t -f - "4Lm
SRflAS
fUl
iru
TO
US
I
Control Won
Of Last Chain
Of Mountains
British Less Fortunate
On Mareth Line, Losing
Ground to Rommel
Ocr Job Is to Save
Dollars
Buy
War Bond
Evwy Pay Day
m
THE DOUGLASXOUNTY DAIL?
VOL. XLVII NO. 299 OF ROSEBURG REVIEW
'; In' Ine .v
By FRANK JENKINS
TUNlSIAJs the hot spot and,
on the basis of early dispatches,
is getting hotter by the minute.
L JONTGOMERY hits Rommel at
his strongest' point on the'
French-built Mareth line as he
did at El Alamein, 1500 miles back
to the east. Mis attack, backed up
by planes, tanks and self-propelled
guns, is described by eye-witnesses
as the "most concentrated
ever witnessed."
Ho then goes around the right
end of the Mareth fortifications
and drives a deep wedge toward
Rommel's rear while at the same
time our own Patton pushes from
Sened to Maknassy, only 34 miles
from the Mediterranean.
The apparent purpose is to sew
Rommel's forces up into several
pockets, where they can he an
nihilated. WATCH what will happen in
this narrowing gap between
the spearpoint of Patton's Amer
ican column and the seashore.
Rommel must either stand
where he is and fight or run for
it. If he runs, it must be through
this narrowing gap. He will cer
tainly fight hard to hold Patton
back from closing the mouth of
the sack.
'PREDICTIONS are unsafe
especially when made by rank
outsiders (such as this writer)
who don't know all the facts.
But at least we know that Mont
gomery, after preparing long and
carefully, seems to be hitting with
everything he has. Every time he
has done that in the past, some
thing has had to give way.
Until what has been started
in Tunisia is finished, the news
will be exciting.
K
ISKA bobs back into the news
in a moderately big way.
American planes, going over in
six waves, bomb the Jap installa
tions there for nine hours. Eu
gene Burns, AP correspondent up
there, says there were at least 72
of them and they drop demolition
bombs, fragmentation bombs and
(Continued on page 2)
Ey Paul
HENRY ADAMS, well known
Myrtle Creek merchant, as he
gazed admiringly at a passing
parade. From his expression you
might be justified in the assump
tion that he was at some popular
bathing beach, but not so; he was
right in Myrtle Creek.
Henry's father was the first
white settler in southern Douglas
county, and the old Adams place
never has made any abstract eonv
pany rich. 1 suspect that there are
other old "donationers" in the
k county which never have changed
" hands if so, I would like to hear
of them.
Although it couldn't possibly
be construed as being to hi?
credit, I never pass through
Myrtle Creek without stopping to i
see Henry. He has a vast fund .
of early reminiscences, a greater j
fund than ever of good nature
and, best of all perhaps, a con-1
tinning capacity for friendliness, j
i
While in Myrtle Creek I drop-1
ped in to see Guy Bates, at his
Citizens State bank, to say hello.
I was perfectly safe in doing so. I
He's never too busy to say "hello"
to anyone.
Mrs. Bates was busy on a Red
Cross assignment, but I saw her
also for a few minutes long
enough to discover the where-
ebouts and the latest travelling? I
of the Bates daughters, Marjone .
"and Dorothy. j
Dorothy now is Mrs. George
Schweiger.- and her husband is j
an officer in an anti-aircraft unit
of the U. S. army, stationed at J
Camp Davis, North Carolina. I
:::::::: SAW :::::::::
CANNED FOOD VALUE POINTS TO DROP;
(UOSEVELT NAMES NEW FOOD CZAR
Him
April
amp
Buying Opens
New Table of Points to
Be Issued Will Show
Slashes on Many Items
WASHINGTON, March 25.
(API April's canned goods ra
tion stamps became valid today,
but housewives are expected to
hold them for another week be
cause of strong hints from OPA
that their value will be increased
next month.
Future plans were kept secret,
but top officials who refused to
be quoted by name implied that
some reduction in the point
values of many types of processed
fruits and vegetables could be ex
peeled, etfeelivo April 1.
(A further indication of this
came from a statement of the
American Institute of Food Dis
tribution at New York that move
ment to market of important
canned vegetables had dropped
GO to 95 per cent under point ra
tioning. (Blaming newness of the sys
tem and "unnecessarily high
point values," the institute said
in its canners market. report that
"this fault (high point values)
will be rjghted partly by reduc
tion of several point values by
April 1, and later by wholesale
revision of these values on May
1.")
April coupons were made valid
on March 25 to help persons who
come to the end of the month
with insufficient March stamps
to meet essential needs, or with
(Continued on page 6.)
Explosion at Ordnance
Depot Kills Ten Men
RAVENNA, 0., March 25
(AP) An ammunition explosion
yesterday at the government's
$7,000,000 portage ordnance depot
killed ten workers and seriously
injured two others, Col. Raymond
A. Brown, commanding officer of
the project, announced.
Col. Brown said no information
would be made public until an
investigation has been conducted.
He said the depot was continu
ing operations with the normal
complement of workers.-
Jenkins
HMVH-UPVIlff
to ah 1 I-.ni?r:tViiiK
Marjorie is married to Wm.
Berg, a captain In the MP's now
stationed at Camp Riley, Kansas.
I assume many of you remember
that while in the university, Mar
jorie could do things with a
Springfield rifle which would
cause any old contender at the
national rifle shoots at Camp
Perry to turn green with envy.
I have in reserve a few more
rambling remarks concerning
Myrtle Creek which I will inflict
on you at a later date you see,
with no more gas available than
most of us have, when we do light
in a spot we try to make the most
of it. So I hope to tell you nf a
short (very short) trip Joe Led
gerwood and I took the other day,
and what we learned in the pr
irress of our journey.
.tnvs-l:pvifv l'ho
Minimum Prices Set for Cabbage,
Carrots, Beets for Canning; Wood
Rationing in Western Oregon Unlikely
CORVALLIS, Ore., March 25.
( AP) Three more Oregon vege
tables came under the minimum
price regulations today when the
state USDA war board announc
ed support prices for beets, cab
bage and carrots for processing.
Support prices for peas, corn, to
matoes and snap beans had pre
viously been announced.
Prices Beets, $28, $21 and $12
per ton for grades 1, 2 and 3, re
spectively; cabbage, $12 a ton,
field run with culls out; carrots,
$22 field run with culls out.
Processors who pay at least
these prices to growers will be
eligible to participate in the gov
ernment purchase program aim
ed at keeping consumer prices in
check while returning a fair price
to growers, said R. B. Taylor,
state war board head.
Quotas Cancelled.
County quotas on cream sep
arators, power spray pumps, and
rod weeders were cancelled to
day under the machinery ration
ing rules, A. L. Girod, chairman
of I he USDA war hoard machin
ery committee, announced. Farm
ers will need purchase certifi
cates, but machinery rationing
committees may Issue these
without regard to previous quo
tas. Farmers must locale the
equipment before obtaining the
certificate, however.
Increased amounts of Irriga
tion equipment, farm pumps,
windmills and domestic water
systems are expected in Oregon
following release of 70 to 100 per
cent of 1013 production, Girod
said. These are rationed but not
under quotas.
WOOD RATIONING NOT
NEEDED IN WEST OREGON
EUGENE, Ore., March 25.
(AP) No rationing of wood for
fuel will be undertaken in the
fourth Oregon congressional dis
trict until a survey of the need
Reds Gain in 3
Areas, Halt Nazis
In Donets Battle
MOSCOW, March 25. (AP)
The red army's dogged drive
through slush, Ice and mud to
ward Smolensk has made fresh
headway In three directions and
German attacks In an effort to
control the northern Donets
river valley are slackening after
their setbacks at the hands of
the soviet defenders, the Russians
said today.
The midday communique an
nounced that additional villages
were taken on the Smolensk front
as soviet troops broke through
the outlying defenses of the city.
The Soviets' sharpest thrust ap
peared to be north of Dukhov
schino, which is 32 miles north
east of the big German garrison
city. The war bulletin said that
in this sector the red army troops
battled hand-to-hand with the
Germans in an unidentified set
tlement which had been heavily
fortified, after hurling grenades
to clear their path.
South of this sector a Russian
column was reported movnig to
ward the district center of Doro
gobuzh, 13 miles below the Mos
cow - Vyazma - Smolensk railway
and 50 miles cast of Smolensk.
The battle to take the city, which
lies in a swampy area cut by the
Dnieper river and many small
streams, was considered now only
part of a large-scale offensive
to control the upper Dnieper.
Fierce counter attacks, with
heavy concentrations of heavy
artillery to back up their infan
try, were being mounted by the
Germans, a dispatch to Red Star,
the army newspaper, said.
In the battle for the upper
Donets river valley, the Germans
have been beaten back in every
effort to establish bases on the
eastern bank from Belgorod to
Chuguev, and, smarting under
blows which have caused terrific
destruction to materiel and man
power, have relaxed the Intensity
of their assaults.
ROSEBURG, OREGON, THURSDAY,
has been made, Congressman
Harris Ellsworth today wired H.
J. Cox, secretary-manager of the
Willamette Valley Lumbermen's
association.
"There Is no need for ration
ing of wood for fuel in the west
ern Oregon counties," H. J. Cox
said. "There is a shortage of la
bor and every householder should
get his next year's supply of fuel
as early as possible. But there
is plenly of fuel."
STEAK AT RESTAURANT
NEEDS NO COUPON
WASHINGTON, March 25.
(AP) You won't have to give up
a ration coupon when you order
a steak at your favorite restau
rantbut it will be rationed, too.
Restaurants and other institu
tional eating places will be limit
ed to 75 per cent or less of the
amount of meat, butter, cheese
and similar products they used
last December when the point ra
tioning program goes Into effect
Monday, the OPA says.
Two mathematical methods
will be used to determine the
restaurant ration, OPA said. One
is to cut 7 per cent off the num
ber of persons served during De
cember, and the other trims 25
per cent off the point values of
products used. Whichever gives
the smallest total determines the
establishment's allotment.
Individual portions aren't re
stricted yet, but the agriculture
department is considering such a
limitation.
PORTLAND COMPELLED
TO IMPORT SAWDUST
PORTLAND, March 25. (AP)
A sawdust "pool" arrangement
under which the fuel will be im
ported to Portland from mills as
distant as Eugene and Lebanon
was announced today by Roscoe
Day, state fuel coordinator.
Prices have been worked out
wild OPA that are high enough
to permit the mills to ship the
sawdust here, he said. It will be
sold here at SG.50 a unit. This
is higher than the Portlnd mar
ket, but will not change present
retail price ceilings of local deal
ers, Day said.
Sawdust remains the most
critical point in Portland's fuel
problem, he said.
Carnival Dated to
Help Red Cross
An Indoor carnival will be spon
sored by the B. P. W. C. Satur
day night, March 27, at 8 o'clock
at the I. O. O. F. hall, to promote
the sale of war bonds and stamps
in the current monthly drive. The
public has been invited to attend
and admission charges will be a
25c defense stamp, which the pur
chaser may keep.
The Roseburg Municipal band
will play and a largo number of
special, surprise features, con
sessions, sideshows and a cabaret
will be offered. Mrs. Gene Mills,
Mrs. E. High 'and Mrs. Mary
Moore, assisted by B. P. W. C.
members, are in charge. Organi
zations assisting with the affair
include: Bet a Sigma Phi sorority,
Rotary, Odd Fellows, Rebckahs,
Riversdale grange, Junior Wom
an's club, Eagles and auxiliary
and American legion and auxili
ary. "Proselyting" Creates
Strike at Shipyards
BALTIMORE, March 25 (API
Officials of the Marine and Ship
building Workers of America
(CIO) reported today that several
thousand workers walked off
their jobs at the big key highway
ship repair yard of the Bethle
hem Steel corporation.
The union officials said the
strike occurred after the company
refused to discharge three men
whom the iC'IO Organization
charged were "proselyting" for
an independent union.
The MSWA holds a contract
with Bethlehem for exclusive col
lective bargaining rights.
MARCH 25, 1943.
C.C. Davis to
Direct All
t
Distribution
Action Follows Plea of
OPA Head to Congress
, To Reject Farm Bills
WASHINGTON, March 25
(AP) President Roosevelt an
nounced today the creation in
the agriculture department of
r i administration of food pro
duction and distribution to be
headed by Chester C. Davis,
president of the Federal Re
serve bank at St. Louis and
former director o the agri
cultural adjustment administra
tion. .
A White House statement said
that "the administrator will have
charge of what may be called the
food production and distribution
activities of (no department, In
cluding (he agricultural adjust
ment administration, the food dis
tribution activities that were
transferred to the department of
agriculture by the war production
board last December, and the re
cruitment of farm labor recently
transferred to the department by
the war manpower commission."
WASHINGTON, March 25.
(AP) Price Administrator Brown
urged congress today to reject the
strongly-backed Bankhead and
Pace farm bills, saying I hey
would add more than $3,750,000,
000 lo consumers' budgets and
destroy Ihe anil-inflation pro
gram. Both bills have as their ulti
mate end the increase of farm
nicome but, Brown wrote congres
sional leaders, I hey call for "so
radical a change in the price of
foods" ns U) mean "Ihe end of
stabilization of prices" and the
end of "(lie sliibllizatlon of wages
as well."
The price administrator's let
ler wenl to Senator Lucas (D
111.), president pro tempore of
the senate who promised "the
stiffest kind of a fight" if farm
bloc leaders insist on calling for
n senate vole loday on the Pace
bill to add farm labor costs to
the crop parity formula.
The house has approved Ihe
Pace bill and both branches have
approved the Bankhead hill, al
though In somewhat different
versions, to slipulale that govern
ment benefit payments shall not
be included In computing farm
parity price ceilings.
Taken together, Brown said,
they would raise the retail price
of food between 17 and 18 per
cent, increase the annual food
budget of consumers by three and
three quarters billion dollars and
cost of government an additional
(Continued on page 6.)
Roseburg Man on Ship
That Sank Jap U-Boat
Charles Dusseau, son of Mr.
and Mrs. Paul R. Dusseau, Rose
burg, Is a member of the crew of
the Portland-built Liberty ship,
Edgar Allen Poe, which occupied
a prominent place In the week's
news as a result of Its gallant
and successful battle with a Jap
anese submarine. The ship, struck
and badly damaged by a torpedo,
fought, back and sank the sub
marine. Although the freighter's
engine room was flooded and
lower decks lifted by the torpedo
explosion, the ship was towed to
port. The cargo was undamaged.
Two crew members, the engineer
and firemen, were killed. Mr. and
Mrs. Dusseau have as yet re
ceived no word from their son
concerning the exciting action.
Kaiser Workers Give
$180,000 to Red Cross
PORTLAND, Ore., March 23
(AP) Red Cross officials here
announced today that so far the
Kaiser shipyard employes here
and at Vancouver had contributed
more than $180,000 to the 1943
fund.
VOL. XXXI NO.
Mine Cave-In
Deals Damage
To City Area
School Building, Nearly
Ninety Homes, Streets
Torn at Pitrston, Pa.
PITTSTON, Pa., March 25.
(AP) The main movement of a
destructive earth cracking mine
subsidence stopped today after
damaging between 80 and 90
homes, a $-100,000 high school
building and streets, and caus
ing damage running Into the
thousands of dollars in this east
ern Pennsylvania anthracite city
of 18,000.
Mine Inspector Daniel Connol
ly Informed Mayor John J.
Rellly of the stoppage after tour
ing mine workings under the
four-block affected area, where
sections of earth had sunk
throughout the night In one of
the worst cave-Ins in the hard
coal fields In years. The Inspec
tor warned, however, that fur
ther "pulls" could be expected.
Mayor Reilly promptly sum
moned city officials to a confer
ence later In the day to launch
an investigation.
Panic spread among many resi
dents when the earth began to
rumble and crack about 7:30 last
night over the No. B mine of the
Pagnotti enterprises in the heart
of the residential area. Yawning
crevices opened in pavements
and lawns. Holes 20 to 25 feel
deep appeared in some sections.
Homes were twisted, pluster
cracked and windows broken.
Approximately 50 school musi
cians had just assembled In the
three story, 4!)room high school
In the midst of the affected area.
They fled hurriedly when the
floors began to crack. The in
terior of the building was twist
ed and officials feared one sec-
(Continued on page 6.)
Commission Fees
"Shocking" Naval
Sales Quiz Told
WASHINGTON, March 25.
(API-Robert E, Kline, counsel
for the house naval committee,
said today that "In spite of nil
the fanfare, there still flourish
ed In Washington and through
out the country many sales
agents" who are receiving
amounts "so excessive that they
will shod: the conscience, not
only of this committee, but of
congress and the American pub
lie." As the committee opened n new
Inquiry Into methods for curb
ing profits of commission agents,
Kline presented as his first wit
ness, W. Lester Baker and his
wife, Catherine. Kline said they
operated as a partnership on a
commission fee basis and that
their gross earnings amounted to
$2(iG,27(i in 1042.
Outlining the evidence he said
he would develop during the hear
ings, the committee counsel as
serted: "Perhaps there would be no
need for legislation If the numer
ous Washington representatives
had taken fair warniii'? from the
previous Hearings before this
committee. Unfortunately, the
contrary is true.
"The appalling tiling is and
this demonstrates the need for the
legislation - so few of them have
seen the handwriting on the wall.
" hey have done little or lothlng
ot their cwn vollllon to adjust
the ?ltuu Iju."
Nazis Fire on Italian
Soldiers for Giving Up
WITH THE UNITED STATES
FORCES IN CENTRAL TUNIS
IA, March 25 (AP)- Forty Ital
ian soldiers who came forward
to surrender to an American
force near Maknassy yesterday
were fired upon Immediately by
a German unit on their right.
"I am unable to tell you the
result of this action or the num
ber of prisoners taken by us from
this group," an American officer
said, "but I can say we ""ijM
this firing on Italian troops by
Germans as highly significant."
In the past three days In the
Maknassy El Guetar area, more
than 1,000 Italians and only a
few Germans have been captured
in heavy fighting.
179 OF THE EVENING NEW9
Nazi Planes
Attack Coast
Of Scotland
Region of England Also
Suffers Blows; Four of
Raiding Craft Downed
LONDON, March 25 (API
Scotland, untroubled by heavy
German raids since the spring of
1941 and only once previously this
year the target for a small-scale
attack, felt the sting of German
reprisal assaults early today when
enemy bombers flew through se
vere anti-aircraft lire, on the
southeast coast and dropped In
cendiary bombs inland.
The last raid on Scotland was
Feb. 19, when a few planes caused
slight damage.
British fighters and antiair
craft defenses shot down lour ot
an estimated 25 German planes
that particpated In the attack of
Scotland and a raid over north
ern England that caused a small
number ot casualties.
This Increased German air force
losses over Britain to 25 this
month and more than 50 since
January 1.
Considerable damage was done
to private dwellings in one north
east English coastal town, but
there were no casualties because
occupants were In shelters.
(The Berlin radio broadcast a
high command communique an
nouncing that the Germuns ralclofl
the junction of Ashford in south
ern England at daybreak yester
day and made direct bomb hits on
the railway station and supply
stores. 11 said last night's raids
were against "strategically-Important
targets" on the Fifth ol
Forth und on the British north
east coast ).
The heaviest enemy raid yester
day was on n town In southeast
England where at least 12 were
killed. Additional victims were
being dug out of the debris.
LONDON, March 25-(AP)
Prime Minister Churchill declared
today that the united nations
"have afloat substantially larger
fleets than they had at the worst
moment In the U-boat war and
(Continued on page 6.)
Allied Bombers
Give Japanese No
Respite in Raids
ALLIED HEADQUARTERS IN
AUSTRALIA, March 25 (AP)
General McArthur's "flying ar
tillery" made 44 bombing and
strafing runs over Japanese lines
at Mubo yesterday, firing 30,000
rounds from cannons and ma
chineguns Into enemy positions
guarding the approaches to the
Japanese New Guinea base at
Saiamuua, ullled headquarters
announced today.
Other allied planes carried out
day and night attacks on far
flung enemy bases In the islands
above Australia, scoring hits on
shipping and airdrome areas, and
one bomber on a reconnaissance
mission shot two Japanese fight
er planes out of the air in a duel
over Wawak, New Guinea, a com
munique declared.
The enemy's planes also were
In the sky before daylight yes
terday, raiding allied buses at
Oro bay and Milne bay in New
Guinea with little effect, It was
said.
In the air duel over Wewak
three Japanese fighter planes
challenged a Flying Fortress
which wllhln five minutes shot
the tall o(f one, causing it to
crash Into the side of a mountain;
sent the second into a smoking
dive; and forced the third to
quit the combat, dispatches from
the allies base said.
NEW YORK, March 2S-IAP)
The Japanese have selected a
motion picture of their sneak
attack on Pearl Heritor as the
best film of 1912, the Tokyo radio
said today In a broadcast report
ed by the OWI.
"This piece of work," the broad
cast was quoted as saying "has
been chosen for its merits in re
vealing to the people the defined
reason which lies behind the suc
cesses of the warriors who have
gone through an unending and
constant training which has
brought them to In? one and Incomparable."
ALLIED HEADQUARTERS IM
NORTH AFRICA, March 25
(AP) United States troops re
pulsed heavy nazl attacks in tho
Gafsa sector and made local gains)
In the Maknassy area of the cen ,
tral Tunisian front while the bat
tic of the Mareth line dwindled to)
artillery duelling after lour days)
of bitter lighting, It was announce
ed today.
Military quarters said Btrong
resistance and rigorous counter
attacks by Marshal Rommel's)
forces prevented further major1
allied gains lor the time being
and, in some cases, wiped out ad.
vances achieved a lew days ear.
lier.
Advices Irom the southern Tun
islan front late last night worn
that German counterattacks had
largely wiped out the advances!
made by the British eighth army
In driving a wedge Into the upper1
end of the Mareth line.
In sight ot the battling ground
troops, British and American
light bombers hammered import,
ant axis armored positions neap
the town ol Mareth.
In the communique today thero
was no mention ol the task lorco
which Hanked Rommel's positions
and was last reported eight mllea
from El Hamma, axis air base at
the rear of the fortifications and
20 miles west of Gabes.
Air Forces Strafe Axis
Field dispatches said United
States troops won control ol tha
last mountain chain overlooking
the coastal plain and axis supply
routes between Maknassy and the
gulf of Gabes after beating back!
axis armored forces In the region,
of El Guetar, Itself 12 miles south
east of Gafsa on the road to Ga
bes. ,
American air forces bombed
axis troops and Installations al
most continuously In support o(
the forces of both Lieut. Gen. Pat
ton in the Gafsa sector and Gen.
Montgomery In the south. -v.-,:
Flying fortresses launched a
heavy attack on Fprryvllle, near
Bizcrte, which is now one of the
main Tunisian ports ol entry lor.
axis supplies. , Observers said
heavy damage was done to the
docks and bomb-set lires sent
flames 500,leet Into the air. . :
Three merchant vessels were
believed to have been hit. An RAF
nllnt. one of the osnnt-t mnrla t. '
of British Spitfires and American
i-ignining lighters, said the bomb
ing was the most accurate he had
ever seen. ,
Allied bombers knocked out ten
axis tanks in forays over the
Mareth line positions at the other
end of the front, dispatches Irom
Cairo said.
Plunes attacked Rommel's for
mations south of El Hamma, hit
ting tanks, armored cars, gun car
riers and trucks. (Presumably
these had been marshaled to chal
lenge the allied threat to El Ham
ma from the south).
In the Gafsa area German
(Continued on page 6.)
Forquer Fined $50 for
Cruelty to Animals
A fine ol $50 and a jail sen
tence of 30 days was the penalty
Imposed In the local justice court
today by Judge Thomas Hartficl
on Stitcher Forquer, Edenbower
resident, arrested Tuesday at
Bridge, Coos county, on a Doug
las county warrant charging
cruelty to animals. Forquer en
tered a plea of guilty to the com
plaint. The Jail sentence was or
dered suspended in the event of
payment of the fine and ho was
today endeavoring to secure the
amount ot money necessary to
obtain his release from the coun
ty Jail.
Ex-Mayor, in Prison for
Murder, Asks for Pardon
BOISE, March 25 (AP) Dun
can McD. Johnson, former may
or of Twin Falls serving life for
murder, yesterday asked the Ida
ho pardon board for clemency.
Johnson was convicted ol slay
ing George L. Olson, Salt Lake
City Jewelry salesman, In 1938.
Levity pact flan t
By L. F. Relzarateln
Advocates of a lonqt work
wek to cure absenteeism, as
an alternative to enforcacj mili
tary service, from which fur
loughs are fw and far between,
probably subscribe to the phil
osophy that "half a loaf is bet
rer than none."
I