The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

J THE WAR - WEEK Commentary on Current Events Loss Of Singapore Increases Peril To Dutch East Indies and Burma Four years ago Great Britain's mighty naval base at Singapore was officially opened. At that time, it was declared by expert* to be an impregnable bastion of British power and prestige in the Far East. Today the power and the prestige are lost. Japan became the master of Singapore one week after the Mi- kado's forces began to storm the Island, and n:ne weeks after they began their drive from bases in Thailand and Indo-China on down the Malay peninsula to their goal at Singapore. It was a brilliantly planned and executed campaign. Not since the fall of France has tfce Allied caust suffered such a severe blow. The loss of the Gi- braltar of the East S a catastro- ph* to the United Nations and an immeasurable gain to the Jap- anese. The land, sea and air forces, perhaps 200,000 men, used in the capture of the strong- hold, are now freed to concent- rate on Sumatra and Java, the last barriers on the way to Burma and India. Peril In Burma Ths Allied armies in Burma have been forced to retreat but reinforcements are arriving. The planes of the R.A.F. and the American Volunteer Group (or- iginally organized to guard tht Banna Road) are playing an im- portant part in the fighting. They have shown recently that in one th**tr at least the Japanese have aot v>on air superiority.* Large Chir.ese forces composed ef seasoned fighters with four years' experience of war have rt- eently arrived from the north to bolster Imperial defences in the Burma region. In Allied quarters it is feared that Japanese reinforcements will be sent to the front north of Malaya where a comparatively small Japanese amy is advancing toward the vita, port of Rangoon. It ia on the docks at .' Rangoon that applies are unloadec for Free China. The ^enearl outlook is far from favorable. The men- ace to Burma has far-reaching significances. This rich British Crown Colony is a b:jrier of In- dia and a gateway to China. The importance of the colony is evi- dent, not only in increm ng Japa- nese pressure and Allied rein- forcements, but in the temporary /resence at the front of General Sir Archibald Wavell, generalis- simo of the United Nations in the Far East. Battle In Dover Strait Three German fighting ships, 62,000 tons of striking force, have escaped from the harbor of Brest under cover of fogpy wea- ther and a heavy smoke screen. With a powerful escort of destroy- r, minesweepers, motor torpedo boats and air squadtons, they eaded at top speed for the Strait of Dover and the North Sea. They d red the sea power of Britain In its home waters and afttr a great see battle lasting for five hours made their escape to Ger- man waters. Mr. Churchill has declared that Britain's war position has been simplified by the removal of the German waiehips from Brest. He gives the following reasons: (1) A threat to British convoy routes has been removed, and the enemy has been forced to leave an advantageous position. (2) The diversion of Britain'* air bombing effort from Germany to th port of Brest, which, though necessary, has been so wasteful, la now ended, and a heavier scale ef attack on Germany from the sir is now p->sible. (8) The Scharnhorst and the Gneisenau received damage dur- u.g the run from Brest which will keep them out of action for some time to come. (4) .:. ini-r those warships can again go to sea to take any active part in the war, the Royal Navy will be reinforced by various im- portant units of the highest qual- ity, and a similar strengthening process is going forward in the Navy of the United States. Plea For Unity The British Prime Minister's recent broadcast was in the es- sential points an appeal to the aatiui. and Parliament to stand firm and give the government a solid foundation for iU work. When he surveyed the power of the United StaUs and its recour- ses and felt that they were now "in it with the British Common- wealth, all together, however long It lasts, until deai or victory," Mr. Churchill said tha* this was the first and greatest event ht had to report to the British people. "That is what I have dreamed of, ainu-ii at and worked for and now i*- has come to puss," Mr. Churchill said. But at the same time he bal- anced the gnoil of the latest war development.- in which lie in- cluded the efforts of Russia against the heavy und grave events ^l-uwherc. And frankly tellinir the lu'oplc t!;> ou.'hnut the world lliat he apoko "under the shiidou of a liravy nd far-ioaih- ing military defeat", the loas of Singapore Mr. Churchill went on to call for a spirit of unity and new exertion* in this dark how. Advene news "o* many misfor- tune* and gnawing anxieties" lay before as, Mr. Churchill said but from that very fact he invoked a new spirit of toughness from tha peopl who march against the Axis. "This ii the moment," he con- eluded, "to display tha, calm and poise, combined with grim deter- mination which not so long ago brought us out of the very jaws of death. Here is anothei occa- sion to show, as so often in our long history, that we can meet reverses with dignity and with renewed accessions of strength. VOICE OF THE PRESS HORSE AND BUGGY LOVE Looking back over the years, we can aee that, in the horse-and- buggy days, making love in the moonlight was far and away bet- ter, more wholesome, more sacred ceremonial than anything the speedier automobile has to offer the boys and girls of this genera- tion True, Old Dobbin never ran out of gas, never suffered a flat tire! But such artifices were un- necessary a generation ago. If the youths of today were acquainted with these delights of which we are speaking, they would not be- moan the possible passing of the pleasure car. Getting back to old ways would be a prospect alto- gether pleasing. We have but one suggestion to make: That it is just as eaay to pick the wrong girl in a buggy as in an automobile. Brandon Sun NEW EXPORT FIELD Formation of a Bean Growers' Association should open the way to a new, profitable market for Western Ontario farmers. The growers are acting promptly on the suggestion of Hon. J. G. Gar- diner to prepare to ship dried beans to Britain, from which has come a request for this form of food. This is another product which this district is in a splendid posi- tion to supply. It adds to the variety of the goods which we can send to Britain, and the new market will be of benefit both to our farmers and to the Old Land. Windsor Star LITTLE DARLINGS (?) The child psychologists haa better get busy in London, Ont., where some of the little darlings appear to be dangerous young beggars. At least, that's the im- pression we get from this bit ol precautionary wisdom in the Free Press: "Never speak unkindly to a ehild. A child's nerves are very sensitive. Besides, it may shy a rock at you." Ottawa Kvening Citizen o NO SCREAMING Officers of the Canadian Wo- men's Army Corps are being taught to issue commands with- out screaming. They really don't nfed the instruction. Countless men can testify that the most com- pelling commands they ever heard were in low, honeyed tones and started off, "Darling, don't you think you'd better . . ." Windsor Star o THE FAMILY CAR According to information gath ered by the Ontario Motor League the average distance travelled in a year for motorists in the old part of Ontario is 15,500 miles and the average consumption of gasoline is 854 gallons a year. Fort William Times-Journal o TIRE NUISANCE Standardization to one size of tire for all cars might simplify our future tire problem, by creating another nuisance at the same time: "Can 1 borrow one of your tires for the week-end?" Kitchener Record NDIVIDUAL A Weekly Column About This and That in The Canadian Army A few columns back this space wsi devoted to that branch of the Individual Citizen'* Army admin- istered by the Master General of the Ordnance, It was remarked that there would be more coming on chin subject. Now, following the arriva. in Grtat Britain of an advance party of the First Canadian Base Ord- nance Workshop, seems to be a food time to re-open the subject. "Biggest" seems to be the con- trolling adjective for pieces about the M.G.O.'s branch. First we had the biggest mail-order house now comes this new Base Ord- nance Workshop which is without question the biggest repair and service station in the world. But it isn't so much the new workshop I want to talk about as the unconventionally that char- acterized its formation. Unconventionally is as much a trade mark of the M.G.O. branch as are superlative adjectives. Which is just as well since this is an unconventional war. Prime piece of unconventional- ity, of course, is the heading of the moat rapidly expanding branch of the Canadian Army by a civil- ian. As you know there was a precedent for that in English his- tory. Now, and this brings us back to the Base Ordnance Workshop, here ia another example of the type of unconventionally that is going to help us win the war. Overnight an ex-private, who had made his name a big one in the operation of peace-time mechan- ized vehicles, was promoted to Liuetenant-Colonel and appointed to comr.and an array organization for which no pattern existed. The ex-private, who had been too busy In the years between wars to carry on in the militia, was G. A. Secord, of Toronto. One day ht was Mr. Secord, operator of the Hertz Drive Yourself System, the next he was Lt.-Col. G. A. Secord, officer commanding the First Canadian Base Ordnance Work- shop. Here is an amusing paradox. The man responsible for this lat- est unconventionality is Victor Sifton, Winnipeg newspaperman and Master-General of the Ord- nance who reversed the process when he was appointed to his present position. How come? If you'll stand for a bad pun the answer is, "comme ca." When Lieut.-Colonel Sifton first volunteered his services for the duration of the war he was appointed Executive Assistant to the Minister of National Defence and his name is still painted on the opaque glass of an office door on Ihe same floor as Col. Ralston's office. The legend reads: "Executive Assistant, Lieut.-Col. Sifton." For economy reasons it was obliterat- ed by a sheet of paper pasted over it when Sifton took over the M.G.O. job. But when he took ove* the new 20 WAYS TO SAVE SUGAR BY USING BEE HIVE SYRUP Made from Com HUtory Repeat* I twill In 1918. the "Cand Food Board. Ottawa," published a booklet which aid in part "Glucose and white corn iyrup ar perhaps the moat satisfactory and lead eipoi- HVC sugar substitutes available" . . . "the board recommenus the UM of glucote wherever possible." (Bee Hive Syrup l 95 % glucose.) Bee Hive Syrup is not an "intense sweet"; it is ho If at tweet as sugar. therefore the natural food flavours are permitted to dominate more pleasingly. e Sweeten your cereal, fresh fruit and porridge with Bee Hive I e Uae Bee Hive Syrup when making apple sauce, stewed rhubarb, stewed apricots, etc. I Use Bee Hive Syrup as a sauce on rice, bread, cottage and other favourite puddings! e Sweeten your coffee, and cocoa with Bee Hive I e Use Bee Hive Syrup ia pre- serving! e Use Bee Hive Syrup for cake icings! Use Bee Hive Syrup on !ce cream! Use Bee Hive Syrup In fruit juice! Use Bee Hive Syrup in making candies! Use Bee Hive Syrup as a milk modifier in baby feeding! Try Bee Hive Syrup in recipe* for cake buckwheat cookies, coconnut pudding, chocolate cake, fruit cake, jelly rolls, junket, marmalade, oatmeal drop cookies* ooUneal scones, potato drop cookies, white cookie*, etc.1 ST. LAWRENCE STARCH CO. LIMITED, Port Credit, Ont. Otitr frubicu. Durham Cm Starch, Si. Lau/mit Cin Stank, Ittry Laundry Sturtk. Si. Lauirmct Rtfnttl Cora Oil. Sweeten with Bee Hive Syrup I MADE FROM CORN job Lt.-Col. Sifton became Mr. Sifton demoting hii..self just ex- actly the same number of steps that he promoted Lt.-Col. Secord! And on the door ot his present office there appears just this: "406, Private P' Unconventional? The wora seems pale. Just recently President Roose- velt appointed William Knudsen laeutenant-General to do the same job in the United States. "Lieutenant" is pronounced "Lootenant" in the United States and is accorded somewhat the same pronunciation by the British Navy. Soldiers and civilians in the British Empire pronounce it, as you know, "Leftenant." This isn't army slang, it is true, but it is in line with the minor research* es into colloquial, terminology conducted from time to time by this column. We have scouta at work au< hope to publish the results of theif reconnaissance next week. "We can, my dear, as easily as we bought the radio, the washing machine and other things around the house. A small amount down and the balance in weekly or monthly payments we'll never miss. The bank has explained how easy it is". * What's that you say 7 Can we afford to? My dear Mary, we just can't afford not to. And you know there's lots of things we can give up yet before we feel any real hardship. Thank goodness, here's something we can do to back up the men and women who are making the real sacrifices." EVERYONE can buy a Victory Bond! Space Donated By THE CANADA PAINT CO. / LIMFTED ; PAINT CO. VAe MARTI N-SENOUR ; LiMITED THE SHIKW/H-WIUIAMS Co. * . . \. , of Canada. Limited REG'LAR FELLERS A Real Surprise By GENE BYRNES YOUR. LITTLE COUSIN IS COMING TO VISIT "TOO * WHAT A BEAUTIFUL* CREATURE /WHAT LOVELY QOLDEN CURLS / >OY / I'M A SUCKER FOR QOLDEN CURLS / HERE S WHERE I MAKE A HIT/ a I ! WHEN L THINK OF THAT BATH Mf BLOOD BEQINS TO BO!L - TAKIN' }: A.OOD >!L ' ,.