The Bakersfield Californian from Bakersfield, California • Page 1

SINKS SUBS, DAMAGES FALSE AIR ALARM FOOLS Buy U. S. Defense Bonds, Stamps Vol. 54 16 PAGES BAKERSFIELD, CALIFORNIA, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 25. 1942 TWO SECTIONS No.

179 COUNTY DEMANDS OUSTER OF AXIS ALIENS A rmv Dill ALL I Mlil lu I Un I Yanks in Burma Bag 30 Jap Planes Allied Bombers Net 3 Enemy Transports P-40s Rout Foe Over Hint of Growing United Nations Air Power ALLIED HEADQUARTERS, Feb. 25. (V. authoritative Dutcli spokesman warned tonight that Java is "completely eneir- cletl" and that Japanese occupation of Kali and Timor islands has. cut communications between Java'and Australia.

Residents Urge Enemy-Alien Removal Sub Raid, Mystery L. A. Graff Stir Whole State Jap Rear Admiral Killed at Borneo OK10, (From Japanese Broadcasts), Feb. 25. (A.

navy ministry announced today that Rear Admiral Shnsalcu Shi- huya had been killed in action yesterday off Borneo. The announcement identified him as the former commander of a special service vessel. By Associated Press AMERICAN volunteer group fliers and R. A. F.

pilots struck one of their heaviest blows at Japanese air strength over Burma today, destroying 30 enemy planes and carrying out effective sweeps enemy positions along the Sittang river front. An army communique indicated that the British imperial Burma pushed back to the west bank of the Sittang river some 70 miles from Rangoon, had been given a breathing spell after facing intensive Japanese pressure and were making the most of this opportunity to reorganize their defenses. The communique said: "On the southern front there has boon no contact with the enemy. Our troops on the Sittnng river are reorganizing after henvy fighting. "On the northern front there is nothing to report.

"On instructions from tho governor of Burma, a military commander has been appointed in Rangoon to prevent, looting and arson. Curfew has been ordered for tonight in Rangoon." Meanwhile, further south, allied warplanes blasting at Japan's sen- borne Invaders were credited offi- today with sinking three big enemy transports in the critical battle for the Dutch East Indies. A Tokio spokesman acknowledged that 2fi Japanese transports had been punk or damaged to date in the far Pacific. Expect Heavier Losses The spokesman. Commander Itaru Tashiro of the naval press section, said Japan expected even heavier losses because the United Nations had more than 1000 planes in the war zone and 40 to 50 submarines.

A United States war department bulletin said seven American P-40 pursuit planes intercepted a formation of nine Japanese bombers escorted by 14 fighter planes over Java and forced tho raiders to flee. Tho bulletin said one Japanese bomber and one fighter plane were shot down. Four other enemy bomb ers and two fighters were damaged, without loss to the Americans. As the day wore on, other United Nations triumphs in the air were re ported, and It was becoming nppar- ont that for the first time In the 11 weeks-old conflict Japan was facing a major challenge in the skies. A Royal Australian Air Force communique said Australian bomb ers, slashing at Japanese bases 400 to 500 miles north of Australia, nt tacked both Rnbaul, New Britain island, and Timor island, and set big fires.

"Word of the allies' new aeria' counterpunches came as Imperla' Tokio headquarters asserted In an English language propaganda broadcast that Japanese planes had delivered "mortal blow to the Brlllsr and Dutch air forces" with the de struction of 08 allied planes based at Java yesterday. Dutch headquarters acknowledged big-scale Japanese raids on the harbor and an airdrome near Batavia, against naval objectives near Soerabaja and upon an airdrome near Bandoeng, but said the damage was slight. Tokio headquarters said Japanese bombers also scored direct hits on an allied light cruiser and two 3000-tor merchant ships. In the Philippines, General Doug las MaeArthur's headquarters re ported that American and Filipino troops were "uniformly successful in aggressive local actions all along the line" against Japanese invasion forces on Bataan peninsula. Delayed dispatches said the grim (Continued on Page Four) Nazi 16th Army Smashed, 12,000 Dead, Russ Claim By Associated Press Over-Anxious Raid Wardens Warned USSIA proclaimed smashing new victories over Hitler's battered invasion ar- Trnies today even as the P'neh- rcr announced that the bitter snows of winter were melting find that he had completed preparations for the.

"final struggle" this spring. "Suow nnd frost brought to temporary standstill the series of victories of the German army, unique in history," Hitler declared In a message to Nazi party followers. "Our enemy then hoped to inflict on the German army the fate of the retreat. This attempt "has collapsed miserably." In Moscow, Russians celebrated, a 'communique reporting that the triumphant Red armies had crushed Germany's sixteenth field army, shattering three divisions and kill- Ing 13,000 troops in the Staroya sector, 140 miles below Leningrad. Starayu Russa had been a key German base guarding the southern flank of the Nazi armies before Leningrad.

A decisive break- A through by the Russians would gravely endanger the whole northern arm of the German invasion and presumably force a hurried withdrawal of the Nazi siege forces around Leningrad. Soviet front-line dispatches also re-, ported Important new Russian gains during the past 48 hours on the southwest between Orel and Kharkov, in the the slaughter of 2250 Nazis. Hitler asserted that the coming spring struggle would be "a settling up with that conspiracy which was hatched in the banking houses of the plutocrats and extended to the vaults of the Kremlin." This was the Hitler who boasted last' October 3 that the Russian army "already Is broken and will never rise who blamed the weather for subsequent reverses, and declared that 1942 "will again be a year of great victories." Bern dispatches said Russia's scorched earth policy, labor shortage and the flight of thousands of potential workers before the German army had crippled attempts to gear the economy of occupied Spvlet areas to that of the Reich. EMAXDS for the removal of axis aliens from Cali- ornia had grown to a torren- ial peak today, spurred by he shelling of a coast oil field Monday night and by hazy re- iorts that plnnes heard over southern California parly this morning may have been "enemy crnft." Today was the first day the "cur- fow rnling" was in effect restrict- ng movements of enemy aliens in in area stretching from the California-Oregon border to Kern and in- eluding a portion of the West Side. District Attorney Tom Scott said he liad been informed a few possibly some of enemy resided and worked in Taft and other West Side communities falling within the curfew zone.

FBI Refuses Aid Because the Federal Bureau of Investigation refuses to release its lists of known alien residences, law enforcement agencies are balked at determining immediately what persons on the West Side are enemy aliens, District Attorney Scott said. Mr. Scott reported that Attorney General Karl Warren and California district attorneys condemned the secrecy of the KB I as causing unnecessary work for duly constituted law authorities and hamper- iiiR effective control of aliens known only to Fltl. The district attorney's office has listed aliens owning or leasing property in the county, but lacks complete knowledge of others. Enemy aliens in the curfew area are required to remain in their residences between 9 p.

m. and (i a. m. and at no time may be more than 5 miles from their residences or places of employment, without spe eiul permission from the United States attorney general. Citizens Vrge Action Telegrams from citizens through out the state flooded the office of Governor Culbert Olson today calling for immediate evacuation of all Jap anese aliens and citizens by the fed eral government.

One telegram said: "For God's sake, don't let official bunding and red tape and other suicidal niceties pussyfoot us into another Pearl Harbor here." District Attorney Scott announced that S. Bernard Cllll, a special deputy, is ncarlng tho completion of "laying the ground work" for lepnl action against violators of the 1920 alien land law barring aliens from owning properly In the state. launching of court proceedings agalsnt violators will hinge on designation by the army of additional Call- on Page Four) AKERSFIKL1) air-raid chiefs today warned against hysteria and premature activity on the part of air-raid wardens, following confusion last night when some air-raid wardens went otit on the streets ordering lights turned off after local radio stations were rut off the air. In no case should air-raid wardens take action until they have been informed by their superiors that a blackout has been officially ordered, it was emphasized. The fact that radio stations are cut off the air is not a signal for a blackout.

In the confusion last Monday night, a few air-raid wardens rushed up and" down the strents ordering lights out until checked by police. Knox Reveals 56 Attacks on Sea Raiders Navy Chief Makes First Heporl on r-Boat Bag li.K Knox BY ll-BOAJ Survivors Reach Baltimore After 0(5 Hours in Open Lifeboats; 17 Dead PONCE, Puerto Kico. Feb. 25. (A.

survivors of a I'nited States freighter, sunk by a submarine 30 miles off Puerto Kico, were landed at 1 p. m. today at (iiianica. The ship was attacked twice, at 8 p. m.

last night and at 2 a. in. today, before she. sank. Other survivors were believed to be adrift in lifeboats.

(Associated Press Leased Wire) "WASHINGTON. navy announced today that the Norwegian freighter Blink had boon torpedoed by nn onomy submarine off the Atlantic coast. No details of the torpedoing worn made available. Tho announcement said merely, "The Blink, a Norwegian freighter, lias boon torpedoed by an onomy submarine off tho At- limtic count, the navy department today announced." FLASHES JAPS ORDERED INLAND MEXICO CITY, Feb. 25.

(A. Japanese residing in Mexico's Pacific coast area have been ordered to move at least 100 miles inland immediately as a precaution against sabotage and fifth column activities, federal authorities announced today. NEW RESTRICTED AREAS LOS ANGELES, Feb. 25. (I'.

Thomas C. Clark, alien control coordinator for the Pacific coast, said today after returning from Washington that army authorities, are preparing details of enlarged new areas from which aliens will be required to move. "BLACKOUT" CANDLES CHICAGO, Feb. 25. (U.

"Blackout candles" were, put on the market today. They will burn nine hours and stand without candleholder. "RLINK" SURVIVORS REACH BALTIMORE BALTIMORE, Feb. 25. (f.

P.I— Six haggard survivors of the torpedoed Norwegian freighter Blink today told of their efforts to make port olive in a harrowing, (ifi-hour lifeboat journey on tho Atlantic, during which 17 of their companion per- lulled. Sixty-six hours In a lifeboat wnist deep with water, but not a drop to drink, CO hours without food, but with sharks hungrily waiting for the next man to die; fiG hours in a lifeboat that capsized twice and was righted by weakened men in a gale- torn sea; GO hours without even an i oar to row or steer the boat. Mast men don't live through such an ordeal. Only out of 21! lived through this most amazing tale 0f the seas to come out of the submarine warfare along the Allan-1 tic coast. TANKER SURVIVORS TELL HARROWING EXPERIENCE FORT PIERCE, Feb.

25. (U. survivors of the torpedoed American tanker Cities Service Empire shuddered today when they envisioned their crewmates, burn- Ing and screaming In a lake of blazing oil. The 8103-ton Cities Service Empire was torpedoed three times in the Atlantic ocean south of Fort Pierce on Sunday. Seven men were known dead, and four were missing and presumed dead.

Thirty survived, and, of them, seven were in hospitals for treatment of burns and other injuries. John Walsh, 24, a wiper, of South Boston, had to abandon ship twice. The first time he left In a lifeboat. The oil burning; on the sou set It on fire and he had to go back. The second time he got away on a painter'n staging.

DEFENSE BOARD TO MEET AVABHINGTOX. Feb. 25. (A. The inter-American defense board, expected to play a major role in providing convoys tor hemisphere ship- lirttftt I'lftf, l.rit nl U' XC.TOX, Ft-1).

Secretary of Navy reported today that during January and February 50 attacks had been made on enemy submarines in the Atlantic resulting in the sinking of three nnd the damaging of four. In the llrsl. comprehensive- report made on enemy submarine nc- tivily in the western half of the ocean since caoslal nttncks begun parly in January Knox disclosed through a navy cnmmunliiue that a total of 114 ships of L'nlted Nations had been attacked by enemy submarines west of ,10 degree west longitude, the meridian which roughly divides the Atlantic. At the came time, In a recapitulation of losses Inflicted on the In the Pacific combat, tho navy secretary reported that 15 combatant vessels had been sunk, three were believed to have been sunk, nnd two. Inefnding a battleship of, the Kongo class, wero believed to have been damaged.

The sunk craft also include one aircraft carrier and an additional aircraft carrier was believed sunk. Noncombatant vessels sunk by American naval action put 3s with four more believed sunk and three damaged. over fill total of Japanese losses of Til! ships sunk, seven believed sunk, and five damaged. Touching on other mutters at his conference, the secretary said tlint the only reports he had received of enemy aircraft activity In the Angeies area last night wero that It. was "just false uliirni." "There were no planes over Ixis Angeles last night, at least, (hat's our understanding," Knox replied.

"None have been found and a very wide reconnaissance has been carried on." WKI.L. ANYWAY. IT WAS (iOOI) such as these shown in official army photo early iMn morninit blasted away at mysterious aerial object allegedly seen flying southward over the Angeles-Lone Ilench area. CITY SCHOOL HOLIDAY ORDERED ON "ALERT" But High School, J. C.

Continue After Signal Was Canceled by Authorities of a 50-minute "yel- the warning by radio or warden -I low" air-raid alert signal, re- were advised by telephone and L. A. Raid Hoax Jams Traffic Lanes of City lAnorialnl 1'rtns Lcatrd M'nr) LOS A.XGKLKS, Fob. 2.V—Re- ports, widely circulated In An- gele.s, that a Japanese plane had boon shot down in this morning's anti-aircraft barrage, created tho "worst traffic tanglo we've ever seen." This was the word from the California highway patrol, which said that eight officers stationed at tho intersection of One Hundred Ninetieth street anil South Vermont avenue, south of Ixs Angeles, were unable to cope with the situation. This section Is In the country and every one of the three highways to that area are clogged with sightseeing traffic, Officer M.

O. Benson said. "We're afraid of what will happen after dark, if the crowd doesn't stop," Benson said, lie added that thousands and thousands of the curious, from Ixis An- Kelps as well as from surrounding towns, refused to believe the officers' statements that no plane, Jap other, hud been felled. sullini; from the reported presence of "enemy aircraft" over southern California, today brought a holiday for r.9l'» students of Baiters- field city elementary schools and hundreds of others in districts throughout the county. Kern County I'lilon High School including institutions at linkers- field, East Balicrsficld, McKarhind, Shafter and Kcrnville, remained open because an all-clear signal wiis issued before o'clock and officials considered it safe to call classes to session.

Before the all-clear was received, however, the "yeJIow" signal was conveyed to many school officials throughout the county by air-raid wardens and sheriff's deputies advised of the "alert" through the office of Sheriff l.oustalot. In some areas of I lie county where it was impossible to spread the alarm to proper authorities, students prepared to attend school as usual and, being in (heir rooms or on the playgrounds when news of the all-clear was released, remained for their day's studies. The condition of defense occurring today with the southern California fear of possible enemy planes' presence found lop school executives of Kern attending an administrators' convention in San Francisco. The responsibility of deciding whether to hold school fell to their assistants. John Kc'khanlt, co-onlinator oP secondary education in the county school office, reported that on the basis of the early-morning alert all county schools were advised to cancel today's classes.

A few schools which did not receive. radio to operate as usual because students were assembling by tho time of the all-clear. Today was the first time since the influenza epidemic of World War I that a general closing order was issued for all county schools. Schools closed in the county today included the ItaUersficId city elementary schools. Kin Bravo, Ixist Hills, Greenfield.

Taft Hluh School and Junior College tuiil elementary schools, Maricopa High School Mild elementary schools, Olig and Wasco High School and elementary schools. Kclthardt said it was Impossible to communicate witli many of the 08 county elementary school districts to determine whether classes were In session. Alfred Ames, assistant superintendent and liiisint'ss tiiiiiiagcr- of the city schools, issued the closing order in compliance with instructions from defense authorities. Dr. T.

L. Mct'iieu, assistant superintendent and business man- auer of Kern County I'nion lllcli School district, made the decision to keep liiKh schools and the junior college open after the "all clear" was received. The student transportation system operated normally. Barbara Aldrlch, high school switchboard operator, said her board was jammed witli culls from parents this morning. Officials attending tin- American Association of School Administrators convention in San Francisco include Comity School Stiperintend- (Cu'tttttuftl oit i'uue fi'vur) Dropped, No Planes Down Army Merely Says Unknown Craft "Reported" WASHINGTON.

Feb. 25. (U. Secretary of the Navy Knox declared today that there is no positive evidence that there were any planes in the Los Angeles area during the night. "My understanding Is that no planes were found," lie said.

Knox said his informatioin indicated it was "just a false alarm." "There were no planes over Los Angeles last night, at least that's our understanding," the secretary declared. "None have been found and a very wide reconnaissance lias been carried out." Ily Associated Press BOMBS were dropped and no planes were shot down during the anti-aircraft firing in the Los Angeles area early today, the Western Defense Command announced. "Cities in the Los Angeles area were hlarketl out at 2:23 a. m. today on orders from the Fourth Interceptor Command unidentified aircraft wero reported In the area," the Western Defense Command said.

"Although reports are conflicting and every effort ix being made to ascertain the facts. It Is clear that i no bombs were dropped and no i planes were shot down. "There was a. considerable amount of antl-alrcruft firing. The ull-clear signal came ut a.

ARMY SILENT ON CRAFT'S IDENTITY LOS ANtlELKH. Feb. 25. (A. Anti-aircraft guns thundered over the metropolitan area early today i for the first time In the wur, but hours later what they were shooting i at remained a military secret.

An unidentified object moving slowly down the coast from Santa was variously reported us a balloon nd un airplane. Some observers claimed to have seen two planes over Long Ueaeh. Army intelligence, although uncommunicative, scoffed at reports of civilian observers that as many as planes were over the area. There, were no reports of dropping: bombs, but several instances of damaged property from craft shells. A garage door was ripped off in a Los Angeles residential district nnd fragments shattered windows and tore Into a bed where a few moments before Miss Blanche Sedgwtck and her nice, Josit! Duffy, had been Bleeping.

A Santa Monica bomb squad was dispatched to remove an unex- pludi'd anti-aircraft shell in a driveway there. uir-ruid sirens at 2:25 a. m. U'lcifie war time) awakened must of the metropolitan area's thres million A few minutes later, they were treated to gigantic l-'ourth-of-July like display as huge searchlights flushed along a 10-mile ping, has been called Washington March 30 to meet in It Was a Good Show While It Lasted, L. A.

Reports Tos M-: By TEU (JILL I'rosa Stuff Correspondent A NO LE.S. Feb. j. ('once 110 Women, Children Taken From -Aruba (Aftociated Press Ltavtd Wire) ARL'HA, Netherlands West Indies, Feb. women and children, numbering HO, have been removed airplane from this oil- refining Island off Venezuela, It wan dlscjosc-d today.

(Although this dispatch did not give the time of the removal of the women and children it Is presumed It took place sometime since February 16, when enemy submarines made their appearance, sank several tankers and shelled the oil refinery.) powerful searchlights focused high In the sky on a mysterious, slowly southward moving objective, rudely awakened thousands of residents early today, then provided them with one of the most thrilling pyrotechnic displays they hail ever seen. Beginning around a. tho rapid poom" shelling continued heavily for 30 minutes as the objective of the concentrated searchlight glare slowly moved down the coastline. A short lull followed and then heavy firing resumed for another 10 minutes. Some awed spectators swore they saw formations of planes; others contended the objective looked more like a blimp; others said it could they couldn't see a doggone thing! Throughout tho firing, people climbed out of bed in tyte chill mum- Ing ulr stood at windows in nightgowns and pajamas, watching? the spectacular celestial display.

Others dressed ami went outdoors, but civilian air-raid wardens, stationed at close intervals throughout the affected territory, tried to keep most of them ut least confined to their own porches in order to escape danger of flying shrapnel. Ixmg Beach harbor was one of the heaviest centers of firing. Scrap Iron rained down as the anti-aircraft shells burst almost continuously. daylight ami tho all-clear signal came. Long Beach took on the appearance of a huge Easter- egg hunt.

Kiddles and even grownups scrambled through streets and vacant picking up and proudly comparing chunks of shrapnel fragments as if they were the most prized possessions they owned. Fire Chief C. Duiee recovered one of the largest hunks. INDEX TO ADVERTISERS 1'uce Arvlu Theiilrr 10 Austin Sluillu 4 .1 utonmbJJc Oeulern College of Beutlty 7 tiuriiKe un (I Autu Supply. 3 lluik- Science Foundation 4 Huakrt Hrut'k'tt 8 t'ltUrn-i l.auii'lry 14 fofu-fohi Uottllnjc Co ruiiflileiitlully 1 Culllton.

John Kddy. C. S. 14 Van 10 Uruiiutlit Theater 10 Hauerfelde. (ieorice, liu- Hotel El Tejou llublmrd'u Garace Furniture Kern Wnolenale Liquor 4 Dr.

Frederick Motor Center Vew Method Drug Store Si Son Co ttlulto Theutcr ttlver Tliratet Svuiveltxer. Fred 7 ..10 i Seam Koebuek Liquor ThrHxIier Motor 8' I'nion Cemetery tj Vlrclnla Theuter Wanted by Booth, I.