Vidette-Messenger of Porter County from Valparaiso, Indiana • 1

VALPARAISO THE HOME OF I VALPARAISO, THE WEATHER Somewhat wanner tonight ihowers In extreme northwest portion late tonight. A Daily Newspaper For All Porter County volume 16 Pesrl Ikrtcr Valparaiso, Indiana Wednesday, august 26, 1942 Reacmfcsr Wake Island three cents pom RUSS FOEICED TO GUARD CITY ON THREE FRONTS Sis Moire. Jap bhiips rat In bolomoes I WIWM HMV I ADVANCING GERMAN COLUMNS NEAR STALINGRAD German Pit 750,000 Men, 25 Armored Divisions In Fight to Capture Key Soviet City. Ground Crew Is Key Outfit In Solomons f. WE'RE SORRV "What's in tnante?" Shakespeare asked the question, and today there are a pair gents by the name of Edwaid Anderson who know the answer.

Last right the Vidette-Mess-engtr printed the picture of Edward W. Anderson, referring to him as Edward A. Anderson, secretary of the Northwest Indiana district of Nazarenes. Right name wrong picture. Beg pardon.

BY HENRY SHAPIRO (United Press Staff Correspondent) MOSCOW, Aug. 26. A German battle -force of 750,000 men, spearheaded by an estimated 25 armored divisions was reported today closing in on Stalingrad from three directions despite fierce soviet resistance. Soviet reports placed nazi advance guards less than 40 miles from Stalingrad due west of! the vital Volga river in dustrial and communications center. PL jr Front-line dispatches said the Germans are approaching Stalingrad from the northwest, west, and southwest crushing pressure that is crowding the soviet defenders into -J'J" 1 pi I 1 Hi I I Mechanized forces and columns of motorized infantry in some places have approached to within 40 miles of the city in the face of increas Mourning To Last Four Weeks hi Britislu Court U.S.

Totals 13 Rival Craft fin Current Battle All Enemy Losses Now Total 33 As Marines Hold Regained Islands. WASHINGTON, Aug. 26 (UP) The Navy announced today that American airmen had raised to 13 the number of Japanese ships hit in the renewed battle of the Solomon islands and that one of the attacking enemy forces was forced to withdraw. Revealing that six more Japanese ships two destroyers and four unidentified vessels had been hit, the Navy also said that 12 more Nipponese planes had been shot down. This raised the enemy's aircraft losses to 33.

Explaining that it was still too early to estimate the outcome of the battle in which the Japanese are attempting to retake the Islands, the Navy said the results "are encouraging so far" for the Text of Navy communique No. 112, as of 1 p. CWT, today: "South "1. It Is still too -early to estimate the outcome of the battle at sea being fought off the Solomon Islands, but reports to date reveal that our forces at Guadalcanal are holding their positions in the face of strong enemy -thrusts "and In each action have inflicted heavy damage on the attacking Japanese forces. 1 Dive Bombing Tactics i.

uunng tne previously reported shelling of Guadalcanal Island on the night of Aug. 23-24 (Washington date) bur dive bombers damaged an enemy destroyer. "3. The. enemy force of transports, cruisers and destroyers which approached Guadalcanal from the northward on Aug.

24 (Washington date) was attacked by U. S. marine and naval aircraft based at Guadalcanal, in addition to the cruiser which was previously reported burning fiercely, one destroyer and four additional ships were burning and the transport which was reported to have been hit during this attack was later seen abandoned as the enemy force withdrew. A n-n. ine penormance of our fighter aircraft based at Guadal canai nas been outstanding.

As previously reported, a strong enemy air attack on Guadalcanal, during the afternoon of Aug. 23 (Wash ington date) was intercepted by these fighters. Twenty-one enemy planes were shot down. Our loss was three planes. On Aug.

j25 (Washington date) Guadalcanal was attacked by, 16 two-motored bombers escorted by 12 'Zero' fighters. Our loss was one fighter. "5. The results, to date, of the battle for the retention of our foot- (Continued on Page 8. Col.

3) Tension Rises On Cairo Line German Forces Move Southern Sector. In CAIRO, Aug. 26. (UP)-Tension In the western desert was reported growing today with movement of German armored forces in the southern sector noted by British observers. British sources believed that at Jny moment Marshal Erwln Rom-lel may launch a new offensive against the British desert lines.

In the northern area of the front observers spotted Italian troops concentrating and apparently carrying out similar tactical preparations to those which occurred before the last axis push started. Air action was reported increasing steadily with German night air attacks in the battle area having resumed. One Junkers 83 was shot down by a New Zealand pilot, bringing the bag of his squadron to 288 of which 163 have been shot down in the middle east. The communique reported that long range British fighters attacked an eastbound nazl truck convoy along the Sollum-Matruh road. BY FRANK HEWLETT (United Press Staff Correspondent) AT AN ADVANCED ALLIED BASE, Australian Zone, Aug 26.

(UP) Pilots, bombardiers and gunners have received most of the credits for the recent smashing successes of flying fortresses against Japanese land, sea and air forces, but they never could have hit the enemy so effectively without support of the unsung, greasy heroes in overalls, the ground crews. MaJ. William Lewis, Glendale, Cal commander of a flying fortress squadron which has been making the headlines, feels that his boys on the ground should get a "break in the news." He said his ground personnel for months has been handling Jobs so difficult, and (under handicaps, that they would not even have been attempted In peace time. Since arriving in the Australian zone several months ago, these expert mechanics and technicians have not had a single letup in the round-the-clock rush, Assembled Dive Bombers Lewis said his ground crew originally was "borrowed" to assemble dive bombers which fought so brilliantly in Java, accounting for seven Jap transports and warships. Instead of becoming dishearten ed by the lack of some facilities and materials at this base, 'the ground men have become experts at lmprovization.

They even took over an Australian machine shop to manufacture vital parts with which the shops' mechanics were unfami- llar. I visited a mobile repair shop unit and found Technical Sgt. William Oglesby, SummervUle, Oh supervising the renovation of a plane which had been badly shot up. Oglesby, who has been keeping army planes flying for more than 18 years, works closely with the line chief. Master Sgt.

Samuel Matlock, Riverside, and the crew chiefs. Master Sgts. Wallace A. Carter, Garden Springs, and Gola McAllister, Salt Lake City. The engineering 'Officer, Lieut.

Joseph W. Dalley, Aberdeen, Idaho, who has changed the big fortress engines in less than three days, maintains he has the finest gang of non-com mechanics in the army. "The armament section continually is toying with new ways to defend the planes to match Jap improvements instead of waiting for the factories to make changes," Spieth said. "Our im-provments have been submitted and are expected to be Included in new models." County Deficient In Bond Sales For Current IVlo. Come on you bond buyers I Porter county's purchases of war bonds with which to buy equipment, to fight the axis is lagging for the month of August.

A big last week Is needed to put uie county over the top of its 000 Quota. This was the declaration today of Wilbur A. White, county chairman of war bond and stamps sales. wniie said mat lost week a total of $31,465.75 In bonds were sold, this added to the 167.626.75 nrev. iously announced, made th tntoi for the three weeks $99,092.52.

The deficiency, he pointed out. is $39,907.50, which must be raised before next Tuesday nleht. Bas ed on last week's figures, unless a greater spurt in bond buvimr is manifested, sales will result In a deficiency of around $8,000. He urged persons havlni stamos to exchange them for bonds as on ly bonds are counted against the county's quota. White said that bonds purchased between now and August 31 will begin to bear Interest from Aug.

1. In May, June and Jul v. the county was successful in 'raising lis quota. N. ZEALAND MINISTER HERE WASHINGTON, Ang.

25. (UP) The White House announced to day that Prime' Minister Peter Frailer of New Zealand has arrived in the United States' for a visit, at invitation of President Roosevelt. V.J.' Battle for Stalingrad has opened as German armies drive on toward the great industrial city from both northwest and southwest. Draft Board Begins Workj On 1 Ratings! Tuesday Given Over to Interviews and Reclassifications. The Porter county selective service board at its meeting Tuesday at the court house classified a large number of registrants and held interviews with many others.

The board has been advised by Colonel Robinson Hitchcock, state selective service director, that hot more than a fourth of the board's 1-B (fit only for limited service) men may be reclassified each month under the new national plan of abolishing the 1-B classification. Under the plan all registrants who are not totally disqualified will be reclassified in Class 1-A, and the army will decide, after induction, on whether the former 1-B's shall be placed In full or limited military service. Examination may reveal the man is unacceptable and he will be placed in 4-P. Make Other Considerations Registrants will be re-examined by local board physicians, under the plan, and full consideration will be given to the selective service policies governing deferments for dependency, family relationship and occupation. Tomorrow the local office will begin sending out trade questionnaires to more than 700 registrants of the June registration, which include those of the 18-20 age group.

One hundred men will be notified to appear for physical examination at Porter Memorial hospital on Tuesday, September 1, it was announced today by Chief Clerk Helen Kelly. Vital Items In Bike Rationing Are Pointed Out Certain sections of the bicycle rationing regulations were called to the attention of the public and dealers today by the Porter County War Price and Rationing Board. All new adult bicycles are subject to rationing regulations even though they may have been disassembled or altered or the parls changed, it is pointed out. "New adult bicycles means an adult bicycle the frame of which has not been sold to and used by an Individual section 1391.1 (11). recites.

Dealers in bicycles are warned by the rationing board to obwrve this regulation and to dispose of new adult bicycles only upon proper authorization by certificate from the War Price, and Rationing Board. Ik-w an ever-narrowing defensive BY UNITED PRESS A strassbourg dispatch of the uerman Trans-Ocean agency revealing that compulsory military service has been Introduced in the former French province of Alsace was 6 further confirmation today that Adolf Hitler's armies are suffering heavy casualties In Russia. Conscription of German nationals, who will be "classified'' by a later decree, was provided In a special decree issued yesterday by the naii chief of civil administration in Alsace, Gauleiter Robert Wagner. STOCKHOLM, Aug. 26.

(UP) The Swedish' Telegraph agency, in a Berlin dispatch reported today that the battle area around Stalingrad was an "ocean of flames" after the Germans set fire to the dry steppes. The -dispatch said German infantrists, using the blai-'ng grass as a. "nahiiV. flamethrower," were assaulting Russian positions with fixed bayonets and fighting their way toward Stalingrad. Murray Hears Hammond Oil Wants Today Will Seek to Halt Strike Before Largest Plant Starts Walkouts.

HAMMOND, Aug. 26 (UP) William Murray, federal labor conciliator, met today with representatives of four oil refineries and the CIO oil workers In an effort to settle a strike of 2,250 men and prevent its spread to 5,000 men at a fifth refinery, the world's largest. The CIO oil workers walked out yesterday' at the Socony-Vacuum Refining the Sinclair Oil Co. the Cities Service Oil and the loading terminal of the Shell Oil Co. to force demands for a 10-cente hourly wage Increase.

Production of high octane gasoline was halted at three refiner-, ies as where shipments from, the loading terminal but the union made provisions for movement of gasoline essential for war production. Shipments to filling stations for normal use were halted. As Murray met with officials of the union and the struck refineries -the Standard Oil Employes Association, an independent union representing 3.000 of the 5,000 workers at Standard Oil of Indi ana's huge Whiting refinery pre sented demands for a 15-oents hour ly wage boost. Chester Barter, president of the Independent, said the company had offered a five-cents an hour in crease but. that the demands for 15 cents would be pressed and that "the threat of a strike still holds." A company spokesman for Stan dard said "there is neither strike nor threat of a strike" at Whiting and that past company-union relations "assured there would be a settlement before a strike resulted." Mayer B.

Roberts, secretary of the CIO union local, said the union hai been seeking to negotiate the wage settlement based on the war labor board decision in the Little Steel case. He said the companies had granted increases in other sections of the country, but refused to raise wages in this area. Roberts said that union officials had, been notified that "a federal lubor conciliator was en route to E.im; Chicago to help affect settlement. Company officials did not com-j ment. 3nflltisss front.

Drift tf tVlft flfltl CfDfM la nanl -ttlvnioctf- that moving down on Stalingrad from the northwest was said to have been checked, at least temporarily, but there was no indication that the German push was losing any of Its momentum. 105 Mile Front The Germans were placed about 75 miles northwest of Stalingrad, and 85 miles southwest of the city, in addition to the deep penetration due west of Stalingrad. Fighting was said to be raging over a rectangular front area about 105 miles long and 40 miles wide between the Don, the Stalingrad-Novorossisk railroad and the Vol-ga. The red army organ Red Star reported that at some points Soviet counterattacks were successful in checking the Germans with considerable losses but the entire front was regarded as critical. In the north Caucasus, the Germans were advancing rapidly be hind the retreating Russian forces south of Krasnodar.

It was reported" the.hazi attenrp-" ted to capture some important mountain heights before the Soviets prepared their defenses and at one point almost succeeded in ousting the Russians but a counter-attack saved the Communication Poor The task of the forces defending Stalingrad it was said was made more difficult by the lack of good communications. Three railroads radiating from Stalingrad have been cut and traffic- the remaining lines is hampered by Germain air attacks. The lailroads already out of service are the- Stalingrad-Moscow line the StalingraaVNovorossisk line and the Stallngrad-Lichaya line which runs due west to join the Moscow-Rostov line. This was said to throw an increasing burden on Volga river communications. Front reports indicated that the German superiority.

In manpower armored aircraft to increasing and that the masses of hazi forces on the east bank of the Don are being reinforced constant. "1Z The Red air fleet has been attacking both night and day against German troop columns, concentrations and artillery emplacements. In one night attack the Russians were said to have left 35 fires raging inside German lines. The newspaper Komsomolskaya Pravcia, organ of the Soviet youth, reported that German reinforcements, chiefly Alpine divisions, are now appearing in the north Caucasus. Peter Young Dies Aged 88 Westville Resident Succumbs Early This Mor-ning.

Peter C. Young, age 88 years a former resident of WestvUle, died at 8 a. m. today at the home of his sisters, Mrs. Mary C.

Fehrman and Miss Mabel Young, on State Road 49, at Blackhawk Beach, where he had been, residing. The decedent was born in Wit vllle and lived practically all hla life in that place. Surviving besides his two Usters, Is a brother, Irving D. Young, retired newspaper publisher, of La-Crowe, Indiana. His wife precede I him in death In 1923.

Memorial services wil be held at 2:30 p. m. Thursday at the Sllnch-flcld funeral home, corner Lafnydta and; Jefferson streets, conducts! ty Rev Russel B. Kern, of' the Burial will be in Westville cemetory. Friends may call at tit nrimli- fleld funeral home this rint and up until time of tne toivkt.

Chinese In Airport Raid Capture Strategic Points In Effort to" Take City of Chuhsien. CHUNGKING, Aug. 26. (UP) Chinese forces are attacking the walL of Chuhsien, an important airport center in Chekiang province, and already have captured several strategic points around the city, a Chinese army communique said today. Chinese attacks have been particularly heavy in the southern and western suburbs of the ancient town, which the Japanese captured last spring when they made their drive south from Hangchow to clear the Chinese from coastal areas that could be used br the allies as bases for direct bombing attacks -on Tokyo.

Chuhsien, Kinhwa. and Lishui were the three most important, air flelds and the enemy took all of them. Now, the Chinese have driven the invaders from 15 countv seats in Chekiang and Kiangsi provinces and are besieging Chuhsien and Lishui. Chuhsien is on the Hangchow-Nanchang railway and its capture would represent further progress in clearing the Japanese from that route to the south. At the height of their drive the Japanese held all but about 22 miles of the rail line, but today they have been cleared from a stretch of approximately 135 miles, a military spokesman said.

Japanese columns, strongly supported by air formations, attacked Chinese troops In the southwestern portion of the north central Shansi province. The Chinese Central news agency said these' attacks could be regarded as the opening of an offensive and said fighting was going on along the Tungpu railroad around Chaoching, Linfen (Plngyangfu) and Hungtung. School Children Recruited To Save Tobacco and Corn HODGENSVILLE, Aug. 26. (UP) Two Larue county schools have postponed the opening of the fall term so that teen-age children will be available to salvage the corn and tobacco crops destroyed in central Kentucky's sedond severe wind storm in the last three days, it was learned today.

The storm, which lasted only 15 minutes have caused damage estimated at $500,000, authorities said. The wind at its peak rea ched a velocity of 55 miles per hour. Sunday's storm also caused considerable damage to the corn and tobacco crops. Numerous barns and farm buildings were reported destroyed. Changes Noted In Plans For Flower Show Several changes in the flower and vegetable show sponsored by the Garden department of the Valparaiso Woman's Club have been announced by committee chairmen.

Detailed arrangements may be found on the social page of Monday's Vldette-Messenger, The doors will oe open to receive entrees from 7:30 until 10:45 o'clock morning. All entrees except artistic ar rangements, table and vegetable arrangements must be grown by the exhibitor. The merit system of Judging will be used in all except open classes and canned fruits and vegetables. The latter entrees will be Judged on a competative basl. ingly bitter Russian resistance A general view of Stalingrad is shown above.

Central Press Photo Duke of Kent King Ceorge and Queen Elizabeth were expected to return the London area from the country to receive the duke's body. One of the king's first acts after he received the news of the death of his youngest, gayest brothers, was to send personal condolences to families of the others killed. Air ministry officials flew northward today to investigate the crash. It was understood that the pilot was one of the most competent in the royal air force, an expert with Sunderlands. It was understood that the duke would be burled with full military and royal honors in the tomb house beneath St.

George's chapel at Windsor castle, where remains of other members of the royal family lie. Informants said that the funeral probably would be private because of the necessity, during the war, of, keeping secret movements of the royal family. Sorrow with which the sudden war death of a most popular member of the royal family was re7 celved by Britons generally was mixed with pride that he had been killed on active service as an air commodore as had so many humbler British subjects in three' continents and the seven seas. Newspapers pointed to the unstinting service which the duke had given to the. war effort and said that his death gave proof, if any were needed, that all classes were fighting the war together.

"The death of this royal airman strengthens the tleg of solidarity that bind all ranks and degrees of British people in the service of their country," said the Dally Mall. The duke, himself a pilot, might have been serving as one of the crew when the plane crashed. He had been on active service since the war started. He had started out as a naval officer but after flying many thousands of miles he Joined the royal air force in 1940. He was then an air vice- marshal, but asked to be given the lower rank of commodore so that he would not outrank the experienced officers with whom he would serve.

YEAR AFTER U. S. VISIT WASHINGTON, Aug. 26. (UP) The death of the duke of Kent in a plane crash came exactly one year after he visited President Roosevelt In the White House and inspected army and navy units near Washington.

The, duke had been Inspecting the air training program in Canada when MrJ Roosevelt invited him to come to Hyde Park. He travelled On Death of (Picture on page three) LONDON, Aug. 26. (UP) Britain's royal court began four weeks of mourning today for the Duke of Kent, King George's youngest brother, who was killed, on duty with 15 others in an airplane crash yesterday. The giant Sunderland flying boat taking the 39-year-old duke to Iceland crashed In desolate country in in northern Scotland only 60 miles from its take off, it was understood today.

The plane burned after striking a 1,000 foot elevation. The fire had virtually burned itself out when searchers reached the scene. The London Evening News said the hill against which the big flying boat crashed was extremely rugged. The scene was two miles from a hamlet. David Morrison, a farmer, and his son, Hugh, were searching the moors for lost sheep when they heard the plane crash about 2:30 p.

m. The son rode into the village and notified police who immediately ordered a search. The flames and smoke of the burning wreckage guided trie men to the spot. Some of the 16 bodies still were In the wrecked cabin. Others were scattered over the hillside.

Military police today cordoned off the area. The British Press association reported that there was one survivor in the crash the rear gunner of the plane. This report said the gunner apparently was not injured badly and walked away from the scene before the searching party arrived. He was reported to be in a hospital. With the duke died his prlyate secretary, Lieutenant John Low-ther, heir to the viscounty of Low-ther, and his royal air force aide, Michael Strutt, second son of Lord Belper and husband of the former Arlella Frazer, of Detroit and Newport, R.

I. Mrs. Strutt is the daughter of Joseph Washington Frazer, former Chrysler Motors executive and head of the Willys-Overland company of Toledo. Strutt worked in Wall Street In New York for a time. He enlisted In Canada after the outbreak of war.

Kent's' Body to London Search parties were sent out to scour the countryside and the bodies were recovered. Arrangements were made to bring the duke's body to London. It i was reported that the duke's body wus now lying In a Scots Highlands castle. It was understood a United Press dispatch from a Scottish center reporW, that the crash was not, due to enemy action Other planes have crashed at almost the same dangerous sput. (Continued on Page 3, Column i.