The Times Leader from Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania • Page 1

i i I nx WEATHER FORECAST EASTERN PENNSYLVANIA: Thursday's weather will be mostly cloudy with mfld temperature. IfetUkt Detail Om IaH tf Thd Housa of Values. That what lots of people call the want ad section. Dial 2-2 1 2 1 and ask for Betty Brown. xi III i IK i wilkes-barre; Thursday morning, January 4, 1945 is pages He Fmm.

Two Mew Aw DeaE MEMBERS OF 7927 CONGRESS IN FIRST SESSION llll imi lV III! i if Ji'' If I 1 i U. S. 1st Joins 3rd in Attack oil 3 German Armies 4 XV Battle of Belman Bulge Believed Near ing Showdown; 7th Army Retreats From Bridgeheads Along Rhine By AUSTIN BEALMEAB Paris, Thursday, Jan. 4 UP) The battle of the Belgian bulge neared the showdown stage today, with the American First and Third Armies hammering heavily from (-two directions against elements of three German armies which have had 11 of their divfr sions chewed to pieces since taking the offensive Dec 16. The southern side of the shrinking German salient had been dented more than eight miles by the Third Army.

Location and depth of the First Army thrust into the northern flank were not disclosed at Supreme Allied Headquarters, which announced only that the First Army had gone over to the attack. Members of the House of Representatives assemble opening session of the Seventy-Ninth Congress. (AP wirephoto). in the. House chamber in the nation's capitol for the This picture was made during the opening prayer.

DAILY FOUNDED 1873. WEEKLY FOUNDED 1832. 7th Congress Convenes Amid War Warnings 'War Isn't Over by Long Shot', Assert Majoiv ity Leader Berkley RAYBUIW WINS 4TH TERM AS SPEAKER Free Government Fighting For Survival in World, Texan Declares Washington, Jan. 3 The 79th Congress, which many had 4 I A ici rucu lite Uligt cajs uiav nuum make the peace, convened today amid warnings the war "isn't over by a long shot" At high noon, Senate and House came to order and inducted newly-elected members with simple ceremonies. Senator Barkley of Kentucky, Majority Leader, sounded the keynote when he said: "I -think events military and political have made the Congress and the country more conscious of the fact that the war isn't over by a long shot." Fervent prayer that this may be a Congress of high destiny opened both branches with of the seats taken in the chambers and ine galleries pacKea wiiu visuurs.

The chaplain intoned the words in the Senate: the entire membership ol the House said the Lord's Prayer. -0 In .48 minutes the Senate Quit until Kntiirriflv when President Roosevelt submits his message on me state or ine union ana ms immediate program. In the House, Speaker Rayburn (D-Tex), elected to his fourth "term, appealed for unity, assert-1 Ine "we are being tested whether i free government will live on this "I-shall hate '-and despise those people here and there wno ao anything to thwart the efforts to bring about an ordered world and a lasting peace," he said as the members applauded. "If it takes force to preserve the peace I'm with the other Democracies of the world to use all the force necessary to bring about an ordered world." From Minority Leader Martin of Massachusetts came assurance that both sides are "inspired in their work by a genuine desire for that which will make for a better America and a better world." Nontheless, Martin said, the Re publicans will "protect me iree-doms and the rights of the people and effectively establish a proper check on the majority." A surprise marked the House proceedings when the members voted, after a sharp debate not only to continue the Committee on UnAmerican Activities but to make it a permanent part of the House setup. The vote was 207 to More familiarly known as the Dies Committee, the group spent six years on its various inquiries.

It was supposed to be dead when Chairman Dies (D-Tex) declined to run and three other members of the committee were But today Rep. Rankin' (D-Miss) proposed to continue it as a permanent committee "this is no time to relax our vigilance." Rep. Cochran (D-Mo) protested that this "one-man committee" had come In conflict with the Army, Navy and FBI and should not be 1 (Sea HOUSE BACKS aa-Far Treasury Balance Washington, 3 VP). The position of the Treasury January 1: Receipts, expenditures. net balance, working-balance Included, custom receipts for month, $1,210,467.93.

Where To Find It Qmrni Carrier Fliers Raid Formosa, Ryukyus Island Daring Foray Made 3 Daya After Sortie by Philippines. Based Planes SIMILAR RAID WAS MADE IN OCTOBER Hundreds of Dive Bombers Believed to Have Been In Nimitz's Sweep By MORRIE LANDSBERG U. S. Pacific Fleet Headquarters, Pearl Harbor, Jan. 3 (jP Carrier aircraft of the U.

S. Pacific Fleet hit Formosa and Okinawa Islands, the latter in the Ryukyus, Tuesday, the Navy announced today, in a daring foray three days after Philippine based aircraft blasted jaanese sninmnff east or ormosa. i There were no details of the carrier sweeps, the first since, last October on Formosa and Okinawa, indicating the action may be a continuing one. (George roister, NBC cor respondent in a broadcast from Pearl Harbor, said the strike presumably employed hundreds of dive bombers, fighter bombers and fighters as they did In strikes at Formosa last October aimed at severing the aerial ferry of enemy pianes to tne The communique from Adm. Chester W.

Nimitz merely said; "Carrier based aircraft of U. Pacific Fleet struck enemy instal lations on Formosa and Okinawa Jlma Jan. 2. Details of the strike are not yet available." There was no indication here whether' the naval air strike was coordinated with blows by the Philippine based planes of Gen. Douglas MacArthur's command.

MacArthur announced yesterday that his northern air patrols had attacked enemy shipping near Formosa Sunday (Philippine Time). The in aval sweep over ormosa and Okinawa came three days later (Philippine Time). First Bald In October Okinawa, at the gateway to Japan, was first raided by a fast U. S. carrier force last Oct.

9 in a series of blows that spread throughout the Ryukyu archipelago. The Ryukyus are a cluster of small islands onlv 160 miles from Formosa and 800 south of Tokyo. Two davs after the September raid carrier planes began a devas tating assault on Formosa to prepare the way for General Douglas MacArthur's landing oh Leyte by cracking down on Nipponese stag ing oases between Japan and the Philippines. The eommunlmie also told of the 26th straight daily raid on Iwo Jlma, in the Volcano Islands, and tne air bombardment of Okimura, a town on Haha Jima in the Bonin Islands north of the Volcano. The destruction of an enemy recon- (Si NEW PACIFIC ra Pnc I) I I Deferments of Young Farm Workers Will Be Reviewed Men 18 to 25 Not Previously Rejected to Undergo PreJnduitioh Examinations Landings Made Nip Ships Sunk Mac Fliers Range Full Length of Luzon In Heavy Strikes By JAMES HUTCHESON General MacArthur's Head- Quarters, Philippines, Thursday, an.

4 (JP) American forces putting increasing pressure on the Northern Philippines sank or set afire 25 Japanese ships along, the west coast of Luzon New Year's Day while Yank troops made two additional unopposed landings on the east and west coasts of Mindoro Island. The heavy blows against enemy shipping ranged virtually the full length of Luzon. Gen. Douglas MacArthur's Headquarters announced Liberator heavy bombers destroyed a wharf at Vigan, north of Lingayan Gulf, and damaged a freighter In attacks New Year's Eve and early next morning. Another Liberator left a transport sinking Monday night and the same night A-20 attack bombers and fighters sank or damaged 21 smaller freighters In the Palauig Bay area, midway between Bataan and Lingayen.

Two large trawlers were listed as other victims. The two additional landings on Mindoro were officially described as "shore to shore operators." Amphibious forces landed on the west coast at dawn Tuesday, north of where a strong American force established a beachhead for air bases two weeks aeo. The landing on the east coast the first one there was made at aawn Monday. The landings were made with out the usual heavy Naval gunfire support but no details were released as to the exact location of the beaches. Allied fighters downed eight enemy planes over Mindoro two nights previously.

Joint Marine-Army Attack A strong force of Marine Cor sairs and Mitchell medium bombers ran riot over southwest Luzon again Tuesday. The Mitchells hit Batangas. The Corsalres reported Washington. Jan. 3 WH--Local draft boards wer instructed formally tonight to review the deferments of all farm workers THREE CENTS BT THE COPT.

WEXKL7, 18a The Germans were reinforcing- heavily around Houffalize, nin miles north of Bastogne and five miles beyond Bourcy, deepest announced point of Yank penetration into the bulge. Associated Press) Correspondent Roger Green radioed from the front. It was officially estimated today that Field Marshal Rundstedt lost 20,000 men captured and 400 tanks destroyed by ground forces alone in the first 16 days of his spec tacular drive to the west, and that In addition six Nazi armored divisions and five infantry division were severely cut up by the fighting Americans. Unofficial estimates In the field put the enemy's total casualties la ths offensive at 60, 000. Evidently most oi these casual ties were inflicted by the U.

S. Third Army, which a field dispatch estimated naa aestroyea tne equivalent of five Nazi divisions since) entering the battle December 20. From 8,000 to 9,000 men were In each enemy division. The Third had taken 7,825 prisoners. The official estimate, desert bed as conservative, took into account the enemy's losses only through December 31 in the battle ot the bulge.

Patton's multi-headed armored offensive had exacted an additional heavy toll In the past three days, during which the Germans had been knocked from more than a dozen towns in the Bastognst area. Claim 50,000 Tanka Lost 7 Wednesday's German High Command communique claimed that total American, casualties since the Nazi offensive began December 16 far exceeded 50,000, In cluding more than 24.000 captured. It said eight Third Army divisions were hitting with everything they had in the Bastogne area.) Associated Press correspondent Hal Boyle said It was unofficially estimated the enemy had suffered 60,000 casualties in the -great Hitler-planned offensive, and he reported that the German supply problem within the salient was becoming serious. Nazi prisoners said they had been short ot food tot There was- no dear indication of the Germans' plans. The terrain east of Bastogne is favorable for defense, and Ft was thought pos sible the Nazis might try to establish a line running northwestward from the American-held traffic hub and fall back slowly to their Siegfried Line defenses 15 to 20 miles to the east.

Nazi Losses Terrlfle Counter-attacking Yank troops regained some lost German prisoners said the terrific American air and artillery pounding of the past three days had Inflicted 50 per cent casualties on some attacking units. Bad weather closed in today and gave the enemy respite from the aerial battering. (The Army Air Forces at Washington reported that Allied planes destroyed 823 German craft from the opening of the enemy counter-offensive Dec. 16 to Jan. In ad- dition, .73 German planes were listed as probably destroyed and 250 damaged.

American air losses for the same period were 331 planes, including 208- fighters, seven medium and light bombers and 116 heavy bombers.) tast of Bitche American troons had been pulled back from their footholds In the German Palatinate from the Rhine to WIssemboure Gap. and had established on- a line south of the Lauter River, which forms the German-French boundary in that sector. The withdrawing Yanks blew all bridges behind them. 1 1 It was clear, said a front dis patch, that the Germans have not yet struck with all-out forces eti the southern front which thev might yet do either in an eftoft to reoccupy Alsace or to preven any Seventh Army troops from going to the aid of Allied forces In the north. Rhine Bridgeheads Lost It was disclosed also that Ameri can troops had withdrawn from seven-mile strip of Ormvi 1 on the Third Army front Sarreguemines, after be ins: lected to steady enemy piv-Thus, except for a lavi bridgehead at Saarlautern, Ar can troops now pnjiwert to no important foolimli en soil on the long stretch 'I (Se OFFENSIVE I in the 18 to 25 age brackets.

Those not previously rejected for physical defects are to undergo pre-lnductlon physical examinations as soon as machinery will permit. These directions went out from Selective Service to implement the campaign of War Mobuizer James F. Byrnes for more manpower in uniform. Despite these measures there was doubt whether many of these young farm workers could legally be deprived of their deferred status. In this class' are an estimated 364,000 men heretofore- classed by local draft boards, acting under provisions of draft legislation, as ''opponti 1 wni.1r.ra In tka nivHtln- tion of food and farm products.

No official estimate was available as to the number of deferred men likely to be drafted as a result of today's action. Inasmuch as deferment standards are unchanged and. lists of deferred, workers have been, combed time' and again for draf table men. the opinion prevailed in farm circles that a small percentage of the affected workers would be drafted. Brynes' request was under authorization of President Roosevelt, in a letter to Selective Service Director Lewis B.

Hershey. "The Army and Navy believe it essential to the effective prosecution of the war," Byrnes said, "to The third Army, however, nasi smashed into Bourcy, five and one- haU jTZ the field that the Germans were hfv reinforcing their mauled rtttrieirhna faAlnff that Tlnnlr Frontline correspondents esti mated that the Germans still had about 20 divisions, half of them Panzers, in the bulge; official sources said that eight divisions were facing the Third Army on 25 to 30 miles of the bulge's southern flank from a point east of St Hubert to north of Wiltz. At least half of these were Panzers, with the bulk of the better German troops centered around Bastogne, But while two American armies hammered at the Nazis in Belgium and Luxembourg, the Germans stepped up their pressure against American forces along the Franco- uerman border in Alsace and Lor raine. Yanks Yield Reich Soil The Germans forced the Amer icans to pull back as much as five miles in some places and to yield some footholds on German soil. Deepest German penetration was in an area southeast of Bitche.

where the enemy now has beat back five miles over a five-mile front, overrunning Bannstein and nearing Reipertswlller, five miles to tne southwest, as well as Meis- enthal. seven miles southwest of Bitchek The Americans repulsed a company-size aiiacx near iweisen- tnai. On the east flank of this salient the Yanks lashed out themselves. gaining some ground north of PhlliDDSbourtr. Which the Hermans immediately placed under artillery lire.

The Americans were also strik ing back on the west bank of Saar west of Volklingen, and in the forest of Brlesbrucken. but lost some ground in seesaw fighting were alter once clearing that wooded area. It was disclosed at Supreme Headquarters that the Americans forced to give up a three by five-mile strip of German soil northeast of Sarreguemines by enemy forces that crossed the Biles River and captured Bliesbruck. The Germans counterattacked also in the Sigolsheim area north. west of Colmar, but French forces peat oir the attack, then made a sngnt advance in the same area.

Heavy Bomb Load HAUGLAND Guam Jan. 3 UP) America's homeland, rip si cm oH in imnoir nut island. eventually will be on all three islands in this region (Gaum, Sai pan ana nnian) in addition to existing Saipan bases. Unlike Saipan, where the camps were built on Japanese canetields and cleared farmland. Guam's Headquarter facilities have been cut from virgin jungle.

The transfer of Headquarters from Saipan by ship and by plane has been under way for more than a week. Correspondents flew down with a press section in the converted bomber of Brig. Gen. Haywood S. Hansell, high chief of the 21st.

The General proudly showed newsmen through the elaborate control building by which he can Jlmalntain the closest kind of com- municatlon with each future B-29 unit on other islands in the Marl' anas and with Washington, D. C. The building was designed and planned by 33-year-old Col. John Beverly Montgomery of Spartanburg. S.

C. It is arranged so that Hansell and others seated on a high stage in a flood-lighted-room which somewhat resembles a movie set can tell from a glance at the huge wall maps, charts and diagrams the exact status of each (Se KAGOYA. TLAXK a Health Plan Suggested by Senate Group Federal Advocated To Provide Sewer and Water Facilities Washington, Jan. 3 UPi A Senate subcommittee, recommended todav a vast national health uro gram centered about post-war Federal-State construction of hospitals and health centers. The group; headed by Senator Pepper (D-Fla), also recommended: (1 Federal loans and grants to aid in providing sewer and water facilities and milk pasteurization plants in communities which lack them.

(2) Full-time health depart-, ments. in all communities as soon as needed personnel becomes available, with Increased Federal grants to -State health departments. (3) Army consideration for increased induction and rehabilitation of men rejected because of mental and physical defects. (4) -Preservation, of Selective Service's medical records and ap- fropriation of funds lor study or hem. (5) Immediate steps to provide more medical men with i training in psychiatry "with a view to providing child-guidance and mental hyuiene clinics on a lar wiaer scale." (6) Federal scholarships or loans to assist qualified students both men and women desiring medical or dental education.

(7) Federal funds be made avail atfle to the States lor medical care of all recipients of public, assistance. In advancine these proposals, the group, appointed by the labor com mittee to study war-time health and education; made no estimate of cost. Members in addition Ao Pepper are Senators Thomas (D ITtah) Tiinnoll m-Dplnl Ij Fnl. lette (Prog-Wls5 and Wherry (R- The report of the full committee noted that about 4.500.000 men have been rejected by the Army and Wavy because oi pnysicai ana ilAiuta sold If. Aaft- mated that of 22,000,000 men of military age in this country at least 40 per cent are.

unfit for general military duty. "If this situation was preventable and we re profoundly convinced that it was this nation has an immediate duty to seek an adequate remedy," the report said. The idea for a network of hospitals and. medical centers follows this- In each "major- medical service area" a State or smaller or larger division there would be district hospitals; in still smaller communities, rural hospitals, and in a further-extension, health centers. "With such graded networks," the committee observed, ''facilities would be available through which every person, regardless, of where he lived, might receive (A) Immediate diagnosis and care for the common, relatively simple ailments and (B) easy access when necessary to the more complicated types of medical service." The committee said, it was not prepared to pass ludpement nn the nuestlnn of fees-for-service versus tax-sup-1 ported medicine.

Warsaw to Be Capital London. Jan. 3 051. The Polish National Council has adopted a resolution providing that Warsaw remain the Capital of an independent postwar Poland, the Lublin radio announced tonight. Distribution of Scarce Goods Presents Problem B-29s Frpm Guam Raid Jap Homeland for 1st Time induct more men In this age group." Acting on Brynes's request, the selective service sent a telegram to all State directors advising them to take necessary steps to review all deferments within the specified age group and ascertain whether any should be reclassified for war It also directed all local draft boards to call up all deferred farm workers within the age group for pre-induction physical examination, except those who previously have been found to be physically unfit for military service or fit only for limited military service.

Officials said the pre-lnductlon examination would be made regardless of whether individual workers were kept on the deferred list or certified for induction. At present, about 1,600,000 men of draft aee have been deferred as essential farm workers under the so-called Tydings amendment to the Selective service Act. This amendment directs that farm worker be deferred if (1) he is employed continuously in good faith in the production of food, (2) his induction into the armed services would leave a large section of land uncultivated, and (3) no replacement is available for him. (Sea OLDER PERSONS oa Pace 1) of Food Ration Stamps fever Had to Make' and give everyone his fair share of 1945 supplies." Bowles said the drastic paring of food rations was due to a steady increase in consumer demands and the continued heavy fighting' in Europe. He said meat supplies would be 15 nor cent less in the next three months than in the last quarter of 1944 and that care would be needed to make the canned fruit and vegetable supply last until the next cannea pacK comes in.

As for the other "major prob lems," Bowles had this to say: Livestock celling an overall ceiling would be difficult to work out but fwould be protecting the public against overcnarges at retail." 1 Clothine prices additional ac tion is needed to meet price -increases of "something like 8 per cent in the last 12 months" and also a "deterioration In clothing quality and the disappearance of lower priced lines." Reconversion prices most con sumer durable goods could be sold at 1942 retail price levels. Distributive trade manufac turers have absorbed reasonable cost Increases before getting price boosts therefore "it seems only fair that we supply the same principles of cost absorption to the distributive Bowles Says Cancellation' Hardest Decision We Nagoya, Key Aircraft Center 200 Miles Southwest Nevtr! York. Jan. 3 W) Recent cancellation of food ration stamps without previous announcement. Price Administrator Chester Bowles said today, "was the hardest decision we ever had to make" but necessary to "give everyone his fair share of 1945 destruction or two reservoirs and Nippon's war industries, entered a new phase today with a Super-damage to rail installations, bar- fortress raid directed for the first time from upw 9it of Tokyo Lashed by By VEEN superfortress Headquarters, aerial invasion of the Japanese command Headquarters on Guam ine mammoths or the tak- ing off from Saipan, lashed Na- oya, Key aircrait center less tnan 00 miles west bv south nf Tokvo.

The sizeable force of B-29s, sent against japan's main Honshu island, hit the Japanese with a bomb load that probably exceeded the explosive tonnage dropped on Nagoya in three previous attacks ana equaiiea me neaviest unioaaea on Tokyo in' five earlier raids. (Radio Tokyo reported about 90 Superforts, striking in waves at midaftemoon, bombed Nagoya, Kobe. Osaka and Hamamatsu. The three latter industrial cities are south of Nagoya The Japa nese ackknowledged some damage and claimed, without American confirmation, that 17 of the raiders were shot down and 25 damaged). This initial Superfort strike di rected from reconquered American territory was the first against Nagoya since December 22 and the first against Honshu since the Tokyo blasting of December 27.

The opening phase of the aerial Invasion of Japan-proper demonstrated that B-29s could raid the Nippon homeland and get back to their bases in the Marianas. The second phase, now under way. means that the giant planes are settling down to business. It Is known that Superior! bases i supplies. He told an American Manage ment Association luncheon that the country never nao laced "a more critical period In our effort to hold wartime prices In line and distribute scarce gooos iairiy.

Food rationing, he said, was but one of live major prooiems which must be solved "to protect -the American public against scarce supplies and inflationary Bowles said others were clothine prices, livestock ceilings, reconversion pricing and the absorption to a reasonable extent oi cost in creases by the distributive trade. Referring to. the invalidation of sugar stamps, red points and blue points, the OPA Administrator de clared: "When we originally said there would be notification in the case of invalidation of stamps, we did not estimate properly the number of stamps which would accumulate nor the serious effect the spend-in? of these stamps could hava on reduced supplies. "We were However, I was not willing to cover that mistake by working a hardship on the i great majority who, need their -stamps to get their fair share of food. "Our choice was simply this: first we could allow the old stamps to remain valid and cut the value of the new stamp, or second.

we could cancel the old stamps racks and barges. Liberators with fiehter escort bombed Clark Field Monday. Their escort of Lightnings downed 11 enemy interceptors. Two were bagged by Col. Charles McDonald of St.

Petersburg. commander of the 475th Fighter squadron, running his total to 26. Three enemy planes were cred' ited Jointly to Lt. Sammy Pierce of Ayden, N. and Lt.

Nial K. Castle of Milwaukee. Wis. The mop-up on Lieyte. isiana continued, reported, with Americans killing 1.287 more of the disorganized, fugitive Japanese who had survived the 35th Japanese Army's defeat In the island campaign.

The Yanks- also captured 15 more prisoners. Total enemy casualties on Leyte. so far. is 121,064, the communique said. Light U.

S. naval units patroling off the Western Leyte coast sank live enemy coastal vessels ana a launch. Japanese planes attacked American airfield installations on the island and did some damage. One raider was downed by ground fj i Bombers Range Wide i Allied aircraft struck Sandakan, on the Borneo northeast coast, bombing Japanese shipyards and warehouses. Enemy aircraft brought down one plane.

Bw V. 8. BOMBERS tw Amusements 4 Behind the Scenes 14 Believe It or Not IS Comlo Page 14 Crossword' Puzzle-. 7. Dorothy Dix 7 Dr.

Clendenuig 7 Editorials 13 Elsie Jtoblnson Emily Post 7 IL I. Phillips It Household Arts 7 Jack Stinnett 12 Looking Back -12 Marian Martin 7 Merry-Go-Round 12 Mine Schedule 11 Radio Program 4 Sally's Sallies 12 Social and Personals 6. Sports IS Suburban IS The Voice of the People 12 Vlotory Menus 7 Want Ads 18-17 Wells Carr 1 12 W. C. Rogers 12.