Tucson Daily Citizen from Tucson, Arizona • Page 1

DO YOUR SHARE Tuoon Only to (upper! our government Buy War Sivlngi or Bondl. them LATE NEWS EDITION VOL. LXXIV, NO. 182. At Cltu MatUr Pott Offict, Tucion, Arizona TUCSON, ARIZONA, SATURDAY EVENING, JULY 31, 1943 FIVE CENTS--FOURTEEN PAGES STERN WARNING GIVEN ITALIANS Allies Tighten Noose Around Tip Of Sicily Planes And Ships Attack Portions Of Mainland By BELMAJf MORJJf ALLIED HEADQUARTERS IN NORTH AFRICA, July 31.

powerhouse drive of Allied armies crushed more Axis defense salients, Allied headquarters announced today, as American and British naval forces drew a tight noose about the northeastern tip of Sicily and warplanes laid down a heavy offensive against mainland airdromes. Both the British eighth army, which long had been held at a standstill before Catania on the east coast, and the American seventh army driving in from the west, scored substantial gains, Gen Dwight D. Elsenhower's head quarter announced. Strike Vp Italian Coast Gallant American torpedo patrol boats, announced in action in Sicilian waters for the first time, swarmed off the north coast and even 50 miles up the coast of the Italian mainland, striking at enemy supply vessels, sinking at least three, while British naval detachments shelled the Italian mainland and the.Sicilian coast and cruised into the narrowest part of Messina strait hunting enemy ferries. Allied warplanes again swept to the vicinity Borne.to plaster an airfield.

The and British in their ground advances exacted heavy casualties among Axis and the Canadians at the central V. S. Light Cruisers Shell Enemy Bases On Jap Held Kiska hinge also stormed forward, "capering Agira after an artillery and air barrage which German veterans said was worse than anything they had experienced in Rus- ria or Xorth Africa. (The capture of Agira was first announced in Washington by Acting Secretary of War Patterson.) Capture SCO More Germans The Americans captured than 500 Germans among nearly 1,000 new prisoners in the northern sector. The unconditional surrender of the islands of Favignana, Levanzo, and Marcttimo was reported.

The three little islands form a triangle off the west coast of Sicily, the most westerly being Marettimo, which is 25 miles from Allied-occupied Trapanl. American bombers returned to the suburbs of Rome to pulverize the Practica Di Mare airport 11 milqs south of the capital, and Fly- WASHINGTOX, July 31. American light warships bombarded Japane.se defenses on Klska Island Friday, the Navy reported today following bombing mission by a American plane Thursday. The surface vessels, which may have been cither destroyers or light cruisers, poured shells into the enemy's main area, as well os the Gertrude Cove- section. These were July's Gist air attack anil the month's eighth bombardment directed iigninst Kiskii.

-Viivy communique No. 455 said: "North Pacific: "1. On July 20th, United States Army Flying Fortress (Boeing B-17) heavy bomber attacked Japanese positions on Kiska. Due to overcast weather, results were unobserved. "2.

On July 30th, during the morning, United States light surface units bombarded Gertrude Core and the main cnmp areas on Kiskn. bat- terles did not reply." Electric Rate Reduction For City Ordered Local Utility Is Told To Cut Charges By $175,000 Yearly EFFECTIVE SEPT. 1 Savings Made By Parker Dam Power, Declares Commission PHOENIX, July 31. Arizona corporation com- Allies In Accord On Italian Terms Surrender Of Italy Is Expected To Occur In Near Future By JAMES P. KIXO LONDON, July 31.

()--The United States, Great Britain and Soviet Russia are acting in dose harmony in dealing with the Italian situation it was learned today, and it can be presumed that any armistice terms laid down for Italy would carry the approval of all three powers. Russia, Britain and the United States all were reported to have instructed their representatives in Reported Killed I neutral countries of Euro'pe and mission today ordered a reduc- ln Argentina to notifv tne ove TM Yankees Fight Foe With Fire East Of Mimda ing-Fortresses, mainland for returning to the another of their sledgehammer blows, a a Grottaglie airport near Taranto on the Italian heel, Allied headquarters announced. Down 26 Planes, Lose 1 Warhawks in a savage fight over Sardinia shot to pieces a formation of German and Italian fighters, destroying 21 out of about 35. The Axis air force reeled under the lopsided score of 26 Axis planes lost to one Allied plane missing for the day. American and British warships sweeping the Italian coastal waters in defiance of enemy shore guns sank one merchantman and probably an enemy motor torpedo boat and three heavily armed lighters, it was officially announced.

Allied cruisers and destroyers on Wednesday night bombarded important railway bridges near Locri. 20 miles from Cape Spar(See SICILV on Page 8) Use Flame-Throwers To Win Jap Pillboxes In Battle For Sew Georgia Base By BBIDOST TAVES A I HEADQUARTERS, SOUTH PACIFIC, July 31, (U.R)-- American troops used flame-throwers to route the Japanese from ccral and log pillboxes and advance through Lambeti plantation east of Munda yesterday, it was announced today. Using the weapon successfully for the first time in the Pacific war, the U. S. soldiers crept through enemy positions under cover of tanks and planes to send streams of fire through the pillbox gun- slits.

Check Results Closely Not since the Buna campaign had flame-throwers been tried against the Japanese and military experts checked the results closely to see if the answer had been found to the enemy jungle tricks which have slowed the Allied advance on the New Georgia base. North of Munda, around Bibolo hill on the edge of the Munda airstrip, American patrols beat off a Japanese counterattack, The action was In cocoanut groves near the coast about a mile from tho field. Dive bombers attacked gun emplacements and defense positions on Munda point and Guarasai vil- ge as other planes heavily bombed the enemy around Bairoko har- tion of $175,000 per year in the electric rates charged by the' Tucson Gas, Electric Light and Power company. Commissioners Amos A. Botts and William Petcrsen issued the order effective September although pan of the reduction would be retroactive to-January 1, 19-13.

The reduction was based principally on the use-by the Tucson utility of power from Parker dam on the Colorado river. Order Quoted "The earnings of the respondent for the year 1942 and the first six- months of 19-13 lead us to the conclusion and we find that effective September 1, the existing rates should be reduced in the aggregate sum of S175.000 per year," the directive said. The commission ordered the reductions in "existing rates appropriately pro-rated and that the reductions resulting from the use of Colorado river power shall be made retroactive to January 1 and that the proportionate amount of each consumer's bill over that' period be credited on future bills I immediately after the amounts can be determined, which.must be within a reasonable time." Approval was given by the commission also to new reduced rate schedules for three Final county cities submitted by the Arizona Edison company. The new schedules provide a reduction at Casa monts they would consider harboring Mussolini or any other Axis leaders an infringement of United Nations war principles. This manifestation of Allied unity became known as Prime Minister Winston Churchill ordered alt British cabinet members and heads of the fighting services to stand by over the week-end for any possible developments in connection with the Italian crisis.

Other allied governments were also being kept Informed of developments. Foreign Minister An- thony Eden summoned their rep-1 ressntatives into conference short-1 ly after the two early morning sessions yesterday of the British war cabinet. Approve FDR's Warning How closely the Allies were working together was indicated by the. speed with which Moscow- backed up President Roosevelt's warning to neutral nations not to jive rofuge to Benito Mussolini or any other war criminal. From the Russian capital, too.

came the dls closure that Great Britain had sen -similar to neutra countries, 'even'before it was of ficially announced in London. It was pointed out that the. three powers--the United -Britain, ar.d RvftSHPrare pledged to achieve unconditional surrender and the specific terms of any ca pitulation would be laid down "with Terrible Air Offensive To Be Resume At Once As Peace Move Delayed Vlrglnlo Gnydn (above), former editor of the Giornalc D'ltalia and long Mussolini's spokesman, was killed during anti-Fascist rioting after II Ducc's according to word reaching Madrid from Italy. Stiffer German Fighting Fails To Halt Soviets Lira's Term Commuted But He Must Go Away PHOENIX, July 31. (F)--Gov, Os.

born approved today the commutation of Ernesto Lira's 30- to 40- year sentence to time served on the condition that the former Prcs- cott night club operator leave the state. Lira, once manager of John Henry Lewis, former light heavyweight champion, was convicted of killing Marcus Jay Lawrence, wealthy Washington, D. socialite, in a fight at the Lira home. He had been in prison since 1938. The governor had had.the recommendation of the board of pardons and paroles on his desk since June 22.

The board said Lira had received a number of offers of employment from outside the state. Former WPA Official Dies In California PHOENIX, July 31. C. Baker, formerly engineer for the work projects administration In Tucson and later state safety consultant for in Phoenix, died last night at his Morro Bay, home, friends wpre advised today. He moved to California about 19 months ago.

bor, across New Georgia 10 miles from Munda. On the New Guinea side of the Southern Pacific front, planes and P-T boats were reported to have sunk at least 11 heavily loaded Japanese barges and damaged many others in continued assaults on enemy supply lines, Liberators Blast Jap Bases Liberators, flying through adverse weather, dropped 25 tons of bombs on enemy positions southeast of Salamaua, the New Guinea coastal base. Fighting continued in the Komiatum and Mt. Tambu areas near Salamaua, the com- said, and Japanese dive bombers made light Ineffective raids on the American and Australia ground troops, Four barges definitely were destroyed and many others damaged by planes off Cape Gloucester, New Britain, and P-T boats accounted for seven others In Vitiaz strait off New Guinea. Liberators, accompanied by a strong fighter escort, set big fires on Ballale airdrome on Bougan- ville, in the northern Solomons.

Tweoty-five enemy fighters seen in the area avoided' combat. Grande of Coolidge $2,541. and Florence, $1,400. The Tucson directive, unless an appeal from. the commission's orders is taken, concludes a controversy between the commission and the local utility which was first argued in open hearing March 31 in Tucson and later in Phoenix on April 18.

Order Resisted At these hearings the Tucson company resisted the order to reduce rates b'y $177,000 on the grounds that it had not exceeded its legal earnings by $57,000 In 1942, as charged in the first count by the commission and that the sum of $120,000 estimated to be saved during the current year from the purchase of Parker dam power should be on the actual savings computed at the end of the current year as provided for in the contrac between the government and th Tucson Gas, Electric Light and Power company. corporation commission points out in its directive that savings on Parker Dam power have jumped from 42 hundredths per cent in January to 7,54 per cent in June or savings of $649 in January to 513,622 in June or a total for full regard for the military requirements of the Allies. These, presumably, would Include a joint agreement as to the best method: of using Italy's surrender at the major Axis power--Germany, The early cabinet meeting created a wave of excitement in London and there was a feeling that big news was about to break- either a sudden capitulation by Italy or a possible new Invasion blow. This feeling was bolstered by a (See ALLIES on Page 8) the first six months of 1D43 of $39,114. "The earning of the respondent for the year 1942 and the first six month of 1943" states the commission order, "lead us to the con elusion and we find that effective September 1, 1943, the existing rates should be reduced In the sum of 5175,000 per year." "It Is hereby ordered that the respondent, (Tucson Gas, Electric Light and Power Company) shall on or before September 1, 1943, make reductions In existing rates, and that reductions resulting from the use of Colorado River power shall retroactive to January 1, 1943," No information as to what action the Tucson Gas, Electric Light (See RATES on Page 8) French Groups Finally Reach Unity Accord Glraud Named Commander 0: Armies As De Gaulle Heads Committee ALGIERS, July 31.

cation of the French armed forces under Gen. Henri Giraud as com mander in chief was announcec officially today, together with the appointment of Can. Charles de Gaulle as permanent president the newly formed committee oi national defense. Spurred by the Imminent collapse of Italy, the French nation al committee of liberation unified all the fighting forces of the empire under General Giraud and appointed General de Gaulle to head the new committee of national defense. General Paul de Gentilhomme, veteran de Gaullist military leader, will be appointed to the new office of war minister.

United At Last By solving the eight-month-old dispute between Giraud and de 'aulle over the command of French military strength and harmonizing all elements of the em- Jre, the French committee pre- ented a united front to the United (See FRENCH on Page 8) Progress Toward Orel Slowed Slightly But Not Stopped By Hard Nazi Fighting By HBMIV SHAPIRO MOSCOW, July 31. (U.R)--Stif- fened CJerman resistance, marked by counterattacks in which up to 3,000 troops and-40 tanks assaulted a single Soviet position, slowed but failed to halt converging Russian columns at the gates to Orel today. The Germans were counterattacking on some sectors as many as four times In 24 hours and the army organ'Red Star reported they had brought up big aerial reinforcements in a final, desperate effort to save Orel, exposed hinge of th southern and central fronts. Reds Steadily Advance Despite growing opposition, Red armies advancing on the bastion from the north, east, and south yesterday hammered out gains ol and a half to five miles and overran 20 more towns and vil ages. Nearly 4,000 enemy officers and men were killed.

South of Orel, Russian forces en- renched on the west bank of a trategic river widened i jrldgehead in a bitter battle that ost the enemy more than 2,000 ead, as well as 21 tanks and 31 guns German troops withdrawn from forward positions below Orel era! days ago now were established in more favorable defense positions, which they were using as bases for counterattacks. A German Infantry regiment of 3,000 men, strongly supported by tanks and planes, exhausted itself in a fiitfle counterattack north of Orel, then was forced to yield a strongly fortified defense position when- the. Russians suddenly attacked. Eight hundred German dead and nine tanks were left on the battlefield. Cavalry Wins Villages Russian cavalry attacked in a neighboring sector and captured several villages.

German-- priso ers captured north of sai had only recently the eastern front. East of Orel, more than 1,00 enemy troops were killed in on sector alone. German troops also were counter attacking heavily on the Belgoro 'ront, 165 miles south of Ore), an the Donets basin, farther south Red army tanks intercepted counterattack In the Belgoroi rea, destroying three tanks an then wiping out the greater par (See RUSSIANS on Page 8) Machine Tool Center Target Of Great Raid Concentrated Bombing Attack Is Made At Remscheid LONDON, July 31. (U.R)-- A big British air fleet dropped at least 1,500 tons of bombs on the Ruhr valley machine tool center of Remscheid last night and other bombers carried the greatest air offensive of all time into its second week with daylight raids on Hitler's European fortress. The Allied air command apparently has crossed Hamburg off its target list as virtually destroyed after eight raids In 120 hours, the most concentrated bombing assault ever made on a modern city.

The raid was revealed belatedly to have been made by swift, wooden Mosquito bombers Wednesday night. Remsclield "Saturated" Rounding out a week in which British and American bombers dropped some 15,400 tons of ex plosives on western Europe, the Royal air force sent a heavy force of four-engined Stlrlings, Lancas- ters, an3 Halifaxes against Remscheid in a thunderbolt saturation raid that left widespread destruc tion in its A broadcast admitted serious destruction and fire damage. Sixty Allied planes, most of them have been shot down in the past 24 hours, the broadcast said. Only 15 bombers were lost in the Remscheid attack, the air ministry said: More Head For Boulogne Hardly, had the night raiders returned to their bases than daylight bombers and fighters roared outi (See RAID on Page 8) 1 By WILLIAM B. DICKINSON LONDON, July 31.

(U.R)--The Allies dramatically warned Italy tonight that big-scale aerial attacks will be resumed at once, because the government of Premier Marshal Pietro Badoglio temporized when called to surrender and permitted Hitler to strengthen his hold on Italy. The warning, which was broadcast repeatedly from North Africa to the Italian people, appeared to squash persistent rumors that Badoglio was attempting to open peace negotiations, including a report from France via Madrid that Italian emissaries had been sent b'y airplane to meet with Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower. Italians were warned to keep away from all military targets because the Allies were resuming their aerial offensive with force and vigor after a breathing spell in which only communications or airfields were bombed following the 9ouster of Benito Mussolini and Eisenhower's call for Italy's capitulation.

Badoglio Fails The broadcast apparently was designed to impress on the "Italian people that the Badoglio government had failed to kick out tfte Nazis and presumably to encourage popular uprisings--such as have been reported in north. Italy-against the new regime. London sources said that tension and disorder were mounting In Italy and it was believed that it would be only a matter of days until popular reaction forced out the Badoglio government in favor of a regime that was prepared, to accept unconditional surrender. That expected movement was en. couraged by the North African broadcast warning Italians to "keep Brigades Of Slovene Guerrillas Reported Note At Udine, Italy LONDON, July 3J, Jugoslav government in declared today that the fifth and sixth brigades of Slovene Irregulars--who live and have been fighting inside Italian territory --had broken through enemy lines in northern Italy to reach tbe t'dine region.

The announcement said they immediately recruiting Slovene inhabitants of the area to oppose the Axis. It said that according to tbe latest reports the population, "in great numbers," was joining the guerrillas. Earlier reports hail told of fighting between Slovenes on the one hand and Germans and Italians on the other on Italian territory, but no hint of a penetration as far as Udinc. VAlae Is 40 milts northwest of Nazi- occupied Trieste and about the same distance west of the old Italian-Jugoslav border. At tho same time the Jugoslav government announced a patriots, attacking a German-Bulgarian punitive force near the town of Zagrccar, wrecked train, killed a majority of the 500 passengers, and took the commanding officer a prisoner.

Balkans Awaiting Orders To Erupt STATE MEN EXCEL IN WYOMING RODEO CHEYENNE, July 31. (ff) --Top performances were turned iff by Tommle Rhodes, Mammoth, and Mill McMaklin, Florence, in the Rodeo events yesterday at Cheyenne's frontier days. Rhodes roped and tied his longhorn steer In 22.1 seconds to lead that event. McMaklin topped the bulldogging by downing a steer in 16.8 seconds. Final events for, the $12,000 In pursei were scheduled today, The War Tfas Week By LOUIS F.

KEEMLE United Press War Analyst The fall of Mussolini and Fascism, the apparently imminent withdrawal of Italy from the war, the continuance of Russia's smashing drive on the eastern front and the shattering day and night air offensive against Germany marked a week that pointed the European phase of the war toward a climax. Italy was almost assuredly out, either by early surrender or by force of arms. The Balkan satellites were panic-stricken and it appeared Germany soon would face her; foes alone, ringed in on all sides. Developments of the week included; On Sunday, Mussolini was forced out after 20 years of dictatorship. Marshal Pietro Badoglio formed a military government under the king to salvage what he could horn the ruins left by Fascism.

The Allies in Sicily maintained their steady envelopment of the Axis forces in the northeastern corner of the island, while bombers blasted objectives in the extreme north and south of Italy. After Saturday night's bomb raid on Hamburg by the RAF, American bombers plastered the burning city by day and the RAF came back again Sunday night. On Monday, Badoglio formed a cabinet and proclaimed martial law through Italy to preserve order as the people demonstrated in joy over the fall of Mussolini. American troops in Sicily drove from the center of the island to strengthen (See WAR on Page 8) Underground Forces Are Ready To Rise Up Against Axis MADRID, July 31. forces of occupied Europe and opponents of pro- lerman Balkan governments, stirred by Benito Mussolini's ouster and the Italian crisis, hav grown increasingly restless am gome are awaiting orders erup against Axis powers, dispatches am reports from widely separated points indicated today.

An indication that Germany lews the Balkan situation gravely vas seen in reports that the Nazi vere hastily consolidating the! positions in Italy's Trieste door way to the Balkans, possibly in fear that an Allied push in tha direction would find ready sym pathy from the people of south eastern Europe. (A Cairo broadcast said last night troops had fired on Greek patriots protesting German orders assigning Bulgarian troops to Greek garrison points. There were "numerous" victims, said the broadcast which was recorded by the OWI. Strikes Spreading Stabs Piercing Japan's Heart Are In Making AXKARA, Turkey, July 30 --(Delayed) (ff)--A ncutra source in contact with both tbe Axis and the Allies said today that Italians not accepted Gen. Dwight D.

Kisen howcr's surrender terms because Germany had threatened revenge. This source, who can not further be identified, said the threat xvas delivered in between the Italian ambassador, Raffaclc Gtiariglia, and the German ambassador, Franz von Papon, just before the Italian left by plane to become foreign minister In tbe Badoglio cabinet. Von Papcn tempered tbe threat with the promise that If the Italian cabinet resisted public pressure for capitulation and continued to fight, Germany would take Italy's badly-battered position Into consideration In the disposition of troops, even to the point of revising the whole defense plan for Europe, it was reported. (Widespread strikes and violent street demonstrations were touched off, the radio report said. (A Berlin broadcast -quoted an Athens dispatch as saying that German occupation troops had been removed from many Greek cities jecause they were needed elsewhere due to "military necessity" and increased Greek guerrilla activity.) Spanish correspondents in Vichy reported the "Communist" threat here was growing, according to achy authorities.

Inasmuch as he Vichy regime calls any anU- Vazi activity "Communistic" these eports were Interpreted refer- ing to all undergrounds groups, rrespective of their political ten- encies. One dispatch from Vichy report- a clash Paris Wednesday be- ween 100 "Communists" and Drench veterans from the German in Russia. "Police witnessed ie attack but did nothing," the ispatch said and added: "There cere casualties on both sides." (See BALKANS on Page 8) Present Island-Hopping War To Give Way to Great Offensive Thrusts By JOHN M. WGHTOWER WASHINGTON, July 31. The growing might of Allied arms in the Pacific is being readied for a series of great offensive thrusts against Japan as soon as the present preparatory strategy has set the stage.

This was the understanding her today following an indication Navy Secretary Knox that the pres cnt "island-to-base" strategy prob ably will be scrapped in the noi too-distant future. In response to questions at Ji'ess conference the Navy chie agreed that Allied strategy soon night call for major stabs at vita strong points in Japan's Islam empire system. Such points could nclude the naval base of Truk in he South Pacific, enemy air anc naval bases in the Philippines, and various defense outposts in the slands north of Japan, with the all of which the very heart of the nemy would be exposed to assault nd destruction. Crippling: Attacks Tn Offing Knox made it clear, even though he declined to go Into details of strategy, that the purposes of the current island-hopping campaigns are to furnish jumping-off places from which crippling attacks can be made. These future assaults undoubtedly will be correlated with operations in China against Japan's western flank.

President Roosevelt said in his radio speech earlier this week that the enemy would be attacked from all corners of the compass. How fully the campaign In China Is developed wilJ depend on the-success of Allied plans for reopening the Burma road to permit movement of supplies to the (Set STABS on Page 8) away from factories, barracks, railroad stations, supply depots, air fields, and other military Badoglio apparently has been hoping to make peace without accepting military occupation of Italy and he may have put out feelers or even proposals to that end, but these obviously have been unsuccessful and the Allies are now going to attempt to speed up unconditional surrender by resumption of bombing. Meanwhile, Count Galeazzo Clano, Italian ambassador to tho Vatican, followed his father-in-law into retirement by resigning. A Swiss dispatch to the exchange telegraph agency reported that Marshal Pietro Badoglio has drafted a four-point program to lake Italy out of the war and return her to neutral status and will resign if--as even he expects-it Is rejected by either the Allies or Germany. From Cairo came report attributed to "reliable sources" thirt German forces have beycnn disarming Italian troops in Lar- Issa, Grecian gateway to Albania, and have taken over tbe occupation of Athens In gradual asHuinptlon of the control of all Greece.

In Italy itself, strikes and peaca demonstrations, some of them led communists, were reported con- ti'nuing in Milan, Turin, Naples, (See. ITALY on Page S) B-24 Bomber Missing From Davis-Monthan Officers Davis-Monthan ield were investigating today reports that a B-24 bomber, missing rom the field since last night, iad crashed and burned in the lincon mountains about 30 miles rom the base. No official report had been re- eived from the officers who left arly this morning for the moun- ains. The plane was reported by anchors to have flown low over mountains and then crashed nto the ground, bursting into flame, about 13 p. yesterday.

A I0-man crew was believed to be aboard the missing plane, which was on a routine night training flight..