Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Roseburg news-review. (Roseburg, Or.) 1920-1948 | View Entire Issue (April 23, 1943)
IS 1 1 Ten Escorting Axis Fighters Also Downed Rommel Gives Further Ground In Bloodiest Battling of Campaign BACK UP YOUR BOY Buy an Additional Bond Today VOL. XLVIII NO. 14 01 Ellice glands Seizure Bared By Notice of Jap Assault Bombing of Place On Pacific Supply Route Does Little Damage WASHINGTON, April 23. (AP) Occupation of islands in the Ellice group In the south Pa cific by United States forces was disclosed by the navy today in a communique telling of an enemy bombing raid on American in stallations there. The Ellice group is approxi mately 1,100 miles east of the Solomon islands and lie on supply lines to the south Pacific, and Aus tralia. This little island group of nine atolls last was mentioned in a navy communique in October 1D42, when it told of a surface engagement there. It was assum ed then that the Japanese had moved in, possibly with land communique said that light casualties to American per sonnel were suffered and minor famage was inflicted in the bomb ing raid. Funafuti, the scene of the bombing, is the largest island in the group. Its width varies Irom 50 to 150 yards and it is about 6.8 miles long. The whole island is covered with coconut palms and the prin cipal village is nt an anchorage beside a lagoon. Naval spokesman said that the occupation of the island by Unit ed States forces was unopposed. The date of occupation was not given. It was assumed that if the Japanese were on that island they ,were only in small and isolated groups. TOKYO DENIES U. S. FLIERS MISTREATED (By the Associated Press) The Berlin radio, in a Tokyo (Continued on page 6.) In the Day's News By FRANK JENKINS, MONTGOMERY crashes Rom mel's line in the Tunisian hills again and takes the village of Enfidaville and the HEIGHTS west of it. Enfidaville is of comparatively little importance. The heights are what count. MONTGOMERY'S troops infil trate (seep through enemy positions) up the hillsides, blast ing out one by one the German machine gun nests and crawling from wadi to wadl (dry gulches) in a slow, costly and daring ad vance. The attack i! launched in Montgomery's favorite manner, in bright moonlight under a tre mendous artillery barrage. AT the same time, our side A launches a heavy air offensive designed to knock German fight- j er planes out of the sky. ! Tho enemy's fighters are now i operating from fields around Bi- zerte and Tunis. His bombers seem to be coming from Sicily, 100 miles away across the strait. Sicily is too far off for the fight ers. If the Tunisian fields from which they rise can be knocked out, German air defense can be badly crippled. Tank-busting Hurricanes (Brit ish fighters), armed with 40-millimeter cannon firing a 21 pound shell, are reported to be playing havoc with Rommel's armored equipment. AN authoritative allied spokes man says Montgomery's as sault is meeting with "extremely vigorous" enemy opposition, the Germans counterattacking four times In quick succession. Allied "quarters" warn against expectation of a quick, easy con quest of the Tunisian tip. Rom n 1, they say, has a lot, of high ridges still BEHIND him. It is , . (Continued on page 2) URG REVIEW Hrst Degree Murder Verdict Dooms Folkes to Death Chamber; Negro Laughs, Jokes About His "Gas Ration' ALBANY, Ore., April 23. (AP) Outwardly unperturbed and joking about "my gas ra tion," Robert E. Lee Folkes faces tho prospect of dying in Ore gon's gas chamber as the adjudg ed knife slayer of a navy ensign's bride in lower berth 13 of a California-bound train. The Impassive 20-year-old Ne gro cook late yesterday heard a jury find him guilty in the first degree of murdering Mrs. Mar tha Virginia James, 21, aboard a Southern Pacific limited before dawn January 23. He yawned as he rose to leave the court and later in his cell laughed with visitors, saying, "wonder if they'll have any trouble getting my gas ration?" Prosecution evidence offered at Folkes' trial was that he kill ed Mrs. James when she resisted his efforts to enter her berth. The jury returned no recom mendation for leniency. Thus, under Oregon law, the conviction carried the death penalty. For 17 hours and 23 minutes the jury of eight women and four men mulled the fate of the Ne gro, who assertedly confessed to Los Angeles police he thought the Norfolk, Va., girl was "just my type of woman I couldnt get her out of my mind." He was accused of slashing 0. and C. Timber In Coos Sold To North Bend Firm The Roseburg district office of the O. and C. administration an nounced today the sale of 21 mil lion board feet of timber on the south fork of Coos river to Ir win and Lyons of North Bend. The sale price was reported to be in excess of $84,000 and brings to more than $189,000 the value of timber purchased by the North Bend company since Pearl Harbor. Seventy-five per cent or almost $127,000 of the company's payments for O. and C. timber will go directly to land grant counties in lieu of past and cur rent taxes. Inasmuch as the south fork of Coos river passes through the newly acquired timber, the O. and C. administration has re served a substantial strip of land on each side of the stream for recreation and scenic value, a policy followed along all roads and streams of any importance. The Roseburg office of the O. and C. administration, directed by District Forester Ray Kim mey, administers the railroad and Coos Bay Wagon road grant lands in Douglas, Coos and Cur ry counties. The sale reported today was made on competitive bids. The tract is located in sec tion 29, township 25 south, range 10 west. Mr. Employer: It Should Have Read 'Requested' We don't know why these things have to happen, but they do, and this time we have not only put ourselves in the doghouse, but have pulled Harry Pinniger, county de fense coordinator, In with us. In Tuesday's issue of tho News Review, Mr. Pinniger was quoted on plans for a forth coming civilian defense school hero and it was stated that business firms will bo "requir ed" to release employes to at tend the afternoon and even ing meetings. The word "re quired" should have been "re quested" and was so used by Mr. Pinniger and was intended to so appear in print. But ap parently a typogremlin slip ped by the office cat and switched the letters. The use of the word "re quired" was entirely in error and was not intended to ap pear either by Pinniger or the reporter. However, the "re quest" stands and the coopera tion of business firms in per mitting employes to attend the school on the date of May 4 will he appreciated, r Occupied by ?f 1 j Robert E. L. Folkes Mrs. James throat as the West Coast Limited sped along the Willamette valley. The Jury never heard the story of the deed from his own lips. Defense Attorney Lomax did not call on him to testify. At the time of her death, Mrs. Tamns wad cniithhnutid from Seattle to San Diego, fcalifvr to which her husband, Ensign Rich ard F. James, was being trans ferred. The two were obliged to board separate trains at Port land, Ore., because of a shortage of sleeping car accommodations. Folkes will be sentenced next Monday by Circuit Judge Lewel ling. Lomax said he would seek a new trial, and failing in that, would appeal to the state su preme court. U.S. Legation Members Leave Finland in Crisis WASHINGTON, April 23. (AP) State department officials, confirming Helsinki reports of the departure of some personnel of the United States legation, described the action today as "an administrative move." All questions on the possible bearing of such a move on Unit ed States' relations with Finland met with the reply that the state department had nothing new on that subject. Officials likewise would not disclose exactly which members of the legation staff had left the Finnish capital. The latest official list, however, shows that most of those remain ing in Finland prior to today's development were military or naval attaches. The American minister to Fin land, H. F. Arthur Scoenfeld, was recalled to Washington several months ago "for consultation." STOCKHOLM, Sweden, April 23. (AP) An ironclad censor ship was clamped on all political dispatches out of Finland today and the tension which gripped that country in recent weeks ap peared developing Into an Easter crisis. Reports from Helsinki Indicat ed that such a crisis might go far in determining Finland's position I in the war, which she is fight j ing against soviet Russia, as well j as her relations with the United I Nations. I German pressure on the Finns ! was said to have been increasing. Pastor Eases Conscience By Paying Parking Flse . PORTLAND, Ore., April 23. (AP) A minister cleared his conscience today by paying two SI tickets for parking violations in July, 1940, and In June, 1941. In a letter to Municipal Judge Qulllin, the Rev. Frederick B. Baker, Camas, Wash., explained he had just discovered them in his "bills to be paid" file. ROSEBURG. OREGON. FRIDAY, APRIL 23, 1 943. Bond Drive to Be Boosted at Glendale Rite Roseburg Entertainers To Attend Dedication Of Observation Post The Roseburg municipal band and a group of entertainers will go to Glendale today for a bond rally to be held in connection with the ceremony dedicating the new observation post for use by the Aircraft Warning service in Glendale district. The group will be in charge of E. S. McClaln, county chairman for the Victory bond committee. The Victory com mittee and the War Savings staff are combining forces in promot ing the Second War Loan cam paign. H. O. Pargetcr, chairman of the county War Savings staff report ed today receipt of an allocation of $20,000 to Douglas county from the Investment of Montgom ery Ward company in war bonds. The company's investment is be ing credited to tho various com munities in which stores are op erated and tho $20,000 credited to Douglas county will be applied toward the quota of more than two and one-half million dollars. The first local business firm to report purchase of equipment for the armed forces was announced today by Mr. Pargetcr, who re ported that the management and employes at Can's yariety, store had purchased $1,000 worth of war bonds to finance the purchase of a jeep and a lifesaving jacket. 9 Jeeps Via School Sales . Approximately twenty jeeps have been purchased by the sale of United States War bonds and (Continued on page 6.) Noxis Still Unable to Pierce Russian Lines MOSCOW, April 23. (AP) The Germans hourly have rein forced their land armies In the Kuban and have shifted hundreds of their planes into the Crimea for use In the north Caucasian battles, but despite incessant at tacks by these new forces the Germans have failed to dent the Russian lines, it was declared to day. Red Star, the army newspaper, said the nazis were employing numerous Rumanian troops and that during the last few days had forced them to spearhead the as saults which are costing them hundreds of dead. The Germans' losses approxi mate 4,000 dead since they began their attacks in the Kuban, It was estimated. When Doolittle's rmv 4"flic : " F v tP UVEA Telephtio) When their bomber crashed In China after they had participated with General Jimmy Doo little In the thrilling raid on Japan last April, thw. American filers were aided by Chinese . soldiers. Here they are led to a Chinese Villas) V Where they received medical attention. Center right, with his arm held up by a Chinese seMIe r, 1 Col. John Hllger, who was a member of the bombing group which took off from the .slrewltj'lrter Hornet. U. S. Masonic Council Officer to Visit Roseburg Lodge i Leslie M. Scott, above, 33rd degree Mason, and deputy In the Supreme Council of Scot tish Masons, will visit the local lodge of Perfection Saturday evening, April 24. The lodge will at that time confer the 4th and 5th degrees on a class of candidates. The degree work will be preceded by a dinner at the temple at 7 o'clock. Mr. Scott, treasurer of the State of Oregon, has been ac tive in Masonry for many 'years. In addition to his prom inent place In Scottish Mason- . ry, he is a past grand master of the Grand Lodge of Oregon. . . , Oregon Will Get More Engines for Farm Needs WASHINGTON, April 23. (AP) Senator McNary announc ed today that a new allotment of Wisconsin Motor company en gines will be made for Oregon. He told the Food Distribution administration that a Portland concern had telegraphed him that these engines were needed immediately for pea dusters and for spreading land plaster. Much farm equipment is built for this type of engine. Marsh Succeeds Camp As Regional jOPA Head WASHINGTON, April 23. (AP) Harry F. Camp resigned today as regional administrator of the OPA for the west coast, with headquarters in San Fran cisco, and was succeeded by Frank E. Marsh, his deputy. The changes were announced by OPA Administrator Brown, who said that Camp had been trying to resign since February on advice of his doctors. Tokyo Raiders Landed in China VOL. XXXI NO. Forces Two Convicts Escape From Folsom Pen Hack Saw, Pipe Cutters Used in Break; Hounds Pick Up Trail Nearby FOLSOM PRISON, Calif., April 23. (AP) Bloodhounds picked up the still wet trail of two miss ing convicts early today as prison authorities found evidence that the felons, one of them de scribed as a "killer," had effect ed a unique escape from the confines of Folsom state prison. . The convicts, Frank Pedrinl, 35-year-old convicted Napa county slayer, and Walter J. Smith, 34, Riverside county robber, made their break sometime last night while 1000 other inmates attend ed a movie between 7 and 11 p. m. State and county officers join ed prison guards in a search for the escapees in the hilly, rock strewn county surrounding the Institution. Discovery of dripping clothes, wet footprints and a discarded glove led Stephen Nowakowskl, secretary to Warden Clyde I. Plummer, to express the belief the two men were at large some where in the vicinity of the town of Folsom, two miles from the prison. The clolhes were found at post 10, the wet glove near the Folsom bridge. There were foot prints on the. .trestle which. No. lakowskl said undoubtedly wero left by the fleeing convicts. Escape Reconstructed. The prison secretary recon structed the escape as follows: Pedrinl and Smith hid in the basement of cell block No. 1. They made their way up venti lators attached to the walls to about 10 feet above the first floor. With hack saw and pipe cut ters, they cut their way through the external bars of No. 1, and descended to the prison yard. Af ter cutting the fence by the pris on power station, they dove Into the Institution's canal and swam across. - Two Plead Guilty Here To Serious Charges Cecil Arnold Wolfer, 49, Can yonville, charged with rape, and Warren J. Best, 23, Wyoming, ac cused of using an automobile without permission, pleaded guilty when arraigned In circuit court today on district attorney's informations. Circuit Judge Carl E. Wlmbcrly postponed imposi tion of sentence in order to se cure additional time for Investigation. 304 OF THE EVENING NEWS 1 Frank Hills Gets Silver Star For Nabbing 5 Spies P. U A ' Lieutenant Colonel Frank Hills, above, former Roseburg resident, veteran of the first world war and a past comman der of Umpqua post of the Ameri can Legion, received the silver star Thursday for gallantry in the single-handed capture of five Arab spies who had been operat ing signal Installations to guide axis bombing attacks on allied air bases. Hills, who was en gaged in the confectionery busi ness and later was an automobile salesman, has been with the army air forces as an adminis trative officer in north Africa. He made his home In Eugene af ter leaving Roseburg, and was called from reserve status to ac tive duty as a CCC officer prior to outbreak of war. The citation reads In part: ''Acting contrary to advice by an accompanying French gendarme, Hill entered, the AArab strong hold alone at great personal risk, forced them to surrender and ob tained valuable information con cerning espionage activities." Puget Sound Area Severely Lashed By Windstorm SEATTLE, April 23. (AP) A woman was burned to death here at the height of a wind storm which swept the Puget sound area today, disrupting ferry schedules, blowing house boats from their moorings, break ing windows and lamp standards and uprooting trees. She was Mrs. Sadie Wilkinson, 72, trapped in an upstairs room by flames of undetermined ori gin. John Henslcy, a neighbor, said a high tension line blew down and apparently one of the wires struck the house. Mrs. Wil kinson's sister, Mrs. Florence Barley, escaped the flames but was treated for shock. Firemen estimated the damage at $4,000. A big tree was uprooted and crashed on the home of Mrs. Hel en Kenyon, Seattle, knocking down the chimney and awaken ing the sleeping woman. Passersby narrowly escaped be ing struck by two plastic models which skittered down Second ave nue In Seattle after being blown out of the wrecked window of the Shaner & Wolf clothing store. Coast guardsmen responded to many calls from Lake Washing ton and Lake Union housebout owners, rescuing one woman from a floating houseboat on her cot. Waves flung heavy spray over the Lake Washington floating bridge between Seattle and Mer cer Island, but transportation was not disrupted. Pedestrian dodged flying glass and ash cans and tumbling signs. Mrs. Andrew Johnson and five children spent two terrifying houn when a steel barge pinned their houseboat against an un occupied houseboat on Lake Un ion, washing out their walkway and nearly sinking the unoccu pied houseboat. Balloons Break Loose. A barraea balloon broke from Its moorings, struck a power line and burned, army authorities said. A second balloon escaped twice and when last seen was some 4,000 feet In the air. Fallen power wires halted traf fic near the Milwaukee viaduct In Tacoma until the other ends also blew loose and the wires went "dead." I 7 5 ' U A ' 1 By WES GALLAGHER ALLIED HEADQUARTERS IN NORTH AFRICA, April . 23. (AP) The British Eighth army; has captured Takrouna and push tfu sia nines uuiii cniiuitviim iu- ward Bou Ficha In twin drives northward and the British First army has stabbed ahead three) miles against stubborn axis re sistance in the Bou Arada sector" on the western Tunisian front, It was announced today. These gains aground wero coupled with aerial action during; which Kittyhawks and Spitfires) shot down every oneTrf twenty Messerschmltts, some carrying; troops and others laden with, freight, and ten of their escort ing fighters encountered over tho gulf of Tunis. ,y v '. v The giant Messerschmltt trans ports, which dwarf such carriers as the Junkcrs-52's, upon which' Marshal Rommel has relied large ly for reinforcements and sup plies, are designed to carry 120 soldiers or almost 10 tons oC cargo. :. - ; Entire Fleet Destroyed. . '' The transports were carrying gasoline and personnel to Tuni sia and "the entire formation" was destroyed, an official state ment said. "Although not many aircraft were shot down, the size and im portance of this victory ranks alongside the success of last Sun day, when 77 enemy planes, in cluding 58 Junkers-52 transports were destroyed in one engage ment," the air force announced. (The Junkers-52 is designed to carry from 16 to 20 soldiers or 5,000 pounds of cargo. It is pow ered by three engines.) In all, 38 axis planes were shot down during the day, against an announced loss of five allied air craft. . . - The battle with the transports,, regarded here as the most impor tant stroke against eneny supply lines since the start of war, last ed less than 10 minutes. Flames burst from many of the great carriers as they were hit by the fighter bursts. All the transports and the 10 fighters dropped in the sparkling gulf, the sra ap proach to Tunis. Troops who broke clear df the wreckage were seen struggling in the water. . The ground action again was on a large scale. Gen. Montgomery's weather bronzed fighters, after hours of bayonet and grenade fighting, were securely astride the two roads which lead from captured Enfidaville northward, one inland and the other a coastal route. The fortified Takrouna moun tain, topped by a Berber citadel, lies five miles northwest of En fidaville on the inland route to strategic Zaghouan, 28 miles air line south of Tunis. The British vanguard on the (Continued on page" 6.) Ceiling on Logs Goes In Effect Tomorrow WASHINGTON, April 23. (AP) The OPA announced yes terday that a celling on logs and "bolts" not covered by other regu lations will go into effect tomor row, as previously scheduled. Based on, September-October, 1942, prices, the regulation was made necessary, OPA said, by a "runaway" trend that threatened price ceilings on lumber and pro ducts manufactured from lum ber. On request, ceiling prices may be suspended for longer than a previously planned 45-day period to allow plants that wish It more time to petition for area revision, officials indicated. ; Check on Overloads Causes 9 Complaints A' weight check on logging trucks operating over the Cala pooia road resulted yesterday in nine complaints for overloads. Sergeant Paul Morgan of the state police reported. A surprise check was arranged and trucks were halted on their way into Sutherlin with loads. Complaints were being filed today In the lo cal Justice court. Optimist: Tht clwerfiri qy who think Mi war won't out knt tha food In his locker. Pessimist: The qloomy ejnv who thinks the war wort ona until tho food hoarders are con signed to Davy Jones' locktrr evity pact ant , By U T. Relatnittia