The Daily Times-News from Burlington, North Carolina • Page 1

THE DAILY TIMES NEWS WEATHER BURLINGTON Pefalatlon Alamance County VOL. 59 NO. 252 ASSOCIATED PRESS SERVICE N. FRIDAY, DECEMBER IT, 1943 PULL SKA SERVICE PRICE FIVE CENTS AMERICANS CONSOLIDATE ARAWE POSITION French Register Great Successes In Italy Air Assaults; FR Reaches Froopsllsed In Mountain TRAIN WRECK KILLS SCORES At lea 79 persons were killed and more than 50 crotvded streamliner trains alonjr an icebound stretch" injured in the wreck of two of tile Atlantic Coast Line near Lunrbertun early Thursday. This is aectiun of one of the northbound tram piled up on the bank after derailed coaches of a southbound train.

All except one gers on the northbound tram. (ImEA Service.) Seventy Nine Known Killed CRUISER VICKSBURG IS LAUNCHED The Cleveland In Lumberton Train Crash class cruiser VickHburjr, named far the historic Mississip pi cay, iroe.s cow the ways Subs Get Eight More Jap Ships WoshlnftUHL Dut. 17 Clflc Jinve added chl. Japantae enrfia sblpa ta Lhub raise the total at all Jr rxino.ie snlfi nunk incc tlio Btart of the flf ta 374. The Navy announced tlie abikLugs lodav In Cnmmunlqui Pitciiln nnd F.ir "1, UnlLed auiLes BUbniflihmii have rcnorlcd the fjInlcLnir of clplit enemy vessels Ju opcrntlojis against the enemy In water of tjwflp "3uiiK; larc Lianspoita.

"Two large, Uinkory. "TJiruu medium rfclt'hLerB. "One small frelnhter. "'2. Tlipae nctionfi have not been announced In nny prevLouB Navj aw Iijvvc dnk, Tiiohahly nur tunaaed a crutid tolnl qI S24 Japantsn vussols, both nghting shl5a.

and. merdiauUnun. In addL r. UHi.cLr.x the uiuik fcaLal to 374, 3fi havr. Tiicn ro porled prabailj' Euiik aiid 114 damngod.

Photographer Is Arrested At Ram Scene Lumberton. Dec. IT. W) Aruiy public roiBtSoiK officers were sent hern to cooperate wltn news uuuer men after arrest of a pho tographer assigned by The Associated press to get pictures of the Bill Seiche. photog rapher, said he was arrested yesterday by tnllSlury police when he U'leo.

to mate pictures 01 uio wrecK ago for AP. He was escorted from the scene and told no photographs would bo permitted without approval ot It. G. Murchison, district superintendent oi the Atlantic Coast Lino railway. military policemen took In custody," said Belclle.

"I appealed to a provost marshal who told me no pictures would he allowed unless Mr. "Murrhlsou granted permission. I tallied to Murch rood didn't want 'that kind uf pub I later was escorted Belehe returned to the wreck. after MaJ. Harold Tyler, puc.ii (COHTTHUEn PAGE TWO) StartOfLong ForRabaul To of OfJapanese Beaten Off Sixth Army Grasps Stronger Holds On Peninsula General MacArthur's Headquarters, Njrw Guinea, Dec.

17 (AP) American troops that invaded the Arawe peninsula of New Britain island Wednesday are consolidating their positions, while the American air force has suc cessfully repelled several Jap anese air atLucks. The announcement from Gen MacArthur's head quarters was the first since the bulletins yesterday telling of the landing of army troops on the southwest coast of Japan's main island base In the southwest Pacific. The American Sixth army estab lished its hold on the Arawe penin sula w.tn out lew casualties, considering the scone of the operation. The trnoDS moved shorert'ard with oowerful naval and air sunoort. and seven hours alter the first assault at dawn Wednesday, Brig, (Jen Julian Cunningham, commander of the Invading force, mes saged Gen.

Douglas MacArthur "our objective is It was the first concerted action tor the Sixth arrivy, commanded by Lt Qen. waiter KrueEer. and it won a strategically Important position for the Allies, giving them command of the southern entrance to VitlSB and Dampior straits which separate New Britain from the firmlv hold hv the Australians. A TTiiltni! States destroyer force under Hear Adm. Daniel Birocy pounded Arawe and the tiny Islands at the entrance to the harbor before the first army assault troops shoved oft In force lor the shore.

Heavy ntu! medium bombers nnded their explosive to the tons of steel thrown "at the enemy. There were nri further details nrl.lnn nt Arawe. bill the I nouneement that Texas array units consolldatina their positions Indicated there was little If any additional opposition after the Uriel ratrole are probably branching mit inl thn rain soaked iunete ia reconnaissance missinns seeking to contact the Japanese. At the same time, MncArlhur's mnouneed that Aust ralians on the western Elde of Vltlaz strait were making 'good progress" up the Huon peninsula of New Preceding the principal assault on Arawe, aimed at Orange beach at the loot or the peiiuisuia, a icri Capt. Edward Wright oi Dallas supped away from the invadinE flees in rubber boats, intent on making the first beachhead to cut the Japanese retreat line.

The Texiiua were met with heavy machine gun and ltght cannon fire as they healed the shore, and their attack ended on a reer, with one quarter the lorce tilled. or wounded. These ware the principal casualties of the entire operation. Qonenil Mac Arthur, directing the operation from a small Island off the north coast of. Dew anlnea, said not a plane of the American and Australian squadrons that sup any ot our naval or transport ships lost.

The main assault troops hit the beach from their Hlggins uinoing boats and speedily proceeded to mop up the few Japanese who al Aside from the volume of bombs and. shells hurled at the defenders preceding and during the assault, the Allied air force had softened up the invaded area Tuesday with a 356 ton bombing. As iu this previous bombing, the Japanese air force was absence during the early stage of the landing, but put in an appearance after the troops had the area mastered and Admiral Bnrbcys destroyers A score ot enemy dlvebombers finally oame over to mate a few ineffectual passes over the heach ana drop bombs near a Zigzagging dus roj er. Allied nghtera dove from heavy imiri Vniiirj! te. rtrive on the at tackers, shooting down two of the enemy ana Keeping contro, or Ino air.

The Janmose bad established barge hideout, floatplane base and February, la, after they had wrested New Britain from a small AnirftllRn cr rlson. The Arawe peninsula Is B6 miles west of nasmata, enemy supply and air center which has been pounded frequently of late by Allied bomb ai snH Tn miles from Caoe Glou cester, annther Japanese air base on the western tip or the long, WhiteHouse AfterParley I Congress Will Not Get Report Until After Holidays Dec. '17 (AP) President Roosevelt returned to the White House today, five weeks and a day after departing for historic military and diplomatic! conferences in the Middle East. His safe arrival in this rioimtry after the long trip abroad was announced yes terday afternoon. Today's announcement said he had reached the executive residence.

The picbideut found congress getting ready lor a Christmas cation. A Joint session, prior ta the cation, to hear Mr. Roosevelt report on his momentous meetings in Cairo and Teheran, had oecn dis cussed Put House speaker Kayaurn wlx was unions the first to talk with the returning president suit! he would not aouear before con gress until he delivers his annual icssage early next year. To Leave Next Week If the legislators decide to go home next wcort for a 10 day rest, nrescnt nlans call for. 1heY probably will leave a half dafn controversial Issues hanging fire uut 1 after the nrst of the year.

The president was in constant contact with Hie White House dur hur IU absence and urcsuruabiy kept fully Informed of developments. In addition to ranld wire 'less messages, airplane couriers two days and sometimes oftetier. The chiet executive ntmseir, mm more than four days' flying time from Washliiston. On lop or the report Mr, kooivc ilt Is expected to make to con iln Phlef Is laced With the task or preparing his annual: budget message. He also may re port or.

the shite of Use union; soon after the end oi tne non days. with eonoTessiDiial uiendance al ready melting away, lenders have decided that tno promise oi starling a vocation next mid week murnt hrlnir the legislators bnek these controversial mat ters: Food nunsldies apparently sencn uled for temporary continuance until a showdown can be rcBClied in on the farm bloc's dc mnttri fnr t.Snlr elimination. Higher taxes prouaDiy ro oe sen Mi until early tn January, Social security signs pointing leglslntln freealng social security payroll levies at their" present level of 1 per cent each on employers and employes. Railroad pay committee may report out senate approved measure to put into effect 8 cents art hour increase for non operating elerHs and Other workers, but the house is likely to let it coo! until January. Service vote Senate anproveo bill retaining state patrol oi absentee voting by uniformed persDn nel likely to go over In house with stiff administration fight later.

Musterhut out nay temporarily bogged down In both houses. Everybody is fur It, the amount Is the big question. Joe Louis To Box At Butner Joe Barrow, world's hpai'y wclgbt. hnxing champion, will end hla exhibition tour at army posts In this country January 20 anil then go overscan to visit camps in various theaters of operations. Thla was announced today by the War department.

Louis and hla croud are scheduled for 21 aorjear ancas between now and January an at camps in Mississippi Aiaaaina, Otorglo, norida, South Carolina and North Carolina, Jame3 Edgar, Corp. Wallter smith Wilson Wllsonl. Corp. Bob Smith and corp. Kooen J.

rayne. trainer. The riimaFtmftTYt. arfnennced these dates of the remaining schedule for tne pany. January Port Jackson, s.

C. January 1, Port Bragg. N. C. January lfl, Camp Davis, N.

O. January Camp Butner, N. C. Offensives French Who Aided In Tunisia Get To Continent By WES GALLAGHER AlllierJ Headquarters, Algiers. Dec.

17 (AP) French i troops, entering the war oil the Euronean mainland for the first time since 1940, have' scored outstanding successes urainst the Cermans in moun tain fighting in central Italy, it was announced today. Th Uronnh h.l', Iw PVI in for ward positions alongside British and imipilcan boldlers lor smni! time, but their presence was noi KIwlnvH nnt.U todav's communi que frrart Allied headquarters. lausht aloiiKsldc the Allies In Tunisln, but Lhitio tlicncc have oeen cempieteiy re equiiitJKii wnu American unlTarm. suns materials. In Local Altaian Rnnn artjr mnvlnr ta tin bat Ikrront tlic French yartldpated In a sci lea ot local attaclts, capturing several Important German hilltop positions and lakllis a number of prisoners, wno cxpresseu suipiiai: at finding tile Picnch in nclloll.

Tlic Prcncli forces hart been trained In North Airica under tUc cllrecticn ot Gen. Kcnrl clrauc" and Uiclr use of Amcrlciin anns came under arrangements made at the Casnblanca conference last Jan Tl presence crcaieo kciihh llon ftmnng the Italian people and niilelt stirftpfltPB flf the French soldiers contrasted sharply with the abortive pfTort.i recently of tlic first Italian millUft to be sent Into the Allied lines. Antvtmicpmrnl. nf I ill: nartielnn tinn of the French coincided with ruuh.l iL lol' Mi' DIia successive day on German com munlcatluns and lines in Italy, where heavy bombers wrecked rail facilities at Padua and Dogna. Ground fighting by both the Fifth snd Elglilh armies was confined largely lc consolidating pre vlous gains and to bitter local bat tics for strategic advantages.

nen. Mar't w. "cinrk's Allied troops Dn the weslsru end of the bnttlefront nssaultul the Geruiajr bnstlon of San Pletro, which guards the road to Rome, and the attack Ing infantry ran Into a series ot concrete pillboxes and other strong points resulting In fierce hand to hand fighting. other heavy skirmishes were reported west of Pillignauo, whe two more hills were taken. Farther south a serious German counterattack was beaten off ia th8 mountains.

Headquarters said the Fifth army also took "a number of hills" farther island. The Germans ntenslhed their fnrts tn hold off the relentless Eighth army on the Adriatic end of tne Hue, tnrowing mnre ana mora tnnks nnd flame throwers Into the struggle, but New Zealanders and trmpt tn break their hold on the Obogna Ortona highway which had been cut in three places the pre vious day. Laiesi uperauon The latest operation by the new 15th strategic airiorcs was Its third important mission in as many day following up heavy blows at airports and harbor Installations tn the Athens vicinity Tuesday and against rail Junctions on both sides of the Brenner Pass through the Alps Wednesday. There was no Indication of the size of the fleet dI heavy bombers and fighters which smashed railway yards at Padua, 18 miles west or Vrnlee. nnil the tunnel and bridge at Dogna, Just south of the from TMIne, morB Ulan 300 planes had participated in the attacks the cwd previous days.

It was apparent that the 15th alrforce was aiming at cutting off the German troops in Italy from their sources of simply. Padua is one of the principal Junctions of a secondary rail route through northeastern Italy connecting at Villach In Austria wltli fhA mnln continental rail SVStcms and the line had been comparatively free of bombings. The communicme said lighter aircraft also were very active against German positions and shipping on both coast oi Italy and against the Nails in Yugoslavia, where they supported the guerrilla warfare by attacking enemy transports and strafing motor supply coliunns. Rome attain was bombed and Wta observed on ships and waifJiocsei, Eleven enemy aircraft were de shrnred against the loss ot two USB AUlei durinz the day opera tion. it had crashed into three of the dead were passen Churchill Is Maintaining Strong Hold London, Dec.

17. (J1) General improvement In Prime Minister OhurchHrj condition has been maintained, a bulletin from his bedside announced this altunwon. "There has been no spread in the pneumonia, ana improvement ditlon has hern maintained," sold the bulletin Issued at No. 10 Downing street. It was signed by Lord Mornn.

Brigadier Evan.Ttifard and Churchill, suffering from t. seennrf attack or pneumonia in months, undoubtedly will rcaulrc long period for recuperation and consequently it is expected nritains war cabinet may name an acting leader to serve in Ills absence. The first of the daily bulletins where In the Middle East. sued from No. 10 Downing street at 7 p.

m. last night and reported scie irriprovtinent in his general condition" after a restful night. Ho Is under the care of three nhvsi claivs, including a heart specialists. announced yesterday morning, tak ing me nation oy complete sunrise and arousing quick anxlcfcv. Tile London press was virtually unanimous in suggesting tnat on his return lie delegate to assist ants a great portion of the tasks that have kept liim up almrst dally There seemed trcneral avrei ment prospect tor (he stricken leafier despite In incredible energy still apparent ih his vene rli nh serbed his fiath birthday during the Teheran conference) and the driving force that raised the British umpire trom tne dark days of 1840 to tne dawn or a day of victory.

Prayers went up throughout the itiorf for his quick recovery. Klna senger to bring him JMurly The daliv sketch deVoted Its tire front page to a Chrrchlll photo to who so many owe so few lines telling Df his and "But thou. Lord, art a God fcdl at compassion and gracious glvB they strength unto thy Although the Illness may force tno Prime Minister to absent btm seir from active direction of the forthcoming; Allied attack on Hit ler's. Kuronc, an invasion which the Germans say is imminent. it the remarkable recovery powers camlet be counted out of the front scat entirely.

Successful Allied Invasion Of New Britain Proves Peak In Which Victory Cost Low at rveivpori News, va. Berlin Gives Up High Fire During Blast! By VI. W. HEnCIIER London, Dec. 17.

Pi Stricken Berlin heaved up fields of flame and wnokc a Rain last nteiit as hundreds uf t'laut, Iileck RAP bombera loosad Ihunduro Lis explosivea on the Naal nerve center for the 4iet Une this year. Stockholm dispatches flald ibc capital was burning again today after a two weeks respite, the llamrs frnm hnr KT tod bulldlnga "rEddenliiff Uio Kky." Telephone coinmunluution vu irregular, and the pltal's trampart wna reported paralysed Iroin strccta choked trlth debris. Tlic sixth raid an the capiij.1 In month was launched from Britain last alter American Liberator and Plying Fnr tr raws Tctuniftd ta twilight from their daylight raids on northwest, Germany. Tlie Eighth Alt fVvree did nnl. (Hier.lf.v the Americans' targeW but the German communique said tlxe fleets were over Helgoland Bay and "dropped a brreat number of high explosives nnd incendiary bombs on rcslden linl quarters in a number of localities in northwestern Germany" and Bremen.

It acknowledged par I'CnNTTNUTJD ON PAGE TWO) Those So square miles dominate the one's i. im square miles, The Jaoanese on BDueuinville virlunlly have no air force. The airfields have been boenhed. The enemy's ua vv Slavs 250 miles away at Rabaul or more than lilos nwa.v at Tnljc. Anirrl.

nr, buiubers hi dally sorties riiiuihig are blowlna ud siiDeiies and guns. In time, the Japanese ay uuu out ul nougauivuiti wlcu KolombanRara and for the reasonbecause there's no point 111 being shot at you can't shoot Mew Britain's 13.000 souarc miles, aireauy at vital point a little aver a month with irn than 3,000 tons of air bombs, be neutralized in Just such a fash hefdre the invasion onencd. Rabaul took, such severe aerial punishment that for long its air force, 1 II. In iv.tlv lilurr p.nnts. has been a defensive unit and its rm.

sharply reduced in and destroyers, no longer If the Bougainville pattern Is followed, all of Now Britain's air And there Is no reason why the combined air might nf Halsey In the Rolnmons and MacArthur on ChlinoA. cannot pin down RA hauls planes as they hove done In the past, destroying many of them i tne ground. A maximum air force and rela tively limited ground Dghtlng conceivably could overrun New Britain, open its several large hays to the American navy and provide the big hole in Japan's outpost line through which to move toward the war's decisive, battles. Workers Seeking Other Bodies With Torch Ltnhertan. Dee.

11. (W The toll dead in the Southeast's worst railroad disaster m6unted to 79 today, including 47 soldiers, us more bodies were located In four telescoped passenger cars that still douhlc track mainline from New York: to Florida. The Red Cross at Atlanta sold bodies nr 17 soldiers and 20 civilians had twen recovered and that seven more bodies were knovn to be In one or the cars and live hi another, The four steel. cars, stacked one on the other, were so Jammed together that they wore little bigger than one car is normally. The wrecking trains were able to move the pyramided coaches only six rcct all night.

The double plleup of the two crack flyers produced a death list Just chert of that in the wreck ot the Congressional Limited tn Philadelphia last September when 80 persons lost their lives, The SuuUieastcm scabonrd's worst Koekmnrt, hi 1926, when 20 were killed. The biggest wreck toll iu lire nation's railroad history is us killed at Nashville, Tenn, July rCONTINUKU PACE TWO) AwaitedPush ClosePeriod loslrur over individual points the pasrATn frntit and What the AnglD AmerlcBii will lose when they pusn across uie juigusu vnan Some well qualified estimates oi Allied losses In the big pussi al ways assuming that an aerial sault does not 'crack Germany be forehand are Wat they will run up to casualties hetorc the beachhead is thoroughly se cured. The losses at Tarawa are an ex ample of what can happen. The attack on Tarawa was planned as a siratetieal ftankinr attack. The high command obviously considered it a secondary point in relation japan main posiunns in rne bv Marshall Islands.

But the Japanese considered tne Gilberts an impormnt port of their strategical position In the central Pacific They compelled American landing forces to make a frontal attack. As a result uie bodies oi a thousand dead littered beaches ot Tarawa before American flag was raised ove battle torn palms. The offensive In the direct of nabaul. now reaching Its climax. began more than a year ago when Marines landed on Guadalcanal and American and Australian troops drove over the moohtains from Port Moresby.

New Guinea, and Into fdiv territory. Mnu, the forces come nr. to attack Rabaul Itself. It la a formidable bastion, easily defended, and if the enemy ia wildng to spend the men and materials ne can exact huin fr.ll. The only thing which can minimize losses la American superiority of weapons, especially airplanes, rtut Tarawa oroved that in the last analysis It's the vulnerable foot soldier with a rifle who captures and holds positions at (he cost GroundStroke Against Japs Bt JOHN HIGHTOWKH.

Washington, Dec. rr. Wl The Start of the long awatted campaign for Kabaul, logether with the cosuy conquest ot Tarawa Island, closes that period of the war In which the United States frequently has been able to buy victory at low cost. Prom heTC an, ui nutn jsurDpe and the Pacific, the United States will have to be prepared to pay an increasing price in blood and tears. One lev to the course or future fighting is this: the day of the strategical flanking attack is past in both Europe and the pacific.

The dav of the frontal attack Is hero, in this sense the approach to nabaul, the projected invasion ot ri rnm (he Aleutians into Pi rnusliiro in the Kurtles, and the expected landtags In western Europe share a common element frontal attack. It Is true or course mat taoucui n.ntlnns wlU still be pos sible, The attack on a particular sector ot line nr fortified Island will pTohn for the weakest point, ut aide lo ulu the odjccmvo. That is because as vital interests almost every point hit Is one whloh the enemy must defend. The British moved into southern Italy with no opposition primarily because the cjermans ne cldcd opposition was not worth the Anglo American Gth army went Into Salerno, and tint for an ui the llmelv arrival of sUDDOrta and irelntorcements the sth would liave lost Its beachhead. Yel cBsirniucs.

frlohlful as thev were, were pro TmrHrttMilAlff llehf. In eomnarlson Ry IIAROXTl STREETI'Ji, Associated Tress War Writer. Geti. Dounlas MacArthur's sui the rugged, backdoor route to Rabaul is the outstanding ground stroke ot the war acultist those lorlliled Pacific glands guardhm llie Philippines and Japan, nearly 3.000 miles away. lifcbaul'K valeano rlna ed hurTjor, which could andior a big United Stales usttle fleet, and a network Of airdromes on which swanur? of hli, hnmlinrR nnd flehterS COUld based are the prizes soufiht.

The invaders strucK on the south cusst at tlnly Arawe. separated from Hamuli hv 2bo miles oi lormldaoic iMoui'italns which rise to heights of er 7,000 feet. iif in hVie wiutneflst of Rabaul the front door approach to that bastion is the Solomons Island or Bougainville. Operations in prog to how Now Hrltain will he In vested. Halsay's south Pacific fortes got elH onA now are tUlldhl and pounding and pounding while the Japanese, crouciuug in ureu iu holes.

grow Increasingly tired Of being there. New Britain orhleh, while much laiger than Boueilnvlllc, Is topo TTntbvi Slates Marines cusllv gat ashore under naval and air cover November 1 on the west coast of Bougainville, an island defended by an American force which probably is rnr undcT 10.000 along a PI of his own Blnoo. with what the riuislam have been nr, booted Wand..