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VOICE OF THE PRESS DREADFUL DRUMFIRE iioulnd ih row of the flaming that U the Russian trout, b tttixl the clangor of the clash la Libya, behind the steady boom al bombs flattenluc a soors of Eur- ope's clttea. ttiere is a dreadful obligate of rlflefire. It U the (Jer- man executions In conquered land*. At many a* 100,000 men and women have died before toe** Nazi firing squads, the Inter-Allied Information Commute* In London estimates. Whether that ti an ac- curate fljrure we do not know. Ne one knows, not even the Nazis. In Poland alone 82.600 people have been executed duilng twe years of occupation, this committee estimate*. Every conquered coun- try lias contributed Its toll of tho* who were led out to die unarmed, uji convicted of any offense. In no modern war has anything Irk-- tats, or anything approaching iich a scale, been permitted to t.. :;.:!. It Is the measure of a Nail future. (juelph Mercury. v NOT LOUSY IN ENGLAND The Canadian soldiers overseas are not bothered by lies. That is something for which Ihey must be i atefiil. No matter how olaaa the troops tiled to keep them- selves la ths last war, when they were in toe front line areas, they were troubled with body lice. Splendid sanitary arraueemontt nave been made. Hot baths are piuvlded and the quarters are kept iK-rupulously clean at all times. The men are provided wlUt clean underwear and steam unlU i from camp to camp to glvs dirty clothes a thorough cleansing. And, In case there U any ma* in a company who Jut doe* not wont to take a bath, the mem of his section see to U that he does no go bathlecs. Windsor SU. "THEM WER TH1 DAY" A placard on the wall ot a Call- f . hotel In th* soldruss, day* f '4 statsd: -"Board muet be paid In advance. With beans, til) without beans. 111. Salt pork treei potatoes (or Sunday dinner, poosv ttlng prohibited. Extra charge lor eats around the bar-room store. I/vigors must find tbslr OWB straw. Uedi on bar-room floor re- served for regular customers. Lodg- ers must rise by I a.m. la the barm y 6 a.m. N rir '" * * tables. Anyone violating the store miss will he shot" BellerUle latslllgencer. r REALISM AND SACRIFICE Many men and womea la Bri- tain's war plants work sixty sat seventy hours a week, with no day of rest either. They do It heartily. not because they particularly like long toll, but because they know tt is the only way that victory naa. be won. On this side of the Atlan- tic, Jiow far we are from realism and sacrifice! Hamilton Spectator. T FINE YOUNQ CANADIANS In this country but three years, and unable to speak English when they arrlvud here, two Czecho- slovakia children win the annual speaking contest In the publls schools of Wentworth County. Theirs is a remarkable achieve- ment and In them the Dominion has two fine young Canadians. Hamilton Spnctator. WHY BOTHER? Vocal choruses are not suitable for broadcasting through factories to relieve the strain of rlciso work, because the workers grow tense trying to catch the words. Alter hearing the words of some of the popular st'i'i". w * wonder why they bother. Stratford Beacon-HeraM. SOLILOQUY Tho change that lius come over America can be appreciated when you recall that not so long ago to convoy or not to convoy was the soliloquy In every h, Mil let. Windsor Star. v UNUSUAL EGGS From 1'cmliroko coni>; news of an egg with ten \"s on Its shell. That's almost as many as some, *ggs have on their car windows. Ottawa Citizen. REALLY BETTER OFF When follow Is turned down by a girl 1,1-1 .'.is.i he Isn't well off, lie really Is. - -Kitchener Record. That Word "Panzer" Tw . requests about panzer reach me from different quarters. One U to say what it means; ths other is to get the term dropped in favor of good plain English. Well, panzer means nrmor and since the German armored divis- ions have been mors conspicuous than any other down to the in- vasion of Russia, we have adopt- ed tht Herman name for them. much as we habitually speak or the Herman Luftwaffe instead of th. German air fores or U-boati (untraesboote) Instead nf Gsr- man submarines. HONG KONG SQUEEZED IN JAP TRAP Claiming- that they wer* already In possession of Kowloon, th* mainland section of the British crown colony of Hong Kong, seen above in the back ground, Japanese said they were preparing an attack on Victoria Island, foreground the location of the city of Hong Kong-. British governor reportedly refused Jap demand that colony surrender. Tell Whitest Lie Say* First Lady Mrs. Franklin D. Roosev*lt says she believes in telling th* whitest li* of th*m all, th* fib about Santa Claus. In her question - and - answer page in th* D*e*mbsr Ladies' Horns Journal, th* First Lady says she subscribes to ths telling of fairy tales as wsll as ehildrsn's stories based on scientific fact. . "I certainly do b*ll*v* in tall- lug children to beli*T* in Santa Glaus," she .-.rote. "They lean soon *nough that Santa Claus is mother or father, ex seme ether kind person. Why not 1st them hare ths joy of believing- that Santa Claus doss coms to all children and that ' Is such a Jolly old saint?" Dog-drawn Taxi* Appear In Paris taxicabs hav* ap- peared on tht streets of 1'aris, be- cause the lack of fuel has forced the withdrawal of motor vehicles and most harness-horses ha.e bssn sent to the slaughterhouse. A 1925 law prohibiting the use of dogs for traction pow*r has been cancelled and a new police ordinance permits "oanimoblle" taxis, provided they be drawn by huskies fitted with painless har- nesses. The use of terriers or smaller dogs for traction Is still forbid- den. Fewer Gadgets On New Car Models l>*maud tor materisUs in the armament program may require the U. B. automobil* industry to produce only two and fourdoor sedans without brlghtwork, wool upholstery, rubber floor mats, and other gadgets and finery. Station wagons, limousines, roadsters, 1101. yes. convertible models may disappear. Automobll* officials said th* "Victory" mod*! automobil* would hav* no double-bar bumpers and bumper bars, clocks, cigar llght- tors. radios, dual tall lights and extra parts. It will corns In fewer colors, with fewer coats of en- amel. Jap Empire Exclusive of conquered pa: i* of China, which varies constantly, Japan controls a Far Eastern Em- pire that totals almost 900,000 square miles, although th* area of Japan proper is less than 150,- 000 square miles, says Pathfinder. Japanese territories include Kor- ea, the southern half of the island of Sakhalin, Formosa, and a group of mi i re than 1,400 islands In Oceania that formerly belonged to Germany. Manchoukuo, al- though not formally a part of the Japanese empire, has been occu- pied by Japan for ten years. In addition, Japan occupies parts of French Indo-China and Inner Mongolia. Some Opinions About Generals After the latest reshuffling of her generals, Russia seems, tem- porarily at least, to hav* found a winning combination. Perhaps Stalin has begun to chime in with several of his distinguished pre- decessors on the subject of gen- erals. Lincoln had a sour view of them. On one occasion, when it wax reported to him that the Con- federates had captured a briga- dier general and 12 mules, he said: "Too bad. Those mules cost us $200 apiece." Slargut Asquith once said to Gen. t'ershing, after the first World War: "The only reason we won the war was because th*r* w*r* generals on th* other tide." And President Paul Krug*r, giving instructions to his Bo*r soldiers in their war against th* British in South Africa, said: "Kill as many officers as possible, but for God's sake spar* ths gen- erals." Saving Ontario'* Natural Resources LIFE'S LIKE THAT By Fred Neher Oli, tlmii X'l are wKer* w marked the tpote." CANADA'S FUR TRADE No. 69 In* value of the furs sold in thU countr.. at the present Urns Is quite large, probably about th* rime as It was a hundred years a ... but the emphasis Is away from tlie beaver, martin and fisher to tlj.- nn. .;.,.. skunk and red fox. T3i- iin-!n- of people engaged In the industry is probably much gr ater, tliou was the ease a cen- tal r ago but, as 1 said, ilu. ag- gregate value of the fur Is about the samo. Muskr.it and skunk sold for R few cents In the early ISOP's and red fox and raccoon seldom went ov<r a dollar. Nowadays, these are the mainstay of tho trade but they sell, individually, fur much more. Too, the fur ranches have coine Into the picture and a gret deal of our fur Is ranch raised. Tht fur is probably better quality for It is lakt-n when the animal is at Its best and on the better ranches il h.is boon produced un- der utmost ideal conditions. About 1'S Important fur hearers KOI ui- in North America and numbor of others may be taken at times. The weusel family are Urn most hunted mid contribute the major sliuro of the pelts. Musk rat lend all othe-rs in totnl num- bers tiiken. Heaver were ulmost extinct on tli^ niiirket a tew yours ago but ure now cuiiilng back Skunk, rod fox uud mink are oj considerable value tu the trapper. \ii.'. .-"I.-, the fin- trade ot Can ;il* U an important asset. How- ever, a I stressed in a previous article it must be handled Intel- ligently or II will lit) lost. The ani- mals must, be protected whon they are scarce und they must have places to live. 1 will write more ajbout tills In ntiother article. THE WAR WEEK Commentary on Current Events Bitter Cold and Russian Power Halt German Drive on Moscow Two dramatlo Items show the deadly parallel of the Russian Campaign. The first, a description of the French campaign In Russia In November 1812, reads: "The road was even more- thick- ly covered wilh dead horses than on preceding marches. There were jnany human corpses, too; and at every bivouac one saw large num- bers that had died of suffocation from the fumes of fires, because they had dragged themse-lves too close when already frostbitten and half frozen. Others stll moaned but could not drag themselves away." The other Item Is from a Nazi radio broadcaster's description of the German campaign in Russia In November, 1941: "Orey la the country, grey the sky. everything grey and empty. With Its aspect of forloruness, the whole country Is frightening. The road to Moscow resembles one vast soaked sponge- along which men, horses and lorries slog painfully and strenuously. Slowly they move, dragging themselves step by step. Time after time they are bogged down. This Is Russia." everywhere trom the Arctic to ths Sea of Azor the Germans are retreating and, In many cases, re- treating In disorder. The myth of th* Invincibility of the German army 1s being torn to shreds by the Russians. What will the people of the Reich think now of Hitler's boast made In Berlin two months ago that Germany's eastern enemy was crushed and would nerer rise again T Russian Army Reorganized The German failures before Mos- ot<ir and at Rostov were evidence that the Russian army had been reorganized In the midst of a ter- rible campaign. Special Guard dl- Tlsions were formed, vast reserve armies trained In the valley of the Volga and Important shifts made in the High Command. Stalin is Com- mander-in-Chlet of th* Soviet foro- and he 1s said to haT* person- ally worked out details of the Rus- sian counter-otfsoslTS. The vast masses of the peoipls of Russia wsr* totally mobilized to work Trheruver needed, and to work even beyond their powers of endurance. Hiery civilian In Russia wo* In the front line. The Cossacks Ride Again Horse-power a* of old, was a definite factor la dispersing th* enemy. The Russians have tor some time been building up a strong cavalry corps, especially outfitted for winter ssrrice. These wild, hard-riding Cossacks were loose- 1 when Rostov was recaptur- ed. They were on th* Germans be- fore a defense lln* could be estab- lished. US German tanks were among the booty surrendered th* horse is certainly still In the war. Perhaps the lowly louse will take a dei Isive part In the war on the Eastern front. The Swedish capital reports that lice-borne typhus has Infected some German troops, al- ready suffering from cold, hunger and exhaustion. The epidemic, which can exterminate as many men as all of Stalin's battling forces put together. Is spreading eastward from the Ostmark araa of Poland. Germany Blame* th* Weathtr A spokesman for th* Gtannaa Army has admitted a halt In the Nazi drive. H said that Moscow would not be captured this year, that during the winter German troops would have to abandon toe war of movement, that all up and down the 2,000 mil* front th*y were digging in. "Th* cold Is so terrible that even th* oil freezes in ths motorized vehicles." hs said. "Soldiers trying to take cover simply freeze to the ground. Fight- ing under these conditions Is prac- tically Impossible." It is a fact that when the weather Is below zero, the steel of a rifle barrel burns like fire and a man firing from a prone position Is apt to freeze to the snow before he caa gather himself for the next rush- Moscow's Version Moscow had a different version of the fighting. It was not cold a'.one that caused the Nazi halt but fighting Russian soldiers and an organic defect In the work of the German command In planning the war. Sturdy determined Rus- sians are advancing ceaselessly through bitter cold against a be- wi'ulered and benumbed enemy. TU* Germans are fleeing befor* bayon*ts and hand grenades and buli*U of tbe Russian army while the artillery follows Close behind pouring shrapnel and high explos- ives into th*> hard pressed ranks. Th* German High Command speaks of "tocal actions" and "or- derly retirements" but Moscow cialas that th* r*tr*at has he> com* a rout. A Long Way T* Waterloo T The significance of ths Russia* success** does not II* in accounts of ground recaptured, says th* New York Herald Tribune. For tome tim* there have b**n hints tm Berlin quarters that rectlficatk of flie German lines would b* necessary in order to stabilise) a winter front This would probably involve withdrawals from ths s*> lent* driven north and south of Moscow and might mean extensive mor*m*nts westward along th* . : o'.e of th* northern sector. 'i -are is ao very clear natural d*> feiislv* lln* for tie Germans la that area, and ths ability to take up strong posts must depend large- ly on the skill and energy of thesr engineers. But it is clear that the R Army 1s not allowing th* Germans to complete their search for win- ter Quarters in peac*. A retreat is always a difficult operation. Military observers have been worn- derlng. sine* th* power of th* aer- man offensive was first displayed. what would happen when thu com- piez mechanism went into revere*. and it Is possible that th* Rus- sians, acting under climatic con- ditions highly favorable to them- selves, will now give a spectacular answer. The Germans are being pressed hard at very point they are suffering new losses In addi- tion to those Inflicted during th* suicidal drives on Moscow and K may weU prove that the Napoleon- ic experience will b* repeated. Let It not be forgotten, how- ever, that tt was two years from the time of Napoleon's retreat from Moscow to the Battle of Wat- erloo. The Book Shelf SARATOGA TRUNK By Edna Ferber Trunk is a novel of the 'eighties, the days of the rail- road builders. Set against a back- Krour.it of the old World rity of New OrliMiis and the New World city of Saratoga, the history of this period Is vividly presented. Into it Is woven the romance of I'llnt Mnroon and Clio Dulaine. Clio Dulnine, the dauKhter ot a New Orleans nrtstocrat and hts French mistress, grew up in Purls, her i MII:- mini] filled with tlie un Just treatment of her mother. She returned to New Orleans anil there met Clint Maroon '],<, fnther had been ruined by the railroad builders. lOat-li hud one great purpose in llto Clio to avenge the injustice to her mother - (.Mint to avenge the loss of his father's fortune. They fall In love anil set out to- gether with a definite, plan of re- venge. Launched on a romantic and re- lentless career, they leave the old cultured city of New Orleans and go north to test their wits against the pleasuro-lovln* society of fashionable Saratoga. This latest, and perhaps best, of Kilna Ferber's many outstanding novels paints a dramatic pictur* of the American way of life, and makes historical America live HRain for this generatlou. Saratoga Trunk ... by Edna Ferber . . . McClelland &. Stewart. Limited . . . Price $3.00. Roosevelt Audience President Kooscve'.t's radio ad- dress of Dec. i> on the basis of an analysis by the broadcasters, commanded the largest audience in history 90, 000, 000 persons or virtually every adult in the coun- try. REG'LAR FELLERS Just Supposin' By GENE BYRNES THCSC RAPM KZ SKATES MARKED / TH* .1 SALE HAS GOT \ ME GOING, BUT POUR 1 DOLLARS 15 A WHOLE / , IOT or MONEV i-^ I'MINANAWFUL FIX/") CAN'T MAKE UP MX AAINO.' /MOM.' WOULD .'O'J AO.iat \ > ME TO BUX A FAIR OF ) (RACINQ SKATES IF SOMEBOW ) V , SHOULD GIVE ME ^ t \. JOU* DOtLARSLx / i 9 i i *