Arizona Daily Star from Tucson, Arizona • Page 1

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Arlioaa PRICE FIVE CENTS TUCSON, ARIZONA, SATURDAY MORNING, AUGUST 1, 1942 FOURTEEN PAGES Japanese Renew Thrusts at Australia; Second Front Decision Believed Made; Reds Retreating Again in Fight for Oil Evasion of Draft In War Industry Is Martin Charge Slackers Run to Production Jobs While Older and Inefficient Men Are Pushed Into Military Service, Board Member Declares Land Assault Believed Peril to Port Moresby as Foe Increases Air Attacks With Indications That Previous Plane Shortage Is Recouped Bv THE ASSOCIATED PRESS GENERAL M' ARTHUR'S HEADQUARTERS, Australia, July 31. The Australian front, quiescent for nearly three months since the Coral Sea battle, is becoming active again with the Japanese showing signs of taking the initiative. Although it is from the Allied side that the cries for an offensive have been most urgent, it is the Japanese who IJrgency of Demand for Offensive Grows as More Conferences Hint at Early Action; Japan Believed Ready to Enter Siberia LONDON, July 31. () Mounting British and American offensive, preparations coupled with continuing strategy conferences caused observers to believe tonight that a decision has been reached to aid the impatient Russian Allies with as quick and positive action in western Europe as their combined resources will permit. There were signs that the Russians had laid the cards on the table and told their Allies that the time for a diversion in the west is here.

The difficulty of delivering war supplies to the Soviet Serious charges that many young men of Pima county have successfully evaded service in the armed forces of the country by hastening to seek employment in war industries that the Arizona state appeal board at Phoenix abets this maneuver by upholding deferment appeals from young industrial workers, were made yesterday by Andrew P. Martin, member of Pima county's selective service board No. 1 in a talk before business men at the Kiwanis Club. The evasions by this method have reached such propor- show indications of having recouped some of their air losses I and who are now exerting in tne nrst real lana sKirmisning since tne i-acuic war moved into ihe Australian area. over the bomb-splasned northern sea to Murmansk, and the danger that the Red army may be stripped of its offensive powrer to aid a western drive of the Allies if action is delayed too long were seen as factors of urgency in the situation.

Siberia Watched Of great moment, too, was the assertion of British military sources today that Japan has concentrated nearly 400,000 troops on the Soviet frontier from Lake Baikal eastward and "there is little doubt they are planning to attack" from Manchukuo. This source said that the Japanese had been busy building roads and rail communications and that August and September are the best months for a military campaign in that area. Some observers believed that the need for a diversion and a solution of the Murmansk supply problem might point to one answer seizure of Allied air bases in Scandinavia to provide air protection for Arctic convoys. And many believed that Washington and London had been given to understand that if means are found to deliver the guns, tanks and planes the Red army needs, the Russians would be happy with a continuance of 1,000 bomber raids on Germany and big-scale commando sorties until a full-dress offensive may be mounted in western Europe even if that is after New Year's day. Defenses Cited Meanwhile in efforts to discourage the Allies and buck up themselves, German propaganda agencies pounded on the theme of Germany's western coastal" defenses, which were described as "stronger than the Maginot line." A foreign source here with continental pipelines of Information said the Germans also were making peace feelers both to Britain and the United States and to Russia with the object of splitting the Allies.

This source, who would not permit use of his name, said Germany was seeking to convince London and Washington they should leave (Contianed to Page 7, Column 4) Nazis Pushing Toward Caucasus but Drive Slowed Elsewhere ENEMY LOSS HEAVY Defenders Rush Troops To Endangered Area By Trainload MOSCOW. Saturdav. Aue. 1. (JP) The Red army has retreated deeper into the west- ern Caucasus below Bataisk, but reinforced Soviet legions were reported early today to have stalled a big Nazi drive in the Kletskaya area some 80 miles northwest of Stalingrad, where the Russians rushed trainloads of reserves to the front.

In the third critical area of the south, a midnight communique said one Russian unit defending the Don river barrier in the Tsimly-ansk sector, 120 miles upstream from Rostov, had killed more than 1,000 Germans who had effected a crossing of that barrier. The communique said of the new retreat south and southeast of Bataisk: Retreat Admitted "After bloody battles our units fell back to new positions. The Germans lost 13 tanks, 18 guns and more than 600 men killed in these battles." In the Kletskaya battle, the Russians reported, the Red army was hurling captured German tanks immediately into the battle against the Nazis. It was in the Kletskaya area that press dispatches said the Russian reserves, had arrived in armored trains to stem the Nazi drive in the Don river elbow. "In the area of Tsimlyansk stubborn fighting went on against enemy groups which had crossed to the southern bank of in a sector held by one of our units," the communique continued.

"Nine German tanks, 15 guns, 23 machineguns and eight mortar batteries were destroyed. The enemy lost more than 1,000 men." Leningrad Fight A resurgence of "local fighting', on the Leningrad front also was disclosed, the communique saying that artillery-supported Russians repulsed two German attempts to regain positions which the Soviets had captured. German dive-bombers supported the Nazi charges, but five of the planes were shot down and the Germans lost 300 men, the communique reported. Another 300 Nazis were reported killed when Russian guerrillas in the Leningrad district derailed two Nazi troop trains. The Russians apparently made no further offensive attempts in the Voronezh sector on the upper Don yesterday, but the Nazis were reported to have suffered heavily in two unsuccessful counter-at-fcks there.

Transport Sunk A 15.000-ton enemy transport was announced sunk in the Barents sea. The Russians were using everything from hard-riding descendants of Genghis Khan's warriors to American-made tanks and planes in turning back repreated attacks in the Kletskaya area nearest industrial Stalingrad. As the thunder of battle rose to a new crescendo along the 300-mile Don front, the Soviet press raised a cry to the Red army to stand firm "die but don't retreat." The feeling in Moscow seemed definitely brighter, but this could change abruptly within a few hours, for the Germans were gambling with thousands of men and machines in a "now-or-never" offensive to reach the huge oil fields of the Caucasus. WAR INDUSTRY AGAIN STOPPED BY UNION ACTS Arbitration Planned for Jurisdictional Fight, Called Disgrace PONTIAC, July 31. (VP) A dispute over CIO and AFL efforts to organize grocery clerks, which 'caused a shutdown of two war production units here today, ended late today with an agreement to arbitrate.

Governor Murray D. Van Wagoner of Michigan announced the agreement at Detroit, after most of the food stores in this industrial center had closed from lack of supplies or because of plckei activity. The governor said AFL and CIO unions had agreed to withdraw all pickets and permit deliveries on foodstuffs, to cease all interference with war production, and to accept the decision of an arbiter to be named by the war labor board. Appeal Made Before Van Wagoner's announcement, the dispute had brought a threat to tie up truck transportation throughout Michigan, and an appeal by C. K.

Wilson, president of General Motors for federal action. The war plants closed were those of G. Pontiac motor division and of the Baldwin Rubber Co. Thousands of workers were affected. The threat of a general statewide walkout of truckers was made by Daniel F.

Keating, business agent of the AFL Teamsters' union here. Wilson addressed his appeals to Secretary Knox of the navy and to Donald Nelson of the war production board. In a separate telegram to Dean Wayne L. Morse of the war labor board, Wilson said: National Disgrace "To shut down war production over a dispute involving grocery clerks, none of whom work in any of our plants, is more than a national disgrace. I think I can agree with you in these times it approaches treason." CIO pickets and AFL men.

unloading a meat truck at a north side chain store engaged in a brief fight this afternoon, with some stones being thrown, but no one seriously hurt. The clerks' dfspute has smouldered for a week, since members of the Retail Clerks' union (AFL) started picketing independent stores operated by members of the Oakland County Food Dealers association. Association members, reporting threats of a boycott by some customers who are CIO unionists employed in war plants here, voted to sign contracts with the United Wholesale. Retail and Department Store Employes' union (CIO). EXTRADITION TAPERS SACRAMENTO, July 31.

Extradition papers were signed by Governor Olson today authorizing the return of John Patrick O'Leary to Tucson, where he is charged with grand theft. Arizona officials have charged O'Leary with the theft of a valuable ring. JAP TROOPS ON ALEUTIAN ISLES NUMBER 10,000 Spokesman Says Flights Indicate Pribilofs Are Unoccupied NO FOES ARE SEEN Enemy Units Located on Three of Islands Off Alaska WASHINGTON, July 31. (SP) A navy spokesman estimated today that the Japanese had thrown a force of possibly 10,000 men into the western Aleutian islands, of which about half are actually occupying territory ashore and half are either manning or living on warships and transports in the area. The spokesman, -who declined to be quoted by name, made the estimate of enemy strength on the north Pacific edge of American territory in connection with a statement that aerial reconnaissance had failed to show any Japanese activity in the Pribilof islands, the world's richest sealing grounds lying in the BeYing sea, 250 miles northwest of Dutch Harbor.

No Japs Seen Asked about reports made public by Delegate Anthony Dimond of Alaska that "slight circumstantial evidence" had indicated enemy seizure of the undefended Pribilofs, the. navy official said, "We aren't in a position to say that they aren't there, but have no evidence that they are." He explained that the American forces had looked over the islands from the air "but we've seen no Japs." Dimond said yesterday that two men from Alaska had told him that "from what they had heard in Alaska 'the Japs have the Pribilofs." No New Islands Information made public by the navy's spokesman added up to the fact that so far as has been determined from the air, the Japanese, despite their considerable strength in the Aleutians, have not occupied any new American islands for about a month. The men ashore, he said, were on Attn and Kiska, which the Japanese seized early in June, and pn Agattu. which they occupied in early July. As against these territorial gains and the damage Inflicted by their June 3 and 4 bombing raids on Dutch Harbor and near-by army posts, the Japs have lost eight ships sunk, one believed sunk and nine damaged in attacks made by army and navy aircraft and submarines.

Their land installations, especially on Kiska, have been repeatedly bombed but with undetermined results. Nearer Mainland Reports that they may have expanded their activities to include the Frihilofs have been current for. some time. Such a move would carry them much nearer to the Alaskan mainland than they now are. their present main force at Kiska being 5S5 nautical miles west of Dutch Harbor.

It would also put them in a position to flank Dutch Harbor, but whether the Pribilofs would be suitable as a base for very expansive sea and air operations was problematical The four rugged islands in the group St. Paul. St. George. Ot'ter and Walrus have not a single har- bor among them, and the treacher ous waters of the Bering sea offer anchorage only when the wind is blowing from the land, according to navigational information available at the navy department.

The United States, however, apparently has done considerable development work on the two main islands. St. Paul and St. George, which have the largest and most numerous seal rookeries in the world. Until the people were removed as a precautionary measure several weeks ago, these two islands were inhabited by several hundred persons.

A U. S. government agent was in charge of each island and there were on St. Paul a radio beacon and a station, KVR, maintained by the bureau of fisheries. NEWSBOY DAY PHOENIX, July 31.

UP) Governor Osborn today proclaimed October 3 as national Newspaperboy Day in Arizona, an occasion to be observed by the boys with an intensified sale of war stamps and bonds. is still open to all who may rightfully claim a haven in them. The sum total result of the ruling was, of course, that the military commission is free to proceed with its trial of the men. and that unless reversed by the President himself, the sentence which the commission Imposes will stand. The prisoners are without further avenues of appeal.

Even before the court met, how-ever, the commission bad resumed its sessions. It heard the prosecution and the defense begin their final arguments. Obviously, the case was moving swiftly toward its conclusion. But whether that conclusion may be reached tomorrow, the commission did not indicate. It recessed late today with a bare announcement that the defense (Continued to Page 2, Column 2) the pressure that has resulted Since landing July 22 in the Buna-Guna area of northeast New Guinea, Japanese jungle patrols in the last 10 days have pushed 55 miles through the low grasslands and foothills of the towering Owen Stanley range, a penetration that has cut- half the distance between their new bases and Tort Moresby.

Future Uncertain Allied strategists profess still to "be undecided whether this is a real threat to Port Moresby, the rapjdly developed air base which has permitted American and Australian airmen to dominate Torres Strait and the approaches to Australia and to hammer relentlessly the Japanese air concentrations and convoys at Lae, Salamaua and Rabaul. But there is the possibility that the Japanese army has taken over the task of reducing Port Moresby after the failure of the navy in hhe Coral Sea battle early in May to take or bypass it and that the Japanese are attempting to adapt to the highland jungles of New Guinea the methods of warfare that worked so well in Malaya and Burma. Losses Assailed Declaring that it was "galling that the enemy has stolen a inarch on us in Papua when it seemed reasonable to hope that a forward move in Guinea might not be beyond our resources," the Sydney Morning Herald said the threat to Port Moresby was plain. The Herald said the Japanese move was regarded in Washington bs" feint to mask Japan's intentions toward Siberia" but "the possibility that view may be seriously wrong cannot be excluded from Australian calculations." In New Guinea, however, the Japanese are up against keen-eyed Australian bushwhackers, prospectors, patrol officers and foresters, long familiar with the conditions, if not the terrain, of the country, who travel almost naked and carry few if any supplies. Their methods are much like those of the Indians fighters of American pioneer days.

Situation Obscure The skill and caution of these men are reflected in the fact that none has been killed or captured in the skirmishes around Kokoda, a village of half a dozen houses, a rubber plantation and a small airfield half way between Gona and Port Moresby. General MacArthur's communique last Wednesday said these Australian patrols had driven back Japanese outposts at Kokoda. but a subsequent report described Kokoda itself as a no-man's "land." The situation therefore is obscure, with Friday's communique reporting a lull in the skirmishing. A report from the scene, however, told of an Australian patrol encountering a much larger Japanese patrol and being forced to scatter In the bush. The Japanese spread out and tried to encircle them, spraying bullets into the bushes and shouting after each burst, "You come, you come!" Kokoda is on the north side of the mountains, and from there on to Port Moresby the Japanese would encounter great difficulties along the tortuous trail over high mountains.

They may be waiting for reinforcements. BRAZIL SHIP SUNK BY AXIS U-BOATS By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Brazil's eleventh ship loss of the war, disclosed yesterday in a message from an Argentine tanker. and the navy's announcement of the sinking of a Panamanian vessel increased The Associated Press total of announced losses In the western Atlantic since Pearl Har bor to 406. Ship sinkings announced during July reached a total of 79, representing destruction over a period of many weeks. The Brazilian ship was the freighter Barbacena, a 4772-ton ship built in 1909.

In a message to the Argentine naval ministry, the Ar gentine tanker Tacito said it had rescued 17 survivors off the northern coast of Brazil but did not state how many crew members were missing. The Panamanian vessel took four torpedoes before it went down July 18 off the northern coast of South America. Members of the crew took to two lifeboats and were picked up three hours later by a United States naval craft. BUSES FROZEN WASHINGTON, July 31- All new passenger buses not yet sold by manufacturers were frozen by the War Production Board to day. tlons, iwarun ciKugeu, per cent of Pima county draftees now leaving Induction centers for the irmed forces are men of Spanish-American lineage although men In that class total only 25 per cent of the county's registrants.

The railroads, the aircraft and ihip building Industries were specifically singled out by Martin as types of business which are being permitted to scuttle the efforts of elective service boards to induct mentally alert and physically fit young men into the armed services. He charged that there is a serious lack of intelligent direction from the national draft officials at Washington and made the direct allegation that the conclusion was in-mcapable that certain leftist groups In Washington were more intent upon imposing their social ideas en the nation than In winning the wir. Slackers Assailed The selective service boards and wir industries of this nation are promoting slackers," he said. "The aircraft and shipbuilding industries with the railroads are slacker industries that provide hide outs for young draft evaders whose places In the armed forces must be taken by older men." Th! profit element means more tothose companies than the winning of the war and draft evaders ire considered good citizens. They ire prosperous ones, what with lilgh union wage Selective wvlce boards have not, by order or by suggestion from Washington, been advised to send young men to war and leave the older ones for Industry.

In fact, history will re-eord the selective service act as the most stupid blunder of this wir. Case Appealed "When the Pima county boards try to put these young men into military service, they or their war-industry employers appeal their eases to the Phoenix appeal board. In almost 00 per cent of the rases the Thoenlx appeal bonrd overrules the Tima county boards and the young men are permitted to stay In industry rather than go into military service," Martin charged. The Arizona appeal board, lo-tt In Phoenix, Is composed of Blaine R. Schimmel, chairman, O.

Johnson and Dr. S. I. Bloom-kardt. Martin, a veteran of the first world war and a member of the fate civilian defense board, also tharged men in high government positions with being "more Inter-Med in Imposing a new social order than with winning the war." He cited the civilian defense oath.

Issued from Washington, as an example of how "reds" occupy high Positions In the government. That oath, he said, "forgives those who orked for the overthrow of this nation prior to Mav 27. 1011." Publication AUel He urged that selective service boards publish all 3-A classifications and Industrial deferments so the public as a whole tnay assist In polirlng those whose deferments re obtained on false information. However. Martin said that while the selective service act provides penalties for evasion, it Is to" prosecute such men without Instructions directly from Washington.

Martin also said that while there re 25.000 registrants In Pima eounty GO per rent of those who re going Into uniform are Spanish-Americans and Indians. "If you have any doubt of what Is bappen-lnRln this nation." he told Kiwanis f'ub members, "go anv time to an -vwwii irrrmunv, I'ima simriiv r'glstrants as a whole are only 23 Pr cent Spanish-American, five PTcent Indian and three per cent 'Rro, but 60 per rent of those who leave the induction stations in Pima rodntv are Spanlsh-Ameri-fans and Indians. Hideout Charged We are sending these men with their uneducated brains to fight Rainst CJermans and Japanese ho. since childhood, have been 'URht the arts of war and have Kwn up with guns in their hands. do not see how our intelligent, 'fie young men can be willing to such conditions exist, are to hide out in war industries ha will let the older and loss able 'Rht this battle to save our way life.

If we lose this war. and may, the less well educated "1 fit into a slaverv program far more easily than thone intelligent. pU educated, privileged young mpn who are today not doing" their their country," said Martin. The American people seem not want to realize we are having They don't want to realize wt our boys are being killed by the efficiently trained of Germany and Japan. ny are.

seemlnglv, content that men are hiding out in war VUmunaed to Page 4, Column 1) NELSON BACKS KAISER'S PLAN FOR AIRPLANES Engine Production Will Be Crucial Factor In Program WASHINGTON, July 31. (TP) War Production Chief Donald M. Nelson virtually promised today to. give Henry J. Kaiser the "go signal" to build a fleet of giant cargo and troop carrying planes in his west coast shipyards if engines and other materials can be spared from the present military aircraft program.

Declaring that the war production board has been "keenly aware for some time of the necessity for more and bigger cargo planes," Nelson said in a statement that he was "much interested" in Kaiser's offer to build a fleet of 5,000 huge aircraft on ways now being used to construct ships. "If it develops," the WPB chairman said, "that the engines and other components needed for these planes can be built without disrupting the present military aircraft program, which is our No. 1 war essential, he will get plenty of action." Support Cited Nelson's statement followed an announcement made earlier by Kaiser befijre a senate military subcommittee that the WPB chairman had given full support to the cargo plane proposal. Kaiser said conversion of a part of his shipyard capacity could be undertaken immediately upon receipt of a "go signal" from war production authorities. Some indication as to whether engines and other materials could be made available may be contained in a report of a special committee named by Nelson late In May to study expansion of the air transport problem.

That report will be published within one or two daysNelson said. Surprises Many Nelson's reaction to the Kaiser plan surprised many officials, because WPB aircraft oficials at first voiced skepticism about the feasibility of building huge 70-ton cargo planes of the Glenn Martin "Mars" type in shipbuilding plants. Chairman Lee (D-Okla), one of the senate supporters of the' cargo program, told Kaiser he hoped the joint army-navy aeronautics committee on construction could be shaken out of their, "prudence" to give their support, too. NEW PLANE MAY BRING REVOLUTION WASHINGTON, Julv 31. () Aircraft engineers disclosed before a senate military subcommittee today that they had designed a revolutionary type of flying-cargo plane which would be lifted and propelled by a unique combination of engines, helium gas and air tunnels.

The plane could be used, they said, as a sky-roaming carrier of a dozen speedy fighting airplanes. Engineers Named The engineers were Horace Chapman Young and Eric Larfg-lands of the Aercrynamics Research Corporation. A description of the craft was given the same senate group which heard Henry J. Kaiser, Oregon shipbuilder, offer to build giant cargo planes for transporting military equipment and supplies to the fighting fronts. Young told Chairman Lee (D-Okla) of the subcommittee that bis corporation was seeking government encouragement, although no financial aid, to build a flying model.

The In 1 e-w I combination cargo-fighter carrier craft would have a flying deck 200 to ISO feet, from which 12 fighter planes could take off. It would carry enough helium gas to lift 36 tons and with its engines turning the propellers could lift 70 tons, Young said. Helium lrd "If the plane did not carry such a heavy payload, it would not need helium to lift it. but it would use the gas to utilize the craft as a plane carrier," he explained. Young said the peculiar flying ship was designed to adapt the lighter-than-air principle, without the bulk of a lighter-than-air craft.

AIR DUEL OVER FRANCE MARKS ALLIED ATTACK British Get Warning That Germans Will Stage Counter Raids LONDON, July 31. (P) Hundreds, of British and German fighters Spitfires against Messerschmitts and the Nazi's newest Focke-Wulf 190s engaged in tremendous air duels over northern France today as the RAF carried out intensive bomber and strafing raids 01 the Abbeville airdrome and the St. Malo docks. Eleven German planes including three Focke-Wulf fighters were shot down in the dogfights. Four Messerschmitts fell to American Eagle Squadron pilots, Flight Lieut.

S. R. Edner, of San Jose, and Pilot Officer Barry Mahon, of Santa Barbara, Calif. Each got two. Norwegians flying with the Brit-ish accounted for three bf the Nazi planes.

1. F.ight Lost The British lost eight Spitfires. German airmen meanwhile returned to their attack on England with assaults officially described as part of a new sustained Nazi aerial offensive. The communique describing the British raids on France said squadron after squadron of Douglas Boston bombers crossed the channel with heavy Spitfire escorts. Many hits were noted at Abbeville where some of the most vicious dogfights developed.

No planes were lost in the later raids on St. Malo and other parts of Brittany in which many more squadrons took part. Coast Bombed Opening the night's Nazi offensive, two German planes bombed the southwest coast of England, "doing some damage," the British acknowledged. Official warning of heavy and continuing Nazi air attacks was given by a regional civilian defense commissioner in a platform speech at Manchester. As he spoke anti-aircraft guns in East Anglia and the London suburbs, emphasizing the new peril, fired at German planes flying a bold daylight reconnaissance to survey the damage done in overnight (Thursday-Friday) bomb and fire raids on eight towns in the munitions-making midlands.

Raids Recalled None appeared over London but shoppers took cover at the again-familiar sound of ack-ack. It is just over two years since the Nazis began mass daylight raids that devastated sections of England before they were called off because of plane losses which reached a peak of around 200 downed on Sept. 15. 1940. A communique Said last night's attacks were not heavy, but the roaring of motors, bursting bombs, gunfire and sirpn screams allowed (Continued to Page 2, Column 4) chief of staff of the American commander, according to well-informed sources in touch with British official views and with the sentiments of the people.

Britons realize the stupendous scale of invasion operations and the role that American ships, men, tanks and guns must play in an invasion and drive to final victory. The British also remember the readiness of American troops to place themselves under Gen. Sir Archibald P. Wavell's orders when he was named supreme commander in the Pacific. Marshall's prestige is extremely high, among British staff officers, who view him as one of the few soldiers on the Allied side who not only planned a successful operation in World War 1 ut who has had experience in equipping, training and transporting a large number of troops.

As chief of operations of the American First Army in 1918, Marshall had a big part in planning ine ieuse-Axgonne oiiensive. ALLIED PLANES POUNDING JAPS Cruiser Attacked, Bases Pounded in 'Broad Air Offensive GENERAL MacARTHUR'S HEADQUARTERS. Australia, Saturday, Aug. 1. (JP) An Allied air unit attacked and "probably hit" a Japanese cruiser south of Am-boina Island, in the Dutclr East Indies, while other bombers were carrying out devastating raids on Japanese bases at Gona Mission, northeastern New Guinea, Gen.

Douglas MacArthur's headquarters announced today. Japanese installations on Guadalcanal Island, in the Solomons, also were heavily attacked, a communique said. Direct hits were made supply dock near the settlement of Kukum and a large ship off shore was blasted by Allied bombs. The raid on the Gona Mission area was centered on the village of Buna which was heavily hit, the communique said. Two large fires were started near the coast.

The situation at Kokoda, in interior New Guinea where Japanese patrols and Allied outposts have been skirmishing, was declared "static." A single Japanese plane jettisoned one bomb near the village of Mossman, on the coast of Queensland north of Tcwnsville. Australia, during a night flight and caused minor damage. At Rabaul, New Britain, an Allied scouting formation shot down one enemy fighter, the communique said. General MacArthur's headquarters' communique gave no further details of the attack on the Japanese cruiser near Amboina. HERMOSILLO GAS SHORTAGE SEVERE HERMOSILLO, Sonora, Mex, July 31.

JF) A severe and prolonged gasoline shortage here has demonstrated to motorists just what rationing would be like. "No gas" signs are common on service stations. Rows of idle cars are not unusual. When gasoline Is available, motorists line up for their share. Rail and sea transportation difficulties were blamed for the shortage.

British Pledge Support for U. S. Commander for Invasion Accused Saboteurs Returned To Army Trial by High Court LONDON. July 31. OP Appoint ment of a United States general as commander-in-chief of an Allied invasion force in Europe would be entirely acceptable In Britain, it was said tonight by informed British sources' who could not be quoted by name.

The name of Gen. George C. Marshall, U. S. A.

chief of staff, has been prominent in discussions of the subject both in the news-pa ners and in informed circles. The situation as depicted by the British is this: The principle of American leadership of this vital operation facing the United Nations is believed to be acceptable to the British people. If President Roosevelt should suggest General Marshal or any other ranking American soldier as the appoint-ment would be accepted immediately by the British government and fighting services, according to informed British sources. A British general would be a welcome and obvious choice as July 31. P) The supreme court briskly refused todav to let the alleged Nazi saboteurs escape miiltary judgment bv taking refuge in the civil courts and in the civil liberites established for this nation's loyal citizens.

In a swiftly-moving, four-minute session it upheld the legality of President Roosevelt's orders that they be tried by a military commission. And. asserting that their detention bv the army was lawful, it refused to free them by Issuing a writ of habeas corpus. The court did, however, assert its authority to pass upon this application of tHe President's wartime powers. It assumed jurisdiction over the case, an action which many interpreted as the court's way of saying that war or no war the protection of the courts.