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VOICE OF THE PRESS CHOICE IN SLAVERY Deploring the strikes and slow- downs in war industry, an Amer- ican workman, writing to the Buf- falo News, says: "I would rather slave for my country than become a slave to the conqueror." He ha* aid something there that all free people might well take to heart. No one has better expressed the will to victory that should prevail on the home fronts of all the de- mocracies. Hamilton Spectator. o NO NEED TO WORRY Under a War Production Board ruling at Washington, cellophane may no longer be used for window envelopes the kind that invoice* and bills come in. Hut we can assure the people of the United States that there is no cause to either worry or rejoice. Celloiluinc or no cellophane, the bills will slill come in. Huron Expositor, Seaforth. THE USE OF TIRES An advertisement in th.ii paper today .--hows that the percentage of wear on motor tires has a vari- ation, dependent upon how they are used, from 12 to 38 per cent. The motorist who strives for 12 per cent, will be riding when the fellow who hits the 38 per cent, will be walking. St. Catharines Standard. ANOTHER PROBLEM It is obvious that, eventually, the ban on tires will put an end to motoring. And the return of the li.-aml-b. era may not b a* carefree as some people think. What are we going to do, for in- stance, if the steel controller sajrs Dobbin can't have another set of shoes? Ottawa Citizen. o BAD TIMES AHEAD Bad times for the young also lie ahead. On a tandem bicycle a pirl rides a yard or so in front of her male escort, and experi- ments show that from that posi- tion it is practically impossible te get her head on h's shoulder. Sudbury Star. HEROES OF THE SEA Who is a greater hero than the man In the engine room, or for that matter, on the deck of ft tanker carrying a hundred thous- and barrels of gasoline and ott through a submarine-Infested seaT Saturday Evening Post. LOVE 'EM TO DEATH The Japanese maintain that the Allies are waging a war of hate. Whereas the Japs just want t* love everybody to death. Peterborough Examiner. o PASTORAL WISDOM A collar button has been found IM the atomach of a late Okla- homa cow. It affirms the wisdom, we suppose, of not lotting cattle graze under the dresier. Stratford Reacon-Harald. o A WARNING "It's a great life If your tire* don't weaken. Watch your tread, brother! St. Thomas Times-Journal. o IGNORANCE 19 BLISS Iti a good thing hens don't know how much masons get for laying bricks. Kitchener Record. Output In Britain Raised 40 Per Cent Mr. Itulph Assheton, Parliamen- tary Secretary to the Minister of Supply, said that war production figures had increased more than 40 per cent since last .September, but the Ministry of Supply "al- ready gee* a way to go far beyond this." "The fiovcrnmont will not be satisfied with anything less than the very greatest volume of pro- duction of which we are capable," he told the Commons. He said the period of great physical expansion was past it* peak and that "our tank is to make the fullest possible use of our capacity." More than 1,000,000 persons are working for the Ministry of Supply in the niiinufacture of en- gines ulonc, he said. In moro than 4(1 ordnance, fac- tories, 800,000 workers are em- ployed while 20,000 nre employed in smaller factories. The vust majority of the work- ers of every rlan, he said, are "doing their Job magnificently." Personal Delivery Tony Amurai, -7, of I'uMon, decided lie would rather deliver, than manufacture bullets, so he rsiigne.d his Job in an ammuni- tion factory and joined the navy. "While I wa* making bullets," he said. "I got the feeling I want- ed in deliver them to the .laps and Hiiiia." CEYLON WHERE JAPANESE "SURPRISE" BACKFIRED Great swarms of Japanese planes attempted to attack Colombo, capital and main seaport of Ceylon. Its important harbor is shown above. Jap raid wa s smashed when British defenders shot down at least 82 planes and riddled 26 more. The Japanes e, apparently thinking they could catch the defenders napping, killed a "few-citizens" with bombs but met with "utter failure" from a military point of view, spokesmen said. Ceylon, famous for its tea, is only 60 miles south of India and could serve as a spring- board for a United Nations' offensive against the en emy or be used by the Japanese to invade India and cut off supplies to China and Russia. Use Elephants To Haul War Material First Shipments Reach Chins By Substitute Burma Road Carried part way on the backs of elephants which lurched through dense jungle, war mater- ials have started to reach Chins by one of the two new supply routes from India replacing the railway from Rangoon to ths Burma road. The first shipments along the "jungle trail" were hauled over the mountains from India to Burma and carried by boats be- fore they reached the head of the Burma roed at Lashio, from where Chinese trucks speeded them into Yunnan Province. British and Chinese engineers are rushing construction of a highway to permit through truck hauls from India that would elim- inate the many transfers now necessary. Officials here expect them to finish In several months work which normally would take several years. Simultaneously, Chinese engin- eers are building a second high way aero** the mountain* of Northeast India, part of ths mighty Himalayas They face tre- mendous engineering problems that will delay use of this route longer than use of the other high- way. The newspaper T Kung Pao reported from Kumraing, capital of Yunnan Province, that the pro- vincial government 1* mustering huge groups of laborers to work on the road* and will send them cross Burma to India. Chinese official* are confident that the new roads are far enough north of the war zone in South and Central Burma to be protect- ed indefinitely from the Japanese. One-Third of India Ruled By Princes Whole Of India Does Not Belong To Great Britain It is generally thought in the West, even in England, that the whole of India "belongs to Eng- land," says the Christian Science Monitor. The fact is that nearly one-third of India, including a quarter of the population, has never strictly speaking "belonged to Britain." Nor has it been ruled or ad- ministered by the British Govern- ment Its people owe allegiance not to the King-Emperor, but to their own ruler*. They are not subjects of King George VI. The rulers of Indian states are sometimes incorrectly described as "under the thumb of a British Resident". Except in the case of a weak or youthful prince, the Resident confine* himself to hit prescribed duties The relations between the state* and the British Government are based upon distinct and varying treaties. Ths substance of these, at least in the case of the more important states, li that intern- ally the prince* art independent and sovereign rulers but their external policy i* vested by agree- ment in tht British Government. Princes Guard Right* Most of the princes are very jealous of their rights. They founded ths Chamber of Prinees specifically to safeguard their powers and prerogatives. LIFE'S LIKE THAT By Fred Neher "It'i tome rmli.. survey. . . . They want to know whit we're Utninf to!" The rule of an Indian prince is often condemned because it is autocratic. Yet in India, in- dividual rulership is still the type of government that in many ways best suits the mental, moral and religious condition of India. Men, as distinct from ideas and ideals, are still paramount to the major- ity. Mohandas K. Gandhi means more to the masses than home rule The ruler of an Indian state, though autocratic, is rarely a ty- rant. Kingshi in India is hedged with restraints or tradition and religion perhaps more binding than those of some constitutional monarchies. A ruler might be incapable or a scoundrel, but sooner or later the consequence* of his misdeeds will be visited upon him or upon his successors. Rulers of the major Indian states rarely do anything definitely dis- pleasing to their subjects. They are more inclined to wish to keep them contented. Some of them have made conspicuous efforts to improve the condition* of their people. Those that have been loath to give their subject* democratic institutions can usu- ally say there it no real demand for them. The average Indian in the states prefers s "respon- sive" to a "responsible" govern- ment. Backward Section There are many backward areas in India's six hundred or to states. Quite A number are> mere estates and are probably on their way out. There are some so poverty- stricken that it would seem more merciful to find these princes other jobs. Hut the major states, such a* Mysore, Travancore, Kashmir, Ba- roda, Hyderabad are on the whole forces for good. They make their contribution to the well-being of India. If India cannot be a uni- tary country like England, it can certainly be a union. Some of the princes have been less than adequate, but the ma- pority have been men of culture and wisdom. The late Maharaja of Baroda was a thinker and a scholar of no mean repute; and the Jam of Nawanag-ar, of cricket fame, held a high reputation as a statesman at Geneva. The Nizam of Hyderabad is a genuine statesman, perhaps the shrewdest to be found in all In- dia. He has done a lot for his state. The foundation of the Osmania University whore Hindustani is the chief meduim of instruction will do much to unite the various castes and creeds in the state. Even the leftist Congress Party has to admit that the rulers of Mysore and of Travancore are men of breadth and vision. Church Plays Part For the first time since the Middle Ages, Salisbury Cathedral was used for a secular purpose when a Ministry of Information meeting was held 'here. The dean said ha felt the church "must piny its part in this war". The average length of a sugar stulk is twelve feet. THE WAR - WEEK Commentary on Current Events Japanese At The Gates Of India Aid To Russia Must Be Maintained Sir Stafford Cripp*, in the fol- lowing words, outlined the new goal (or India: 'The object Is the creation of a new Indian union which shall constitute a dominion associat- ed with the United Kingdom and other dominions by a com- mon allegiance to the Crown but equal to them in erery re- spect, in no way subordinate in any aspect of its domestic and external affairs." In this plan is foreseen full in- dependence for India after the war. Great Britain has offered to India: (1) the basis of a consti- tution upon which all groups in India may find agreement; (2) Bri- tish defense of India from Japan and Germany while details ot the constitution are being worked out. India Divided The plan went far toward meet- ing the demands ot the Indian leaders, says the New York Times. It was backed by the public opinion of the United Nations which fur- ther guaranteed its sincerity. Sir Stafford was known to be India's friend, who had fought long for the subcontinent's independence. But there remained many difficul- ties. India was racially and relig- iously divided; her masses were traditionally suspicious ot British rule. Over four centuries of Euro- pean exploitation, two centuries of domination by the British cried silently to Indian leaders and the people. In more than 2,000 years of their history the people of India had seen the rUe and fall of many dynasties, had felt repeated waves of immigration and invasion. Budd- hist, Hindu, Moslem and numer- ous other faiths had formed their religious creeds. Strict systems of caste divided the people; the suc- cessions of conquest by native princes left deep-seated animosi- ties in the masses. Many Difficulties The plan proposed by Sir Staf- ford Cripps in New Delhi was Bri- tain's answer to the tide of nationalism which grew in India under the Empire's rule. Sir Stafford's plan met with no Immediate acceptance by the Indian leaders. The principal objection ap- peared to be Britain's retention of the responsibility for India's de- fense; It was contended by the country's leaders that this duty should be in India's hands. On other point* the parties differed widely: the Hindu majority de- manded Immediate self-govern- ment; the Moslems, comprising one-fourth of the subcontinent's population, feared Hindu domin- ation In a self-ruled dominion. Other minorities turned down the plan. For example, the Sikhs, who make the greatest contribution to Britain's Indian armies, voiced the fear that they would be oppressed by the Moslem majority of 13,500,- 004 in their native Punjabs Hopes For Compromise To solv these difficulties If a solution wore possible Sir Staf- ford held repeated conference* with Indian leaders, and Sir Archi- bald Wavell. It was hoped that a compromise solution of the defense problem might be evolved. The possibility that President Roose- velt might lend his efforts to pres for settlement was also discussed In diplomatic circles. The outlook for India was dark if Sir Stafford failed in his mission. Although Japan had sounded the cry of "IriHa for the Indians" there seemed little doobt that Japanese conquest of the country would meaa another lengthy period of sob- jugation. If Britain's plan were re- jected Internal dissension might make India an easy prey for th*> invader. India Is Attacked Tne Imminence of the danger was clearly evident In the advance of Japanese troops on the Burma front aud a strong naval and air attack on the Island of Ceylon. The attack in Ceylon was repulsed with heavy losses to the Japanese but had it succeeded the Allied Ilnee of communication to Calcutta would have been severed. Later the Japanese made an attack on the East coast ot India 600 mile* north of Ceylon. The Indian leaders appear to hare been stirred by the instinct* of self-preservation aud have ap- pealed to the United States to induce Britain to yield more ground on the qu.stiou of control of India's defense. Britain is making an honest ef- fort to give India a fair deal. There would be no difficulty over the> problem if the people were united. But India is not one country; it Is many countries, each of which seoks it own advantage. The prob- lem is grave and time presses the enemy la already at the gates of India, Russia And Japan Military experts in London con- sider it wholly improbable that Japan will sit still while Russia j heavily engaged in the West. A collision between Russia and Japan appears to be inevitable. The Japanese are ready to strike. They have probably not used more than 500,000 of their 4 to 5 million troopa in their South Pacific oper- ations and few of these have been of their beat. Their finest soldiers, it la believed, are mobilised la Manchukuo and are ready for an attack on Vladivostok, one ot tae most powerful fortifications In the world. Aid To Russia The Japanese force* In Man- ohukuo are probably greater and better equipped than the Russiaa Siberian army. Russia has been forced to transfer some troop* and material from the Siberian front for us* In the winter campaign against Hitler. It 1* clear, there- fore, that aid to Russia is ot para- mount importance. Outstanding military experts believe that the war can be won on the two Russian fronU; one would afford a base whence Berlin could be bombed; the other similar ba*e for the bombing of Tokyo. Can ths United Nations, espec- ially the United States, deliver sufficient supplies to Russia on two fronts, by way of the Pacific and Atlantic, while they are at the same time making deliveries through Persia and in the Middle East, as well a* to Australia and India? On the auswer to this quee- tlon everything may ilepend. Overtime Work Here Headache To Hitler Giving up rest periods of thirty minutes during which they usually smoke, one hundred workers on the midnight shift at Plant No. 7 of the Bohn Aluminum & Brass Corporation, Detroit, speeded up shell production as a tribute to General MacArthur and worked eight HIM a half hours instead of eight. After finishing their work, the men collected money ami sent a telegram to MacArthur telling of their contribution. "We pledge ourselves behind you and swear that shoulder-to- shoulder, the forces of democracy will be victorious," their telegram informed MacArthur. The men will continue over- production whenaver they can, Kdward Krizuk, U.A.W. - C.l.O. shop steward, said. The swastika is generally in- terpreted as a symbol of the sun. Canny Scot Gets Some Easy Money During the victorious march against the Italians in Libya, the commanding officer of a Scottish unit was concerned because his men were not capturing as many Italians as the Australians. Ap- pealing to' uphold the honor of Scotland, he offered a reward of 2s 6d a hundred for all the pris- oners brought in. N'ext morning, one of the Scot- ties ptvsi'nU'il himself with eight hundred 'prisoners, and, surprised, and delighted the colonel paid i'l. As the man was leaving, the colonel asked him how he had managed t capture, single-hand' <xi, N90 Italians. "I didn't," replied the Scottie. "1 bought them from an Aussie at a bob a hundred." The scientific name for the mocking bird, iniuius polyglottos, means many-tongued mimic. REG'LAR FELLERSA Bad Break By GENE BYRNES >00 BAD, PIUHEAD.' THIS GAME 1% TOO STEEP FOR VOU WELL, I GUESS I'M) OUTA LUCK' NOT A MARBLE ANYWHERE/ AN* I'M BUSTED.' r NO, MA'AM. MIS' DUFFY - AH DIDN* SEE THEM ANYWHERE WHEN AH SET DAT TABLE .' WAS IT A LARGE BOTTLE? /OKAY-SHOOT FAST/ V I M/ANNA GET HOME / WITH THESE OLIVES TIME FOR SUPPER '