Spokane Chronicle from Spokane, Washington • 2

SPOKANE DAILY CHRONICLE. SATURDAY, DECEMBER 12, 1912. Canada Reveals Power Project Greater Than Boulder Dam; 10,140 Men Used PAGE TWO. Wirephoto: Hero of Battleship-Cruiser Battle in Pacific Reaches Home Port Safely Stimson Says African Task Is Still in Opening Stages Vast Wilderness Job Rushed Through at Dizzy Pace. MONTREAL, Dec.

12. Minister C. D. Howe 'shift workers at the No. 1 plant of said today that Canada has un-Hie Bohn A.uminum and Brass dertaken somewhere in its vast corPoralloa here walked out again wilderness a power project today, as company and union offi cials pressed for war labor board nameless for war reasons which overshadows the groat Boulder dam development in the United States.

Addressing the annual of the company, for of the Dominion Commercial Trav- the walkout which vas the thud elers' association. Howe said of the such action in four days in the project: (company's plants here. "A similarity of methods was cm-1 Williams, business agent of ployed and similar results were oh- AutomoblI(. Workers (C. I tained, but it should be lemem- 0(aj attempted to get the bered that the Canadian project tn el i to their jobs, had to contend with conditions that; W(? fm(1 individuals did not prevail in Arizona, such are jnei i these walkouts, extreme cold, snow, ice and heavy Williams said, "the union will take rains.

The Canadian project also had to contend with a war-time shortage of labor and materials. Double the number of men had to be employed in the Canadian project to fl est or a honrlng hefore Tf membership on a protest Men had to be trained for the job, nland Jjleol company and an unusual amount of con- fl wa. Ubor board struction equipment had to be em- 1 Steel Protest Considered. WASHINGTON, Dec. 12.

UP) The war labor board considered to- recommendation which the of the cruiser (left), and his father, Captain Byron McCand-less, commandant of the destroyer base at San Diego, after the cruisers arrival in San Francisco yesterday. Young McCandless was a lieutenant commander when he took over, but was advanced to commander for his heroism. (AP wirephoto.) Commander Bruce McCandless of Long Beach, Calif, (center), who took over command of the cruiser San Francisco when other top-ranking officers had been killed during the battle in which the cruiser bested a Jap battleship in the Solomons, chats with Captain A. F. France new commanding officer approval of a wage agreement which was agreed upon in October.

Lack of such approval was blamed by Simon D. DenUyl, sccie- company said violated a presidential iiroml.se that the government would not order lie closed shop. Wage Demand Coining. LOS ANGELES. Dec.

12. OP) Renewed demands for wage increases for beginners will be made at a meeting here tomorrow of representatives of 11 A. F. L. machinists unions in Pacific coast aircraft plants from Seattle to Sun Diego.

Dr. Harry Garfield Is aken by Death WILLIAMSTOWN, Dec. 12. OP) Dr. Harry A.

Garfield, 79, former president of Williams college and the son of the 20th President of the United Slates, James A. Garfield, died today. A native of Hiram, Ohio, lie was graduated from Williams in 3885 and became ils president in 1908, a position he held fer 26 years. 1613 New Casualties Are Listed by Navy WASHINGTON, Dec. 12.

OP) The navy department announced today that 1613 new casualties of the navy, marine corps and const guard were reported to next of kin from November 16-30. The casualties, which include dead, wounded and missing, brought the total reported to next of kin since the Pearl Harbor at- Ex-Spokane Newspaperman Pours Bombs at Jap Cruiser FORCE ENTRAPPED GENERAL M'ARTHUR'S HEADQUARTERS, Australia, Dee. 12. UP) American and Australian troops have trapped a strong Japanese force five miles from Buna on the north New Guinea coast and have repulsed with heavy losses to the enemy a series of desperate attempts by the entrapped forces to break through to safety, advices from the front said today. A mixed American-Australian column, moving on Buna along the A Japanese cruiser and two do mam island trail met resistance by st royers had been sighted 105 miles a big force of enemy troops about west of our base on Guadalcanal, five miles from Buna and two and We took off late in the afternoon one-half miles from Sanananda, up Grumman Avenger fighters, tor- jpedo planes and Douglas Dauntless dive bombers.

I was flying one of the torpedo planes, but for this operation it was loaded with bombs. The weather was clear and hot. While we were gaining altitude, I heard a pilot report to the Guadalcanal control tower that he had sighted 15 Zeros in the vicinity of the island. Our formation was alone in the sky. Very nervous, I tried hard to remember what to do should the Zeros attack.

the coast. The allied troops fanned out on botli sides of the trail into the jungles and, thrusting in behind the Japanese, established positions between the enemy and Sanananda. Yesterday the enemy troops realized their danger and tried to break through to safety. They attacked again and again, only to be beaten back. "Southward of Sanananda the counterattacked, author of ih fnllowinir dispatch.

I.iru-tenant J. Fred Mears of the nav. eas a member of the Inited Press at Seattle and is a former Spokane newspaper man.) ployed to maintain the schedule. At Boulder dam the peak employment was 5250 men, whereas in Canada the peak employment was 10,140 men. First Power Used Early Jhe United States government allowed the contractors at Boulder dam seven years to complete the work, although the contract was actually completed in five years.

In Canada, the somewhat larger project will have been completed within two and one-half years. As a matter off act, the initial power was being used from the Canadian development within a period of IS months from its commencement The Installed rapacity of Boulder dam, as of a year ago last January, was 975,000 horse power, whereas the Installed capacity of our Canadian development will be 1,020,000 horse power." WASHINGTON, Doc. 12. OP) Firmer congressional control over the operations of government agencies which do not obtain their funds by direct appropriations was advocated today by senate Republican Leader McNary of Oregon. McNary told reporters that when the new congress is asked to expand the borrowing and lending authority of the Reconstruction Finance corporation by he will support an amendment requiring agencies whit draw; their funds from the RFC to estimate expenditures in advance.

Agencies obtaining their lunds in this manner are required to report to congress later on the actual expenditures. JEWS-TO-SWEDEN PLAN IS BOOSTED LONDON, Dec. 12. (P) Laborite Robert Sorenson advanced a proposal today that Polish Jews, threatened with extermination by the Germans, be sent temporarily to Sweden under United Nations auspices. Sorenson SRid he would ask Foreign Secretary Anthony Eden whether he would approach the Vatican and Swedish and other neutral or nonbelligerent powers with the view to making representations to the German government respecting treatment of Jews In Poland.

whit druw WASHINGTON, Dec. 13. (P) Emphasizing that the North African campaign is merely beginning, Secretary of War Stimson declared today that "the main and big work still remains to be done when steps can be completed to give us air supremacy. When that air superiority is obtained, he said, three objectives lie ahead: 1. To expel or destroy axis forces in Tunisia.

2. To attack Tripoli and destroy the Germans under Rommel by getting behind him. 3. To cooperate with the British in making the North African coast and the Mediterranean a safer line reaching to the Egyptian area. Stimson said light forces of both the allies and the axis now are engaging in what might be described as feeling out the enemy.

At the same time, he continued. United States units not only are gaining valuable experience in their frontal contacts with the enemy, but are forestalling any German attempts' to improve the enemys positions. Ahead of Schedule. Stimson told his press conference that two events calm weather on a normally stormy front and the orders of Admiral Jean Darlan for the laying down of French arms contributed greatly to success in North Africa. Darlan's action, he said, could not have been anticipated and, to-, gether with the fortunate calm weathoy put the campaign "about a month ahead of schedule.

Stimson contrasted the North African campaign with the Japanese drive through the south Pacific, saying Japan had adjacent air, land and sea forces to support moves against Indo-China, the Philippines, Singapore, Borneo, Java, New Guinea and the Solomons. Conditions Reversed. In the African campaign those conditions, he said, were precisely reversed. A "very powerful enemy, he said, controlled Europe and islands in the Mediterranean and control of the Mediterranean was divided and in dispute. "So at North Africa, a surprise was absolutely necessary and that was the only way it could be a success, the secretary said.

By very careful and successful planning," he added, coupled with extraordinary luck and fortune we achieved a wonderful surprise attack. Swift Thrust Imperative. He told of American light forces racing ahead although there were not sufficient air fields and mechanical preparations to permit a step-by-step campaign such as that of the Japanese in the south Pacific. We knew that if we didn't succeed the Germans could come over a narrow part of the Mediterranean in full force and dig in, Stimson said. The light armored forces, he continued, would not in such a case be adequately protected from air but those flight forces could slow up the enemy drive while preparations for aerial warfare were made.

That is the slate we have reached today, he said. lie said that most of the attacking force in movement thus far has been British but that some American Hoops have been "getting a chance to overcome buck fever on being up against the strongest nation in the world on land. Yank Planes Good. Stimson also said that American planes have made "a good showing and shown themselves at least! equal to the enemy planes of Germany. As an example, he said that in the week ended December 5, allied air forces destroyed 42 axis planes and probably destroyed 10 others with only 17 losses.

Returning to the opportunity lot? American troops to overcome buck fever, Stimson described as one of the most gratifying features the chance that came to a small armored task force a week ago on El Gusse ridge. The Germans had counterattacked on the British First army, one line coming in from the northeast and one from the southeast. They were meeting considerable success in driving back the First army, hut in doing so placed one flank of the attack abreast a small American task force. That force, SMmson said, "rushed in with sueh vigor and such success that it destroyed the whole German attack and sent the enemy back, regaining the ridge. lie warned against overoptimism, saying that the initial success in North Africa brought a "tremendous upsurge i- public opinion and a tendency to say the whole thing's over except the shouting', Nothing could be more untrue, Stimson said.

Gen- was established fairly definitely immediately afterward when we heard our group leader announce: "Give Mears credit for a hit. For a moment I felt elated. Then I realized we were in a lough spot. I saw a Zero swinging in to attack from the port (left) side. I kicked the plane into a turn.

Hicks shouted: I got him. My heart was in my throat, but I circled around toward the cruiser again, thinking I could climb through his smoke and drop one from low altitude on his deck. By this time the cruiser was smoking badly amidships and listing to We were only 800 yards from the cruiser when my gunner began strafing its deck. Then the cruiser opened up on us. I could hear the staccato of its guns as we roared past.

Bullets spattered the water like rain. Twenty Holes in Tail. Suddenly they found our range. Tracers were looping toward us through smoke. I felt something hit the plane.

Hicks shouted: "Mr. Mears. Deitsch is hit. I think damaged. only a The; we were shells of us.

not be finally we to go just 100-mile to a found he wound, he will our bullet in addi- (For the first time in this war, nrmspaprr radrrs re presented i(h a view of aerial fiihlinr bv a fmhter aho Is also a trained reporter. The upn, around to tack posit ion when our dive bomb- 1 ers let go. Then it was our turn. I singled out the cruiser and pushed over into a 60-degree dive. The cockpit was dusty.

For an instant I was unable to operate the bomb sight. Then the dust cleared. We were right on the target. I pressed the bomb release three times and pulled up. Its an Official Hit.

I was certain we had scored a gunner told mo a tew hi( Th tack to 18,838. Of the new casualties, 516 worcjbut 'vns bloodily repulsed reported dead, 660 wounded and' 407 missing. The navy said that some under the classification of 'missing" might be rescued or otherwise le-port safe. enemy repeatedly end Douglas MacArthur nique reported today. The eemmunique noted in the Buna area proper (Continued from page one.) The Itrlian high command's war bulletin, without supporting details, reported today that British armored attacks had been warded off in Libya.

For their part, the Germans, frustrated in their drive upon al-lied-held Medjez el Bab, 35 miles southwest of Tunis, said today that in new thrusts stubborn allied defenders had been wiped out at a bridgehead south of the Medjerda river, which bisects- the Mateur-Tebourba line in Tunisia. Lieutenant General Dwight D. Eisenhower, however, continued to gather his forces In the muddy hills and the allied spokesman was optimistic that an overwhelming allied striking force would be in position to push the Germans back to the sea In due time. "The enemy has been able to get appreciable men and materials from Sicily, he said. General Anderson (Lieutenant General K.

A. N. Anderson, commander of the British First army) can not commit himself to a major battle until he is certain of winning." There were no clarifying reports on the situation in the Mateur-Tcbourba area, but the allied salient which once jutted eastward like a horseshoe from the two towns had disappeared. The allied line now was almost straight, the spokesman said, and there apparently had been a withdrawal in the Tebourba region. Many observers in London, however, believed that the territory between Tebourba and Medjez el Bab, a distance of about 20 miles, now was no man's land." Vichy Report.

The Vichy radio reported early today that German forces were maintaining their pressure against allied positions southwest of Tebourba. Both sides are hampered by bad weather and sticky mud, which was; described as even worse than the mud of the Somme in the first World war. It has hampered movement on both sides, but helps the allies to some extent by giving them a chance to build up strength, the spokesman said. The Morocco radio broadcast a communique from French general headquarters in North Africa claiming the Germans suffered heavy losses in infantry in the Medjez el Bab fighting. About half of the 15 tanks employed by the Germans were damaged, the communique said.

Another french communique reported that offensive reconnaissances west of Kairouan progressed as planned. Kairouan is about 28 miles west of the main road between Sousse and Sfax and 35 miles from the Mediterranean coast. German Report. The German high command said today that a United States destroyer was sunk by a U-boat off Oran and that a British destroyer was sunk in a naval engagement in the English channel last night. These claims were not confirmed from any other source.

Light German naval units accounted for the British destroyer in the channel and also set fire to a motor torpedo boat, the high command said. Axis Supply Ship Sunk. LONDON, Dec. 12. C4 A Greek naval communique announced today that a big axis supply ship had been sunk by a Greek submarine in the eastern Mediterranean.

Liheria-Vlchy Break. MONROVIA, Liberia, Dec. 12. UP) The Liberian government, which is collaborating with the United Nations and affording bases for United States troops, has severed diplomatic relations with Vichy, it was announced today. Mission at Dakar.

NEW YORK, Dec. 12. OP) The Dakar radio, heard here by CBS, reported today that a United States military mission, headed by Brigadier General Shepler W. Fitzgerald, had arrived yesterday at Dakar for a 48-hour visit. This apparently was a step toward ironing out final terms for making Dakar an allied port and possibly adding French war vessels there to the fleets of the United Nations under the decision of Pierre Boisson.

governor general of French West Africa, to open the port and Its airfields to allied use. Chandler Says Kiska Japs Dehorned Now LOS ANGELES. Dec. 12. OP) As late as last August, says Senator A.

B. (Happy) Chandler of Kentucky, the Japs could have taken all the Aleutian islands and possibly Alaska. But now, he declares, the tables are turned and we "could take the Jap bases in the Aleutians now, if we wanted to pay the price. He believes the army and navy may choose to leave the Japs in their topho'd '-'ses this winter and starve them out. The coiiii.i.

does not wish to expend lives needlessly," he continued, in an interview. Squadrons of fighters and bombers blast them tthe Japs) nearly every day. 190 Die in Raid IZDNDON, Dec. 12. OP) The Paris radio said today that 190 persons were killed and 219 injured during the R.

A. F. raid on the Phillips Wireless Valve and Radio works at Eindhoven, The Netherlands, last Sunday. SAN FRANCISCO, Dec. 12.

(A1) The commander in chief of the United States fleet, Admiral Ernest J. King, stood on the battle-scarred deck of the cruiser San Francisco today and in brief ceremony presented the Congressional Medal of Honor to Commander Bruce McCandless, who directed the flagship in a great battle off Savo island a month ago. Admiral King, chief of naval 'op-erations, came here from Washington, D. to congratulate the crew of the San Francisco, the ship that led a task force through two columns of Jap ships in the Solo mons November 13. The San Franciscos own guns sank a cruiser and a destroyer, and damaged a Jap battleship so critically it was sunk next day.

Only 31 years old, Commander McCandless of Long Beach, found himself in command of the cruiser after a shell through the bridge had killed his senior officers. Knocked Out Twice. The citation was for distinguished service above and beyond the call of duty. Admiral King said that MeCand- less, although seriously wounded and twice knocked unconscious, used "superb initiative in continuing to lead the flagship against "overwhelming powerful forces, and that he boldly continued to engage the enemy. The admiral declared that the San Francisco made port due, in large measure, "to the great seamanship and the great courage" of McCandless.

Thousands of San Franciscans stood on a neighboring pier as the ceremony was conducted. Command was handed down successively from Rear Admiral Daniel Callaghan through 11 officers, and by the moment's peculiar demands, finally came to McCandless. Admiral Callaghan, Captain Cas-sin Young and three commanders were the senior officers. All but one commander was killed. He was badly wounded.

McCandless was senior surviving officer on the bridge. The command passed automatically to the senior lieutenant commander, H. E. Schonland of Portland, Me. But he w'as deep in the ship, directing damage control work, and sent this word to McCandless: "I have a hell of a lot of water to take care of.

If you need any help, let me know. MESSiNAfr tflTALY Plenty to Remember. comrau- I checked my guiis and bomb also that )aml- 7 bpy 'were ready for action. above the wate allied field my bombardier, War- (n ineh.rtino- ren Deitsch, to be sure to remind JaPs Kept firing unUl me to open the bomb doors when the time came. I checked everything I could think of.

A few minutes later, after circling to allow the rest of the attack group to catch up with us, we caught sight of the target much sooner than xve expected. The Jap ships began zigzagging and circling. We jockeyed into position to attack from the sun. During that maneuver, we sighted a formal ion of float-type Zeros ascending to attack us. My NnAV DELHI, Dee.

1-. UP) (Ulro( gunnel, George Hicks, large bombs burst among p01(M( gvo. i saw tdur more. We our plane is badly I turned and sped away few feet above the water. about a mile away, their bursting in the sea ahead I was worried we might able to get back, but were clear and I told Hicks down to help Deitsch.

We reached Guadalcanal before dark after a flight. Deitsch was taken hospital where it was had suffered a deep head but I learned later that live. Engineers who inspected plane found 20 explosive holes in the tail fuselage, THREE REPORTED KILLED IN CRASH TULSA, Doc. 12. OP) Three men were reported killed and either two or three others injured in the crash of at; army medium bomber near Verdigris, 22 miles northeast of here, last week.

The plane was one of three ships preparing to land at the Tulsa municipal airport after a flight from a Texas port. Names of the dead and injured men were withheld by army authorities pending further investigation. A lofty peak in Canada is named in memory of Edith Caveil, English nurse executed by the Germans in the first World war. ,0 number of machine gun 111 and 20 mm. cannon hits else 7Ae Walltuufiosi Mevut By Drew Pearson.

Robert S. Allen on active RICKENBACKER DUE TO RETURN SOON WASHINGTON, Dec. 12. P) Secretary of War Stimson disclosed today that Captain Eddie Ricken-baeker, rescued at sea after his plane had been forced down in the south Pacific, niav return to the seconds later that he had seen a (United Stales shortly. Stimson Hash lire and smoke just heliind'said he did not know where Rick-t he cruiser's smokestack.

The hitlenbacker is now. where on the plane. AH but three control wires had been shot away from our tail flipper and rudder. (PALERMO Others looked at the British ambas-i sador. Would he eccept Stalin as' greater than Churchill? Or would I gave a complimentary appraisal of Cowles toast Roosevelt? Or was iliStalin, his 1 dership and all of the Willkie things he had done for his coun- wai chouses and a direct hit was scored on a dock at Rangoon, in -J A 1 1 hvm rinr renewed American heavy bomber attacks against the Japanese in Burma yesterday, a United States army communique announced today.

Qo RauHti x.tuvi made a brief speech in which lie, Later the British ambassador try That ended probably the mo-t histone Moscow dinner ever held in honor of a visiting dignitary. a slop by the British. But he did not know Hint General Eisenhow- or, prcpai ing for an African front, that Aireohrns knowing 0,1 "a hh Pj "Pnt Minister Churchill personally nnd demanded the planes. Churchill finally gave them to him. DEMOCRATIC REVOLT.

Smoldering resentment inside Mho Democrat, paity has flared against its present leadership an' ulminated in the tall for the of midwest Democratic Wirephoto: Nazis Rush Help to Central Tunisia by Air Coides' Toast Thrills Them. Mason Lights a Fuse. Stalin Raps at Planes. WASHINGTON, Dec. is the inside story of what hap-, pened at the famous banquet tend- eow? SUhn'cril inzeiMhc BrHW ish ambassador.

Like most Moscow banquets for foreign dignitaries, the dinner was followed a long series of toasts. 3 he speakeis weie introduced by Foreign Minister Molotoff, four lernreters scribbled in notebooks torpieteis scnhhled in notenooKs. trip. The toasts had been long scribbled in notebooks, I later translated into Russian anft English. The thirtieth toast that evening fell to Joe Barnes, former paper correspondent Russia, now with the office of war in.

ormution, one of Willkies advisors on the I Cowles enjoyed the suspense for moment, then continued: u. I toast the V)nknoun Russian, so(1jpr who jnmng War! TTZ STALIN STEAKS. Thirty-second and next toast of. die evening was Hint of Major Grant Mason is a former dnectoi of Inn-American Airways. 'fornlpr mrmbpr of lhp tr lm 1 allied pilots He does not.

how ever, pretend to he a speaker, nnd little did he dream jjlat speech was to have thei most startling reverberations ot the evoning. Mason's toast consisted of, a straightforward tribute to Rus-and naulics board, anc a sian and who dare in King of Egypt Gives to the Yanks WASHINGTON, Dec. 12. UP) The state department said today that the king of Egypt has made a Christmas gift of 2000 Egyptian pounds (approximately $8000) to the American forces in Egypt. President Roosevelt, the department said, has sent this message in response: "The American minister at Cairo has informed me of your majestys generous gift to the American forces in Egypt on occasion of the approaching holiday season.

In expressing my personal appreciation of your majesty's generosity, I express also the gratitude of the American people for this gracious contribution to the happiness- of men of the American armed forces in jou1- majesty's hospitable country. "I wish to take this opportunity to extend my best wishes for the personal happiness of your majesty and for the ell-being of the people of air which they share. and were dragging. Barnes deed- rhe interpreters complained that! at 0maha today' ed it was time to wake people up. i fhey rouldn-t transiate this into Purpose of the Omaha meeting So he spoke in Russian.

It was R(Jssjan and make rime But it-is t0 form a bloc or coalition to the first time in the history of these rin e(1 wRh staljn "salvage the remnants of the formal banquets that a visiting For flfter the champagne glasses, Democratic party. This is strong American or Englishman bad re-1 chckpd in honor of allied and Rus-i language, in any party, especially plied in Russnn i sjan f)vers and the company started when the head of the party sits down the house. Stal.n himself led sl downf suddenly they riiscov- in the White House. But there the app ause. rred that they could not sit down.

ms glowing dissatisfaction with Then Barnes turned to the inter- ip-Qj Josef Stalin head all Rus- the Piesident himself in regard to prefers and signaled for them to Slft Nab party leadership, particularly the sradhm 1 1 He agreed with the tribute to the that has given no cue for ,23 surcTo into his native tongue, which RusSlaa fleis weie Hying Omaha meeting is naturally easy for him. and he did. 'Vth f'juipment, with 1 b(nof planes the allies did not want. With agamsr tne urn wn GREATEST MAN IN MORLI). the British ambassador listening.

I hc Roosevelt administration, Next speaker introduced by For-'Stalin bluntly told how, when the Lon Henderson, eign Minister Molotoff was Gard-United States finally did send some, Probable plan is to form a ner (Mike) Cowles, associate the latest airplane models, they working agieement between mid-lisher of the Des Moines Iiegister-jliad been taken off the ship in 'western lenders and certain lead-Tribune and Look magazine. Barnes Scotland. Russia novel got them, ers inside congress to take more had set the pace and Cowles fated Stalin finished. Theie was p.un- and moie day away from the the problem of outdoing him. He ful silence.

Suddenly the deep Ii evident and put it back in lie began nobly. voice of Wendell Willkie boomed bands of the paity. I propose a toast, lie said, to fottii in a soothing, diplomatic A giow.ng undeiground movefile greatest man living in the speech on Hie importance of iie.ng mt-nl as a No started to make world today. frank among ourselves. Good sin- that when the Democratic The interpreters translated into allies must be frank, lie said, but nat-onal committee meets, Hie Russian.

The whole table held its there was also the danger that dit-'new chairman will lie the choice breath. Was Cowles going to toast! faiences might pull Hie allies apart. ot paity leaders, not he hand-Staiin as the greatest man in (he This, he said, was what HiHei picked by F. D. R.

personally, world? The Russians looked pleased. wanted most. (Copyright.) ho nil. ctlnw, STATUTE MILES ))(( tween Tunis and Tripoli. Black area shows battle zone through which allies (white arrow) seek to attack Tunis and Bizerte.

Broken lines indicate axis reenforcement air routes from Sicily and Sardinia. Broken arrow indicates direction of new United States thrust. (AP wirephoto.) German planes and gliders were reported rushing reenforcements to central Tunisia, where other axis forces (black arrows) were reported pushing inland from Sfax, Gabes and Sousse. The Germans sought to halt the advance of American paratroopers and tanks threatening to cut axis communications be-.