12 | anner uae G@® Stand On International Labor Unity By GARRY ALLIGHAN LONDON. Hc praise for the efforts of the CIO to achieve real international labor unity, and a warning of the intentions of John L. Lewis, were expressed yesterday by Jack Tan- ner, president of the Amalgamated Engineering Union, on his return to this country from a six-weeks’ visit to the United “The leaders and rank-and-file of the CLO are convinced that in- ternational labor unity tia] to all-out prosecution of the war and the winning of a people's peace,’ Tanner said. “Unity is much closer today because of the CIO's action at its convention. British and Russian workers will welcome the entry of the CIO into the Anglo-Soviet trade union com- mittee.” The rank-and-file of the AFL is likewise anxious for unity, Tan- ner said, but “the AFL leaders are still antagonistic towards the So- viet trade unions, since they do not regard thet as free agents.” This attitude, Tanner pointed out, is holding up unity not only be tween American and MRussian workers, but also between Ameri- ean and British workers.” is essen- The success of the allied offens- ive in North Africa, Tanner stated, would certainly have the same stimulatin® effect on production in America as it is having in Bri- tain. “During my tour of American industrial centers,” he said, “I found that the offensive spirit of the workers was rapidly rising, but the delay in opening a second front was retarding production. This will now be changed, but it is up to us to see that the African offensive is carried through into a second front in Europe which will smash Hitler completely.” WA signed article in the latest issue of Reynold News, labor's Sunday newspaper, Tanner directs further criticism at the AFL for opposing all-inclusive Jabor unity. “The AFL convention had many splendid positive aspects,” he writes, describing his impressions as fraternal delegate from the British TUC, “but it failed to take a positive stand on the important issue of international labor unity- “For political reasons, this issue is of decisive importance to the American people. Direct affilia- tion of American labor organiza- tions, CIO and Railroad Brother- hoods as well as AFL, with United Nations trade unions will help to smash through the cordon of iso- lationist-appeasers, both within and outside labor's ranks, who at present are retarding President Roosevelt’s efforts to achieve 2 total American war effort. In reit- to have no erating its decision 1 direct contact with the Soviet trade unions, the AFL got the approval of these Munich elements in America’s national life.” Stressing the importance of trade unions in America’s war ef- fort, Tanner writes: “The workers are toiling hardest and most effi- ciently in organized plants, par- ticularly in those organized by such unions as the United Blectri- cal, Radio and Machine Workers (CIO), the United Automobile Workers (CIO), the International Association of Machinists (AFL), and the United Steel workers (CIO). The unions in these plants bring home to the workers with striking force the meaning of the war. They have initiated labor- management committees which have had a beneficial effect in increasing output. “Conversely, in unorganized plants the workers are inclined to lethargy, distribution of materials is less efficiently handled, and labor-management relations are not always of the best. States and Canada. cedure followed by stroy Hitlerism. Labor In Uruguay | Greets Offensive The General Labor Union (UGT), Uruguay’s powerful trade union organization, has issued a statement welcom- ing “the military activity displayed by the United Na- tions on the African front as indicating that the demo- cratic forces are passing over to the offensive and creat- ing certain conditions for opening of the second front.” The statement declares that the UGT: @ Energetically protests the new crime perpetrated by Hitler’s hordes in invading unoccupied France, an unjustified act that once more reveals the pro- the Germans who, having signed an armistice, now violate it. The UGT greets the French workers and people and assures them that the democracies’ final victory will open wide the road of liberation for France. Enthusiastically greets the military activity dis- played by the United Nations on the African front as indicating that the democratic forces are passing over to the offensive and creating certain conditions for opening of the second front. Expresses to the government of the United States the sentiments of the organized workers of Uru- guay in hoping that the Spanish anti-fascist fighters will be freed from prison camps in North Africa to which fascism has confined them. Stands for unity on the basis of a positive under- standing between people and government in order to destroy the influence over unity of the Americas exercised through government leaders in certain countries, such as Paraguay, and by “nationalist groups’ —in reality by nests of Gestapo agents. Stands opposed to whatever weakens unity and is diversionist and for all measures that strengthen unity and accelerate national progress, which will help to launch the offensive that will finally de- MONTEVIDEO. Italy Seen As Theatre Of War! By J. VIKTOROV | eee was never one of the successful propk fs, When the United States entered the war, the Duce disdainfully, “The intervention of America will not bring : | tory to England and her allies. . . . As regards the Un tq States, it will lead to profound internal upheavals there. . | Today the Duce has chosen to keep his own counsel, but his radio observer, Marcus Appelius, burst forth in a deluge of words. “In view of the invasion by Am- erican troops of French posses- sions in North Africa, and the or- Ganization of resistance by the Axis in south Europe we are fac- ing the danger of a fire in our own home, in Italy.” This is a brief but quite expres- sive estimate of the situation, which means that the war has come close to Italy and the acute problems of Italy’s military weak- ness and the unstable rear of the fascist regime have become most urgent. Italy has a small number of troops at home and as regards her troops in Africa, the majority of them will not return, for they have either been killed or -taken prisoner, while the fleeing rem- nants have hardly any fighting capacity left. Moreover, troops are also needed in Africa and Mussolini is hardly able to with- draw any from there. But this is not all. “The or- ganization of resistance in south- ern Europe’ implies certain mili- tary undertakings in Italy proper and consequently the tightening of the rule of the MHitlerites, which is already a sore in the eyes of the Italian people. = c e e ARGUS APPELIUS was right when he said that Italy's hour of serious trials has come. The events in Africa—the offen- sive of the British BHighth Army. and the advance of the Anglo-Am- erican troops in the west of North Africa—have sharply changed the whole strategic situation in the Mediterranean. Events have taken such a turn as to bring Italy within the immediate zone of mili- tary operations. = cur Lansley ald neat Pirate ti eens MOSCOW | The main blows of the 4 i armies are now directed tow the capture of the most | portant support points in the © tral Mediterranean, in as muc # the principal bases in the we: and eastern Mediterranean already in their hands. In : all of these bases pass over the hands of the Allies, Italy — be placed in quite a diff J Situation. ' All this shows that Italy her possessions are fully exp ~ to Allied blows from the air may also be exposed to blows i | the naval and other armed fc of the Allies. Italy is by no m | prepared to cope with suc situation. The country is rui- the people are starving and ~~ weary. It is common knowl ff that there is serious opposi among the officers as well as petty and middle bourgeoisie. e e e HE African campaign shown Rommel’s “care” the Italian troops. Moreover, H mel’s difficult situation and brililant landing of the Amer troops have exposed the j nature of Hitler's boastful a: tions that the German arm” capable of coping with any si tion. H The people in italy ask mn and more frequently what is result of Mussolini’s policy 6b, on alliance with Hitler's many? Italy has lost all her sessions in Africa and her it ence in the Balkans, and has come completely dependent Germany. Italy is about to come a theater of war. The events in the Mediterrar are only developing. The =n battles are still ahead. But thing is indisputable. Ser blows have been struck at | Axis. Noted Correspondent Tells Of Fighting On Eastern Front i Underground Repair Shops, Post Oftice By BORIS YAMPOLSKY ON THE SOVIET FRONT. f HE battle orders ring through the night air at this desolate height on the front lines. Artil- lery men leap from their trenches and soon columns of black smoke and earth mark the explosions at the German lines. Wo sooner did the first gun was a Fokke Wolff plane. The machine artillery. A dispatch rider jumped from the enemy plane. The truck drivers also join in the firing against the German machines. Even the cook, who is glad of this opportunity to take part in actual fighting, picks up his rifle and joins the group. The sappers and signalmen, the sen- try at headquarters and the men building a road, all of them take up their guns and aim at the Fokke Wolff. The German mach- ine disappears only to give way to Heinkel bombers, which drop their bombs with a shrill, whist- ling sound, Trench digging under fire is difficult, but the German land torpedoes ploughed up such crat- ers that they comfortably housed the headquarters and the staff. Observation posts are housed in craters; so are radio stations, mu- nition dumps and gun positions. Cc at night the whole city lives underground. It stretches for many miles through forest and swamp, with its underground repair shops and garages. A print- ing press has been installed in what was once a bear's den. The post office still works in the open air, and every once in a while a shell fragment cuts a hole in a stack of letters, leaving its im- print of the war. IT visited the underground bath- house, where the men came direct- ly from firing positions, Next to it was a barber shop and seldom have I seen a barber so quick and dexterous. Wo one sleeps at night and the roads leading to the front lines are the scene of busy traffic. A kitchen detachment makes its fire when flashes of light appeared in all directions. Above guns were in action, supplementing the fire of the his horse, and using his rifle helped to bring down way along a dark road, carrying thermos flasks with hot cocoa for the tankmen. TS German positions are quiet, with a sinister quiet. But sud- denly the hissing of mortar shells breaks through the stillness of the night and is followed by a verit- able storm of German artillery. Munition carriers move about noiselessly, never stopping for a moment, for they can tell by the sound of the. shells where the danger lies. The soldiers are accustomed to these dangerous nights and are experts at leaping into craters for shelter. ‘The mortars shift their fire to new sectors and the men leave their craters to move ahead from tree stump to tree stump, at times crawling and at times d ing forward. e e e EBANWHILE the munit carriers move deeper into night, through the raging - through burning bushes until 3 reach the field. The field to lit up with German flare roc! and our men crawl from tre to trench, at times up to t necks in water. Tracer bullets over their heads, The Red Ar men pause fo fire and continue their way. Everywhere the men are al even those who are asleep or duty grip a rifle or grenade their hand. A constant stream men crawls to and from the fr line under the shells and Gern flare rockets. These only cease @ moment and then things se dull and dark. But the Red Arr men continue on their way to front lines with bullets of sz ers rending the air around th Some fall and others go over determine whether they are kil or wounded. The wounded 2 are quickly bandaged and hid in craters. The men on their v back from the ffont lines > pick them up and carry them the nearest dressing station.