Shamokin News-Dispatch from Shamokin, Pennsylvania • Page 1

gts. reading, pa. P.J.ARNOLD lamokim NewDIBatch Good Evening Looki like' Hitler fao another winter in Russia. Weather Occasional showers tonight; moderate temperature. Largest Daily Newspaper Circulation in Northumberland County VOL.

IX, NO. 300 DISPATCH (Estab. 1886) Combined Sepu lb 1S33 With DAILY NEWS (Estab 1693 SHAMOKIN, PA, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 1942-10 PAGES DOTTED PRESS FULL LEASED WIRE SERVICE PRICE: THREE CENTS wmmi D) New Commander in Middle East FIGHTING FURIOUS IfJ STALINGRAD AREA 1,600 PASSENGERS AND SEAMEN RESCUED FROM BLAZING SHIP Flames Break Out on Former Liner Manhatten While Vessel Is En Route to the United States oCHURCHILL IS BITTERLY CRITICIZED BY LABORITE Aneurin Bevan Tells Commons Prime Minister's Continuance in Office Is 'Major Disaster' Nazis Reported Attacking in Greater Strength and With More Rapidity Than Ever MOSCOW, Sept. 9 (U.R) Fighting on the western and southwestern approaches of Stalingrad reached new heights of ferocity today, with the Germans attacking in greater strength and with more rapidity than ever, and with air superiority in such proportions that their planes cruised leisurely over Russian positions. German motorized infantry, after repeated attacks on a narrow sector, forced a Russian retreat yesterday on the western approach the i i i "seconu ieuretib in uiu uucuuuu DAMAGED SHIP TOWED TO PORT Bernard L.

Montgomery, described by Wendell Willkie as "a fighting general," out-staff after assuming command of Britain's Eighth Army in the Middle East and back Nazi Marshal Erwin Rommel's ears in battle. (Passed by censor.) Lieutenant General lines tactics for his pinning WASHINGTON, 9 (U.R) The Naval Transport Wakefield, formerly the liner Manhattan, caught fire at sea the evening of September 3, the Navy announced today. Approximately 1,600 passengers and crew member were saved. The ship has now been salvaged and towed to an American Atlantic port. The Wakefield was under the command of Commander Harold Gardner Bradbury, U.

S. Coast Guard, and was en route to an East Coast port of the United States. Fire of undetermined origin broke out on one of the deck levels and despite prompt efforts to subdue it, the flames spread rapidly throughout the ship. Flames enveloped the vessel and it was necessary to remove the passengers, a large number of whom were civilians. Two U.

S. warships moved directly alongside the Wakefield despite the heat and flames and removed more than 1,000 persons. A cruiser maneuvered its bow alongside the stern of the big vessel, used for transporting troops abroad, and a itself alon'the Wakefield's side. SPECTER OF REVOLT APPEARS IN FRANCE Petain and Laval Warned Against Drawing Nation Into War on Side of Axis SOMEWHERE ON THE FRENCH FRONTIER, Sept. 9 (U.R)' Marshal Henri Philippe Petain and Pierre Laval, it was revealed today, have been placed on solemn warning that France may suffer "convulsions" Jf the Vichy government attempts to draw the nation "into war against our Allies." In an unprecedented indictment of the Petain-Laval regime, Edouard Herriot and Jean Jeanneney, leaders of the last parliament of the Third By WALTER CROXKITE (United Press Atlantic Fleet Correspondent) ABOARD A U.

S. WARSHIP ON ATLANTIC CONVOY, Sept. 3 (Delayed) (U.R) The U. S. Navy Transport W'akefield, formerly the American luxury liner Manhattan, burned within sight of this ship tonight and was abandoned on the At- War Bonnet A belt of machine gun bullets formr high powered headdress for Arnold Headley, ordnance-man at Naval Air Corpus Christi, Texas.

His grandfather fought with General Custer during famed "last stand." ROSHHASHONAH TO BE OBSERVED THIS SATURDAY Festival Will Mark Begin-ning of New Year in Jewish Calendar SPECIAL SERVICES The Jewish New Year or Rosh Hashonah will be observed this Saturday. The festival marks the beginning of the year 5703 of the Jewish calendar, and in accordance with traditional Jewish observance will begin at sunset on September 11. It will be celebrated for one day by Reform Jews and by Conservative and Orthodox Jews for two days. Originally, this New Year wa an agricultural festival, marking the opening of the agricultural and economic year in Palestine, which began in the autumn. As the agricultural background disappeared from Jewish life, rabbinic authorities invested the festival with spiritual meaning.

They associated it with the beginning of creation and as a time when God passes judgment upon all the inhabitants of the earth. The idea of judgment is the keynote for the New Year's service. The liturgy for the day emphasizes the thought that it is to be a time for self-examination and repentance, of reconciliation of man with man, and man with God, making for a spiritual recreation of life. Rosh Hashonah begins the period known as the "Ten Days of Penitence," which culminates in the Day of Atonement. During this period Jews are urged to reflect, to (Continued on Page 10.

Column 2) FLOWER SHOW PRIZE WINNERS ARE ANNOUNCED Elysburg Garden Club Sponsored Event at AM-Home Celebration UNUSUAL DISPLAYS Announcement of prize winners at the flower show staged by the Elysburg Garden Club during Ralpho All-Home Day celebration was made today by officers of the club. The display of flowers and vegetables was admired by many hundred visitors and ranked with the best floral exhibits in the central district of the state. Fine growing weather and enthusiastic contributors to the show combined in making, the display one of the garden club's best. The flower show was conducted successfully for several years under the supervisory administration of Miss Anne Llewellyn, president, who was succeeded by Mrs. William Erdman and the present incumbent, Mrs.

George L. Swank. A central point of attraction this year was a beautiful garden, the expert handiwork of Mrs. Harry E. Hartman, club corresponding secretary, and Mrs.

Alvin George. A large medalion of verdant moss edged with ground pine and emblazoned with a huge victory of yellow marigolds, was designed by Mrs. H. H. Knoebel.

The various class competitions and prize winners were announced as follows: Llewellyn cup, Mrs. Annie Miller; All-Home Day plate, Mrs. Carrie Martz; Garden Club (Continued on Page 5, Column 6) REGION COLLIERIES TO WORK SATURDAY Anthracite collieries will work Saturday of this week under the weekly tonnage allocation of announced yesterday afternoon by the Anthracite Emergency Commission. Collieries were idle Monday, Labor Day, under then- annual schedule of holidays. The wage and working schedule provides that where a day is lost in any week, the time can be made up by working Saturday, and it was under this stipulation that the commission continued the same weekly tonnage effective over a period of many weeks.

36 hours. The enemv had made no nrogress on the southwest in five days, but dispatches from the front indicated he was redoubling his efforts. Fresh reserves poured constantly into German lines, and their numerical superiority on land and in the air increased by the hour. The Russians fighting west and southwest of Stalingrad and the Volga River line were weary and fighting fresh Germans who far outnumbered them. The terrain on those approaches is unfavorable for defense; it is rolling hills and shallow ravines, with no forests and few villages.

Deep dugouts protected the Russians again German dive-bombers, and they relied on artillery to stop German tank attacks. "West of Stalingrad, Soviet troops fought tense battles with enemy tanks and infantry," the Soviet noon communique reported. "Having concentrated large forces, the enemy is attacking our positions and disregarding heavy losses, particularly heavy from our artillery. "On one sector, attacking German tanks were caught in a mine field and three blew up. Another enemy tank force was dispersed while maneuvering on the edge of a mine field by our artillery and six were destroyed.

"Southwest of Stalingrad, fighting nnntinnes. Soviet trench mortar de tachments stopped an advance of enemy infantry and killed 200. Soviet units wiped out 150 of the enemy in a counter-blow at another place." Soviet communiques for 48 hours have not mentioned fighting on the northwestern approach to Stalingrad, where several days ago battles raged as heavily as on the southwest. The noon communique said there "was no material change" on fronts not specifically mentioned. Dispatches said the Russians were in imminent danger of being swamped by the Germans near the Black Sea naval base of Novorossisk.

They had thrust a wedge deep into Soviet positions, and their superior strength enabled them to attack in all directions. The army organ Red Star said fighting was going on in the fourth day for a village, half of which was held by Soviet marines and the other half by the enemy. The Black Sea fleet was reported shelling enemy forces advancing down the coast toward Novorossisk, but it did not noticeably diminish the pressure, although German losses were high. Outnumbered Russian soldiers, sailors and marines counter-attack-ed constantly, but their efforts were nullified by the continued arrival of German reinforcements. "In the area of Novorossisk, Soviet troops were engaged in stubborn fighting with the enemy, who penetrated our defense lines," the noon communique asserted.

"On one sector, our units destroyed six tanks and three trench mortar batteries and wiped out 140 Hitlerites." In the Mozdok area of the Eastern Caucasus, the Russians fought (Continued on Page 10. Column 3) TOWNSHIP SCHOOL ENROLLMENT DOWN Student enrollment in Coal Township schools for the new term is below the total of last year, it was reported today from the office of Superintendent D. T. Melsberger. A total of 2.800 students enrolled on the opening day, and of this number 1,075 are high school students.

It was pointed out that the decrease in enrollment was prevalent in both high and grade schools. heavy explosions heard from farther inland. Seven bombers were reported missing in the communique, as well as three planes of fighter command and two of coastal command. The losses indicated that at least several hundred planes participated in the night's operations. "Large fires were left burning," the air ministry said in announcing the raid on Frankfurt.

(German broadcasts heard in London said "material damage was done in residential quarters of some localities in western Germany," and (Continued on Page 3. Column 1) HITS REPORTS ON WAR PRODUCTION LONDON, Sept. 9 (U.R)-Aneurin Bevan, Laborite critic of the government, charged in the House of Commons today that Prime Minister Winston Churchill's continuance in office is a "disaster" and that the Germans could have been beaten this year "If the government had the guts to do In the bitterest attack on Churchill since he assumed office in May, 1940, Bevan said the prime minister's continuation in office "is a major disaster." "He no longer is able to summon the spirit of the British people because he represents policies they deeply distrust," he said. Bevan criticized Churchill's speech in Commons yesterday, denouncing his references to the promised second front American war production. "This year," he said, "with imagination and courage the Germans could have been beaten.

The reason has been because the government has not had the guts to do it." He criticized Churchill's speech to the House yesterday, describing the prime minister's felerences to American war production as "childish nonsense." "We know that American war Deduction is even now less than our own," he said, "and America is running into very considerable difficulty in reorganizing her production. "I hear people speaking about the mounting production of Britain and America. That in a year or two we can reach a tornado so overwhelmingly strong that the enemy can easily be defeated. "Germany's economic potential Is at least equal to that of Britain and America going all out." Bevan charged that the prime (Continued on Page 10. Column 4) GRAND JURY TO COMPLETE ITS DELIBERATIONS Thirteen Indictments Returned Following Action at Sunbury TWO CASES IGNORED The September criminal court grand Jury is expected to conclude its deliberations by noon tomorrow, when it will submit its report to the court.

During yesterday the grand jurors acted on 15 cases presented by District Attorney Robert M. Fortney and staff, returning 13 indictments and ignoring two. Most of the cases acted on during the day involved motor violations, charges of burglary and robbery and one of simple assault and battery. No cases of con- dequence were presented during yes-hrday or until the noon hour Following the conclusion of their deliberations about mid-afterncon yesterday, members of the jury proceeded to the county jail to make the required inspection. Then followed an inspection of the court house for the purpose of making recommendations to the court in connection with the final report of the group.

MINING ENGINEER GROUP WILL MEET The executive committee of the Pennsylvania Anthracite Section. American Institute of Mining and Metallurgical Engineers, will hold a fall meeting at Wilkes-Barre on Friday. October 23. it was announced today by Floyd S. Sanders, secretary of the group.

C. A. Gibbons, general manager of the Susquehanna Collieries Company, has been named chairman of the committee on arrangements for the fall meeting. Rupture Sufferers Consult the Chesterman-Leland Truss expert tomorrow at Rea Derick's, 56 E. Independence Street.

No obligation.Adv. Republic, have made public a docu-o ment declaring: "It is impossible for liberty to die in the country of its birth from where it spread all over the world." The language of the parliamentarians implied that despite the French defeat in June, 1940, despite the armistice with Germany, despite the rise of Petain and Laval, they still consider France bound by the treaties of alliance with which she entered the war. They warned of "convulsions" which would follow any attempt to deprive the French of the liberty they now have, tacitly implying that revolution might sweep the country again, overthrowing the Laval-Pe-tain regime. The letter said the French had tolerated the acts of the present administration "because it cannot do anything else," but warned: "Do not make the foolish mistake of believing that you can win the adhesion of its spirit or its heart, without which you can accomplish nothing durable The great and imminent danger is that liberty cannot be reconquered without those convulsions which, in truth, it is your duty to avoid." The parliamentarians said the aims of the government were not apparent, but insisted on the right of the French people to decide their own destiny. Implying that they considered Great Britain, and possibly other United Nations at war against the Axis, as their allies, Herriot and Jeanneney went on record with a protest in advance "if, without authorization of parliament you try to draw France into war against our allies which you yourself declared 'honor The letter, marking a decisive break between Petain and the parliament which had delegated its powers to him after the armistice (Continued on Page 3.

Column 3) LOCAL MAN'S CAR WRECKED BY TRUCK Michael Casper, of 29 Sheridan Street, employed in an airplane plant at Williamsport, escaped injury' when his sedan was badly wrecked late yesterday afternoon at Allen-wood, when it was struck by a stone truck operated by Leroy Swank, of Sunbury R. D. 3. Casper was returning home from his employment when the truck emerged from a side road and side-swiped the local man's car, ripping away most of the left side of the car. The Shamokin man was badly shaken, but not injured.

Motor officers said Swank will be arrested for fail ing to yield proper room to pass on the highway. He will be arraigned before a justice of the peace at Allen- wood. Rupture Sufferers Consult the Chesterman-Leland Truss expert tomorrow at Rea Derick's. 56 E. Independence Street.

No obligation. Adv. BLAME PLACED FOR DECREASE IN COALOUTPUT Loss of Manpower and Individual Mine Difficulties Are Cited AUGUST TOTAL CUT HARRISBURG, Sept. 9 (U.R) Mines Secretary Richard Maize, reporting today that Anthracite production during August fell 143.000 tons below the July total, attributed the drop to "a loss of manpower in the northern field and difficulties at individual mines in the lower fields." Total hard coal output for August was 4.863,000 tons; for July, 5.006,-000 tons. Total production for the year to September 1 was 37.882,000 tons an increase of 1.970,000 tons over the corresponding 1941 period.

Maize emphasized a belief that the production loss was not caused by voluntary absenteeism of miners. He said recent conversations with operators have convinced him that "this situation has improved since we put out our report." The cabinet officer was referring to a survey which disclosed that at least 63,678 man-days were lost through absenteeism in June, resulting in a hard coal production loss of 178,298 tons more than 58 per cent of it avoidable. Maize said, "victory committees" organized at the individual mines "are very active and are giving us every cooperation in reducing absenteeism and promoting safety-first practices at the mines." "A large part of the production loss in August was due directly to a losr of manpower caused primarily by the miners going to war industries (Continued on Page 10. Column 2) LOCAL CADET WAS ON SS. WAKEFIELD Cadet Edward Harris, of the United States Merchant Marine, has returned to duty after a brief visit here with his parents, Dr.

and Mrs. Henry Harris, Sunbury Street. Cadet Harris was in the now famed "convoy to Malta." His ship was torpedoed and sunk, and he was rescued by a British destroyer. Returning to England he joined the crew of the U. S.

Wakefield and when that vessel burned at sea he was rescued again and taken aboard a naval rescue ship. Shortly after the second rescue he arrived home. lantic after her crew and 840 passengers were rescued by daring escort vessels. (A few hours later the Wakefield was reboarded by a skeleton crew and the hulk was towed into an American East Coast port. She was the second big passenger ship in American hands to burn this year.

The other was the former French liner Normandie, wrecked at her New York pier.) The Wakefield's passengers included American women and children who had been stranded in the British Isles and Eire since war. began, construction workers who had been building American Army facilities in Britain, and some U. S. Army officers returning to the United States for advanced technical training or to act as instructors. None of the passengers was in-(Contlnued on Page 3.

Col 2) ARMY TO CALL 5 FROM ZERBE SEPTEMBER 22 Others From Draft Area No. 3 Will Submit to Physical Exams 42 WILL BE CALLED Local Draft Board No. 3 officials today announced the names of 42 young men, including a number from Trevorton and vicinity, who have been notified to appear in Harrlsburg September 22 to take final examinations for induction into the United States Army. Vm Paudovich. John W.

Francis, Harry L. Wetzel. Thomas H. Milaua and Walter I. Tomlinson are the five men from Trevorton who have been summoned by the draft board officials, under orders from Selective Sen-ice headquarters.

Milaui has been residing in Newark, N. and Tomlinson now resides in Sunbury, but registered in Trevorton. Over half of the contingent will consist of Sunbury young men, the remainder being from rural sections. In addition to the Trevorton and Sunbury men to be examined will be William R. Hile, Robert O.

Lower, Oscar A. Hollenbach and Bruce I. Bartholomew, Sunbury R. D-: Marlin D. Miller, Guy L.

Rebuck. Wilson W. Smelu, Norman J. Brosious and Guy A. Rebuck, Dornsife R.

and Edward T. Rick-ert, of Herndon R. D. HARPER DEATH INVESTIGATION 10 lUiflfLLlLU Report in Fatal Plane Crash Will Be Filed With Officials LOW SPEED BLAMED Civilian Aeronautics Authority Investigators yesterday completed their investigation into the death last Saturday evening of Joseph R. Harper, Shamokin aviator and independent breaker owner, who was instantly killed when his plane fell two and one-half miles northwest of Paxlnos.

The official report of the investigators will be filed with federal and state authorities, and is understood to reveal the cause of the accident as lack of sufficient speed on the part of the plane when Harper attempted to ascend after drifting and banking. Based on statements of three witnesses, Morton Price, Melvin Paul and Clyde Beury, farmers residing near the scene of the fatal acci-ripnt. the investigators learned the plane was first seen drifting. Then the motor roared and sputtered as Harper apparently sought to taue it out of a drift as the machine was being banked. Lack of speed, the investigators indicated during their inquisition, caused the plane to suddenly plum- Continued on Page 10.

Column S) Parliament last fall by President Is-met Inonu. Willkie said. It was disclosed that Willkie had brought with him a personal, message for Inonu from President Roosevelt. Willkie conferred later with Asim Gunduz, deputy chief of staff of the Turkish army, who men him in the absence of General Fevsi Cakmak, now vacationing. He was accompanied during all the conferences by American Ambassador Laurence Eteinhardt, who acted as interpreter.

Willkie said probably vould (Continued on Pag 10, Column 1) Turks Reassured on U. S. Lend-Lease Aid R. A. F.

Planes Blast German Rail Center ANKARA. Sept. 8 (Delayed) (U.R) Wendell L. Willkie said today he had assured Foreign Minister Menemencioglu that United States lend-lease aid to Turkey "not only will continue but will steadily and greatly increase." He said they had discussed Turkey's position in the war and "future contingencies" and had conferred at length on Turkish-Russian relations. Menemencioglu gave him "the strongest sort of assurances" that Turkey would continue her policy of neutrality and her non-aggression allianct with Britain, as outlined to LONDON.

Sept. 9 (U.R) A strong force of R. A. F. bombers blasted at Frankfurt-Am-Main in the German Rhineland last night, the air ministry announced today.

It was the first raid on Frankfurt, one of Germany's principal rail communication centers, since August 24. At the same time planes of R. A. F. Fighter Command carried out "offensive patrols" over occupied territory.

Watchers oiv the Dover cliffs reported intense searchlight and flak activity along the Calais-Boulogne coast, with waves of British bombers passing overhead and.