, to the Dnieper where he may he able to hold while manouvering elsewhere. Such a retreat under constant pressure would add great- ly to his enormous losses. It is considered doubtful that he can stand up under great new deple- "tlons of strength because Russia, without counting lLease-Lend aid, already out-produces him in many categories, despite her own great territorial and industrial losses, Preparations In Tunisia It is estimated that the Amer fcans.are at least two 'months far. ther advanced in North Africa than they would have been if the - Darlan deal had not heen consum- ated and the French had not capi- tulated. Yet, because 'of mud and other factors, including the fact that green United States troops are introduced to combat by easy stages, thelr progress has beén slower than was anticipated; It had 3 been expected that Tunisia would be cleaned out by now but General Eisenhower is proceeding with great caution and safeguarding his supply lines, although in so doing he has risked reinforcement of Nazi forces/in Tunisia. Rommel probably got into 'Rd isla with about 50,000 men and found there 125,000 other Axis troops--175,000 in all. They are well-equipped and have success. fully mounted their 88 guns on some tanks, thus out-ranging, for the. moment, certain American tanks. It Is unlikely that the Axis can supply larger forces than these already in Tunisia; the Al lies in time will outnumber and outgun them, While there is every confidence that the Axis will he driven out of Tunisia, the job is a tough one. and cannot be accom. plished in a few weeks, " Somehow or other the impres- sion has got around that Bizerte and Tunis and other important towns along the coast of Tunisia are just so many apples which can be picked whenever we can get a tall enough boy to do the Job--and that it won't take a very tall boy at that, writes W. H, Stoneman, Chicago Daily News. This just isn't true and people will avoid disappointment later on it they understand it, The fact is that our line from Cap Serrat on the northern coast right down to Sheitla, northwest of Sfax, Is fairly good from a de- fensive viewpoint, but no more, The Germans and Italians opposite us have even better defensive posi- tions all along the line, and our efforts to kick them out have been costly and in the end futil~, Be- fore we can go for Bizerte and Tunis or even for Kalrbuan in the south, we have to puncture a num- ber of fine natural positions which are heavily fortified and strongly manned by excellent fighting men, - That job or series of jobs will have to be undertaken by good infantry and the, price will prob. ably be high. ' The _statement that our equip. "ment is better than the enemy's #8 subject to serious reservations as far as the Tunisian front is cone cerned. Our troops have feught wonder- fully, even though we have not yet won a clean-cut battle against the Germans. Moslem Sagacity The wise meii of neutral Iraq, When told that the Allies would crag, Reflected a while, Then replied, with a smile, "Kindly go sit on a taq!" PHONE UNDER FIRE * Foxhole is- the desert phone booth for theseeBritish signalmen, on the job despite nearby shell blast. They are sending messages through on the African front where nearly all axis forces have been cleared out. ' Bluey and Curley of the Anzacs. "Powerful stuff" : MOSQUITOES AND WHAT Do. You THINK HAPPENED WAS THK, DEAD 1,4 By Gurney (Australia) NO SIR, T' BLOOMIN' MOSSIES STARTED _ DONG THe CAN-CAN vo