Big Spring Daily Herald from Big Spring, Texas • Page 5

WIATHIt tec Cwwleto Weather S. BIG SPRING DAILY HERALD VOL. 16; NO. 162 BIG SPRING, TEXAS, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 22, 1943 Eight Today War Bond fH9.lt* Sales Dec. 21.

Still Eisenhower Now Talked As Invasion Commander By WILLIAM SMITH WHITE LONDON, Dec. 22 D. Eisenhower is now believed leading the field for the job of Allied commandcr-in-chief for the western invasion. This would leave the developing campaign for the Mediterranean theater generally in British hands. The victor of North Africa and Sicily hat come to the forefront despite earlier and unquestionably accurate reports that Gen.

George C. Marshall had initially been picked for the great command. The impression here is that both had been erally the preponderance of Allied the Teheran conference, but that since then American considerations have raised Eisenhower to the No. 1 choice. It now appears Prime Minister Churchill's illness may be delaying the final agreement on the selection.

In the beginning Eisenhower's prospects seemed to suffer from some fear that his ap- pointment would create an the Italian and Mediterranean war would be wholly subordinated. Against this objection these considerations now are offered: 1. Some British general such as Sir Harold Alexander, veteran of years of action in that theater and always closely associated with Eisenhower and his methods, could take over with a minimum of disruption of plans. 2. In Italy and in the Mediterranean gen- both aground and at British.

both aground and a British. 3. It has been widely said here that after the first shock of the Allied western landings the armies on the new front are going to be predominantly American. 4. The Mediterranean, in the long view, is a greater preoccupation of Britain than of America and by a variety of circumstances is likely to become more and more of a British show as times goes on.

Pacific Activity Spotlighted By A Visit From General Marshall ARMY HEADQUARTERS, CENTRAL PACIFIC, Dec. 22 The long Pacific battle line was tense with expectancy today after a dramatic visit from Gen. George C. Marshall, United States army chief of staff, and under indications of resurgent Japanese air activity. Marshall, participant in re- cent Allied military councils held at Cairo and Teheran, flew the entire line from the Southwest Pacific to the Central Pacific, but only the generals and admirals, American and Australian, knew what he had Mid.

Marshall was present at Cairo when President Roosevelt, Prime Minister Winston Churchill and Germany Talks Of Reprisals For The Kharkov Trials LONDON, Dec. 22 Dark threats of reprisal against Allied war prisoners came flying out of Germany yas nari propagandists worked up indignation against the Kharkov trials and Paul Joseph Goebbels called British and American aviators "nuns of the air." DNB, the official German news agency, said in a broadcast statement on the Soviet trials that nazi military would "soon deal with those British and American prisoners who are guilty of a serious jo tf 4 breach of International law. Goebbels told Berlin police and air raid protection officials "that further attacks on the German capital must be expected but that "one day our evergrowing anti-aircraft defenses and future retaliation will make an end to the activities of the Huns of the air." Ugly hints of measures to be taken against captured airmen were closely connected with a German press campaign against American fliers imprisoned after the Nov. 20 raid on. Bremen and accused of having "Murder Incorporated" written on their uniforms.

A Berlin dispatch to the Swiss newspaper. Neue Zuricher Zeitung claimed that the planes of an entire squadron were so lettered and that another squadron called itself "Home Block Busters." This referred to the practice of American airmen giving their big bombers names, often facetious, such as "Suzy "Whodat" and "Wabbit Twackr." The bombed and battered Nazis are screeching that the names of spine of the planes prove that gangsters control the American airforce. In seizing on the Kharkov trials for further justification of German brutality, a Nazi foreign office spokesman claimed the trials were agreed upon in principle at the Teheran conference, so the "British and Americans share the responsibility," Swedish press reports said. Car Crash Brings Co. Court Charges Charges of driving while intoxicated filed in county court Wednesday against Harold McKinney after he was involved in an accident on the west viaduct about 7:30 p.

m. Tuesday. City policemen, who made the arrest, said that the McKinney car crashed into a car driven by C. C. Mason and that the impact pushed the vehicle back up on the sidewalk where the bannister kept it from going over the viaduct.

Your Carrier Boy Will Call On You This Week To solicit your subscription ts The Herald for 1944 on an annual basis. We urge you to take advantage of the special offer, as it is definitely limited. The current Bargain Offer is the same as last year. Delivered to your door for a year for only $7.95 Men, Supplies Pouring Into The Solomons ADVANCED SOLOMONS BASE, Dec. 21 (delayed) (ff) Additional troops as well as thousands of tons of military supplies and equipment are arriving in forward areas of the Solomons In the American Campaign to capture Bougainville island.

This was disclosed today by Rear Admiral Theodore S. Wilkinson, Washington, D. commander -of South Pacific Amphibious forces, to provide still another indication that the battle of the Solomons may be virtually over. (The Japanese have shown signs in recent days of evacuating the southern half of Bougainville. Secretary of the Navy Knox said in Washington yesterday the migration was an obvious Japanese effort to concentrate their forces in the north of the island.) There are estimated 25,000 Japanese troops on Bougainville, which together with little Buka Island just off its northern tip represents the northernmost enemy holding in the Solomons.

The Solomons air force has completed the job of neutralizing enemy airfields and already has turned its striking power against New Britain, 250 miles from the New American airstrip on the Bougainville beachhead. American naval units have erected a sea blockade to contribute io the successful campaign to sever the 25,000 troops on Bougainville and the 10,000 thought to be on Buka, from the Japanese lifeline to Truk and the Empire. Finally, the amphibious forces have won the battle of one of the least publicized yet most important phases of the entire northern Solomons operation. Doris Duke Cromwell Granted A Divorce RENO, Dec. 22 red-haired Doris Duke Cromwell, 31-year-old "richest girl in the world," has been granted a default divorce decree from James R.

Cromwell, former U. S. minister to Canada. B'lt in New Jersey, where Cromwell has filed a divorce complaint against the tobacco fortune heiress, liis attorneys said measures would be taker promptly to have yesterday's decree "adjudged to be null' and void." Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek pledged to hammer Japan into unconditional surrender and to strip it of all war-gotten gains. With the chief of staff safely back in the United States after his global trip, Gen.

Douglas MacArthur announced today that Marshall had been at advanced Allied headquarters in New Guinea Dec. 15 when the American Sixth army units invaded New Britain, at Arawe. Japanese air strength, recently badly hit and reduced in the Rabaul area, showed signs of revival. Soiitn Pacific headquarters said that when American bombers and fighters assaulted Rabaul Sunday, doing heavy damage to shipping, 50 enemy fighters jumped the attackers. The Americans and Japanese each lost four fighters.

Marshall conferred with the staff of Adm. William F. Halsey, South Pacific commander, and Lt. Gen. Willard F.

Harmon, chief of army forces there, whose ground, sea and air forces are driving the Japanese from their last Solomons islands holdings, on Bougainville. The chief of staff, stopped lor two days at Honolulu to see Adm. Ckester W. Nimitz, commander in chief in the Pacific, and Lt. Gen.

Robert C. Richardson, commander of central Pacific forces. While in the Southwest Pacific Marshall talked with General Sir Thomas A. Blarney, Australian general in command of ground forces in the Southwest Pacific, and Lt. Gen.

George C. Kenney, commander of Allied air forces in this theater. Marshall flew to the Pacific stations by way of India, Ceylon and Australia. His stops in India and Ceylon took him into the new southeast Asia command of Adm. Lord Louis Mountbatten, established to prosecute the war against the Japanese in the Burma sector.

Homemade Cocktails Kill Fire Negroes NEW ORLEANS, Dec. 22 Five negroes celebrating at a Christmas party last night, died after drinking homemade cocktails. Dr. John G. Hamilton, Charity Hospital's resident in surgery, said members of the victims' families told him the cocktails were made of a paint remover ingredient, sugar and two types of wine.

The drink was called a "derail." Charges Filed After A Stabbing Affray A stabbing and affray Saturday night in the north part of town resulted in several charges fil in justice and county courts Tuesday. In county court, Lubie Flores was charged with aggravated assault after Oscar McCarty was stabbed in the affray. One charge of disturbing the peace was also filed in justice court along with nine others for affray. The constable's department made th'j arrests. Yanks At Outskirts Of San Vitorre; Reds Threaten To Encircle Vitebsk Artillery Assists In Capturing Of Additional Heights Nazis' Entire Baltic Defense Line Menaced Russian Army Storms Forward; Another Drives On Polotsk LONDON, Dec.

22 The Russian Baltic army, surging forward unchecked, has advanced another five miles and now stands only 15 miles from the nazi fortress city of Vitebsk, Reuters reported today from Moscow. Encirclement of this enemy stronghold thus became hourly more imminent. This thrust and companion drive toward the important rail junction of Polotsk, 60 miles to the west, threatened the stability of the entire German line defending the Baltic states. A Russian communique earlier had reported the forces of Gen. Ivan C.

Bagramian within 20 miles of Vitebsk from the north through capture of Gribali and and less than 25 miles away to the east. His troops, storming down from Nevel yesterday, blasted their way through a 50-mile tap in deep German defenses capturing more than 100 villages and leaving 1,600 German dead in their wake. Other columns, swinging out to the west, were within 35 miles of Polotsk. Fall of which would seriously weaken communications between the German northern and central armies and possibly force retirement of the Nazis' left flank along the shores of the Gulf tne'Xenin- grad area. At the extreme southern end of the 800-mile long battlefront, meanwhile, Russian liquidated the Nazi bridgehead on the south bank of the Dnieper opposite Kherson, near the river's mouth, and dispatches said a full-scale attack against the city itself was expected momentarily.

In the center of the line, the Germans were said to be conu- ter-attacking in three key sectors. The Moscow war bulletin said the Nazis struck in the area between Zhlobin and the Berezina river in White Russia, south of Korosten in the Kiev bulge, and in the Kirovograd sector in the Dnieper river bend. All attacks were repulsed with heavy losses, Moscow reported. Tito's Army On The Offensive LONDON, Dec. 22 Josip Broz' (Tito) Partisan army of 250,000, battling German and collaborationist forces twice its size, has taken to the offensive on every sector of Yugoslavia's irregular battlefront, a communique from the Yugoslav army of liberation announced today.

The German forces, spearheaded by the German 373rd division, struck back with large-scale assaults in Croatia in an.effort regain the initiative, the war bulletin disclosed, but Tito's 7th pa- troit division decisively thwarted the enemy thrusts. With Yugoslavia developing into a battlefront of broadening score a recapitualtion of Hitler's losses in his efforts to clear his Balkan flank shows that he had 40,000 casualties in October and November alone. These figures were given in a Moscow broadcast, which said the casualties included 16,000 killed and 11,000 prisoners. TBese members of a Navy arm- ed rutrd crew on leave at New Orleans, tell of spending more than 50 hours in lifeboats on Gulf of Mexico after an enemy submarine sank their tanker with two torpedo hits early this month. Ten men of the 80 aboard are missing.

Left to right are: Seaman M. K. Gethers, Richmond. Coxwain Floyd M. Glazerrook, Peoria, Gunner's Mate Jack H.

Dodendorf, Columbus. Signalman Ben W. Dyer. Memphis. Seaman Charles J.

Gethin, Lorain, and Lt. (Jg) A. Frank Bray (seated) of Martinez, comamnder of the crew. (AP Wire- photo). US Bombers Strike Again, In Wake Of RAF Night Attack LONDON, Dec.

22 heavy bombers escorted by a fleet of fighters attacked targets somewhere in northwest Germany today, it was announced by the Eighth U.S. Airforce. The new atack by the American heavies followed lighter RAP Mosquito bombers against unspecified objectives in western Germany last night and continued the round-the-clock assault on Hitler's fortress for the third consecutive day. The latest Mosquito blow was carried out without loss, a communique said. A hint that the U.

S. Eighth air force is using Bremen for a test of precision bombing in wiping out the effectiveness of an entire city tvas seen today in an official announcement as estimates of the number of Allied planes participating in Monday's and Tuesday's massive attacks on Germany and France rose to 3,000. Commenting on the American assault on Bremen Monday, in which more than 500 heavy bombers participated, an announcement by the Eighth air force, "it is pointed out that scattered war industries supported by a city of Bremen's size (340,000) best could be eliminated by a series of attacks." Such a test of precision bombing would contrast with the "obliteration" bombardment which wiped out the neighboring port of Hamburg. Monday's attack on Bremen was the fourth by the Eighth air force since the first of November and its seventh announced attack on that objective. Reconnaissance pictures showed that Monday's attack inflicted severe damage on port areas and nearbjf rail yards, with a direct hit being scored on workshops and other facilities in- the main ship yard.

Several buildings were destroyed in the warehouse area and named "Hawkins two of the three major factories of Field" in memory of Marine Lieut, the Bogard armored vehicle works William D. Hawkins, El Paso, i were set afire. ALLIED HEADQUARTERS, ALGIERS, Dec. 22 American Fifth army forces, bolstered by heavy artillery and mortar fire, captured several new heights and reached the outskirts of San Vittore on the road to Rome today, while the British Eighth army battled the Germans with tanks and infantry in the streets of Ortona. American and French troops along the northern mountainous sector of the Fifth army front were reported attacking the villages of Acquafondata, five miles west of Filignano, and Cardito, after occupying a high point in the Mt.

Casole region in their push westward on Cassino. The announcement that the French forces under Gen. Pierre Juin were pp-ticipating with the Fifth's attack in this sector was the first disclosure of the location of the French whose presence on Italian soil was announced last week. The French, who have been struggling for the past three days for possession of a vital mountain pass, were reported to have taken the southern hall. Other snort gains in this area were reported.

In their assault on San Vittore, the Americans were methodically wiping out the numerous pillboxes the Germans hid built around the town, using every house and every natural obstacle to slow the Allied advance. Gen. Sir Bernard L. Montgomery's Eighth army tanks, meanwhile, slugged it out with German mark IV's in the streets of Ortona, which has been the northern anchor of the Nazi line. Fierce engagements were fought in the running street battle.

(The Bids Asked On Disposal Plant City commissioners, in called session Wednesday morning adopted a resolution calling for sealed proposals for constructing additional facilities at the city's disposal plant. Bids will be opened at 10 a. m. on Jan. 10, 1944, it was announced.

In accepting- bids commissioners were expected to give weight to ability to start work promptly as well as to prices. The project is set up approximately for $110,000 of which the army is paying roughly half. The city already has sufficient funds on hand to care for Its portion of the expansion which would give the city sewage plant facilities suitable for a city, of 20,000 population. Air Strip On Betic Honors El Paso Hero WITH THE MARINES ON TARAWA, Nov. 27 (Delayed) UP) The newly won air strip on Betio Island in the Tarawa atoll today was officially United Nations radio in Algiers said the Eighth army held almost the entire Ortona-Orsogna highway.

The Germans counterattacked a force of New Zealanders with the Eighth, the broadcast added, leading off the operation early this moining with a barrage of flame-throwers and tanks in an attempt to dislodge the New Zealanders from the vital highway.) Southwest of Ortona, British troops made slight advances after repulsing two desparate German counterattacks. The British assault on Ortona, spearheaded by Canadian troops, was preceded by a heavy artillery bombardment. In the 'air war, Allied fighter- bombers swarmed over the Yugoslav coast and attacked German positions in support of the Partisan forces of Marshal Josip Broz (Tito.) Fighters and fighter-bombers ranged over the battle area and near Rome, blasting transport and communications. Medium bombers also struck at Terracina, 58 miles southeast of Rome. who destroyed six Japanese machine-gun and rifle positions and was wounded three times before being killed in action.

The field was named by Maj. Gen. Julian C. Smith, commanding general of the second Marine division, with the approval of Admiral Chester W. Nimitz, commander in chief of the Pacific fleet, who came here on an inspection tour.

DSC To Be Presented Thursday To Relatives Of Sgt. Edmond Smilh About 4,000 tons of bombs were dropped by approximately 3,000 Allied planes on key Nazi targets in Germany and occupied France Monday and Tuesday in the greatest combined air operations ever carried out in 36 hours against any country since the war began. Cold Wove Due To Strike Tonight Four Named In Draft Evasion Conspiracy NEW YORK, Dec. 22 Gert Hans Von Gontard, alias George Grant, 37, described by federal officials as a grandson of Adolphus Busch, late St. Louis brewer, and three others were named today in a federal complaint charging conspiracy to keep Von Gontard from military service.

Named with Von Gontard in Jfhe complaint, which was opened by U.S. Commissioner Garrett W. Cotter, were: Francis Xavier Grottano, former New York City detective and now a lieutenant in army intelligence at Governor's Island; Dr. Arnold Aaron Hutschnecker. New York physician who was accused of faking medical history which won draft deferment for Von Gontard; and Michael Mangano, operator of the G.

M. Uniform Company, which makes army uniforms for the war department. Strike Date Set By Another Rail Group WASHINGTON, Dec. 22 Leaders of five railroad operating brotherhoods today completed the draft of a counter-proposal for settling their wage dispute and averting a strike called for Defc 30. These brotherhoods.

which originally asked a minimum increase of $3 a day, reduced this to 64 cents (eight cents and hour) in the counter-proposal, but added demands for paid vacations, overtime after 40 hours for yardmen. and away-from-honie expenses roadmen. WASHINGTON, Dec. 22 (ff) Strike orders from a new quarter today complicated White efforts to avert a threatened of the nation's railway system, now set for Dec. 30.

As conferences went to keep 350,000 operating em- ployes on the Jobrtfcw leaften an even larger segment rt tin the perform the office, track set Dec. 30 as deadline for meeting their demands. Negotiations with the five optf ating brotherhoods, firemen, conductors, trainmen and switchmen) were expected to move today into counterpropouM providing for paid liberalized overtime formula, expenses away from home. The operating groups night rejected a plan put forward by President RooseTelt which would have given them 4-cent hourly increase in form of overtime pay or expenses, in addition to the straight 4-cent rate increase recommended by an emergency The' operating would settle for the 'supplementary 4 cents (a total of 8 cents) a straight rate increase, one ont- said, but to call it overtime. or anything else, he argued, would impair their future bargaminj position too much.

That is, if they are going to sell now their daimt to vacations, expenses, and Deuer overtime, they feel the compromise rate should be better cents an hour. One brotherhood chief remarked, "they want to trade us a jackrabbit for thoroughbred mare." Roosevelt Works On Christmas EYC Talk WASHINGTON, Dec. 22 President Roosevelt left most The highest award yet earned by any Big Spring the Distinguished Service Cross be presented formally to member family of Edmond II. Smith at the Big Spring Bombardier School at II a. m.

Thursday. The presentation will be a part of a formal review with virtually all units of the field, including the band and the WAC detachment, participating. Col. R. W.

Warren, commandant, will make the award. Weather permitting, Set, Smith's three-weeks old son will have the DSC pinned upon his tiny clothes. Mrs. Edmond Smith, the former Edith Harrington of' Tuscon, and Mr. and Mrs.

W. E. Smith, parents of the war hero who is now a prisoner or war in Rumania, will participate. Mrs. Jessie Lamb and Mrs.

E. E. Ayres of Odessa, sisters of the sergeant, will be here and it is hoped that Hubert Smith, El Paso, and Naval David Smith, Corpus Christi, will be here for the ceremonies. Friends of the family will be privileged to witness the ceremony, but they should go through the Rate at 10:45 a. m.

Smith M-as a gunner on a B-24 bomber which participated on the famed Plocsti oil field and refinery raid. Despite the fact that his plane was a mass of flames, he stayed to his post and accomplished his job before the ship made a crash landing. He suffered serious burns but in his last letters home he. able to write them himself. December Quota On Stoves Allotted The local ration office issued its December quota of stoves in 'a panel meeting Tuesday and re- 1 The weather man had a pre- i served only a few for emergencies 1 Christmas cold sweep on his cal- for the remainder of the month.

endar for tonight, with forecasts Approved were applications for of a minimum temperature of 26, a coa i and wood heating stove; a degrees. Possible snow flurries' coa and wood cook stove; 22 gas were predicted, too, with perhaps heaters: two oil heating stoves; light rain. four gas cooking stoves; and six Temperatures of from 18 to 24; 0 il cooking stoves. were forecast for the Panhandle; and of 24-28 in the South Plains area. oJ his time open today so he could work on the address he will deliver Christmas Eve to the natioa and to the armed services abroad.

Presidential Secretary Stephen Early said a rough draft of the broadcast had been worked out, but that he had no details on 11 Mr" Roosevelt already has said it would be directed primarily to- armed forces and that incorporate in it some on his recent war in the Middle East, ward the he would information conferences hoId her matter on the conferences for his annual message to congress nextnonth. 100-OCTANE PLANTS WASHINGTON, Dec. 22 The Petroleum Administration for war today said that 11 new 100-octanc aviation gasoline refineries had been completed in the past 90 clays, and that 38 more would be in operation early 1S44. 17 Million Already Paid Out To Veterans Of Current War WASHINGTON, Dec. 22 The Veterans' Administration snid today it already has paid out nearly S17.000.000 to World War 11 veterans or their dependents and in adjudicated more than 100,000 cases of disability claims..