Roseburg news-review., July 21, 1943, Page 1, Image 1

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Attempt to
Aid Blockaded
Munda Fails
Cruiser, Two Destroyers
Bagged; Remainder of
Convoy Put to Flight
ALLIED HEADQUARTERS IN
THE SOUTHWEST PACIFIC,
July 21 (AP) American bomb
ers were credited today with
-sinking a cruiser and two destroy
vrs of a Japanese convoy attempt
ing vainly to run the allied sea
and air blockade around the big
Munda aribase in the Solomons.
A force of three light cruisers,
six destroyers and two trans
ports, undoubtedly seeking to aid
the hard-pressed garrison at Mun
da, was spotted by Catalina fly
ing boats shortly after midnight
yesterday in Vella gulf just west
of Kolombangara island.
The Calalinas followed the
convoy until strong formations
of bombers arrived with bombs
which blasted at least three war
ships to the bottom and sent the
remainder fleeing or limping
northward.
A third destroyer was listed as
probably sunk, and a transport
and yet another destroyer were
damaged.
Four bombers were lost.
.The action, described in today's
communique from the headquar
ters of General MacArthur, serv
ed to maintain steady pressure
or. Munda, big airbase on New
!..lr..-,l ...k.i-.U U U....H
hit by land, sea and air attack
since the southwest Pacific of
fensive started on July 1.
This fourth attempt to crack
the Munda blockade brought to
17 the number of Japanese war
ships listed officially as having
been sunk in the fast-spreading
allied offensive in the Solomons.
Five more are considered prob
ably lost.
Jap Bases Bombed
Allied ground forces moving
slowly in on Munda were aided
yesterday by dive bombers which
dropped 13 tons of bombs on Jap
anese gun positions along a peri
meter about two miles east of
the airdrome.
An enemy destroyer at anchor
in .the harbor of Sarong, Dutch
New Guinea, and a medium siz
ed cargo ship off the coast there
were bombed with unobserved
results.
U. S. bombers also hit the Ka
hili a'rdrome on Bougainville is
land, starting numerous fires and
explosions with 42 tons of bombs,
(Continued on page 6)
In the Day's News
By FRANK JENKINS
IN Sicily, we're slowly but sure
ly getting set lor what is to
come.
One of these days, what will
seem to the island's axis defend
ers to be all the furies of hell
will be let loose.
When It is over, the Catanian
plain, with its great airfields
(there are NINE around Gerbini
alone) will be in our possession.
WHEN you remember that what
we've done from the air so
far to Sicily and southern Italy
has been accomplished by our
bombers operating from bases IN
AFRICA, you'll get an idea of
what CAN BE DONE when we
begin to operate from the ample
air bases of Sicily.
THE day's most interesting story
describes a new-type bombing
attack carried out by us against
ROME. It is referred to as pre
cision bombing with PIN POINT
accuracy.
Its purpose was to hit Rome's
numerous and important military
installations while missing the
city's art, historic and CHURCH
shrines. The bombing was done
in daylight by picked (chiefly
American) crews who had been
long and carefully trained for
this specific job.
The ticklishly careful nature of
their task may be guessed from
the fact that the Vatican (the
pope's residence) Is less than
five miles from Rome's great
railroad freight yards through'
which pour reinforcements and
supplies for the Sicilian cam
paign. Transportation, as you must
know by this time, is a war weap
on that is almost as important
as guns and planes.
IF a stray bomb had hit the Vati
can, you can imagine the propa
ganda howl that would have been
raised by the axis for effect on
Catholic countries. Many o f
Rome's historic and art shrines
(Continued on page 2)
-
VOL. XLVIII NO. 87 OF hv
Enna, Sicily Hub, Taken by Americans, Canadians
Farm Issue
Truce Urged
On Congress
Settled Policy on Food
Asked; AAA Boosting
With U. S. Funds Taboo
WASHINGTON, July 21.
(AP) The executive branch and
legislative leaders appeared to be
headed toward a truce on some of
their major farm and food policy
differences today as:
1 Senator Russell (D., Ga.)
called on his farm state contem
poraries to meet the administra
tion half way on any move it
might make toward reconciliation
of those differences, and,
2 The Agricultural Adjust
ment agency forbade its 200,000
field employes and committee
men to distribute information
about AAA farm programs
through news channels.
Russell told reporters he was
pleased that War Food Adminis
trator Marvin Jones planned to
consult with congressmen before
making final decisions affecting
future farm problems.
"It would do well for the ad
ministration and members of con
gress to approach such confer
ences in a spirit of mutual help
fulness, and without chips on
their shoulders," the senator
added.
He said congressional senti
ment still favored better farm
prices rather than government
subsidies but ho believed a "spirit
of give and take would iron out
differences of opinion on the sub
sidy question, as well as other
issues.
Promotion Banned. .
His assertions followed an Ag
riculture department interpreta
tion of a provision in its new ap
propriation act which prohibited
the use of federal funds in pay
ing salaries and expenses of any
AAA information employee. The
announcement told the employes,
as well as the state, county and
local farmer committeemen, that
they must not carry on any pro
motional activity for the AAA as
an institution or for its policies,
or attempt to build public pres-
(Continued on page 6)
Reds Closing In
On Orel; Ten Nazi
Attacks Repulsed
MOSCOW, July 21 (API
Fighting along the Russian front
spread to the southern Donets
and Mitts river sectors yesterday
as red army troops recaptured
town to town in their drive to
encircle the Germans at Orel on
the central front, the Russians
reported today.
Russian armies thus were on
the move on a front extending
some 100 miles south from Orel
to a point southwest of Voro
shilovgrad, where the soviet
communique said Russian forces
had crossed the Mius river, im
proving their positions.
Heaviest fighting still raged,
however, in the vicinity of Orel,
where the soviet army was clos
ing in around the eGrman supply
base. Advances of from four to
six miles were reported during
the day's fighting which saw the
Germans hurl ten futile counter
attacks in an effort to halt the
Russian advance.
Russians reported the desper
ate nazi thrusts were accompa
nied by the same heavy loss of
life and armored equipment
which has marked the battle on
the central front since its begin
ning 16 days ago.
The Russians also reported ac
tion at the southern end of the
Kursk salient in the vicinity of
Belgorod. Here the red army has
been busily engaged erasing the
gains which the German army
made in the opening days of thr
brittle. " -
The Germans were hurling ar
mored forces at the Russians
and the communique said that in
one engagement soviet troops
killed 400 Germans and disabled
17 tanks and three self-propelling
guns..
.BURG REVIEW
Douglas County
Army Officers
Win Promotions
(News-Review engraving)
Two Douglas county army
officers, pictured above, have
received advancements, ac
cording to word received
here. Newell C. Wood, at top,
son of Mr. and Mrs. N. N.
Wood, Days Creek, recently
was promoted from second
to first lieutenant, and has
been assigned as battalion
motor officer at Camp Chaf
fee, Ark. He is a graduate
of Days Creek high school
and Oregon State college,
and was called from the offi
cers reserve In June, 1942, as
a field artillery officer. His
present assignment followed
a course of special instruc
tion at Fort Sill, Oklahoma.
Lieutenant Donald A. Mat
son, lower photo, recently
completed a special course in
the operation, maintenance
and repair of automatic air
craft and anti-aircraft can
non at the aircraft arma
ment training school conduct
ed by Oldsmobile division of
General Motors at Lansing,
Mich. Prior to entering mili
tary service, he was employ
ed with the Pacific Fruit and
produce company.
Army tb Release 4,500
Men to Work in Mines
WASHINGTON, July 21.
(API -Miners of vital metals are
needed so badly that 4,500 soldiers
who know something about the
trade will be mustered out for
jobs in the larger-producing
mines.
The disclosure was made yes
terday by Robert P. Patterson,
acting secretary of war, who said
the military program was being
Jeopardized by manpower short
ages in copper, zinc and moly
bdenum mines.
Soldiers will be released
through the ninth service com
mand at Fort Douglas, Utah.
Where possible those In the ser
vice less than three months will
be selected. Any men slated to
go overseas soon will not be eli
gible for release.
The shift from uniform to min
er cap will be voluntary: none of
the men have to do it unless they
want to, Patterson emphasized.
Once they are hack in the mines,
they will be civilians, not under
army jurisdiction, hut subject to
recall If conditions change.
I. it iS I
:1 . . .-.
J
THEDOUGL?;SXOUNTY DALY
ROSEBURG, OREGON,
Fire Erases
Astoria Block
Of Dwellings
Finnish District's Loss
$100,000; Lumber Mill
At Ridgefield Burned
ASTORIA, Ore., July 21 (AP)
Fire thai raced through a con
gested Finnish colony district,
leveling an entire block of frame
dwellings, left more than 200
homeless here today.
The fire, of undetermined ori
gin, broke out in a group of
wooden buildings late .yesterday
and spread so swiftly residents
were unable to save personal be
longings. .
There were no serious injuries,
although several were overcome
by smoke.
A five-stwy frame hotel, a
large rooming house, and a num
ber of flats and apartments were
desl royed.
Fire departments of Seaside,
20 miles south, and Ilwaco, Wash.,
across the Columbia river to the
north, were called, but the flames
threatened to engulf the rest of
the large Finnish district until
coastguard and navy men from
nearby bases jumped into the
fight.
Damage Widespread
City Manager Brewer Billio es
timated damage at more than
$100,000.
Homes In a four-block radius
were sprinkled by embers, and
residents fought numerous-minor
roof fires.
Though fire-fighters kept the
fliimes to the single block, sur
rounding buildings were damag
ed by heat and smoke.
The buildings destroyed includ
ed the Hannula hotel, a landmark
(Continued on page 6)
Said Adolf to Benito or About That;
At Any Rate, Commentator 'Quotes'
Convincingly From Imagination
By DEWITT MACKENZIE
(Associated Press Commentator)
The meeting ill northern Italy
beteen Messrs. Hitler and Mus
solini could have brought little
solace to the harassed pair, and
indeed may well have savored of
a not too font! farewell to part
nership in brigandage.
DNB, the official German news
agency, has indicated that this
parley concerned the invasion of
Sicily and the "desperate on
slaught" of the Russians on the
eastern front. That would seem
to be a certainty, and the issues
involved are so clear that one
can almost hear the conversation.
T need more help, and need it
quick," says Mussolini, trying to
square his wobbly jaw and play
the strong man. "The alternative
is a separate peace".
"I'm much afraid, Benito," re
plies the Feuhrer, "that I can't
provide any additional aid. The
damnable holshevists have preci
pitated a crisis by their drive on
Orel. As a matter of fact they're
on the offensive from the arctic
to the Black sea. You'll have to
fight your own battle "with what
you have."
"But Adolf," quavers the soft
underbelly of Europe, "the only
thing that keeps my people from
revolting against me now and
making peace with the enemy iv
their fear of reprisals by you. My
troops are in mutiny in Sicily
Without your help I can't stand
off disaster. Surely the might of
Germany hasn't lost control of
the Russian front. You can spare
me something more."
"If We Lost Orel"
"I can spare you nothing, my
friend," replies the ace. "Strictly
off the record my armies in the
East are In a nasty hole. Win n
we started our belated drive
against Kursk on July 5, I
thought we could smash the red
lines, envelop their great body of
reserves and annihilate them.
With luck I could knock the hol
shevists out. -That would give m"
a chance to help you and face
the stupid pigs of Yankees and
British who are destroying my
resources by bombing.
"But the unshakable eommu
nists stopped us. Then they coun
MptattifMiiiiifliira
WEDNESDAY, JULY 21,
Major Prize of Decisive Battle for Sicily
lA v'-f -T: , v . X I
Waterfront view of the Sicilian city of Catinla, where
German armored units are putting up a desperate defense
against the British army under Gen, Montgomery. Capture of
the city will complete the conquest of the island. Pictured at
right is Lieut. Gen. G. L. McNaughton, commander of the Cana
dian forces, attached to the American land units under Lieut.
Gen. Patton.
Murder, Suicide Seen
In Portland Tragedy
PORTLAND, July 21 (API
Police wrote off today as murder
and suicide the deaths of Mrs.
Paulina Pavlovic, 02, and John
Schmidt, 75.
They found Mrs. Pavlovic's
body in her home late last night,
.Sea: head xi'uslied by a hatchet.
Neighbors said they had heard
violent quarreling, followed by n
scream.
A search for Schmidt, who had
roomed at the Pavlovic home for
two months, ended with recov
ery of his body from the Willam
ette river. He was seen to jump
from a downtown bridge.
terattacked, and tin1 counterat
tack has developed Into a great
offensive. Orel may fall at any
moment."
"Bill whv Is Orel so Important
Fuehrer?"
"Stupid! It's one of our pivotal
strong points. It's an anchor at
a crucial place in our line, and an
important railway center as well.
My whole front south of Moscow
might have to be pulled back if
we lost Orel."
Musso "Supposes"
"Supposing, Adolf," whispers
Musso, as he looks over his shoul
der, "the reds should break your
line, and drive you back through
Poland. Supposing the Russian
people in the conquered areas,
and the Poles, should get out of
hand and start to take revenge
in blood ."
"Slop it. you fat offspring of
a bachelor," screams the all high
est. "Supposing," Insists 11 Duce,
"the Hussi'ins should break
through and make a quick drive
into Germany. What sort of
terms do you think the axis
would get from these reds we've
been Hying to wipe out?
I couldn't hear the answer to
this question anil suspect that
somebody closed the window of
the conference room. The reply
would have been int resting.
Has Worry Coming
In any event, the nazi chief's
concern about Orel Is Justified.
The reds are bombarding this
strategic fortress with heavy
guns from north, east and south.
A powerful bolshevlst column
has driven thirty miles Into the
enemy rear and captured the city
if Illinskoye.
Thus the Russians threaten
Orel with complete encirclement,
together with the forces of Mar
shal Von Kluge. There are the
makings of disaster In the situa
tion. Today we hear that the Rus
sians ha'0 extended their offen
sive southward clear to the Black
sea. Hitler's whole right flank
is in danger a position of the
utmost anxiety to him, in view
of the allied threat of Invasion up
through the Balkans against the
area Ix-hind this right flank.
1943.
Aid Recipients
Dodging War Duty
Target of League
Resolution Would Abolish
Benefits; Timber Sales On
Competitive Bids Favored '
Recipients of old-age or other
assistance from the county would
lose their benefits, if they failed
to assist in civilian defense, air
craft warning service or other
war activities for which they
were physically qualified, if a pro
posal of the Douglas County Tax
payers league is adopted. The
resolution was offered this morn
ing at the annual public hearing
on the county budget for the
forthcoming fiscal year.
The tax league directors also
urged (1) sale of county-owned
timber on competitive bids, (2)
steps to prohibit dumping of rub
bish along county roads, and (3)
action to prevent damage to roads
caused by dragging and loading
logs on rights of way.
Proposing that persons receiv
ing financial assistance from the
county be required to give aid In
the war effort, C. E. Moyer of the
tax league declared that many
persons capable of serving as ob
servers on aircraft warning sta
tion posts, are refusing to give as
sistance, despite the great need
for additional workers. He pre
sented the resolution urging that
financial assistance be denied
such persons, providing they are
found physically able to assume
the responsibilities.
The league recommended that
future timber sales be made on a
competitive bid basis, contending
that competition for timber will
Increase and that increased pro
fits to the county would result.
Salary Boost Favored.
Few objections were offered to
the tentative budget, which elim
inates all lax levy except for road
purposes.
Sheriff Bud Carter requested an
increase of pay for the county jail
matron, who has been paid al the
rate of $100 per year. The work,
he staled, requires a great deal
of time, and he asked a salary of
StO per month. No objection was
raised.
Attendance at the budget hear
ing was very light, many tax
league members reporting Ihey
were unable to be present because
of farm work.
Officers elected by the league
were C. E. Moyer, president; A.
H. Marsh, first vice-president; L.
S. Compton, second vice-presi
dent; fc-ugene Fisher, third vice
president. Directors chosen, in
addition to the officers, were
John Standley, Camas Valley: VV.
B. Garrett, Glendale; H. P. Rice,
Myrtle Creek; Joe Ledgerwood,
Myrtle Creek; Elmer Metzger,
Roseburg; V. H. Cornutt, Myrtle
Creek; Jack Epplnger, Myrtle
Creek; Hugh Ritchie, Wilbur;
Arthur Rychard .Yoncalla; Gra
ham Ewing, Wilbur; Leo Sparks,
Oakland, and O. C. Sether, Glendale.
VOL. XXXII NO.
r 1
, Vi I I
1,, .Mrfijj, J 1
Alleged Attacker
Of State Officer
In Custody Here
Leslie Ellis, Former Convict
Suspected of Shooting in
I Myrtle Creek Area May 18
Suspected of being the person
who engaged In a Eun battle last
May 18 with State Policeman Wil
liam Bettis, Leslie Ellis, 43, of
Myrlle Creek, an ex-convict, was
In custody here today, charged
with assault wllh Intent to kill
and carrying concealed weapons.
A bullet tore the heel off the
state policemans boot on the
date of May 18 while he was serv
ing as a guard at the highway
oritigc at Myrtle Creek. The of
ficer and the sniper, the latter
hidden by brush across the river,
exchanged shots, after Bettis, an
ex-marine, dove for cover follow
ing the first shot. State police
men last holiday recovered a ri
fle from the South Umpqua riv
er at the scene of the shooting,
Slate Police Sergeant Paul Mor
gan reports, and the weapon was
luentiiled as the property of El
lis, who had been unreported
since the date of the gun duel.
ne was located yesterday at one
of two of his remote farms and
w;is placed under arrest.
Claims Rifle Stolen
Ellis was allegedly carrying a
pair of brass knuckles at the
lime of his arrest, District Attor
ney J. V. Long reported. The
prisoner denies the attack on the
officer, claiming that his rifle had
been stolen from his cabin, the
district attorney said.
Sergeant Morgan reported the
state police had previously noti
lied the Federal Bureau of Inves
tigation of reports made by neigh
bors of pro-German statements
attributed to Ellis, who the offi
cers were told Is of German de
scent. Ellis served six months In the
penitentiary in 1!)3!) on a charge
ol armed assault on a neighbor.
He also served a previous term
In the county jail for game law
violation. Sheriff O. T. Carter
reported.
Playing Child Drowns
In Tumble From Log
SALEM, Ore., July 21 (API
Lester Fitch, 5, drowned yester
day when he fell from a log raft
on which he was playing.
He was the son of Mr. and
Mrs. John C. Fitch, Itinerant
farm laborers.
Om battlt km if i Mf wli
e war, MfY got fwgfctr
Kan thud.
Buy More
War Bonds
for Fratdom'i Sako
68 OF THE EVENING NEWS
Prisoner Take
Continues In
Big Numbers
German Forces Still
Battling Montgomery
At Gates of Catania
(By the Associated Press)
Victorious American and Cana
dian troops have captured Enna,
the hub of Sicily's inland de
fenses and are now rapidly driv
ing northward to cut the Island
In two, dispatches from allied
headquarters announced today.
Seizure of the key town forced
a general withdrawal of axis
troops from the central and west
ern areas of the island, it wes
said.
Italian headquarters had pre
viously acknowledged the evacua
tion of Enna under crushing
pressure by Lieut.-Gen. Patton's
U. S. 7th army and Canadian
forces.
Reports reaching allied head
quarters said the British 8th
army had smashed still another
desperate German counterattack
at the gates of Catania and
squeezed tighter around that
vital east coast seaport.
Allied reconnaissance pilots
said they observed an eastward
movement of all axis troops, and
It appeared that a general retreat
to the northeast tip of Sicily had
begun.
Quick collapse of axis resist
ance in the west and , central
areas was expected.
More Italians Quit
Field reports said Italian troops
were surrendering In huge num
bers, raising the bag of more
than 35,000 axis prisoners al
ready reported taken.
Italians complained against
their own government as well as
the Germans. The nazis, they de
clared, were repeating their
African tactics of abandoning
them every time the situation be
came hopeless, fleeing in all
available transport.
They asserted their own fascist
government had given them too
few guns and food, and issued
obsolete transports, armor and
ammunition.
Capture of Enna, throwing the
whole axis communication , sys
tem into jeopardy, put approxi
mately half the island In allied
hands and virtually severed con
tact between German defenders
(Continued on page 6)
Snell Heads States'
Forestry Committee -
ANNAPOLIS, Md., July 21
(AP) Gov. Herbert R. O'Conor
of Maryland today announced ap
pointment of a forestry commit
tee of the council of state gov
ernments, naming Gov. Snell of
Oregon chairman.
"The function of the commit
tee will be to study the timber
land problem and to make rec
ommendations at the next confer
ence on the council of state gov
ernments as to the most effective
course to be pursued to promote
the highest utilization of the
country's timber resources," O'
Conor, council president, explain
ed. Kiska Japanese Fail to
Return American Fire
WASHINGTON, July 21.
(AP) The navy reported today
that two small American war
ships bombarded the Japanese
defenses on Kiska island in the
Aleutians Tuesday and the enemy
failed to return the fire.
In the South Pacific, mean
while, the Japanese bombed the
American base on Funafuti, Ellice
Islands, in the latest of a series
of light attacks. Against advanc
ed outposts guarding the supply
lines to Australia. The enemy
caused no damage or injuries at
hunafutl so far as reports here
showed.
To save what's left of the
Italian boot, the nation should
get rid of its "heel" also Its
"heil."
Levity pact ant
By L F. lUlM&ftta