Daily Post - 12.02.1943, Blaðsíða 2

DAILY POST
DAILY POST
is pubiished by
Blaðahringurinn.
Editors: S. Benediktsson.
A. L. Merson.
Orfiee: 12, Austurstræti. Tel.
3715. Reykjavík. Printed by
Alþýðuprentsmiðjan Ltd.
Friday, Febr. 12, 1943
Kharkov
The growing threat to
Kharkov greatly increased
since the capture of Kursk is of
immense significance. A great
deal more than the endanger-
ing of Germany’s hold on the
Eastern Ukraine depends on the
outcome of the great struggle
developing for the possession
of this key city.
The question that fills our
minds as we'survey the rapidly
moving Russian front to-day is
this: Are the German armies
in spite of their huge losses, ‘
simply executing a steady with
drawal to stronger and safer
defence lines, as they did last
winter on the Central Front,
or is the mighty Wehrmacht
finally collapsing on a grand
scale?
The battle for Kharkov will
give us the answer. Whatever
Hitler’s plans of retreat may
be, they must include the hold-
ing of this city at all costs. It
represents the key to the Ukra-
ine, and an indispensable base
for any possible future counter
offensive — if Hitler is to keep
his promise to “avenge Stalin-
grad.”
If Kharkov stands firm, as
Rzhev did a year ago in the
face of the most violent Russi-
an attempts to retrieve it, we
will suspect that the Nazis
have once more been sacrific-
ing territory for the sake of
holding strong key points. But
if it falls, we will know bey-
ond a shadow of doubt that the
present Russian offensive is
what the world has been wait-
ing for—the great surge for-
ward of the final tide of ven-
geance, the crushing of the
forces of evil by the invincible
strength of the common people
of the earth—wieding in their
hands, at long last, the weap-
ons adequate for the job. In
short, the real beginning of the
end.
*
Bookshops In Reykjavik i
Some Interesting Pacts ’
by a 44 Daily Post” Correspondent
It was amazing to see, the
other day, a vast crowd of
Americans, Icelanders, » and
British almost fighting to
gain entrance to, and exit,
from one of Reykjavík’s prin-
cipal bookshops. For a moment
I imagined the books were be-
ing given away judging from
the numbers carried off by
some people—but I discovered
later on that they had not ev-
en been reduced in price. It
was simply because a new deli-
very had just arrived from
America and the news had got
around. Be warned! -A book-
lover when roused is a most
dangerous creature.
BOOKS FROM BRITAIN RA-
TIONED
Interviewing the managers
of various bookshops I uneart-
hed some interesting facts. —
Quite understandably the occu-
pation of Iceland made a vast
difference to sales in Reykja-
vík; especially the entrance of
British troops, strangely en-
ough. They bought considerably
more books than the Ameri-
cans who favour their own
magazines and rarely take. —
English publications of any des-
cription. Perhaps it is just as
well because stock purchases
there, owing to the inereasing
paper shortage, are strictly li-
mited and if, for example, 100
copies of the popular “Penguin
Series” are ordered the distri-
butors usually only send about
20.
surprise you to read that 90%
of these books are bought by
Icelanders, the remainder go-
ing to the occupying forces.
ICELANDERS PREFER
CLASSICS
The Icelanders generally
buy ithe better books, that is the
“classics”; Dickens, Wilde, and
Chekov, to mention only three
are equally popular as Dorothy
L. Sayers or Ellery Queen
Stories. English Dictionaries
are snapped up almost as soon
as they appear and they are as
scarce now as any “best sell-
er”. Eighteen months ago poet-
ry sold well, especially to Bri-
tish officers, today the Ameri-
cans favour thrillers and crime
stories. The most popular aut-
hors, when their books are ob-
tainable, appear to be Hem-
ingway, Erskine-Caldwell,
Steinbeck and Louis Brom-
field. F. H. Lyons’ translation
of “Salka Valka” by the Ice-
landic novelist Halldór K. Lax-
ness, is very much in demand
and is, I believe, out of print
at present. Forty copies of Tol-
stoys “War and Peace,” now
unobtainable in England, were
sold in one day! The Icelanders
took most of thejse—from which
one may draw ones own con-
clusions.
RUSH ON MAGAZINES
American magazines hold
sway “Time” and “Life” in the
lead with the popular “Digests”
close behind. “Picture Post”
Reykjavik
Letter
The man who paid most in
taxes in Reykjavík last year-
was recently declared bank-
rupt. After the preliminary
examination, he has been tak-
en into custody.
It is reckoned that about 20,-
000 people in Reykjavík have
now seen the film “Gone with
the wind.”
Result of Reykjavík’s “An-
ti-rat week” are stated to have
been good. 2,300 packets of rat
poison were distributed, and
used in 1650 houses and a num
ber of rubbish dumps near the
town.
*
A series of meetings of
school teachers on the South.
West coast has just been held.
to discuss educational pro-
blems in these country dist-
•ricts.
*
An Agricultural Congress
met in Reykjavík last Satur-
day.
*
Shortage of water has led to
severe restrictions on the use
of electricity at ísafjörður.
and “Ulustrated” are always
popular and it was pointed out
to me that America has yet ^o
produce the equal of “The
Spectator” or “Statesman and
Nation”. One months quota of
the renowned “Esquire,” seven-
ty-five copies, are disposed of.
in three or four days thanks to
the popularity of Vaga and
Hurrel girls on the walls of
I Nissen Huts.
40,000 IN 3 MONTHS
A tremendous sale of the ad-
mirable American “Pocket
Book Series” is being made,
priced at 2 kr. 50 they are very
cheap. Over a period of five
months the KRON Bookshop
has sold more than 10,000 co-
pies. Prices, on the whole have
not been increased since the
outbreak of war despite increa-
sed freightage costs, and books
remain a good investment. An
estimate of the number of
books sold in all Reykjavík ov-
er the past three months was
40,000 copies! The biggest pre-
war buyers of English books
were tourists but today it will
Nedical AW To
Already Acknowledged ............. 3,400,47 krónur
Proceeds of a Raffle by Seaman Roy
Henwood, per Rev. R. P. R. Anderson 404,00 krónur
Total 3,804,47 krónur
Gifts may be handed to any member of the committee
sent to “Daily Post”, clearly marked “Russia Fund”.
Collecting boxes will be found at the Y.M.C.A., the British
Sailors’ Society and the Sandes home.
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