Daily Post - 17.03.1943, Blaðsíða 2

2
DAILY POST
ia published by
Blaðahringurinn.
Editors: S. Benediktsson.
A. L. Merson.
Office: 12, Austvirstræti. Tel.
3715. Reykjavík. Printed by
Alþýðuprentsmiðjan Ltd.
Vednesday, March 17th 1943
Russian See-Saw
The recapture of Kharkov by
the Germans one month after
they Lm been forced to aban-
don it comes as an unpleasant
surprise. However, the costly
all-out effort made to regain
the city gives the lie to previous
Nazi assertions that their re-
treat in Southern Russia was
made according to plan and
with the deliberate intention of
shortening their lines of com-
munication. They have been
compelled to throw in many of
their best divisions, which they
had probably never intended to
use this winter. They can no
longer successfully hold even
their basic lines of defense a-
long the 1000-mile front. A
counter-offensive against Khar-
kov had to be made at the cost
of withdrawing from vital posi-
tions on the even more inpor-
tant Central Front. If they have
been able to retake Kharkov
only at the risk of losing Smol-
ensk, they have gained a hollow
victory indeed.
Hitler has learned that the
Russian furnace must be stoked
only with the best German
blood if it is to be kept going.
His dependence on satellite
armies proved to be his undoing
in this Winter’s fighting. But
his supply of high-grade can-
non-fodder er limited—and his
generals know very well that
they must keep plenty of it in
reserve to meet the coming
Anglo-American onslaught
from the West. It is axiomatic
that, all else being equal, the
Army with the last reserves
wins. Not even Hitler, the arch-
amateur-strategist of all time,
can close his eyes to this fact.
Phliadelphia: — Seventeen
new recruits were added to the
American Red Cross workers in
Australia, it was announced to-
day. Miss Ellen Brooke was ap-
pointed to staff assistant, for
her splendid work in obtaining
recruits for the American Red
Cross workers abroad.
DAILY POST
Spotlight
Wtaat Has Happened To Hitler?
The news on Saturday that
Hitler was suffering from a
nervous breakdown, followed
closely an announcement from
Berlin that yet another Hitler
speech had been deferred.
% * * *
Mr. Sumner Welles, Ameri-
can Under Senetary of State
said that the State Department
had recewed reports that Hitler
was suffering from a complete
breakdown in health.
Here are a few facts about
Hitlers apparent reluctance to
speak:—
* * *
On November 9th, anniver-
sary of the Munich beer celler
putsch, the Allies were landing
in North Africa, Hitler said: “If
I do not make a speech that
does not mean that I have lost
my roice. Why should’nt I talk?
Today the front is talking”. On
January 30th of this year, tenth
anniversary of his seigure of
power, Goebbels read his pro-
clamation.
* * *
On February 24th, the Nazi
party’s birthday, Hitler again
spoke to his nation only by
procy: “Duty 'compels me. to
work without interruption I
must be with the German sol-
dier.”
* * *
Rumours gathered momen-
tum. Neutral correspondents
said he was brooding in
Berchtesgaden far from the
front. Mr. Davies, Roosevelt’s
ec-Ambassador in Moscow,
hagrded he might be dead. It
became New York’s best gues-
sing game. Said Senator Ed-
ward Johnson: “There is a good
chance that Hitler is a raving
lunatie and is locked up“. An
anti-German broadcast picked
up in America, said “Hitler is
a broken man ,desperately ill.
He is being treated by a quack
doctor who dare not operate”.
The New York Daily News sug-
gested “Hitler is dead . . . by
his own hands or at the hands
of some German generals ...”
After a leader in the Sober New
York Times had repeated the
speculation that Hitler had
given up signing any orders, the
German radio officially denied
he had surrendered the Sup-
reme bommand . . . Then last
Friday the B.B.C. reminded
Germans that Professor Souar-
bruch who operated on Hitler
in 1934 had left Berlin for an
unknown destination . . .
The present situation is cer-
tainly interesting. But of this
we can be sure. Whatever the
state of Hitler’s health, even if
he is dying or dead, tha Nazis
vill continue to wage war as
effectively as they have done
in the past. Hitler has been the
figurehead of a ruthless, na-
tionalistie yet practical philo-
sophy which has uprooted the
conventions of civilised society.
That philosophy has reuslted
in the deaths of millions, it has
resulted in a trail of carrage,
famine, starvation and disease
all over Europe. Hitler’s demise
or his ineffectiveness, will not
prevent the thugs who mile the
bigger part of Europe from
fighting like tigers to escape
from the mesh the mighty Al-
lied nations are slowly, but
none the less surely, drawing
closely around them.
D. J. N.
America
Says . . . .
One popular New York daily
paper is patriotically going to
double its Sunday price “to cut
down circulation”. We are re-
minded of the pious theatre
proprietor who doubled the
price of seats on Sundays to cut
down attendance.
jJí sj: Hí
Army statistics show that
Texas has supplied the Army
with a higher percentage of
volunteers than any other
State. But if you see a Texan—
for Pete’s sake don’t let him on
to that!
Reykjavik
Letter
Last Sunday, a performance
of Haydn’s oraforio “The Sea-
sons” was given by the choir
“Harpa” and the Reykjavík
Orchestra in the Gamla Bíó,
under the direction of Robert
Abraham. The oratorio was
well received and a perfor-
mance open to the public is to
be given next Sunday evening
in the Gamla Bíó. It is under-
stood that the performance is
open to members of the gar-
rison. The newspaper “Visir”
has also made the suggestion
that a special performance
should be given for members
of the garrison, so that they can
see what Icelandic music and
musicians are like.
Further details are published
in the press of the current in-
fluenza epidemic. About a third
of the town schoolchildren were
absent through illness at the
week-end, and in one school as
many as 40% of the pupils.
* * *
An article in the “Aberdeen
Fishing News” criticising Ice-
land has aroused great indig-
nation in the Reykjavík Press.
* ❖ *
Apprehensions are expressed
in the Reykjavík Press about
an article which recently ap-
peared in the “New York Tim-
es”, suggesting that the U.S.
Government intends to make
propals for the Solution of the
cost of living question in Ice-
land.
This year’s 24-day Pennsyl-
vania coal strike indicates that
the seamy side of the Labor
problem is still in our coal min-
es.
* * *
No more bread-slicing mach—
ines are to be sold. That is one-
more example of the way in
which this war is offering us
great opportunities for the dis-
play of individual talent.
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