Detroit Free Press from Detroit, Michigan • Page 1

Weather Report Slightly warmer Friday POLLEN COOT THCRSDAY III METROPOLITAN FINAL EDITION -On Guard for Over a Century Friday, July 3, 1942. No. 60 112th Year 22 Pages Three Cents nn nn M. Ul A Phase of Reform Campaign Ends Successfully Max Stepban The World Today (JULY 1912) Police Curb Release of Prisoners Witherspoon Says Telephoned Orders from Judges Must Be Restricted British Blasting Foe from 3 Sides Yanks Join RAF in Great Offensive from Egypt; Bengasi Battered BY LEON KAY I'nlted Prtaa CoRnpondnit CAIRO, July 2 British Imperials, heavily reinforced from the Middle East, have encircled Marshal Erwin Rommel's German Africa Corps on the Egyptian coast, 62 miles west of the Alexandria naval base, and are hammering at it with all available weapons from front, flank and rear, it was learned tonight. The effectiveness of the coastal encirclement was still In doubt.

The battle line had extended from El Alamein, on the Mediterranean Coast, 35 miles south to the Qattara salt bogs. Throughout the first day of the battle for Egypt Wednesday the British lino had held firmly. Simultaneously, it was revealed that United States Army Air Force and RAF planes have unleashed a terrific air offensive throughout the Eastern Mediterranean area and that in ons assault on Rommel's Libyan supply port of Bengasi they put on a show of might comparable to the British raid on i M1" KivtW 5 'IN? m.m. it. HARRY T.

KELLY DR. LENT D. UfSON HENRY STEFFENS Kelly receives Home Rule petitions Panama Canal Plot Smashed; 20 Seized Ring Accused of Supplying U-Boats; Nabbed After 4 Months of Intrigue Churchill Wins Vote. 475 to 2 5 Keeps Ministry of Defense; Compares Disaster in Africa to Fall of France BY RAYMOND DAMELL New York Tlmtt rortlf a Hrrrir LONDON-, July 2-The House of Commons gave Winston Churchill a fresh mandate today to continue direction of the war both as Prime Minister and Minister of Defense. By a vote of 475 to 23, with about 27 members abstaining, the first motion of censure Churchill has had to face since he became head of the British Government in June, 1940.

was defeated. Loud cheers greeted the announcement of the result of the division, and the Prime Minister walked off the floor beaming satisfaction and holding up the fingers of his hand in the victory signal. Debate Lasts 21 Hours The inevitable result of the voting came after 21 hours of debate In which Churchill and most of the ministers in his cabinet were subjected to the most outspoken criticism for being re- Found Guilty as a Traitor Faces the Gallows; Judge Will Decide; Krug's Friend Takes Stolidly BY KATHERINE LYNCH Frr rren Staff Wrtttt Max Stephan, German 'torn Detroit restaurant owner, was found guilty of treason at 5:38 p. m. Thursday, one hour and 23 minutes after the case had been given to the jury by Judge Arthur J.

Tuttle in Federal Court. Stephan, who aided Nazi Obcr-leutenant Hans Peter Krug, an escaped prisoner of war, on Krug's flight from Canada, faces a possible sentence of death by hang ing. The decision on the sentence is up to Judge Tuttle. The verdict was announced by Jerry H. Armstrong, of Emmett, jury foreman.

6 Men and 6 Women on Jury Of the six men and six women jurors, several were of German extraction. According to jury members, the verdict was reached on the second ballot. The first ballot stood 11 to one for conviction, the point at issue being the matter of Intent to aid the German Government. Judge Tuttle referred Stephen's case to tne iroDatton jJcpartment for a report before announcing sentence. "Until that time," he said, will keep an open mind on the case." Stephan and his wife Agnes re mainea impassive wnile the ver dict was announced.

The convict ed man continued stolidly chewing gum, as though unaware of the import of the jury finding. Convicted by Krug's Story The phlegmatic Stephan was convicted largely on the testimony of the Nazi whom he she! tered and entertained. After testifying, Krug was returned Wed nesday to the Bowmanville (Ont.) prison camp from which he twice escaped, the last time in April, when he made his way to Detroit, was befriended by Stephan and thence went on to San Antonio, Texas, where he was captured. No appeal will be made unless the death penalty is Invoked, Verne C. Amberson, Stephan a at torney, said.

Throughout the day, Stephan and his wife had been calm until Amberson began his argument. At one point Mrs. Stephan broke into tears and her husband was seen to wipe away a tear from his own face. Mrs. Stephan, dressed In a beige crepe dress and a black straw hat.

remained in the rear of the court room during the day Mrs. Stephan's calm broke at another point in the proceedings. When John C. Lehr, United States attorney, turned to Stephan, call-ingyhim a black-hearted traitor," Mrs. Stephan half rose from her chair, controlling herself only by a visible effort.

Wrong and Silly Amberson admitted all of the 12 overt acts cited In the indict ment against Stephan. He described them as "wrong and silly," but not designed to aid the enemy. Quoting from Scripture, Amber-Turn to Page 2, Column Organist Guilty of Slaying Parents LOS ANGELES. July 2 (AP) Courtney Fred Rogers, 24 years old, a church organist, was con victed today of murdering his father and mother. The lanky youth, calm throughout the trial, paled as the jury of 10 women and two men pronounced him guilty and made no recommendation for leniency.

The State charged that Rogers chloroformed his mother Mllly, 44, and then asphyxiated her with gas at their home Feb. 10, 1941, and last Oct. 25 burned the house, kill ing his father. Commodore, 50, with the object of obtaining money. for the battered Nipponese fleet.

But, probably, after the United States Navy finds them, they will never again carry honeymooners to the Orient. Unofficial comment in the capital Is that the Navy's interest will be more keenly stirred when and if these luxury liners take the water as carriers. There is little expert opinion on how effective they would be. One expert says that such a program is "very makeshift." Some of the nine vessels involved could carry only a few planes. The average, including a 28.000-ton ship, would be less than SO pianes to a vessel.

But this knowledge does contribute to information on the amount of damage the Navy has done in th P.att!"3 MM'av th? Coral Sea and elsewhere. Frw PrM mnVni wlh wlHM ftf frlpnu In lh nxtiun'i fighting rlra Bhrtmd ran kn thpm Informed nf wnrl4 cvpnta br ellm'Wff and mallini this dail fratim to thfm.) THE WAR Axis army In Egypt reported encircled by British but crucial battle still rages; huge Allied air armada pounds Nazis' base at Bengasi, Libya. Prime Minister Churchill wins vote of confidence after telling Commons of grave situation in Middle East Arrest of 20 alleged spies bares Axis plot against Panama Canal and breaks up ring supplying Axis submarines In Caribbean; Fresident Roosevelt orders military trial for German saboteurs landed In United States by submarine. Bloody street fighting raging In Sevastopol, Russians say; Nazis open two new fronts above Kharkov. British and Canadian warships aid U.

S. Navy's fight against U-boats off American coast. Royce Howes says that possibility of Egyptians and Turks going in on side of Axis is threat hanging over Allies In Middle East See Page 4. 25 YEARS AGO TODAY Field Marshal Von Hindenburg said that the Allies could not wait for aid from the United States and would be forced to come to peace terms because of Germany's submarine warfare, NATIONAL AFFAIRS OPA Chief Henderson tells Senate committee that he cannot carry out price control adequately with reduced budget; House passes measure to provide funds for Agriculture Department on temporary basis, but Senate balks. Senator Vandenberg opposes congressional recess.

IN MICHIGAN Custody of proxy baby borne by childless wife's sister an issue in Mt. Clemens court Army plane wrecked with loss of 21 lives was based at Kellogg Airport Battle Creek. IN DETROIT Max Stephan Is found guilty of treason after one hour and 23 minutes of deliberation by Jury. Home rule petitions with signatures are placed in the hands of Secretary of State at Lansing, assuring place on ballot for Home Rule amendment. Police Commissioner Witherspoon halts practice of releasing gamblers and prostitutes on telephone calls from Recorder's Court judges.

New tire rationing rules limit recaps and new tires to defense and other essential workers who share rides. SrORTS Al Benton wins sixth victory as Pinky Higgins' home run helps Tigers to 5-4 decision over St. Louis Browns, Ted Williams Is fined $250 and given a semipublio tongue lashing for having loafed in Wednesday's game against Washington. Sweep Swinger comes out of last place and makes great stretch drive to capture feature $1,500 Cranbrook Purse at Fair Grounds. FINANCIAL First tire ration certificate counterfeiting, uncovered in Atlanta, being investigated for possible nationwide implications.

Bicycles to be released for nationwide rationing July 9, with a quota of 16,024 and a reserve of 1.943 for Michigan. War damage insurance applied for in Detroit in the last two days estimated to total $2,300,000,000. AVG's Loss Only 24 Men Br the Aii'H-latfd Preu CHUNGKING, July 3 (Friday) (AP) As the Flying Tigers of the American Volunteer Group prepare to join wings with the regular American Army air forces in China tomorrow, an official review of seven months of AVG operations disclosed today 2S4 Japanese planes destroyed at a cost of only 15 men killed or missing in action. Besides this list of confirmed victories, the review said there were "almost as many more probables" which were not claimed because of lack of eyewitness verification. Nine AVG pilots were killed accidentally, making a total loss of 24 out of 250 making up the group.

The record of few against many is one of the most spectacular in aerial history, and the review expressed belief that it had resulted in "demoralization of the Japanese air force in China." IT'S LIEUT. WILL ROCiERS NOW BEVERLY HILLS, July 2 fAP) Will Rogers, son of the late humorist End a Democratic candidate for Congress, was notified by the War Department today of his appointment as a second lieutenant the F.eld en i a pri vate two eek? ago. Free Pro Photo EDWARD C. FIELDER from committee spy ring, Lieut. Cen.

Frank M. Andrews, chief of the Caribbean Defense Command, revealed today. The announcement capped a four-month trail of intrigue, in which United States and British anti-espionage agents unearthed and foiled plots equal in thrills to the wildest of fiction. Attempt to Kill C. S.

Officer Among the highlights were an attempt to kill an American officer by poisoning his liquor; an Intrusion by force into United States Army offices; sabotage of a United States seaplane at Belize, British Honduras; capture of the alleged spy ringleader after pursuit by airplane out over the Caribbean, and arrest of a British Honduran who carried plans of vital Installations In the Canal Zone. The alleged ringleader is George Gough, plantation and shipping magnate in the British Honduras, where he was known as the "King of Belize." Several of his relatives in Central America and oh various Caribbean Islands are known to be involved In the plot. Names and nationalities of those arrested were not divulged, but they included "voluptuous" nightclub hostesses and proprietors in the Republic of Panama, prominent business men, employees of coastal shipping firms, Hungarian, German and other Axis nationals, a trusted employee of the Panama Canal Employment Bureau and British Honduran laborers recruited for work on Canal Zone projects. Co-Operation Stressed Emphasis was placed by Andrews on the strong co-operation among United States Army and Navy Air Force intelligence agents, officials of British govern-Turn to Page 4, Column 4 A NATURAL STROMSBURG, July 2 (AP) One Stromsburg youth who registered for the draft this week told his name and status in one operation. His name: I.

M. Ready. BY RALPH KELSON Free Prow Staff Writer The "Prisoners Release Bureau," through which gamblers, prostitutes and other police characters obtained their freedom by the simple process of having a Recorders Court judge telephone headquarters, was officially "padlocked" Thursday by Police Commissioner John H. Witherspoon. Commissioner Witherspoon acted after the Free Press had pointed out that hundreds of prisoners had been released to appear for trial on telephone orders from the judges.

Prisoners Stay In Cells And for the first time in many months a group of prisoners, arrested in a gambling raid, remained in cells. Seventeen of 26 persons taken In a raid on a gambling house, disguised as a garage, at 4240 Cass, were still in custody Thursday night, more than 24 hours after they had been seized. Among them were three women and Peter Kosiba, of 1847 Blaine, who is one of the gamblers convicted by Judge Earl C. Pugsley in the County grand jury cases. Kosiba had been at liberty while appealing his conviction.

Order Is Issued Witherspoon Issued a general order to all commanding omcers. It said: "Persons In custody In felony cases, gambling cases and prosti' tution cases and misdemeanor cases under investigation by this department shall not be released from custody except upon proper court order." "Does a telephone call from a judge constitute a proper court order wunerspoon was asaea "It certainly does not," he replied. "But in all probability the police will nonor a teiepnone can from a judge asking that a prisoner be brought to the judge's home or any other place for a hearing. "The prosecutor's office has an i assistant on duty 24 hours a day i and he will be in a position to go i with the prisoner anywhere the judge wishes and he will be able to represent the people." I Explains His Attitude In connection with the order, Witherspoon issued the following statement: "It appears to me desirable to put this order into effect st this time. I am advised that the Detroit Bar Association is to conduct an investigation concerning the system in use in the Recorder's Court.

This invcatiga. tion is welcomed by the judges of that court. "If, as a result of such Investigation, a different or better Turn to Page 3, Column 4 Cadets Drown in Fake Attack New York Timet Service OTTAWA, July 2 Two cadets from the Brockville Officers Train ing Center were drowned and four others were rescued with difficulty In a demonstration attack in the center of Ottawa today which involved swimming the Rldeau Canal with full equipment Defense Minister J. L. Ralston and hundreds of spectators wit nessed the tragedy.

All the cadets had had previous training in swimming with equip ment, but today attack' included a dive from a six-foot wall, and it is believed that this caused some of the 30 men involved to get Into trouble. Sayre Resignation Accepted by F.D.R. WASHINGTON, July 2 (AP) The White House announced to day that President Roosevelt had acccepted the resignation of Francis B. Sayre as American high commissioner to the Philippines. Sayre submitted the resignation last March 23.

soon after he bad made his way to this country from embattled Corregidor. COMING SATURDAY! AN ALL-NAVY SECTION A portion of Saturday's Free Press will be devoted exclusively to a review of the V. S. Navy, with all of its glorious traditions. Having thus far borne the brunt of the offense and defense of America, the Navy haj been very much in the "limelight," and therefore this cison, cione in the regular Navy colors, is particularly apropos.

The Detroit Free Press Cologne. All Rommel's tank and motor ized infantry attacks on El Alamein were hurled back and, on the south wing, the British lashed out along the fringe of Qattara to engage Axis forces 17 miles In advance of the British defense positions. Rommel Left Flank Unguarded Then suddenly on Thursday Rommel shifted his tactics. He drew all his forces north for a grand assault on El Alamein. The British south flank, which had been made exceptionally strong to thwart any more of Rommel's attempted encirclements, found Itself unopposed.

It charged ahead, swung north to the coast behind Rommel and began driving into his rear and flanks. The British encircling arm Includes a strong force of tanks, artillery and infantry, and It Is striking hard, according to latest front dispatches, but the outcome cannot yet be determined. The Allied air offensive has been under way for a week, It was revealed, and has extended deep Into Libya and to Crete. United States Army B-24'g (four-motored Consolidated bombers! have joined British Wellington bombers in the nightly, forays. They have struck as far back as the Libyan port of Derna, 400 miles west of the present battle positions.

It was from Derna that Rommel launched his present campaign May 27, Bengasi Blasted Heavily In the giant raid on Bengasi, believed to have been made Monday night, thousands of pounds of bombs were dumped at thirty-yard Intervals along the waterfront One night the raiders located a mobile enemy field headquarters and two days later the Rome radio announced that two Italian generals had been killed on the African front Last night one pilot reported destroying 18 Axis trucks. Another shot down a German Junkers-88 dive bomber, and, with one of his own engines afire, continued machine-gunning his target until his plane made a crash landing. He escaped from the wreckage unhurt and walked back to his base through the enemy lines. New Arrivals Go to Front RAF reinforcements are Joining the raids within a few hours of their arrival from Britain. Although it was reported that the thunder of distant guns could be heard in Alexandria, Egypt's major cities remained calm.

Reinforcements British soldiers stripped to the waist and perched on motor convoys are rumbling through the streets of Cairo, bound for the frsnt, hilariously singing, "Ycppl Yeppl Yah," and waving to giggling Egyptian girls who look down from balconies, giving them the sign. Situation "Not Unfavorable" For the moment, at least the situation was described in a communique as "not unfavorable to us." (Reuters said, in a dispatch from Cairo Thursday night, according to the Associated Press, that the British positions had reportedly been strengthened by a "very successful" counterattack which New Zealand forces launched Wednesday on the German 90th Light Motorized Division.) The crisis for Alexandria, Cairo, the Suez Canal and the whole Middle East beyond had in no sense abated, however, for Rommel was still attacking In full force. (Berlin radio said that Axis troops broke through the "El Alamein position" and that they are "pursuing the beaten enemy, who is retreating toward the Nile delta." It said that German planes showered leaflets on the Holy Land city of Damascus following their attack on the Palestine port 1,1 steamer near Port Said, northern terminus of th-? Suez Canal. i Berlin depicted a scene of chaos sr. wrncM uams i pulled out without schedules, Gt-i n-an planes blasted the harbor in-i cesantly, endless columns of tracKS arrived from taa iror.t wun Turn to Tare 5, Column 3 Secretary of State Lansing Given 310,000 Home Rule Names Signatures Establish.

Record for Petitions BY FRANK B. WOODFORD Free Frew SUM Writer Members of the Wayne County Home Rule Committee Thursday filed 310,000 signatures on petitions with Secretary of State Harry F. Kelly at Lansing, asking for an amendment to the State Constitution to permit Wayne County to reorganize Its government. The number of petitions and si natures which were filed was far in excess of any number ever before filed in Michigan on an initiatory movement and was more than over the legal minimum required which in this case was 203,000. The petitions were handed to Kelly by Dr.

Lent D. Upson and Henry Steffens, co-chairmen of the Citizens' Committee. Others In the party were Edward C. Fielder, director of the petition campaign; Chester J. Morse, attorney for the committee; and Oliver Frick and Laurence Michelmore, members of the committee.

Asks Thorough Study In accepting the petitions, Kelly issued a statement calling upon all voters in Michigan to give the proposed amendment study so that they could vote on it without bias. He pointed out that at the time the present Constitution was drawn establishing county governments Wayne County had a population of about 50,000, whereas now it has more than 2,000,000. "It is apparent to all who have made a study of government in Michigan," he said, "that the Turn to Page 4, Column 6 Best Plane Motor Credited to Nazis LONDON, July 2 (AP) The magazine Aeroplane said today that Germany had stolen a march on the world by producing the most advanced plane motor now in operation. The engine, called a BMW-801, produces 1,580 horsepower for takeoffs and 1,460 horsepower at 16,300 feet. A special cowling design, which reduces probably gives it the equivalent of several hundred extra horsepower, Aeroplane said.

Pacific War Victims Are Returned to U.S. AN EASTERN PORT, July 2 (AP) A group of wounded United States soldiers, sailors ana marines were returned to this country to day from Western Pacific battle fronts of the United Nations. WOMEN IN NAVY OK'd WASHINGTON, July 2-AP) The Senate parsed and sent to the House toiiay a bill creating a Women's Auxiliary Naval Reserve which would take over many shore duties an.i release male enlisted commissioned personnel for July at sea. HOME RULE or WAYNE Save the People's Moneij BY CHARLES B. EXGELKE nlffd rrnw Corretpondfnt CARIBBEAN DEFENSE HEADQUARTERS, Canal Zone, July 2 An Axia attempt against the vital Panama Canal has been thwarted and an information and supply source for enemy submarines operating in the Caribbean has been wiped out with the arrest of 20 members of an alleged Allied Crait Now Help U.S.

Battle U-Boats British-Canadian Aid Bared; 3 Ships Sunk Br the AModatrd TreH WASHINGTON, July 2 The Navy Department announced tonight that British and Canadian warships were co-operating with American Naval craft In antisubmarine activities in the Atlantic. This was the first official announcement of co-operation between British and American Naval forces In the area. The Navy's statement said: "In accordance with the Allied policy of distributing strength where it can best serve the cause of the United Nations, many British and Canadian corvettes, destroyers and fully equipped antisubmarine vessels have for some time been operating with our forces in the Atlantic" both on escort duty and against submarines along the seaboard. Earlier, in terse Navy announcements, the sinking of three more United Nations vessels was disclosed, two of them American ships and the third flying the Brazilian flag. The score for Axis submarines thus was raised to 3.12 in the unofficial Associated Press tabulation of sinkings in the Western Atlantic.

At an East Coast port, survivors reported that a large American cargo ship was torpedoed in daylight June 28. The entire crew of 50 was landed safely. All members of the Brazilian ship's crew also were saved. The ship went down off South America. A small United States merchant vessel was sunk in the Atlantic off the northern of South America, with 27 survivors reaching an East Coast port.

Two crewmen were killed and two others were missing-. Alaska Coastal Waters Decreed Danger Zone ANCHORAGE, Alaska, July 2 (AP) Maj. Gen. Simon D. Buck-ner, commanding the Alaska defense forces, today proclaimed ail Alaska coastu v.alcf3 uesu-rarrl from Cape St.

Elias, extending 20 miles offshore, as a "mobile zone dangerous to navigation." Vessels were warned to enter only under Navy direction. Text of Churchill's address before Parliament Page 21 sponsible for the long series of defeats culminating in the most recent Libyan disaster. Facing his critics at last, the Prime Minister flatly refused to relinquish his job as Minister cf Defense, defended his direction of Britain's war effort and attributed the desert debacle to the fortune of battle. He was temperate and patient, not even losing his temper when interrupted by Leslie Hore-Belisha, Sir John Wardlaw-Milne, sponsor of the censure motion, and others. Implies Aiding of Enemy But he made, it clear that It was his opinion that those who had transformed w'lat should have been a council of war into an attack upon the Government were spreading dismay, among friends of Great Britain and giving aid and comfort to the enemy.

A distinguished greup of diplomats, Including Ambassador John G. Winant, heard the Prime Minister's address delivered before a crowded house. Although it was Churchill's second biggest majority it was also the first time that as many as 25 members (27 if the two tellers are included), Turn to Page 4, Column 1 War-Poor South Dakota Borroics Electric Chair INDIANAPOLIS, July 2 (AP); Unable, because of war priorities, to get materials to repair it electric chair for the execution of two condemned youths. South Dakota today obtained the loan cf the electric chair in the State Prison at City. Gov.

Henry F. Schru i--r ime down South Daku cff-T to pay rent for the chair but sa.J transportation charges rr.u.t be pa.i by that state. On Inside I'aes Today's Installment of THE MOON IS POWX appears on Pae 5 Amusements 8 Lvnns M-rrv-Co-Rd My Day Fara le Fi li i Reporter BinS'lv 6 4 13-20 IS st 6 17 4 1 6 4 21 2 1 It 4 Clapper Ot is'i-vl L'ross'A'ori Edsir Gin Financial r'. It- i Vw MORE GRIST FOR NA VY MILL? Jap Navy Reported Converting Luxury Liners into Carriers BY RADFORD E. MOBLEY Yrrt Prf Bureau, l'l'il National f'ret BuildlDC WASHINGTON, July 2 Here is news of especial interest to any Detroiter who has gone to Honolulu or Shanghai or other Far Eastern ports on one of those nine luxury liners once operated by Japan's biggest steamship company.

These nine liners are being converted into aircraft carriers at an undisclosed location, according to information from South American sources and permitted to be pub- ltehed here without of course any orlioal comment from Was. ton. The those average displacement of essels is probably more than 20.000 tons Thev will for- nuh badly needed reinforcement..