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Week

A REVIEW OF WORLD EVENTS

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The War

‘What Are You Waiting For?

With the political deadlock in
Italy continuing, and no sign that,
Marshal Badoglio’s government in
Rome is heeding the powerful de-
mand for immediate peace from
the Italian people, the decisive
events of the week were on the
military field—the great offensive
of the Red Army, the fall of Munda
airfield in the South Pacific, and
the continued advance of Canadian,
British and American troops in
Sicily.

As we stated last week, the Red

a

Army’s capture of Orel and Bel-
gorod, the first objective of the
Soviet summer offensive, opened

the way for a speedy new drive
southward toward the Sea of Azoy.
That drive is now a week old,
gathering impetus 2very mile,
sending the desperately-fighting
Wazis reeling back at~ Bryansk,
closing in on Kharkoy and threat-
ening a great German army in the
Donets Basin with two _ alterna-
tives—encirclement or full retreat
toward the east bank of the Dnei-
per.

Meanwhile the Soviet advance
toward Bryansk continued, though
somewhat slowed by the type of
terrain encountered, and the fall
of this strong Nazi bastion, second
only in importance on the central
front to Smolensk, is almost cer-
fain. Another Soviet offensive to-
ward Vyazma, southwest of Smo-
lensk, would indicate the deyelop-
ment of a push against the latter
stronghold.

While the over-all figures for
German losses at Orel and Belgo-
rod and in the drives against Khar-
koy and Bryansk were not immedi-
ately available, it is clear that Hit-

ler is suffering one of his heavi-
est defeats.

In the face of the Red Army’s
striking power in its first summer
offensive, in which it has demon-
strated itself conclusively as the
most powerful single military force
in the world, the possibilities of
rapidly breaking the stranglehold
of Hitlerism in Europe by second
front action were now better and
more urgent than ever before.

This week it appeared that the
same sort of conclusion is being
reached by Prime Minister Chur-
chill and President Roosevelt.
When they meet in Quebec City in
another of their momentous confer-
ences, this time joined by Canada’s
Prime Minister King, there is-little
doubt that their talks will revolve
around the new possibilities for a
defeat of Hitler in 1943 brought to
the forefront by Soviet victories
against the Wehrmacht. It is pos-
sible that this will mean a recast-
ing of Allied strategy. Following
the Washington conferences early
in the summer, neither Roosevelt
or Churchill gave any indication
that they believed victory was Dos-
sible this year. That was before
the Germans were defeated in their
drive against Kursk and later
forced into general retreat.

That development has changed
the entire picture. Soviet leaders
have long pointed out that the Red
Army was ready to strike from the
East whenever the Allies indicated
their willingness to invade Europe
from the West. When Allied ten-
dency to hold back continued, and
their limited offensive in Sicily
seemed to indicate only a partial
concession to the demand for an
invasion of the continent, the Red
Army itself went on the offensive,
demonstrating its capacities in no
uncertain way.

Ti was as though Stalin had said
to Roosevelt and Churchill: “Well,
what are you waiting for?” That
they recognized the significance of
the Red Army advances is appar-
ent. What they will do about it is
another. But there seems little
doubt that their previous concep-
tions of the strength of Hitler
Europe have undergone a change.
A second front on the mainland of
Europe seems more likely now
than at any other time.

In the South Pacific the collapse
of the Japanese position at Munda
now leaves the way open for a
cleanup of the entire New Georgia
islands, the next step being the
Kolumbangara area further north.
The painful slowness of the Allied
advance in the Pacific, faced as it
is with the most stubborn resist-
ance from the Japanese, indicates
sharply, however, the need for a
thorough revision of Allied strategy
in this area, or there is danger that
the war against Japan mignt well
last until 1949, as recently predict-
ed by a high American naval of-
ficer. '

India

Laber Fights For National Unity

Pro-United Nations forces with-
in the Indian labor movement won
a victory when the All-India Trades
Union Congress held its conyven-
tion at Nagpur last May. But not
until last week did the censorship
release a dispatch written by Shar-
af Athar Ali for Allied Labor News
recounting the momentous meeting.

By a vote of 424-192 the conven-
tion adopted a resolution demand-
ing “immediate release of Mahat-
ma Gandhi and all other political
prisoners and the transfer of power
to a national government so as to
organize effective defense of the
country against the Axis,” and call-
ing upon “all patriotic parties to
accept self-determination of na-
tionalities, so that doubts and sus-
picions may be dispelled from our
brethren of the Moslem League and
the path opened for an irresistible
demand for national government.”

This resolution was adopted after
overwhelming defeat of a counter
motion urging drastic “sanctions”
against the British government if
it failed at once to grant national
government. The opposition motion,
according to Somnath Lahiri, pro-
poser of the original resolution,
“means a policy of struggle, strikes
and sabotage against the British,
disruption of national unity, and
as such plays into the hands of the
Japanese and Nazis, our deadliest
enemies.” The adopted resolution
also called upon the labor move-
ments of Britain and the United
States “to bring pressure on their
governments to secure freeedom for
India.”

(Two of Britain’s most powerful
unions, the National Union of Rail-
Waymen, with 400,000 members, and
the Transport and General Work-
ers union, with 1,250,000 members,

recently called upon the govern-
ment to grant freedom to India as
a means of strengthening the war
effort in the Far East.

“We view with concern the pres-
ent deadlock in India,’ stated the
resolution adopted by the National
Union of Railwaymen at its con-
vention in Carlisle, “and we urge
the government to open up negotia-
tions immediately with the princi-
pal national represenatives of India
with a view to establishment of
Indian national government.”

The resolution passed by the
Transport and General Workers
union at its Edinburgh convention
was along similar lines. It declared:

“Being anxious to promote the
wellbeing of the Indian people and
assist the realization of their aspir-
ations for self-government and rec-
ognizing that the fullest coopera-
tion of India is essential for defeat
of the Nazis and the Japanese, this
conference urges upon the govern-
ment the imperative necessity for
taking immediate steps toward im-
mediate resumption of free and
friendly discussions with represen-
tatives of the Indian people with a
view to reaching a rapid and sat-
isfactory seitlement of all outstand-
ing questions”).

Because of a clause in the Con-
gress’ constitution providing that
“political resolutions” shall not be
binding unless they receive 75 per-
cent of the votes, Lahiri’s resolu-
tion was not placed on the record.
In an interview after the conven-
tion, however, N. M. Joshi, who was
unanimously reelected general sec-
retary, declared that the resolu-
tion “must now be regarded as the
officially adopted policy of the All-
India Trades Union Congress.”

The same clause in the consti-

lution calling for re.
tion to meet the needs
ple and national
praising the All-India
(Peasant Union) f
production of food fer
soldiers.”

This motion was +
some minority Co
who argued that the
still the worst enemie
dian people. The sai
leaders also opposed
calling for opening ¢
front in Europe and si
of fraternal ties wi
of China and the
Despite their oppos
adopted the resolutior
ity vote. F

In his address to deli
Dange, president of {
Girni Kamgar (Red
pointed out that du
year the Congress
ership to the Indian
their struggle for:

@ Alleviation of the
cloth crisis througi

Unions Calli

With workers in the
cities of northern Italy
their struggle to force
lio regime to make pez
Allies, two of Britain’s |
unions have called for |
a second front on the
Europe as the best m-
tending full aid to them
ing the destruction of 7

“Only on the mainian §
can the enemy be purs ¥
allv destroyed,” declar j
tion adopted by the Tr §
General Workers Unio
ference in Edinburgh ©

>

last time too,

“Remember

“men’s unions?”

as we are, don’t they?”

too.

Soviet territory.”

worker.”

American Seamen

KUIBYSHEYV.

é eect three big ones are American. They were here

longshore brigade leader Vasily
Fydorov said, pointing to the convoy as it rounded the
breakwater and drifted past the lighthouse into the harbor.

‘This time they must have had an easier trip,’
of the stevedores. “I remember these very same ships in

the last convoy. They bore battle traces on their sides and
had wounded men aboard.”

“The same crew too,” said Fydorov, his eyes narrowing
as he strained to recognize the men in the nearest vessel.
that redheaded boatswain?
Johnny and Charlie. They were hurt last time, remember?
But when they set themselves a job, they sure stick to it
like all hell don’t they! By the way, did you fellows read
about the conventions of the U.S. maritime and longshore-

> said one

And _ there’s

“Tell me, Vasily,” said an elderly greyheaded stevedore,
“te]] me, what do you think about these unions? Are they
anything like ours? They seem to be after the same things

“Well,” answered Fydoroy, “our membership is bigger,
but still each of them has fifty thousand members.
no small thing, particularly when they are made up of
fighting men! And fighting men they are!
see that! A trip past U-boats and under Stuka dive bombers
is an uncomfortable business, isn’t it? Men who are willing
to do it again and again for the common cause and the
longshoremen who load the U.S. ships are just the sort of
fellows our union would be proud to have.
both unions seem to know what we Russians are up against
You must've noticed that their conventions remarked
that 80 percent of Germany’s armed forces are fighting on

That’s

Anyone can

The workers in

“Tt sure does make one feel good to know that they
called for the opening of a second front on the European
continent,” broke in the old stevedore.

“You have no doubt noticed,” continued Fydorov, “that
they have pledged not to organize strikes during the war
and to support the United States war effort, since the de-
feat of the Axis is the principal aim of every American

“What I can’t t .
deckworker, “is t :
“All I know a;
he heads the Unit
he organized a siri
means in wartime.
had continued for
leading steel mills
even some cities 1
lf that had happens
is obvious that a st
Axis and particula
‘the Nazis and fasci
into Allied war mar |
seamen and longs! |
said, trying to =
i

decisions of the cor’
“T think it was:
are equivalent to a
government and th
the Axis pOWwen
nodded. :
“Once,” said th |
like Lewis in our
“Ves,” Fydorov
“You said it!” a
see is this. Nobod)
an easy time of it
like hell and do w
our front are gettin
But we're also losir
And yet nobody am:
country, from labor
job with one aim.
out for the same t
miners, bankers ar
even dream at a i
making for unity?
some labor leaders
easily result in tht
produced. This sort
There was no 2
to be secured. T!
were soon renewins