Medford Mail Tribune from Medford, Oregon • Page 1

Let YOUR Answer Te Bomb Ba BOMOSI Bar WW Bond ul Stamps toUAT Cenirtbule te th war iffort 1 eatlea. ratriot-uro. own '(-protection trmaoda tbat VOU our Un Tha MAIL TBJBtmg Want Ad Way Quick Results Al lauU Cost Medfor Unit Pro full Uutd Wire TRIBUNE" put nun i United Pit full Imm. WIi Thirty -se venth Year. MEDFORD, OREGON, MONDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 1943 NO.

282 1 1 Reds Race To Block Escape 250,000 Foes; News Behind The News by Paul Mallon Vanderbilt Kin Hdd War Bulletin, WHOLE NAZI IE jManaanaanaanaanaanaaaaaa HERE HMEPAIR Three Cruisers Accompany Big Battleship; Allies Now Have All Unsunk Ships. BLOCK BUSTERS remendous Weight of 3 Tonners and Fire Bombs Crash German City, Night London, Feb. 15 (U.B Royal Air Force bombers dealt a double attack against the Axis last night with a blockbuster raid on Cologne and an assult on two lm portent Italian was centers- Milan and the great naval base at Speiia. A tremendous weight of three- tonners and incendiaries crashed on Cologne. It was the 113th raid of the war against that German city, which last year underwent attack by the RAF Eleven British planes are miss ing from the operations over German and Italy, an air minis try communique said.

A British air ministry com munique said that bombs were dropped on Spezia, a naval base which nestles in a natural harbor south of the My an section. The attack on Milan was the 14tn since the start of the war. An Italian communique, broadcast by radio Rome, said 18 persons were killed and 224 injured in Milan. The Italians conceded that great damage was done, and said two British bombers had been shot down. Large fires sprang up among airplane plants and munitions works after bombs fell at Milan.

it was said. Somewhere in New Guinea, Feb. 14 (U.B (Delayed) Boys from Massachusetts to California are Just arriving at this base after giving the Japanese a war time Sunday school lesson at Ra baul on New Britain. It was the biggest Allied air show yet over that great Japa nese harbor and base. The to'e casualties out of all the men who manned more than 30 of the Fly Ing Fortresses and B-24 Liber.

ators that loosed upward of 70 tons of explosives on the enemy were two crewmen from differ ent planes. The casualties were two cut thumbs, suffered whlie the boys were opening canned peaches with Jungle knives for a morning snack on the way home When all the planet were in and the commanding general had talked with the flight command ers, he said: 'The object of the raid was the destruction of "Nips' and Nip' supplies, and it was very successful. I Pvt. Jacob L. "Jackie" Webb, above.

New York socialite play-boy and great, great grandson of Commodore Cornelius Vanderbilt. la shown in Reno where he was arrested In a hotel after escaping from an observation ward at Reno Air Base, where he had been held for court martial on charges of Impersonating nan Army officer. "I must be crasy." said Webb as officers arrested him. Putting handcuffs on the youth Is Sergeant AI Forbes of the Ren Police. Wholesale Massacre Of Chinese Told By Traveler From Malaya ChunckinC.

Feb. 15. (U.R) traveller who arrived recently 000 Anti-Japanese Chinese have Malaya during the past year. An unknown numoer oi inese persons have been the newspaper said. TEACHER PAY AND MEASURES PASS House Favors $1,200 Mini mum Salary by Majority Oleo Sub Also Voted.

By Arthur Bremer United Press Correspondent Salem, Feb. 15. (U.PJ The $1200 minimum salary for teachers and a bill to' force ab- sortion of school districts were school is suspended passed the Oregon hous of representatives today over strong protests from opponents. The salary bill drew 10 "no' votes and the consolidation measure 12, as opponents attacked the measures as working hard ships on smaller districts, particu larly those remove from centers of population. 11200 Minimum The salary bill provides that a minimum of $1200 must be paid teachers for the nine-month school year and proportionately smaller amounts for shorter terms.

Another measure that passed the house over opposition, with 11 "no" votes, was a bill to allow state Institutions to use butter substitutes to -found eut their supplies for duration of the war The house passed unanimously a bill tightning the cosmetic therapy code to provide stricter regulations of cosmetic schools. Increase education requirements to include two years of high school to bring bring manicurists under license requirements and to require health certificates of de monstrators. Defense Legalised The bill legalizing the civilian defense organization and pro viding for mutual aid in fire fighting among defense agencies of cities and counties was alro pamed unanimously. The only measure defeated in the house was a bill to make Oregon baker laws conform with a federal emergency regulation forbidding bakeries from picking up products once delivered to stores. The vote was 19-40.

The major battle in the senate was over an adverse report on a measure to repeal tithing fees paid to the state by the various self-sustaining board and agencies. Final action on the measure was set over until tomorrow, HITLER REPORTED London, Feb. 15 (U.B The Evening Standard reported In Berne dispatch today that Adolf Hitler was relinquishing su preme command of the German armies and turning the post over to Field Marshal Fritz von Mann- stein. There was no confirmation of the report here, but observers saia, we would not dc eurpruea if this happens or that it had al ready happened." The mounting German disas ter in Russia apparently had caused dissension of some tort in the Nazi high command. Mili tary observers believed Hitler might be forced to give up the direction of strategy on the east ern front.

They said indications were that the German general staff had decided on a new de fense line based on Riga, Kiev and Odessa. That line would roughly 280 miles west of Khar kov. Lot Angeles. Feb. 15 (U.B Pan-American Airways today an nounced inauguration of an ternational lighted air highway between the United States and Latin America.

London. Feb. 13 (U.B American Liberator heavy bombers attacked docks and shipping at Dunkirk by day. light today, causing consider, able wreckage, a U. 8.

army air force communique said. London, Feb. 15. (U.B British fighter planes destroy, ad 10 German fighters without low this afternoon, author Itative sources said tonight. YANKEE FORCES TUNISIA BATTLE AlUed Headquarters, North Africa, Feb.

15. (U.PJ Hard pressed American forces were reported battling fiercely In the south Tunisia tableland tonight to stem two powerful German tank columns which had knifed 19 and 18 miles into their lines in the Fald pass area. Military quarters said the battle was "an all-American show." since only a few small British detachments are Involved, and U. 8. ground forces thus are on their own with the blue chips down for the first time in the African theater.

Veteran units of Marshal Kr- win Rommel's Afrika Kotps needed tha enemy assaults. which were launched early yes terday westward from Faid and from point to the south, of ficial reports said. Fighting hat been heavy with considerable casualties on both sides. London, Feb. 15.

(U.B The middle eastern command announced today that the British Eighth army had driven farther toward Ben Gardane along the Tunisian coast, and Allied bomb ers again had blasted Axis air dromes in Crete and targets in southern Italy and Sicily. Apparently the British were advancing leisurely, satisfied to keep contact with tha Afrika Korps withdrawing rear guard The middle eastern command had not yet thrown Its powerful air striking force against the enemy in lower Tunisia. FUEL OIL APPLICATIONS MAY BE MAILED BOARD Applications for fuel oil rationing coupon books may be mailed to the war price and ration board it wai ttated today. Blankt may be secured from fuel oil dealers or the ration board In the city hall and all applica tions must be in the hands of ration board members by Wed nesday. A panel of local regis trars will bs cn hand at the coun cil chambers for the coming two days to assist residents in regis tering for fuel oil.

Prohibiting the uss of tin In repairing certain small-type gas meters will save more than 125 tons of this metal a year. porta are available than In any 30-day period tlnce the Japanese overran Burma and cut off the last remaining overland supply route to China. New airfields have been built In both India aid China and the number of transport planet as tlgned to the ferry service it be ing "greatly Increased." Construction lis being rushed on I ew roads China to facill tate transportal on of the mater ials landed by dlane. Ray said that the United Natfoni 'licking In Burma "swallowed up the greater part of the lend-least supplies whlcn had been landed at Rangoon. "The fall of Burma left air transport at the only meant of getting supplies Into China," he sld.

but China ended 1842 with more military supplies In the Kunming area than at the beginning, when the Burma road was Washington, Feb. IS The British have maintained an empire covering one-fourth of the land surface of the earth for several hundred years by power upon the seas. But this war has already proved to Mr. Churchill and a 1 1 a ent that the world of the future nai Mation Is to be an air world. The ship has become secondary to the plane.

The sea empire of the little --isle of Britain, must become an air empire. So parliament has recently devoted its attention to various proposals of its air minister, designed obviously to fulfill this goal. The mistress of the seas must become mistress of the air. Soft-hearted patriots in the United States, whose brains are so pliable that they will not follow the excellent British example and look out for the future of their own country, have started sympathetic propaganda "here. Statements have been broadcast that the United States has been selfish in maintaining its commercial aviation supremacy, because the British are manufacturing mostly fighter planes.

Now comes the new congress-woman, Clare Booth Luce, with the serious charge that this administration is now negotiating an aid agreement with Britain for what is called "freedom of the air" policy in the post war world. The seriousness of the charge was shaded by the glamor of a widely known republican con-' gresswoman making her first speech, and everyone seemed more interested in what she wore than in what she said. BUT an even greater importance was given the matter by the response of the administra tion to this charge that its secret negotiations portend a world of the future in which all planes of all nations may fly over any country at will and land wherever they choose. Mrs. Roosevelt's answer seemed to confirm the charge, for she only asked in reply: "Are we going in for a peaceful world or aren't we?" Vice President Wallace, who occasionally has been in charge of the post war world for the ad- (Continued on Page Two) QUICKIE COMMISSIONS DUE FOR PUBLIC AIRING Washington, Feb.

15 (U.R Chairman Harry S. Truman, of the senate committee tn-iiiiHn tha war effort, an nounced today that public hearings will begin tomorrow on charges that army commissions aivan without lUStifi- cation to "persons associated with the motion picture Indus try." FIHH LEADER RETAINED Stockholm. Feb. 15 (U.PJ nicin Rvtl wai re-elected today to his second term as president of war-torn Finland. He aeieaiea VioM Minhil Karl Gustav Man nerheim.

a national military hero. SIDE GLANCES By TRIBUNE REPORTER Bereth Hopkins snitching the floral decorations after the Lincoln club banquet to take to "her boys" at Service Club No. 1 at the camp. Fruitman Ward Spatz toying with the idea of picketing the docks at New Orleans when the Argentine pear shipment arrives and conjuring up visions of another "Boston Ter Party" in case his picketing scheme isn't effective. Fire Chief Roy Elliot's big Chesapeake dog "Tuffy" drawing admiring glances and friendly pat.

SEEN CRUMBLING A Captured Rostov Burned, Blasted City, Strewn With Corpses of German Dead, By Henry Bhaptre (United Press Correspondent) Moscow, Feb. 15. (U.R) Ru slan tanks and troops slashed' deeper into the Donets valley today, in a race to close the 80. mile corridor of escape for 250 000 Axis troops fleeing wes. ward from recaptured Rostov.

The Russian high command! announced in its mid-day com munlque that Red armies had occupied a number of localities southwest of Voroshllovsk, 2T miles southwest of Voroshllov grad, where they were driving southward toward the aea oi Axov to trap the remains of Hit. ler Rostov garrison, nearly I battalion of German Infantry'; normally 1,000 men was wiped out in fierce fighting. Fight la Itallna (Unofficial reports from Stock holm said the Russians had1 broken into Stallno, great Indus I trial town northwest of Rostov; and only 85 miles north of the-tea of Azov, and were battling the Germans in the streets.) The whole German line in the) Donets basin northeast of Roe' tov appeared to ba crumbling following the capture of Rostov. Russia's fourth largest city and gateway to the Caucasus; Kra- ny-Sulin, 48 miles to the north, and Voroshilovgrad, capital' of tha Donets valley nearly 100 miles north of Rostov. The only avenue of escap for the German forces In the Donets valley, estimated at upwards ot 250,000 men, apart from seood ary roads, was a ttngle-tracK.

circuitous railroad that winds from Rostov, through Taganrog to Stallno and thence to a branch Una of the Dnlepropetrovsk-Se vastopol line. Advance en Taganrog Field dispatches said the Rus sians already were advancing on Taganrog, 35 miles west of Rostov, as part of a general ad vance all along tha eastern and of the Donets pocket Rostov itself waa a Bumea and blasted city strewn with tha corpses of German dead, back in Russian hands for the second time. Many of its buildings were stiH in flames, set afire by Soviet shelling or by Germaa) demolition units. To the north, tha plight el Kharkov, vital German base, was Increasingly grave and field dispatches reported that tha trains to Kiev, 250 miles to tha west, packed with Nazi soldiers withdrawing to escape encirclement of five unrushing Red armies. The Soviet high command re ported that the desperate Germans were throwing picked S3 units, transferred from Franca, into battle in tha Chuguev area, 22 miles southeast of Kharkov, In a desperate effort to stem tha Soviet advance.

Rostov in pre-war days waa the largest city In south Russia with a population oi approximately 1.000,000. It has changed hands four times since tha start of the war. Rostov was captured ester day by Russian troops under CoL Gen. Radion Malinovsky, who la December smashed the encircle Axis armies at Stalingrad, then cleaned out the Manich valley and Invested Rostov from tha south, east and north. 5er6 Swap Cow For Italian Tonka London, Feb.

15 flJJO Twa Serbs from the Balkans reported today that patriots are getting equipment to fight the Axis occupation forces by bartering with low-spirited Italians. The rate of exchange is a cow for a tank, they said. The patriots also trade liquor for rifles, then use the rifles to recapture Iba tlqy 1 New York, Feb. 15 (U.B Vice Admiral Raymond Fenard. head of the French naval mission to the United States, disclosed today that the French battleship Richelieu and three other French warships are In United States waters to undergo repairs white virtually all the rest of the French fleet which was not scuttled at Toulon is in Allied hands.

The Richelieu, which arrived In New York a "few days was accompanied across the storm-tossed Atlantic by two small cruisers, the Pantasque and Terrible, and the cruiser Mont calm, he revealed. The Mont calm now is at Philadelphia to undergo repairs the ad mlral said, and the two smaller cruisers left New York last night for another port To Join Allies As soon as they have been re fitted, principally with anti-air craft guns, the ships will take to the sea again to join the Allies in thwarting Adolf Hitler's last desperate effort to win the war with submarines. The admiral, in asserting be lief that every French ship at Toulon had been scuttled when the Nazis took over the French Mediterranean naval base after the American invasion of North Africa, disclosed also that the Allies now have practically every other French warship, either under command of Gen. Henii Honore Giraud, North African chief, or under the fighting French forces of Gen. Charles De Gaulle.

Some of these went Immediately into action against the Nazis as soon as North Af rican affairs were settled. Under Giraud The warships in United States waters, he said, are under General Giraud's command. Giraud thus has a total of three battleships, three heavy cruisers, six light cruisers, one aircraft carrier, four big destroyers, five de stroyers, 10 to 12 sloops, 14 submarines- and some accessory ships. The Richelieu has been in New York bay since sometime last Thursday night in plain view of thousands of ferry boat passengers. News of its arrival was withheld at the request of the navy.

BUSY IN PACIFIC; Washington, Feb. 15 (U.B American airmen are greatly increasing the tempo of attacks on Japanese bases from the Aleutian to the Solomons, the navy revealed today, but reinforced enemy air forces are striking back hard. In communiques yesterday and today the navy revealed destruction of 23 Japanese planes nrf lnm of 14 American air craft In previous air fights the ratio usually has been more lop-sidedly in favor of the Americans. The latest air battles were fought on Saturday In the Aleutians and Sunday (island time) in the Solomons. Four enemy aircraft were destroyed in the Aleutians and 11 in the Solomons.

Fiirht American nlanei two four-engined bombers and six fighters were snot down in an attack during which three bomb hits were scored on large enemy cargo ship In the Shortland island area of the Solomons. The navy revealed yesterday that eight Japanese and six American planes were destroyed in an attack on shore Installations and shinping In the Short-lad area on Friday. In this attack, too, hits were scored on a Japanese cargo ibln, AMERICAN AIRMEN JAPS STRIKE The new China daily, quoting a from Malaya, reported today been arrested in Singapore and The interwiew was published coincident with the first anniver sary of the fall of Singapore tc the Japanese. The new China account said the total Chinese population of Malaya is 800,000, Indicating that approximately one-eighth of this number had either been Jailed or executed by the Japanese. A "mutual guarantee" system has been established, wherebv groups of 30 families are de signated "guarantee the newspaper said.

This means, ac cording to this account, that lf one family of a unit is discovered to be anti-Japanese, all 30 families are subject to execution Farm Work Furlough Rejected by Army in Manpower Sqaabble Washington, Feb. 15 (U.B The army has flatly rejected the appeals of farm state congressmen to furlough skilled farm workers during the planting and harvesting of crops, it was learned today. High-ranking army officials have told the senate military affairs committee, now Investigating manpower, that it is "utterly impossible" to check men in the army, select those who would be valuable in the growing of foodstuffs, and dispatch them to farms. Meanwhile, Senate Republi can Leader Charles L. McNsry of Oregon appealed for action to forestall disastrous slump In foodstuff production.

He said that in his opinion some skilled workers could' be shifted from army camps to farm fields with out endangering tha country's offensive or defensive power "in the slightest degree." He protected against what he described as the disruption of production ou vital home front by denying them sufficient labor to keep supplies of food and material flowing to the fighting forces. London, Feb. 1 5. (U.B Swing music will be among the subjects in a special course on music and drama at Cambridge was learned tod HIGH COURT SAYS BE PROSECUTED Washington, Feb. 15 (U.R) The Supreme Court today af firmed the Chicago federal court ruling that the government could not prosecute the Amer lean Federation of Musicians for Sherman anti-trust act violations because of Its refusal to make records for Juke box and radio reproduction.

The antitrust action was In stituted after James C. Petrillo head of the musicians' union, ordered his members not to make such recordings. The district court dismissed the complaint on the grounds that the Norrls-Laguardia act prohibited the issuance of an In-Juction, since the case Involved a labor dispute. The government, in appealing asserted that the case raised these pew questions of law: 1. Whether a union may de mand that an employer hire men for "useless and unnecessary work." 2.

Whether 1 union may use organized coercion to eliminate competition. 3. Whether a union may com pel employers to combine with with it to compel third parties to pay for useless and unneces sary work. 4. Whether union may com bine with a network to prevent amateurs from radio performances.

BAD NEWS FATAL Martinet. Cal Feb. IS (U.B Mrs. Julia Beck. 68.

Stockton died of a heart attack yesterday shortly after she had received word her son, William, an air cadet, had been Injured seriouslv in an airplane accident at Tucson, lAttly More Lend-Lease Goods To China Is Claim In Report To Congress Washington, Feb. 15. (U.B China is receiving more lend lease military goods from the United States now than the did when the Burma road was open. a special lend-lease report to con gress said today. The report made by J.

Frank lln Ray, chief of the lend- 1 a administration China branch, to the House Foreign Affairs Committee which it con sideling legislation to extend the lend-lease ac beyond the pre sent date in June. Ray't report gave more em phasls to President Roosevelt's promise to carry the war to Japan In the skiet over China and in the skies over Japan. Ray't report Included these statements: More lend-lease goods con signed to China were shipped from the United States In the last motUli tor which. eompUto.