The Greenwood Commonwealth from Greenwood, Mississippi • Page 1

Day Being Fact and Comment On Greenwood, Leflore County, and Mississippi FOR GREENWOOD: Mostly cloudy, showers this afternoon and tonight, cooler Tuesday. S-Sgt. Jimmie Cobb, who has been with the 8th Army Air Force in England, wired his mother last night that he arrived in New York and would be home soon. The new Jasper County oil well, on its first 24-hour test run, produced 1,000 barreis of oil in that period, and Director Morse of the State Oil and Gas Commission said that with a choke double the size used the well could produce 5,000 barrels a day. The director said the well establishes the Heidelberg field as the third largest in the state.

The well, which came in Saturday, is producing from 160 feet of oil sand, ranging from 4,500 to 4,900 feet down. Ingalls Shipbuilding Corporation officials at Pascagoula announced today that 250 riggers and 85 per cent of machinists engaged in a walkout at the plant over the week-end had returned to work, leaving approximately 750 workers still out. A regular stated meeting will be held Tuesday night April 11 to elect officers for the ensuing year, according to M. M. MeCallum, secretary, B.

P. 0. Elks No. 854. All members are urged to be present.

Supper will be served promptly at 7 o'clock. Listed among the 27 cadets at the San Antonio Aviation Cadet Center are Edwin W. Denman of Greenwood who is taking training, and Ralph M. Garrard of Isola, who is training in the navigator school. They will take ten weeks of training at that school, after which they will progress to advanced training outfits.

First Lt. George F. Humphrey, son of Mrs. Susan Humphrey of Greenwood, has reported to the Keesler Field unit of the Army Air Forces Training He reported from Gulfport. Among the men reported missing by th War Department today were the following Mississippians: Sgt.

Jack Terrell of Carthage, 2nd Lt. George J. Littleton of Tyro, Pvt. Leo Breazeale of Stewart, Pvt. Luke H.

Fancher of Belmont, Pvt. Marion Havard of Lucedale, and Pfc. Charles N. Milam of Greenville. The Second District Mississippi Federation of Women's Clubs will hold their 24th annual convention at Philadelphia, May 11.

A president, recording secretary and custodian will be elected. This afternoon at 5:45 o'clock, William Lane Williford, with the Merchant Marine, stationed at St. Petersburg, will be heard over Station WGRM. He is the son of Mr. and Mrs.

C. V. Williford, this city. The 84th annual meeting of the Grand Commandery, Knights Templar of Mississippi, will be held at Meridian April 26-27. Fire at 7:30 this o'clock this morning at a colored shop, Avenue and Ash, called out the Fire Department.

Small damage was reported. Captain R. L. (Bob) Howell of Kelly Field, Texas, was recently promoted to that rank from first lieutenant. He is a former Greenwood resident, and is with the Air Corps Engineers.

Due to flood conditions the monthly, meeting of Post the No. Keesler- 29, American Legion, will be postponed from April 11 to Tuesday night, April 18, at 8 o'clock. A. B. Carothers, commander of the post, urges a full atendance at the meeting as new members, veterans of World War Il, will be installed.

Special refreshments will be served. Troop 48, Boy Scouts of America, will have an Investiture Tenderfoot Ceremony tomorrow (Tues- day) night) at 7:30 o'clock, at the High School gym. All members of the Executive Committee and friends cordially invited to attend. Members of the troop are requested to be in uniform and to be present promptly at 7:30. Nearly twenty years after it was constructed, Vicksburg's $100,000 Crawford Street MethoChurch was dedicated yesterday and Bishop J.

Lloyd Decell of Birmingham watched as a torch was applied to the note which represented the huge debt involved in building the structure. Maj. General Ralph Hays today announced the following promotions in the Mississippi State Guard: Lt. Gerald J. Montgomery to Captain, succeeding Capt.

Aven Whittington who resigned to enter the Army. Richard C. McBee to First Lieutenant and Sgt. Fisher M. Southworth to 2nd Lieutenant.

Mrs. Vernon Duke has received a message that Technician 4th Grade, Vernon D. Duke, has arrived safely somewhere in England. Greenwood VOLUME 28-NUMBER 191. GREENWOOD, LEFLORE COUNTY, MONDAY AFTERNOON, APRIL.

10, 1944. FIVE CENTS Russians Capture Prize Port On Black Sea After Short Siege; Japanese Outflank Allies In India Japs Bring Imphal In India Under State Of Siege Enemy Has Struck Outskirts Of Kohima Only 35 Miles From Bengal-Assam Supply Line. NEW DELHI, April 10 (AP) Japanese invaders of India have brought the strategic plain" of Imphal under virtual siege and struck to the outskirts of Kohima, only 35 miles from the Bengal-Assam rail supply line feeding American and Chinese forces in northern Burma. Kohima is 30 miles inside the border, and 60 miles north of Imphal, a principal Allied base in eastern India. The southeast 'Asia command declared Sunday that a "small initial penetration" of Kohima's outskirts had been repulsed by the strong Allied garrison.

Thirty -five miles northwest is Dimapur on the American-operated rail line supplying Lt. Gen. Joseph W. Stilwell's mixed forces in Burma. The Japanese were bringing steady pressure to win the Imphal plain, rich in food, before the monsoon next month halts most military activities, but Allied troops were said to have a frim hold at the moment at the edge of the plain, The enemy has come within 10 miles of Imphal from the northeast, on the road from Ukhrul.

(A BBC broadcast heard by CBS said Allied forces had evacuated Tamu, about 50 miles below Imphal. Another London broadcast, also recorded by CBS the British had made another air-borne landing behind Japanese due east of Imphal, between the Irrawaddy and Chindwin rivers, to support a column already in that area.) Military men emphasized the importance of holding the Imphal plain, which would give the Japanese a base for blows north and west into other valleys and plains of India, and of retaining the roads suitable for motorized strikes. The Allies have an advantage of greater air power and mobility, and have ample forces in the general area to meet the enemy columns if they can be located, these officers added. But in the thick jungle country the raiding Japanese patrols are extremely hard to find and stop. In the Mogaung valley of northern Burma, meanwhile, Brig.

Gen. Frank Merrill's Marauders were said to have trapped Japanese troops who had partially circled Marauder unit. Another American column came to the rescue, pinning down the enemy in a bitter eight-day' fight. Chinese forces were making slow but steady advances down the broadening Mogaung valley, and continuing successful actions were reported also in the Myitkyina sector. YORK, April 10- (AP)NEW The Berlin radio today quoted a Japanese, government spokesman in a Tokyo disI patch that the fall of Imphal, capital of Manipur, is a matter only of days.

The broadcast said the spokesman declared the Japanese occupation of Kohima April 6 "must be regarded as the instruction to further advances." Rotarians Hear Truman Lewis Executive Secretary Of Hospital For Crippled Adults, Memphis, Was Rotary Speaker Today. Truman Lewis, executive secretary of the Hospital for Crippled Adults, Memphis, was speaker at today's meeting of the Rotary Club. The program was in charge of Chester Allen. Mr. Lewis was introduced to the club by Nelson Taylor, who has been a member of the Advisory Committee since the operation of the hospital.

The speaker made a report on history and the operation of the hospital which is sponsored by the Rotary Clubs of Arkansas, Mississippi and Tennessee. Rotarian Jones Hamilton gave the Rotary charge to a new member, Robert Strong. Former Rotarian Bobby Moor was a visitor. THE WEATHER TEMPERATURE: Maximum 75.1 degrees. Minimum 62.9 degrees, Rainfall 0.32.

River gauge 37.23. Fall since Saturday 0.52. Draft Status Men 18-26 Years Clarified Again Older Inductees Stayed From Call Temporarily In Nation's Draft Boards, But Tomorrow May Be Another Day. WASHINGTON, April 10 (AP)The nation's 6,400 draft boardswith the older potential inductees stayed temporarily from the call- began a rush today to get men under 26 training to replace comingombat tle casualties. Although the Army has reached its planned strength of 700,000, the "peak" will be exceeded in April to build up a reserve for the needed replacements.

potter Chief reported McNutt that was ready Manto present to Major General Lewis Hershey, Draft Director, al list of 13 activities in which some deferments are recommended for "key" men under 26. Meanwhile potential draftees of all ages were advised to consult their local boards if they are in any doubt as to their status and 4-F's who are not now in essential work were told to seek advice from the U. S. Employment Service as to available jobs in winning work. JACKSON, April 10 (A') Selective Service Director Col.

Lawrence W. Long and members of his staff met early today to draft a directive for all local boards to conform with Gen. Lewis B. Hershey's order halting induction of men over 26 engaged in essential industry. Col.

Long said the directive would not be completed until about 4 p. m. and would become effective immediately. Its contents, he said, would be similar to those issued Gen. Hershey.

"The idea," said, "is to get 'he the younger men for the service. However, volunteers won't be interfered with." Meanwhile, local boards, especially those with inductees scheduled to be sent out today and tomorrow, were in a state of confusion. E. E. Laird, chairman of Draft Board No.

1 in Jackson, said he could make no move until he got the directive, and that he has no official instructions yet. Until the directive is issued, he said, follow the old rules. boards, must, clerk at draft Board No. 2 said a Navy group was going out today and the induction could not be stayed. "We have more going tomorrow, and we are trying state headquarters now for instructions," he said.

Sheep Shearing Demonstration To Be Shown County Agent J. S. MeBee Has Arranged For Two Demonstrations For This Area. A Sheep Shearing Demonstration will be held for this area on April 17 and 18 under the supervision of Paul Newell of State College, and arranged by County Agent J. S.

McBee. demonstrations are for the purpose teaching the best methods of shearing sheep and rolling and tying of fleeces. Also instructions will be given in packing the various grades of wool in order that the highest prices may be obtained. The first demonstration will begin at 9:30 o'clock at the farm of J. Ellis Williams, Morgan City, and will run throughout the day.

Paul Newell, extension animal husbandman, will be assisted by a representative of the Chicago Flexible Steel Shaft Co. A similar program will be carried through at the hog barn of the Delta Livestock Show in Greenwood, April 18. Any persons, either in Leflore or adjoining counties, interested in training one or more persons to shear sheep and care for the wool, should see that they attend one or both of these demonstrations. DEAR EDITOR- By Jimmy Arrington Columbus, Miss. I broke bread here with the Travellers Club and subjected them to the punishment of listening to my speech.

My father travelled for 25 years and at his death the only thing he had accumulated was a bad case of indigestion and 200 hotel towels. Travelling salesmen have played an important part in the development of our country and they are one of the greatest moulders of public opinion that I know of. Rep. Whittington Calls Flood Meet Congressman Asks Residents Along Four Rivers To Meet At Court House In Greenwood Wednesday. Representative Will M.

Whittington, chairman of the House Flood Control Committee, has called a meeting of residents along the Yazoo, Tallahatchie, Yalobusha and Coldwater rivers for 10 a. m. Wednesday, April 12 at the court house in Greenwood. The purpose of the meeting will be to discuss the flood situation along the rivers. Congressman Whittington has urged that mayors, Boards of Supervisors, drainage commissioners, members attorney of the Levee Board and members of the Legislature to attend.

Easter Parade Dampened By Rain Showers Failed To Halt Most Of Services Planned In City However. Undaunted by rain clouds and a downpour of the morning, all Easter events in Greenwood were carried through on schedule with few exceptions. The Sunrise Easter Service at the Greenwood Army Air Field was amoug those that failed to materialize owing to the inclemency of the weather. Missing were the flashy colors of yesteryear with the military colors predominating among the strollers participating in the city's third wartime Easter. Prayers for the safety of the fighting for Allied victory and peace--were offered by the churchgoers who jammed the city's churches.

The rains however brought much attention to the local river gauge, however the reading this morning shows 37.23 feet, a drop of .52 feet despite a reported rainfall of .32 inches. The Coast Guard that had been here several days also left Sunday morning. Dr. Willis Walley Dies In Jackson Had For Many Years Been One Of Mississippi's Most Outstanding Physicians And Surgeons. JACKSON, April 10 (AP) -Funeral services for Dr.

Willis Walley, 66, prominent physician and surgeon for 25 years, who died in a local hospital Sunday morning, were to be held from the Baldwin Chapel at 2 p. m. today. Dr. Walley had served as County Health Officer of Perry County, President of the State Medical Association and past President of the Emory University Alumni, Association where he received his medical degree.

He had been member of the Board of Trustees, of Higher Learning and as Colonel on Gov. Bilbo's staff during the latter's term of office. At the time of his death he was District Surgeon of the Central Railroad and consultant, surgeon of the G. M. and 0.

Railroad. Military Maids Special Dance Friday, Apr. 14 Special Orchestra Of Camp McCain Will Play For The Occasion. As a special courtesy to the Military Maids, Major Anson Miller 'Special Service Officer of the 94th Division of Camp MeCain is sending one of his Orchestras over to play for the Anniversary Dance on April 14th. The Military Maids attend the Service Club Dances, once a month at McCain.

tras in the 94th. Division are unusually good, and will certainly add to the success of the dance honoring the Military Maids and the GAAF Enlisted Men and Aviation Trainees. Special Invitations for the Formal Dance on April 14, at the Country Club have been issued to: Mayor and Mrs. A. D.

Saffold, Mr. and Mrs. T. C. Harmon, George Fanguy, Col.

and Mrs. Othel R. Deering, Maj. and Mrs. Frank H.

Poehlman, Capt. and Mrs. William D. Blair, Raymond M. 0'- Conner, Capt.

J. C. May and Richard Dann. U.S. Air Force Strikes In France, Belgium Today 1,000 To 1,500 Bombers And Fighters In Third Straight Day's Attack On Nazi Air Power.

By AUSTIN BEALMEAR LONDON, April 10 A) Air task forces totalling 1,000 to 1,500 bombers and fighters smashed at plane factories and airfields in Belgium and France today in the third straight day of fierce bleeder blows against Nazi air power. The Americans struck after heavy RAF night raids on rail targets at Lille and in the southern outskirts at Paris, in follow -up their deep Sunday plunge against aircraft factories in Poland, East Prussia, and northeast Germany. On Saturday they bombed Brunswick airplane plants and airdromes near Frankfort, wrecking 148. Nazi planes in the battle. Today the heavy bombers hopped across the North Sea to smack the Evere and Virorde plane repair works and Melsbroek airdrome near Brussels, aircraft factories at Bourges about 115 miles south of Paris, and military objectives in the Pas-De-Calais area of France and elsewhere.

Continued On Page Six Ernest M. Purcell Dies At Quito Funeral Services For Prominent Planter Will Be Held In Greenwood At 5 O'Clock This Afternoon. Ernest M. Purcell, 70, prominplanter of Quito, died at his home there at 9 o'clock Sunday night after an illness of one week. Funeral services will be held at Williams Funeral Home in Greenwood this afternoon at 5 o'clock, and interment will be made in Odd Fellows Cemetery, with Williams Funeral Home in charge.

Mr. Purcell 1S survived by his wife, Mrs. Jeff McLemore Purcel; three children, Ernest M. Purcell, of Birmingham, Ann Elizabeth Purcell, with the Red Cross in Atlanta, and George Whitfield Purcell, bombardier with the Air Forces in England. A sister, Miss Annie K.

Purcell, of Itta Bena, and five grandchildren also survive. The deceased was a member of the Itta Bena Presbyterian Church and the Greenwood Elks Lodge. Many years ago he had been in the wholesale grocery business in Greenwood and was at one time president of the old First National Bank here. Active pallbearers will be Albert. McLemore, Billy Baird, Cox, William McCain, Allen M.

Hobbs and R. J. Moor. Honorary pallbearers will be R. V.

Pollard, J. D. Duncan, B. B. Provine, W.

M. Peteet, 0. E. Simmons, Dr. B.

B. Harper, Dr. C. C. Moore, W.

L. Craig, Alfred Stoner, J. H. Pettey, H. S.

Durham, B. W. Morgan, J. D. McCasJohn McLean, Shelby S.

Steele, R. E. Avent, Duncan McLeod, R. A. Ball, Dr.

J. P. Bates, L. N. Chandler, J.

H. Freeman, S. H. Montgomery, J. H.

Hunter, Warner Wells, T. J. Carter, B. W. Sanford.

Mrs. M. Tollison Of McCarley Dies Funeral Services This Afternoon For Mother Of Greenwood Residents. Mrs. W.

M. Tollison, 80, died at her home at McCarley Sunday morning at 1 o'clock, after a lingering illness. Funeral services were held at the home near McCarley this afternoon at 2:30, with Rev. Potts, Methodist minister of McCarley saying the last rites. Interment was in Evergreen Cemetery at Carrollton with Lee Funeral Home of Winona in charge.

Mrs. Tollison is survived by her husband, W. M. Tollison, who is 91 years of age; six sons, B. A.

Tollison of Memphis, Phillip and Buck A. Tollison of Jackson, T. J. Tollison of Ruleville, King son of McCarley, and J. R.

Tollison of Moorhead; five daughters, Mrs. J. Q. Jacks and Mrs. W.

D. Taylor of Greenwood. Mrs. J. M.

Corley, Mrs. Sam Blissett and Mrs. Clarence Lott, McCarley. Twenty-four grandchildren and four great grandchildren also surviters. Tollison had lived in Carcounty for more than 40 years, and was a member of the Methodist Church.

Pallbearers will be her six sons, and honorary pallbearers will be friends of the family. As DeWitt MacKenzie SeesThe War Situation Today The World Today EASTER was celebrated yester. day on all those fronts manned by American soldiers. It was observed in mud and muck and in some spots even in blood but so sincere was the spirit of men that in one instance on a front line sector in Italy Germans were invited to join the service. ALLIED headquarters revealed for the first time that Japs are trying to outflank the Imphal defenders from the southwest when Allied patrols clashed with Jap patrols southwest of Imphal.

IN CENTRAL Pacific Adm. Nimitz' forces followed up the heaviest night attack on Truk wtih a new raid of Liberators Friday night, the 16th smash in the past 11 days. The blow indicates that an invasion is in the offing. AUSTRALIA plans to pull about 90,000 men out of the army to meet manpower shortage. BERLIN announced evacuation of Odessa, Black sea naval base and supply headquarters for the Nazis.

The Red army had forged a complete siege ring around the city. RED ARMIES also stand poised on Czechoslovakia border deep in Carpathian mountains. Other sweep up 200 Rumanian troops. Russia cannon aim blow at Ploesti fields, chief supply source of German war machine oil. TWO GERMAN strong points on Central Italian stronghold at Cassino were attacked by New Zealand troops.

FRENCH are in usual turmoil as Gen. Giraud refuses to accept directions of Gen. DeGaulle. Giraud calls DeGaulle's orders illegal. PRESIDENT Roosevelt leaves for a trip South.

Doctors hope that excursion will aid cold suffered for several weeks. Womanpower Survey To Be Made Mayor Calls On All Leaders To Aid In Survey Of Available Womanpower Mayor Allen D. Saffold announces a meeting of all civic, fraternal and seryice club leaders of this city to be held in his offices Mor lay evening at 8 o'clock, at which time organizational plans will be completed the participation of Greenwood citizens, in the statewide woman survey being conducted by the Office of Civilian Defense under the Mississippi Joint Recruitment Campaign for women. The campaign, designed to take a poll of the potential womanpower of the state, is to be conducted by local leaders in cooperation with the WACs, WAVES, Marines and SPARS. Under the terms of the drive, the survey will made in a house to house canvass, with the names of all young women within prescribed age limits for service with any branch of the armed services, being taken and numbers available tabulated.

Upon completion of the survey, the lists from all sections of the state will be turned over to the various branches of the service. Young women who express an interest in any particular branch of the services, WACs, WAVES, Marines or SPARS, will then be contacted by the unit in which she has shown interest. Among those from Jackson who will be here tonight to assist in compiling the information are: Mrs. Hubert Lipscomb, Lt. Arneta Morgan, U.

Marines; Ensign Rosemary McCowan, Chief Petty Officer Rose, Seaman 1st Class Jones and S. R. Power, state director, Office Civilian Defense. WASHINGTON, April 10 (AP) President Roosevelt and Prime Minister Churchill report that merchant shipping losses in March were "a little higher" than in February but that the anti-submarine war continues to be Although the attacks by German submersibles against the northern supply lines to Russia were stalled by the Allies, the undersea warfare spread from the Barents Sea, on the approach to Murmansk, to the Indian Ocean on the south. Germans Evacuate Odessa; Reds Try To Block Escape German evacuation of the great Russian port of Odessa on the Black Sea, as announced by Berlin, represents a far-reaching victory for the Muscovites, and its meaning is this: Odessa has been the main port of supplies for the Axis forces in the Crimean peninsula which not only has guarded the Nazi right flank in Russia but the coasts of Rumania and Bulgaria as well.

Loss of Odessa means that the Crimea, one of Hitler's key positions in the eastern theater, cannot long hold out. At present it is held by about a dozen divisions -probably less than 100,000 men -half Germans and half Romanjans. Once this famous Crimean battle-ground of the centuries is again in Russian hands, the field of operations for the Red war machine will be greatly widened. Soviet warships can return to the port of Sevastopol, and the Red command will be in a position to send an amphibious expedition against the Romanian coast to outflank the Hitlerites, if that seems desirable. (Continued on Page 4) New Zealanders Attack Germans South Of Cassino Allied Troops In Ruined Cassino Subiected To Violent Shelling By Nazis.

ALLIED HEADQUARTERS, NAPLES, April 10 (P)-New Zealand troops have inflicted casualties on the Germans in sudden attacks against two strongpoints at Sane' Angelo, three miles south of Cassino, headquarters announced today, while Allied troops in ruined Cassino itself were subjected to renewed violent mortaring and shelling. The New Zealanders partially destroyed one of the enemy positions. The shelling of Cassino followed days of comparative quiet in the devastated town. The increase in German activity also included dropping of propaganda leaflets three miles north of the town and heavy shelling in the upper Rapido Valley northeast of Sane' Elia. The Germans, meanwhile, seemed to be on the move in the lower Garigliano sector of the main front.

A great deal of transport movement was observed and in Ausente Valley 21 tanks or propelled guns were seen about miles northeast of Minturno. Five of them were believed knocked out by artillery fire the Nazis subsequently put out smoke pots to conceal their movements. The Germans, who can control the volume of the Garigliano river's flow by manipulating the dam flood gates on the Liri river, have permitted the Garigliano to drop five feet. On the beachhead below Rome, German artillery fire slackened somewhat, but their patrols were exceedingly active and were driven off all around the breachhead perimeter. Another "Goliath" remote-control tank was knocked out on the right flank north of Sessano.

Poor weather reduced Allied air force activity, but fighter-bombers attacked rail communications in the Rome area and shipping off the Yugoslav coast. Warhawks scored hits on the railroad running north from Rome to Lake Braccinao, motor transport near the beachhead, and the Cassino front. Including patrols over the battle areas, 400 sorties were flown yesterday. Friday night light bombers struck at roads and railways in the Ancona and San Benedetto zone on the Adriatic coast. -0- LONDON, April 10 (P)-Invasion barges of concrete are now being built on a mass production basis along the English coast in a program designed to conserve steel.

The 128-ton crafts, which are 84 feet long and 22 wide, are poured right at the waters' edge and are launched by crane as soon as dry. The record building time thus far is 74 hours. BOISE. Idaho James 0. Newcomb, 64, has just been advised by the Army that he has been awarded the Purple Heartfor wounds suffered in the battle of San Juan Hill, Cuba, July 1, 1898.

Great Black Sea Naval Base Was Last Major German Holding In Southern Russia. LONDON, April 10 (P)- Marshal Joseph Stalin announced in an order of the day the capture of Odessa, Russia's greatest Black Sea port. LONDON, April 10 -Odessa, great Black Sea naval base and port held by the Germans for two-and-a-half years, was evacuated last night, the Berlin radio announced today as swift Russian columns struck down southwest of the city in an effort slice the Nazis' last escape route." Odessa was the last major German holding in southernmost Russia, save for the isolated Crimea some 150 miles to the east. Moscow declared that one Red army column had smashed to a railway station three miles north of Odessa yesterday and that another, sweeping 11 miles southwest of the port, had seized Mariental, only five miles from the Odessa-Ovidopol railway, the only retreat road for the thousands of Nazis and Romanians defending the city. The Russians were only eight miles from Ovidiopol itself, a bottleneck ferry terminus on this railway, and their guns commanded both the rail stretch and vulnerable ferry point.

Liberation of the strategic city, taken by the Germans at heavy cost in October, 1941, only four months after they launched the invasion of Russia, came as other Soviet forces invading Romania over-ran 200 more villages, and virtually isolated the railhead of lasi. Farthest northwest, Moscow reported another 2,400 Germans slaughtered in the diminishing Skala pocket, and front dispatches said the Russians were pushing beyond the Czechoslovak border near the entrance to the Tatar Pass, key to the Hungarian plain: In the fifth erupting action, Berlin declared the Red army had renewed attacks at the northern bridgeheads into the Crimean peninsula where 100,000 Nazi and Romanian troops still hold out. The Third Ukraintan army, blasting through tough Nazi defenses to liberate Odessa, seized the rail station of Sortirovochnaya in the northern suburbs, a Soviet communique said. Eleven miles southwest of the prize Black Sea naval base they won Mariental, only five miles from the OdessaOvidiopol railway last escape route for Odessa's 100,000 to 200.000 Axis defenders. The Soviet communique said the Germans were utilizing all estuaries, ravines, hills, and other natural advantages in the Odessa defense belt.

The Nazi blew up a dam to flood one coastal road, but engineers wading in deep Continued On Page St Phone Workers Ordered To Vote On Union Issue ATLANTA, April 10 (P)-The National Labor Relations Board "today directed that an election be held wtihin 45 days among employes of the Southern Bell Telephone Company to select representatives for collective bargaining. Several unions have unsuccessfully sought recognition from the company as bargaining representatives of specified groups. Officers of the Southern Federation of Telephone Workers recently called off plans for a strike vote pending a decision by the Labor Board on its request for recognition. The company operates more than 900 telephone exchanges in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North and South Carolina and Tennessee. The Labor Board said the principal issue presented was whether the scope of bargaining units should be system-wide department-wide or exchange-wide on a departmental basis.

Use of the mails for balloting in the election was authorized at the discretion of the regional director of the board, to expedite the voting..