Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Roseburg news-review. (Roseburg, Or.) 1920-1948 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 30, 1942)
MPT rn i mm SOT Rail Link to Stalingrad i Battle Prize - Red Sweep Marked By Big Increases In Axis Slain, Prisoner Take ' Ocr Job Is to Save Dollars Buy Ivtry Pay Day THrOODGUCOONTY DAILY VOL. XLVII N0.22G OF ROSEBURG REVIEW Victory Tax Collection Will Begin Jca$ l, Treasury Rules Slice of Pay In December Is Affected Order Runs Counter to Congressional Intent, Two Senators Declare WASHINGTON, Dec. 30-(AP) The treasury, it was learned authoritatively today, has ruled that the new victory tax must he withheld from all wages and -alaries paid in January, even lough part or all ot the money was earned this month. In other words, a man paid monthly on the first of the month will find a victory nick taken out ol his pay envelope this Friday, despite the fact that he worked for the money in Decemher. The same is true of all salaries paid on Friday. The treasury ruling was based on the language of the law which says "there shall ho levied, col lected and paid for each taxable year beginning after Dec. 31, 1942, a victory tax of 5 per centum upon the victory tax net Income of every individual." Wages and salaries received in 1943 are to be considered "in come" for 1943 under the ruling, regardless of the period in which they were earned. Two Senators Dissent A Two members of the senate '"nance committee, active in the drafting of the new tax bill, dc- (Continued on page t5.) In the Day's News By FRANK JENKINS DARLAN is assassinated. The assassin is executed. He is said to have been of French nationality, with an Ital ian mother still living in Itaiy, but his name and his MOTIVE (if the motive is known) have not been disclosed. (fi ARLAN'S assassination might have been inspired by: 1. The axis. 2. Vichy. 3. The DeGaullists. WITH censorship so far sup pressing whatever may be known about the MOTIVES back of it, we can only HOPE the assas sination was not inspired by the DeGaullists. That would mean that POLITICS, which has wreck ed France's prospects so many times, is still seated firmly in the French saddle. r rllE most encouraging fact at the moment is that General Giraud, who at this distance SEEMS to be a patriotic French man, is in temporary control in .JYeneh Africa. THIS writer's advice to readers I who want the truth is to listen to everything, believe nothing and draw only such conclusions as seem to be reasonable deductions from what is SAID and DONE. We must keep clearly in mind that propaganda on both sides will be busy in connection with Darlan's death. Our side will be anxious to saddle the axis with responsibility. The axis will try to use it to SPLIT UP OUR SIDE in to warring factions. Such, unfortunately, is propa ganda. rSEWHERE In the world, there are no startling develop ments. The Russians are still going Qs'ot only that, but they are going on THREE fronts in the Don, west of Rzhev and at Nalchik, in the foothills of the Caucasus mountains. In addition, they are Punishing the Germans who still Woo 9 Warbird - M ' Wood from Canada, engines from the U. 8. and a design originated In England go Into the all. wooden British mosquito bomber. It maneuvers I ike a fighter plane and builds In half the time required for all-metal craft. Said to be tee world's fastest bomber, the wooden plane relics on speed for protection Excess Speed May Forfeit r Card, Drivers Warned SAN FRANCISCO, Dec. 30 (API Keep it under 35 miles an hour, if you want to be sure of not losing that "C" gasoline rationing card, the OPA warned holders of the preferred-mileage books today; "Checks made In major pacific coast cities prove that the great majority of motorists are observ ing the govermenfs 35-mile speed regulation," said Harry F. Camp, regional OPA head. "The great number of those who are not, 1 am sorry to report, are those motorists who, because of occupational reasons, were given preferred mileage. 'It is not very comforting to an 'A book holder, driving aiong the highway, to see car after car bearing 'C stickers speed non chalantly by." Camp said that the names oi drivers who were convicted of speeding would be certified to rationing boards. CHICAGO, Dec. 30 (API If vou're riding with a drinking driver on New Year's eve the odds won't be right. Reporting that such a driver is 55 times more likely to have an accident than a sober one, the national safety council asked to day: Is it smart to buck odds like that?" Although gasoline and alcohol may be scarce this year, they still don't mix, said a council state ment which suggested: 1. If you drink, don't drive or vice versa. 2. If you ride with someone else, be sure the driver of the car is on the wagon. 3. Start in plenty of time, drive slowly, take it easy. 4. Make allowances for winter weather. If there is fog, snow or ice, drive with extra care. Pears Sold to Govt. Free of Price Control SAN FRANCISCO. Dec. 30 (APl The sales of canned pears to government agencies are ex empt from price control, the OPA notified the industry last night. The government is buying large quantities of canned pears and in order to facilitate the movement, government purchasing agencies will be permitted to conduct their own buying programs, the an nouncement said. Minimum prices to canners vary substantially to canners, especially in the sizes the government uses. Willamette Nearing Flood Stage at Eugene EUGENE. Ore., Dec. 30 (AP) The Willamette river started to raise at Eugene again this morn ing, coming up to 9.2 feet at 10 a. m. Weather bureau officials said they had no forecast on whether the peak expected would roach 12 feet, flood stage. The J of a foot Increase follow h haw rains yesterday and ROSEBURG, OREGON. WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 30. 1942. World's Fastest Bomber Poultry Raisers Make Good Start On Crop Increase WASHINGTON, Dec. 30 (AP) The nation's poultry farmers have made a good start, the agri culture department reported to day, toward expanding the pro duction of chickens to help offset shortages of meat resulting from heavy war demands. In November about 25,000,000 bay chicks were hatched by com mercial hatcheries, the depart ment said. This was about 2,300, 000 more than these hatcheries produced In the same month last year and nearly double their out put of November, 1940. Farmers have been asked by Secretary Wickard to produce at least 4,000,000,000 pounds of chickens, or 28 per cent more than the 1942 output, and 560,- 000,000 pounds of turkeys, or an increase of about 15 per cent. The department says that if this goal is reached, civilians would have a per capita supply of poul try of at least 50 per cent more than the average for the 1935-39 period. The department said total pro duction of baby chicks in Nov ember would have been much larger if sufficient eggs had been available. Many hatcheries re ported that their production was limited only by the supply of hatching eggs. Advance orders for baby chicks in December were said to have been 23 per cent above those of a year ago. "Because of the strong demand for meat in 1943"' the department said, "prices are likely to be fav orable for poultry producers dur ing the entire year. The demand for baby chicks lor flock replace ment purposes also is likely In 1943 to be the strongest on rec ord." Sprague's Last Message To Be Barren of Advice SALEM, Ore., Dec. 30 (AP) Governor Sprague said today his message to the legislature Janu ary 11 would contain no recom memlntions. "My message, which will be brief, will be almost entirely a report on the war," the governor said. I think the people are en titled to that." Sprague's message will be his last official act, and will be de livered a few minutes before Secretary of State Earl Snell be comes governor. Two State Officials Renamed by Sprague SALEM. Ore., Dec. 30 (AP) State Corporation Commissioner Lloyd R. Smith and Gerald W. Mason, member of the state parole board, were reappointed today by Governor Sprague. Both live in Portland. Smith, active in Sprague's polit ical organization, was appointed for four more years for a term beginning tomorrow. Mason's new six-year term begins Janu ary 7. Gas Credit Cards to Be Limited to One Station WASHINGTON, Dec. 30-(AP) The petroleum administration for war announced today that, ef fective Jan. 1, gasoline companies will be forbidden to Issue to motorists or use credit, courtesy or identification cards unless the cards are limited to a single stu tion. Mbst of the larger companies have been issuing credit cards good at any of their stations Petroleum Administrator Iekes said revocation of the cards gen erallywas designed to reduce bookkeeping and personnel costs of the marketers. The ban will not go Into effect until Feb. 1 for commercial vehicles, in order to give owners time to arrange for buying gaso line on some other basis. Steamer Port Orford, $500,000 Cargo Lost JUNEAU, Alaska, Dec. 30 (AP) Captain Joseph Bretsen of Seattle and all 27 members of the crew of the steamer Port Orford of San Francisco were reported safe in Petersburg and en route to Ketchikan yesterday. Sinking of the vessel in Chat ham strait off Point Gardner in a snowstorm the night of December 22 was disclosed here yesterday. No lives were lost but the cargo of lumber and other supplies, un officially estimated as worth $500,000, was believed a total loss. Reports indicated the steamer ran aground, then pulled free and broke up. The crew escaped In life boats and was picked up She was owned by the Port Oi lord Lumber company. U. S. Army History's Best Behaved, Verdict From Survey on Drinking WASHINGTON, Dec. 30-(AP) The office of war information, whose investigators traveled more than 12,000 miles in a coast-to-coast survey of drinking among soldiers reported today: "There is not excessive drink ing among troops, and drinking does not constitute a serious prob lem." OWI said it undertook the sur vey "to Investigate rumors which have gained wide currency, and to provide the American people with honest and accurate infor mation about Ihe millions of men who are doing their patriotic duty in the armed services." The investigators concluded that: 1. The sale of 3.2 beer in army arrangement. The fact that there is vastly less drinking among camps is a healthy and sensible soldiers In this war than in the last a fact almost universally agreed to by commanders and civilian authorities alike may stem in part from this sale of beer In camps. In the last war camps were bone dry. As a result, bootleggers did a thriving busi ness. 2. No American army in all history has been so orderly. Conceding "hazards and pit Supply Roads In Tunisia Under Attack French, American Units Trying to Sever Axis Link With Tripolitania LONDON, Dec. 30 (AP) French troops In central Tunisia and American forces to the south today were reported advancing slowly in a triple-pronged threat to cut the coastal road linking Tunisia and Tripolitania, while mud still bogged down the main allied forces near funis. , The French forces, supported by allied tanks and planes, were reported to have cut an Impor tant road south of Pont-Du-Fahs, 30 miles south of Tunis, yester day, and to have beaten off vio lent German counterattacks ex cept in one sector where the nazis were said to have advanced slightly at the cost of heavy losses. French headquarters In North Africa said another force of their troops, farther south between Plchon and Kairouan, had im proved its position. This force !s driving toward the coast at axis held Sousse. British patrols operating against Marshal Rommel's troops west of Wadi Bel El Chebir, a Libyan gulch Itself 180 miles east of Tripoli, destroyed some enemy vehicles yesterday, a Cairo com munique said. Naval torpedo aircraft were de clared to have sunk a southbound axis merchant vessel off Pantella rla island while bombers success fully .attacked dock areas of (Continued on page 6.) 3 Dead, Hundreds Afflicted by War Work Chemicals WHITE PLAINS, N. Y., Dec. 30 (AP) Three war workers are dead, 11 others have been strick en by degeneration of the liver and 500 have suffered a skin disease from working with chem icals used in treating cable lines at two Hudson river plants, Westchester county health auth orities said today. The new occupational disease, caused by one toxic chemical compound, manifests itself In two forms, health commissioner Dr. Holla said. Some workers are af flicted with atrophy of the liver through the blood stream, while the more common form occurs as a skin eruption. The two companies are con ducting tests of all employes ex posed to the chemicals to dis cover whether additional ones might have affected livers. Dr. Holla said such a degeneration might not become serious in some victims for months. falls" in any Investigation of Ihe liquor problem, OWI commented: "Flint, various Imponderables do not lend themselves to statis tics. Second, much of Ihe testi mony is necessary suspect: Wish ful thinking and pre-judgment have a way of interfering with factual reporting on moral Issues. This is true of both convinced wels and convinced drys. They have, in sandlot language, already chosen sides. Behavior Praised "For that reason, any particular Item of evidence may represent the opinion of a prejudiced wit ness, or be true for only a cer tain area where problems are less pressing than in other areas. But weight of evidence is Important. In this survey the weight of evidence collected from many sources and In all sections tips the scales inescapably t h I s American army may not be the best In the history of armies hut It is certainly the best behaved." Coffee, milk, malted milk and bottled drinks are the best selling beverages around army camps, the investigators found. At Fort Lewis, Wash., more than 400.000 bottles of one popular soft drink arc consumed in a month at post dances. VOL. XXXI NO. Jap Defenses In Buna Area Gouged Anew American Troops Take "Bloody Triangle" in Hard-Fought Battle WASHINGTON, Deo. 30 (AP) American aircraft op erating from Henderson field on Guadalcanal, In the Solo mons, strafed and bombed a fleet of enemy cargo ships off the Island and sank two enemy vessels, the navy de partment reported today. Simultaneously, the navy. In Its communique, reported that army and marine troops had killed more than 150 Jap anese with a loss of only four men killed and one wounded. (By the Associated Press) Hard fighting American troops In New Guinea were officially credited today with the capture of the "bloody triangle," a scries of 13 fortified bunkers bitterly defended by the Japanese, while other allied forces slowly closed a trap around the enemy's liar row beach corridor at Buna, Frontline dispatches said the Americans drove out the Japa nese piecemeal and then Inflicted heavy casualties In beating off an enemy counterattack. The fierceness of the Japanese defense was illustrated when one sector found n single Japa nese operating eight machlnJ guns by means of strings and wires rigged in a series. "Mopping up of captured posi tions ,'ls In progress," Gen. Doug, las- WacArlhur's headquarters announced. "Our troops expand ed their initial wedge sllll farlh er to the west." Oilier far Pacific war develop ments: Burma RAF bombers blasted anew at the Japanese airdrome at Monywa, on the Chlndwln river in northwest Burma, and (Continued on page 6.) Record December Flood Paralyzes Pittsburgh Area PITTSBURGH, Dec. 30-(AP) Several war plants closed, hun dreds of homes, stores and streets were flooded and rail and motor transportation was curtailed in the far-flung Pittsburgh Industri al area today as rivers and streams overflowed their banks. The floods swept down the Al legheny river north of Pittsburgh and moved down the Ohio river toward Ohio and West Virginia. In Pittsburgh proper, waters rising six Inches an hour flooded low-lying streets at the edge of Ihe "golden triangle" business section, devastated by the big St. Patrick's day flood of 1930. Fire men and civilian defense workers assisted families marooned in nearby communities. Red Cross relief committees evacuated fam ilies and began selling up mass feeding unils. The Ohio river stage at Pitts burgh, 32.4 feet at noon, was the highest for December In 100 years. A crest of at least 3(i feel eleven above low flood stage was predicted. The newly-constructed Ameri can Bridge company's yard at Leetsdale, near Pittsburgh, closed when Ohio river waler reached Ihe flood level. Another big plant closing was the Labelle works of Crucible Steel company in Pitts burgh. Some other factories feverishly moved vital materials and equip ment out of the reach of the flood waters. Six open hearth furnaces at a Jones and Laughlln Steel corpora tion plant were not in use because of water in the pits. Pumps pour ed waler out of basements of the giant Wesllnghouse Electric and Manufacturing company plant In East Pittsburgh. High water shut off power to the Dravo corporation yards at Pittsburgh. Five Pittsburgh Coal company mines closed. The rising Mahoning river hampered production at the Re public Steel corporation plant In Youngstown, O. There was five feet of water on some Youngs town streets. 206 OF THE EVENING NEWS . Former British Envoy to Berlin, Henderson, Dies Neville Henderson LONDON, Dec. 30-(AP) Sir Neville Henderson, 60, former British ambassador to Berlin, died in his sleep at his west end home last night. Henderson was ambassador to Berlin through the Munich crisis and at the time of the outbreak of the war with Germany. Henderson described those fate ful duys In a book, "Failure of a Mission," published in 1940. Henderson declared In Febru ary, 1941, that "when Hitler has nothing more to offer the Ger mans, when he realizes he has been cheating them, he will crack and scuttle himself. During his mission to Berlin Henderson strove to bring about friendship and understanding be tween Britain and Germany. "Guarantee us peace and peace ful evolution in Eurqpe and Ger many will find she hus no more sincere and 1 believe more useful friend In the world than Britain," he said in Berlin in 1937. Murder Charge Faced By Youthful Bandits GOLDENDALE, Wash., Dec. 30 (AP) Two Yakima youths, John Windmayer, 16, and Robert C. Jennings, 18, will face murder charges sometime in February for the fatal shooting last week of State Patrolman John J. Gulden. Prosecutor F. A. Smith filed the charges yesterday. The two youths shot Gulden December 21 when he stopped Ihem In a car which had been re ported stolen. They fled Into the hills and later were captured hiding In a wood truck which was being ferried across the Columbia river. Police Sergeant Charles U'Rcn said Jennings admitted he shot Gulden. Shipping Rates Hike On Canned Goods Postponed WASHINGTON, Dec. 30 (AP) The interstate commerce com mission today suspended until August 1 proposed Increases in rates on canned goods In carloads from the Pacific coast to points in the southeast pending an In vest igat ion. The proposed increases, ranging from 9 to 23 cents a hundred pounds, were to have become ef fective January 1. The commission said it appear ed Unit public interest would he "injuriously affected by the in creases." Flour-at-Mill Cost But Boost in Bread WASHINGTON, Dec. 30-IAP) The government authorized Tuesday an average 10 per cent increase In the price of flour at the mill, but prevented higher bread prices by discontinuing slicing and other services tending to Increase costs. Simultaneous action was taken by the office of price administra tion on flour prices and by Secre tary of Agriculture Claude R. Wickard on bread standards. OPA Instituted a uniform schedule of flour prices through out the country, replacing tempor ary price ceilings which froze individual mill prices at their September 28-October 2 levels. The prices were standardized ac cording to various types of flour and regions. Other Economies Listed Other economies ordered by I - Ld MOSCOW, Dec. 30 (AP) The Soviet winter offensive has bagged Its first major trophy, the key railroad city of Kotclnikov ski, which the Germans captured four months ago to the day, and even now another red army col umn is battering at the gates of . another city In the middle Don, corridor to Rostov, the Russians said today. The Soviet midday communi que did not name the newest ob jective but reported that Col. Gen. Vatutln's legions had smash- -ed heavy counterattacks In the' drive toward Rostov, after having yielded ground slightly in one sector. Battlefront dispatches reported that Russian tanks and infantry were pushing on from Kotelnl kovskl toward Zimovnlkl, 42 miles to the southwest along the rail line to Tikhoretsk. These reports said Kotclnlkov ski fell In a night attack after the red army had closed In on three sides. It was described as littered with nazl dead, shot and bavonet- !ed In the last fierce assault. Nazi Success Erased Advices from the front said the German high command was throwing into the battle for the middle Don area heavy reinforce ments from the deep rear and counterattacking so violently that they pressed the Russian units back temporarily in some places. The midday war bulletin ac knowledged that the Russians had been driven back at one point in the middle Don, but said that the red army had attacked anew and restored the position. "Four hundred enemy dead and six disabled tanks were left on the battlefield," the bulletin add ed. "Our units captured 30 trucks and large quantities of shells and mines. (The army of the middle Don holds Mlllcrnvo, about 125 miles-, north of Rostov, In a tight noose which it has not yet drawn. Flanking Mlllcrovo, units have thrust down east and west of that railroad center and there was a probability some columns might have neared Kamensk 40 miles south of Mlllerovo, where the Donets angles down and crosses ' the railroad before flowing Into the Don river valley.) The forces that took Kotelln kovskl plunged farther westward along the Tikhoretck Stalingrad railway today and south of the city they speared deep Into the Kalmyck steepe, taking Torgava ya, about 40 miles above Elista, the provincial capital, and Jash kul, about 60 miles due east oC (Continued on page 6.) Nazi Planes Raid 2 British Towns LONDON, Dec. 30 (API Four persons were killed today when three German planes bomb ed the residential districts of a southwest coast town In a raid which lasted but a few moments. The raiders first dropped bombs then returned to strata the town with machine-gun and cannon fire. Some persons were trapped in wrecked buildings. Two enemy planes later bomb ed a southeast coast village and caused some casualties. BERLIN (From German broad casts), Dec. 30 (AP) The Ber lin radio reported today that a small number of British bombers had carried out "nuisance raids" over western Germany last night. Is Increased, Price Prevented Wickard were a discontinuance, of the practice of some bakers In selling bread to retailers "on con- ' slgnment," limitation of the num ber of sizes and varieties any baker makes In a single week, and discontinuance, except for certain religious needs, of tho manufacture of twisted and cross pan bread by commercial bakers. He also recommended conserva tion of deliveries. The bakers also are expected to make savings on wrapping material. Housewives who buy flour for their own baking or cooking will find somewhat higher retail prices on the product. Officials said the Increase on retail flour will be between 40 and 75 cents) per 196-pound barrel. (Continued on page 2) Monday.