The Tribune from San Luis Obispo, California • 1

So They Say Mtn lia expanded our power to fetich an extent to permit un tolo on the defensive Lt-Gen Kurt Dictmar Berlin radio eommentator The Tides Sept High 1:54 xm 34 ft 2:07 pm 45 ft 7:29 xdl 17 ft 9:11 -pjn ft Sept 6: 8:15 am 80 ft 8:05 pm 48 ft 9:18 am 21 ft 10:50 pni 12 ft SEVENTY-FIFTH YEAR NO 2 Price 5 Cents SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 4 1943 County Men In the Service Three Key Ports Taken Enemy Opposition Light ALLIED HEADQUARTERS North Africa Sept- 4 (UP) British and Canadian invasion troops seized the three key ports of Reggio Calabria San Giovanni and Gallico in the first day of the battle for Italy securing a bridgehead 10 to 1 5 miles long and today were reported- pushing inland against light opposition- Gen Sir Bernard Eighth Army landed all along the Calabrian beach across from Sicily Gen Dwight headquarters revealed but aimed the heaviest thrusts at San Giovanni and Reggio Calabria Taking over those ports and the usable Reggio Calabria air field with a runway almost a mile long the invasion forces swung around in a converging maneuver for a junction at Gallico midway between the big towns Military sources in London said the whole Italian shoreline on the Straits of Messina probably was In Allied hands and the Eighth Army likely was striding along the coast roads on either side of the Italian toe) (The Italian high command reported the loss of Melito 10 miles southeast of Calabria and a Berlin broadcast reported a new landing between Melito and Cape Spartivento 15 miles to the east) TUB NEW SOUTHERN PACIFIC KAILROAD STATION styled in a manner that recalls the early history of San Luis Obispo will lie dedicated Sunday noon when hundreds of townsfolk and civic and railroad officials will gather for a brief ceremony The tiled roof and simple but graceful architecture will remind train visitors of the founding of the city by Father Junipero Serra who established a mission here in 1772 as one of the eh ain that linked early-day California Program to Signalize SP Station Opening Whistles of the Southern Pacific shops roundhouse and locomotives and the San Luis Obispo fire siren will signalize the opening of the new depot Sunday noon when hundreds of townspeople will join in dedication of the $97000 struc Yanks Halt Jap Traffic On Barges By FRANK TREMAINE HEADQUARTERS SOUTH PACIFIC FORCES Sept 4 (UP) American efforts to halt barge traffic supplying Japanese bases in the central Solomons have borne fruit with the apparent evacuation of Santa Isabel island leaving the only important Japanese position in that Solomons have borne fruit with area on Kolombangara and Choi-seul islands In view of the evacuation of the Japanese stronghold at Rekata bay observers believed it most likely that the entire Santa Isabel garrison had been withdrawn since Rekata bay was the most important enemy base on the island Policy Reversed It was another example of the recent reversal of Japanese policy first seen in the evacuations of Kiska and Bairoko harbor on New Georgia island Observers wondered whether the evacuation of Santa Isabel might be indicative of possible further Japanese withdrawals from' the Solomons area to Bougainville where the strongest Japanese resistance since Guadalcanal is anticipated in order to protect Ra-baul keystone of the Japanese outer defense line in the south Pacific Evacuation of Santa Isabel was the first tangible result of a stepped-up American air and surface drive to halt Japanese barge traffic used to supply their central Solomons bases after use of the destroyers and light cruisers became too expensive The Japanese base on Kolombangara island was neutralized by the completion of the New Georgia campaign and occupation of Vella Lavella island Vila Bombarded Vila plantation the main enemy stronghold on Kolombangara which includes the unfinished Vila airfield is under artillery bombardment from Bairoko as w-ell as aerial attack while air and surface forces are seeking to choke off barge traffic bringing supplies Hence apparently the only course open to the Kolombangara garrison estimated to be about 5000 men is either to starve or evacuate In view of position between Allied-occupied New Georgia and Vela Lavella its evacuation would be considerably more dificult than that of Santa Isabel It is highly possible American light naval forces and air forces would be able to wreak havoc among Japanese barges or destroyers attempting to remove the Kolombangara troops Registration Sept 7 For Mission School Registration day for admission into the Mission grade and high schools has been set for Sept 7 starting at 9 a and classes will start on the following day Sister Rose Mary principal announces that a pre-flight aeronautical course has been added to tbe high school curriculum of study New Peace Cries Ring Thru Italy By PHIL AULT LONDON Sept 4 (UP) Allied invasion touched off new peace demonstrations in Italy Madrid reported today and indications increased that the country might throw off the German shackles keeping it in the war An Italian underground radio station calling itself "Freemilan" appealed for Italian armed forces to surrender as a "sacred duty to open the road to Allied armies" and urged strikes and sabotage to overthrow the government and oust the Germans Cabinet to Meet The Axis-controlled Paris radio said Premier Marshal Petro cabinet was scheduled to meet early next week possibly to deal with the situation Women paraded the streets of Home Genoa Milan and Turin carrying banners reading "Peace Now Germans Get Out" after word of the Allied invasion of southern Italy spread Madrid said Advices by way of France to Spain said tanks and soldiers were posted at strategic spots In Rome to guard against the demonstrations getting out of hand Reynolds Packard manager of the former Rome bureau of the United Press said in a dispatch from Allied headquarters in North Africa that after seeing the reaction of Sicilians to invasion he was optimistic that the Italians would rise up against the Germans He pointed out that the Sicilian campaign forced fall but stopped short of turning the Italians against the Nazis probably only because the Germans had moved into Italy in much greater numbers than supposed Critical Stage Rome radio acknowledged Italy was "approaching a critical stage" that might lead to a "radical change in the attitude of the The Italians hurriedly created a "ministry of invaded areas" with the announced purpose of dealing wit! matters affecting Sicily and other territories taken by the Allies Its exact manner of dealing with them was not made clear Both Stockholm and Madrid advices indicated the Germans still were fishing for information trying to determine whether the invasion of the southern tip of Italy was the only thrust which would be made against the continent Report Jeffers Resigns Post WASHINGTON Sept 4 Rubber Director William Jeffers who was called in 12 months ago to straighten out the tangled rubber situation has submitted his resignation to President Roosevelt reliable sources reported today Jeffers declined comment but it is generally known that he has been anxious to get back to his job as president of the Union Pacific railroad Jeffers who has clashed with many top government officials in the process of getting the synthetic rubber program going came here at the request of Mr Roosevelt last September At that time the shortage of rubber was one of the nation's foremost problems According to present estimates the program will be about two-thirds complete by the end of this month and entirely completed by the end of the year Jeffers' successor probably will be Col Bradley Dewey who has been righthand man John Goold above was graduated from the Naval Air Training Center Corpus Christi recently and was commissioned an ensign in the Naval Reserve Ensign Goold son of Mr and Mrs Goold of 1512 Mill street enlisted in July of 1942 and has since received civilian pilot training at Alturas Calif pre-flight training at St college and preliminary flight training at Los Alamitos Calif At present he is stationed at an air base in Jacksonville Fla Prior to his enlistment Ensign Goold attended San Luis Obispo high school where he served as student body president in his senior year and California Polytechnic college He was active in athletics at both of these schools His brother 2nd It William Goold with a field artillery unit was recently selected from a group of candidates at Camp Gordan Ga and sent to a "grasshopper" flight school In Pittsburg Kans Lieutenant Goold has been in the service since August of 1941 Both brothers are natives of San Luis Obispo PVT FRANK CASSERA WITH SICILY FORCES "I am well and happy writes Pvt Frank Cassera now v--th the Infantry in Sicily Private Cassera a son of Mr and Mrs Frank Cassera Sr of 755 Alphonso Ave was previously stationed in North Africa and prior to that was trained at Camp Roberts and Camp Pickett Va He is anxious to hear from his friends His address can be obtained from his parents LT STEWARD REPORTED MISSING IN ACTION Lt Carlos Steward of the Army Air Force was recently reported missing in action according to word received here by Raymond True uncle of the young lieutenant from Mrs Harold Steward Lieutenant mother who resides in Los An- Lieutenant Steward is well-known here having attended San Luis Obispo Junior College where he was a "member of the basketball team ARROYO MAN SENDS WORD FROM JAP PRISON CAMP Pvt Houston Turner one of the heroic American troops who fought at Bataan and Corregidor is in the Japanese Military Prison (Turn to Page Six) School Meetings Precede Opening Here Sept 7 A series of meetings planned to correlate school work for the coming year in San Luis Obispo schools are being held under the direction of Charles Teach superintendent of city schools A meeting of the entire teaching staff will be held Monday at 10 am to prepare for the citywide opening of schools on Tuesday A meeting with the principals supervisors and special teachers to outline the year's work was held Friday and this morning there was a conference with school bus drivers It was announced that there will be no necessity of running a bus to Cambria for Junior College students as none have registered so far One bus may run to Paso Robles later but will not start at the beginning of the school term because of the lack of a qualified bus driver Ten school buses will be operation to transport approximately 300 pupils to and from school daily No pupil living within the city limits of San Luis Obispo will be transported and no pupil will be transported past one school to attend another Parents are urged by Teach to cooperate in influencing proper attitudes of students who use the school buses in matters of cleanliness behavior- and courtesy Only pupils living within the boundaries of the San Luis Obispo high school district may enroll in the Junior or Senior high school without a special permit except for a two-month probationary registration for pupils below grade 13 Children of proper age living within the San Luis Obispo elementary school district may enroll in the elementary schools and others must have special permits issued by the districts of residence or by the county superintendent of schools New beginning classes will be organized Tuesday in the four kindergartens at Buchon Emerson Fremont and Hawthorne schools In all these schools except Buchon new beginning classes in the first grade will be formed California's school law regarding beginning pupils reads as follows: may be admitted to the beginning classes of the kin-(Turn to Page Six) Axis efforts to impede the invasion advance following the capture of the ports were limited largely to demolitions The land sea and air bombardment knocked out enemy gun posts ashore and tho landing forces easily overran the crumpled positions "Throughout the day good progress was said a communique issued here the first official account of the invasion since the landing early yesterday Battleships Help A naval communique disclosed that a force of battleships supported the invasion softening the Axis defenses in the Calabrian coastal area with their 15-inch guns The SI 000-ton British battleships Wars pile and Valiant pounded the Axis positions in the Cape Del Arm! area at the southwestern tip Thursday morning The Nelson and Rodney previously had battered the Messina straits shore line Escorting ships which protected the landing and attacked the mainland positions included the cruisers Maritius and Orion the monitors Erebus Roberts and Abercrombie and the destroyers Quil-lian Quail and Queensborough Admiral Sir Andrew Brone Cunningham Allied naval commander in the Mediterranean was aboard a ship in the straits of Messina during the landing first loads were cleared well ahead of the time laid down in the program and by early afternoon the second flights of craft were moving across the straits with reinforcements and the naval communique said work Weak Opposition The invasion force landed against only weak opposition from the shore defenses mostly Italian units of coastal divisions A "large number" of prisoners were rounded up in the first day of the expedition most of whom were believed to be Italian (A German communique said German as well as Italian troops were in action against the invaders) The unit which landed at Reggio hit the port from both sides and son overran its air field south of the city which was usable by fighters Massed British artillery and machine guns laid down a barrage with the added strength of American field artillery batteries apparently the only United States participation in tbe ground activity The Italian navy failed to challenge the landing and the continuous air umbrella provided by American British Canadian and South African planes found practically no opposition Only five enemy planes were shot down dur-(Turn to Page Six) Allies Wreck Enemy Convoy At Wewak Base By BRYDON TAVES ALLIED HEADQUARTERS Southwest Pacific Sept 4 (UR) American and Australian troops have joined southwest of Sala-maua to form a solid line pressing upon Japanese defenses at the New Guinea coastal base and Allied planes have wrecked an enemy convoy at Wewak it was disclosed today An estimated 250 enemy troops were trapped by the juncture Wednesday between Americans ad- varying- rpm the south and the Aussies moving up from the west Gen Douglas spokesman said The troops were about two miles from Salamaua airdrome Australians captured six pillboxes and killed 65 Japanese in a sharp skirmish on Kunai ridge west of Salamaua The spokesman said small but bitter engagements continued in the area Mitchell bombers protected by Lightnings defeated a force of 35 Japanese planes and sank three 000-ton cargo ships and damaged a destroyer from a convoy that had sneaked supplies into the enemy base at Wewak The fliers found the enemy using barrage balloons on ships for the first time in this area trying to ward off the familiar Allied low level bombing attacks From 12 to 20 enemy aircraft were shot down and five others damaged in tbe attack which was one of 14 forays by Allied planes in the southern Pacific area Wednesday and Thursday At least 26 and probably 10 more enemy planes were destroyed eight cargo vessels sunk or damaged eight barges and four launches sunk in the 14 attacks at a cost of six Allied aircraft including three Mitchell bombers lost at Wewak Former Governor Critically III BERKELEY Cal Sept 4 (UR) Friend Richardson 87 governor of California from 1922 to 1926 was critically ill at his home here today Taken ill again two days ago Richardson widely-known as a newspaperman and publisher be sides his active part in public life recently had recovered from a previous illness Physicians and members of the family were summoned to the bed side this morning He was report ed to have had a heart attack The brief program of music and dedicatory talks will take place just prior to the arrival of the crack Daylight train at 12:20 pm according to Wm Nuss Jr president of the Chamber of Commerce which is sponsoring the celebration View New Station Following the program the Ladies of the Southern Pacific will show guests through the new station and operating departments of the station This includes the new control room handling all traffic over the Santa Lucia mountains by remote control tracing each train throwing switches and signals and obviating the necessity of giving any orders to the train crews other than through the board Men of the Southern Pacific Club will show interested person through the roundhouse and shops a rare privilege during the emergency The program will open with the singing of the national anthem with Mrs Clara Higdon Griffis well-known local soprano as soloist She will sing from the stand at the side of the American Legion color guard James Alley of the First Church of Christ will offer the invocation Mayor Fred Kirriball will give the address of welcome and A Ferrini chairman of the county board of supervisors will speak with response by Jordan Southern Pacific superintendent Patterson assistant to the vice president in charge of operations will speak Musical Program A musical program by the San Luis Obispo band under direction of Gillian Brown with other musical numbers arranged by the Southern Pacific Club will be presented During this program distinguished guests including officers of the army and navy will be introduced with Col Henry Bull camp commander of Camp San Luis Obispo making a short address on behalf of the armed forces Adding a touch of western and early Spanish color will be a group of local horsemen under direction of Frank Barcellos who will ride the length of the Daylight trains Postcards picturing the new station provided by the Chamber of Commerce will be given to train passengers and to guests at the celebration as souvenirs of the occasion ture Man in Uniform Binds Attacks Soldier's Wife One of the most outrageous rape cMaes in the history of San Luis Obispo according to Police Chief Epperly happened this week when a man dressed as a soldier entered a home at 3:30 am and criminally attacked the wife of another soldier after taping her mouth and eyes with adhesive tape and binding her with pup tent rope The woman was pregnant at the time and so informed her attacker hut he persisted The husband of the wife who was attacked had been confined to bed at the station hospital for three weeks The attAcker gained access to her room by removing the screen from her window She awoke when he placed his fingers on her throat and threatened to stab her if she screamed He told her there was something In the houso'that he wanted and if she would not scream he hurt her He cut adhesive tape with a razor blade which she under his flashlight thought was a knife and pasted it carefully over her mouth and eyes He then bound her with pup tent rope and completed the attack after she had told him that she was pregnant He told her that he knew her and had been following her for some time Another woman sleeping in the house had awakened at 3:30 am when she heard a muffled sound And thinking her small son had awakened went into his room but found him sleeping so returned to her bed She was expecting her husband home so lay awake until about 4 am when she saw a flashlight and a man's head peeking around the doorway She called her husband's name thinking it might be he and the rapist apparently believing her husband to be in the room fled out the front door The woman who was attacked found later that 854 had been taken from a purse in her room Willkie Says Allied Meeting Overdue CONCORD Sept 4 (UR) Wendell Willkie believes that a meeting of President Prime Minister Churchill and Premier Stalin is "long overdue" and promises he will discuss that matter at length in a magazine article within the next few weeks Touring New England for conferences with Republican leaders Willike planned to spend the holiday weekend at the Lancaster summer home of Republican National Treasurer Sinclair Weeks of Newton Mass During a press conference yesterday Willkie said he was "not surprised" that 168 of California's 467 county committeemen voted him the No 1 presidential prospect BOMBER PRIORITY LONDON Sept 4 (UP) The European theater has the No 1 priority on American heavy bomber production and new and big-ccr bombers will be ready for the deepest penetration of Germany when Allied strategy calls for them Gen Henry Arnold of the United States army tr force said today Messina a 'Soft Touch1 for Artillery Hundreds Attend Funeral Rites For Lt Cornelius James Norton Brought home for burial following a fatal plane crash at Esler Field La last week 1st Lt Cornelius James Norton son of Mr -and Mrs Harry Norton was buried with full military honors at the Catholic mausoleum this morning Hundreds of townspeople and visitors attended the rites A solemn requiem high mass for the repose of his soul was celebrated at the Old Mission at ID am with Father Patrick Daly as celebrant Father Ignatius Lough-ran as deacon and Father William as sub-deacon Commitment services at the mausoleum were conducted by Father Loughran and Father Christopher Leahy Catholic chaplain from Camp San Luis Obispo also assisted with the services Military Rites Military rites accorded by army personnel were under the command of 1st Lt Salvador Russo Sgt Barton was in command of the firing squad which included Cpls Brenner and Stronizek and Pvts Crawford Carter Cbok Krentz Barker Cullen and Conley The guards of honor during the mass were Pfc Dreyer and Ffc Shelber Taps were sounded by CpL Johnson At the close of the burial rites Lieutenant Norton (Turn to Page Six) Higher Prices for 'Economy1 Brands Of Cigarettes WASHINGTON Sept 4 (UR) Prices of brands of cigarettes will go up by a half-cent to one cent a pack as a result of action taken today by the office of price administration Prices of "popular" brands are not affected To cover increased production costs OPA authorized a retail selling price on economy brands of 13 cents for a single package and 12bs cents a package in sales of more than one whether regular or king size Prices of these cigarettes usually have been 12 cents a package for regular sizes and king size a cent more Brands affected include Ava-lons Beechnuts Dominos Marvels Paul Jones Sensations Twenty Grands and Wings They represent about 10 per cent of all cigarettes sold in tbe United States the OPA said Manufacturers "popular" brands have been able to absorb increased production costs through increased sales and consequently were not included in the price order the OPA explained Stores and Offices Will Close Monday Stores and business offices In San Luis Obispo will be closed Monday in observance of Labor Day according to the chamber of commerce County and city offices and the public library will be closed as well as the post office There will be no window service or deliveries at the post office A staff meeting of certificated employes of the city schools will be held In the Senior high school cafeteria but school will not start for students until -Tuesday morning MRS FR IN CANBERRA CANBERRA Australia Sept 4 (UR) Mrs Eleanor Roosevelt toured naval establishments conferred for an hour today with Prime Minister John Curtin and ad luncheon at parliament house the first woman to be so By DANIEL DE LUCE Representing the Combined Press MESSINA Sicily Sept 8 (Delayed) To the American crews who had used these same guns last spring to shell Bizerte it was just a "soft touch" when they turned their Long Toms against enemy targets across Messina strait last night to break the way for Invasion of Italy "We can practically stick onr guns up with adhesive tape in these nicely wooded and screened canyons and Jerry ever see us or get ns in range" said Lt Thomas Harper 24 of Junction City Ore assistant executive officer of one Long Tom battery "But when we put our neck out to shell Bizerte last spring we moved up In front of even our light guns and the Jerries threw hack at ns everything bat the kitchen sink" We were standing on one of the 1000 foot ranges rising behind Messina Stars Jammed the clear night sky and the white sliver of a new moon long since had disappeared On the Allied side of the strait there was not a sound of life after the Long Toms quit crackling except for one red glow along the Messina waterfront "That's just a coal damp that has been smouldering for four weeks" Harner explained The British brigadier commanding the Allied artillery concentration for the invasion told me during the evening: "Your American 155s (Long Toms) are a big help They have an exceedingly long range and your men know how to shoot them to perfection" Precisely as an auditor going over his accounts the brigadier reviewed the wrork of Allied gunners along the strait since the close of the Sicilian campaign blown up several of their beach forts and pillboxes already and when we turn on our real shoot Just before the landings they'll get a real lie said He disclosed that he had been having a hard time enticing enemy artillery into counter-battery duels "They're np to their old he said "When things get too hot they pull bock their guns out of range and Just lie low Bat they must have the exact range for all their beaches and when onr troops arrive ashore then those enemy guns will open up again" The brigadier said the Allies had artillery superiority along the straits on virtually the same scale as our air superiority 4.