. ; . ty . .V- . . , . . . , ,r .- , ..... - . c-
: ;r V J v ' 1 - - , Sfory Column Ono, Pago Ono
In Service
The Statesman is proad of
its men m service -th sol
diers, sailors, marines and
defense workers tfroa Its
territory. Read of their ac
Uvities daily in this news
paper. . ,
NTNETY-FIRST YEAR
Salem, Oregon, Friday Morning, December 28, 1941
Price 3cj Newsstande Se
No. tZl
Group Returns
On US
Coach
Sports Editor of Statesman
Talks With Spec Keene on
Phone at Davis, California
"Hello. We're all together and all fine. We'll arrive
in Salem at 1:59 tomorrow," said Coach R. S. "Spec"
Keene in a telephone conversation with Ron Gemmell,
Statesman sports editor, late Thursday night.
Gemmell established telephone connection with
Keene at Davis, Calif., where the Willamette coach was
paged off the train which is carrying the entire 51
member party north to Salem.
"We came over steerage in a troop ship, with the
boys attending wounded soldiers and sailors on the ship,"
said Keene.
"When the bombing began in Honolulu we were all
eating breakfast at the hotel. We saw water splashing
in the harbor and asked a waiter what it was.
"It's a whale spouting'," he said.
"We all trooped out to watch it, treating it as a joke.
We didnt know until late in the afternoon what
had happened.
"The football boys were put on guard duty, guard
ing equipment, and the women went to the hospital for
duty." "7
There was happiness in Keene's hurried "see you
tomorrow,', as ht rang off to vateh the train which was
held op for hint to take the calL
,-ByROIi-JEMMELIi
, Statesman Sports Editor
ylflamette university's 51
member football party which
left Salem November 26 for
two games and a holiday ex
cursion in Honolulu,, only to en
counter a war, is scheduled to
arrive at the Southern Pacific
depot here at 1:59 p.m. today.
All members of the party
were aboard a hospital ship
which docked in San Francisco
early Thursday afternoon, word of
which was immediately tele
phoned to Salem to thus give
Christmas day, 1941, new mean
ing for the many relatives and
friends of the party here who
have experienced days of anguish
lince the bombing of Honolulu
December 7.
(Continued on First "Sports Page)
Santa Brings
But One Baby
Santa Clans brought only one
Christmas baby to Salem, ac
cording to s check of Salem
hospitals at midnight Thursday.
The lone Christmas bundle
was delivered to Mr. and Mrs.
A. R. Barnes of Jefferson,
Christmas day, "when a baby
'girl was bora to them at the
Bungalow Maternity home.
US, British
A. . r t 4f Tft. .7?.: ' .. w : "
i if -':-.V?V.W
vl'.j
., ! ', I ''-)W -. -.w,
m
2 lit
fi , . , ,. I, III, , -II,
frlme 7Imisier Whiston Churchill (left) and President Jftoosevelt
: meanor as tneyrsai ir ptcmres as we wiuto us use, aiier a. neartyiAinericaa Christmas :dinner. "
Convoy,
A at
ises
if
Hawaii Victims
To Bay City
SAN FRANCISCO, Dec. 25-P)
-Convoyed passenger vessels
sailed through the Golden Gate
Thursday with hundreds of evac
uees and casualties from the Ha
waiian islands, while planes dron
ed above them.
The convoyed ships, wearing
war paint, slipped unneraiaea
into docks. The disembarking of
wounded began immediately,
Passengers, Including women
and children, wore lifebelts at
all times daring the last three
days of the trip.
Although there was no an
nouncement that the convoy
would arrive, there was a rush
to the waterfront by persons
whose sons were in the battle of
Pearl Harbor, and .whose fami
lies and relatives had been caught
be the sudden outbreak of hos
tilities. Ambulances moved away
from the barricades while mo
thers stood in a steady drizzle
of rain, watching with hopeful
eyes as the passengers emerged.
The evacuees soon dispersed to
the city's hotels, the homes of
friends and to many stations es
tablished for them.
(Turn to Page 2, Col. 7)
Gorivpy
Statesmen in Cheery Mood
HHP sjw:wwwpw 9
1 t--'C -
past Is
met On
Holiday
New Sub Raids
Denied; Plane
Destroys Jap
san Francisco, Dec 25
(AP) The navy reported
Thursday that it had heard
of no "enemy activities in
coastal waters off the 12th
naval district" during the
night and that signal lights
fired off northern California
were not associated with any
attack on shipping.
. "Press reports that gunfire was
heard off the coast of northern
California were not confirmed,"
naval district headquarters said
in a statement. "Nothing in that
regard was received by official
sources.
"The reports that there was
gunfire off the coast apparently
originated in the fact that colored
signal lights were fired by a mer
chant vessel. Investigation shows
that the signal lights were not
fired in connection with any at
tack by the enemy or other mis
haps." There was no explanation of
why the signals were set off.
JVASHINGTON, Dec ti-(JP)-An
enemy submarine sunk off
California, the destruction of at
least -two and probably four
Japanese warships by Ameri
can; submarines, in the . j . .;
and "local successes" oa the
Philippine f r n t, fcricbiened
war-gloomy Christmas Thurs
day m the capital.
These cheering accomplish
ments, however, were set against
a foreboding background. Bad
news, even the eventual loss of
the Philippine archipelago, the in
timations were, was distinctly
possible. The defending forces
were badly outnumbered and the
Japs were striking at Manila from
several directipns at once.
At the White House except for
an interval given over to church
attendance the day was devoted
to war planning, and a continu
ation of President Roosevelt's
(Turn to Page 2, Col. 8)
Evacuation of
Pacific Cbast
Not Scheduled
SAN FRANCISCO, Dec. 25-JP)
Evacuation of an area should not
be undertaken except under con
ditions where frequent or con
tinuous bombing can.be expected
Lieut Gen. J. L. DeWitt said
Thursday, and added that "the
military situation on the Pacific
coast at present does not justify
such a contingency."
General DeWitt, commanding
general of the western defense
command and the fourth army,
(Turn to Page 2, CoL 4)
V
V
: (rigM) displayed this cheery de-
G
Q
HongKorig
M
anila
Baguio Taken
By Invaders;
Details Told
Navy Chief Reports
US Subs Sinking
Nippon Warships
Bulletin
MANILA, Fri., Dee. 26
(12:30 pm) (AP) Ma
nila was proclaimed an open
city today, but a US army
spokesman stressed that
this action to protect civil
ian lives and property will
not affect the conduct of
the war, which "will con
tinue as vigorously or more
vigorously than at pres
ent." MANILA, Dec 25(AP)
Japanese tank units strik
ing 35 miles inland from the
Gulf of Lingayen were re
ported Thursday night near
the -Philippine summer capital
of . Baguio, while a second
: (Turn to Page 2, CoL 1)
Germans Smasli
-i
At Sevastopol
Soviet Admits fitter
- Nazi Resistance on
Whole Eastern Front
MOSCOW, Dec. 25-(ff)-Stiff-ening
German resistance to the
Russian counter offensives on the
Moscow, Leningrad, and Ukraine
fronts was acknowledged in front
line dispatches Thursday night,
while in the far southern Cri
mean theatre a fierce battle raged
as the Germans strove to batter
their way through the last de
fenses of besieged Sevastopol.
By Russian count, at least
20,000 Germans or about half
the nasi forces on the Sevasto
pol front were killed In a fu
rious six-day battle which the
Russians said failed to crack
their stubborn resistance be
fore the big Black sea naval
base.
The Russian successes against
the Germans on the central front
continued, and the soviet infor
mation bureau announced that in
the 5-day period of Dec. 21-25, a
(Turn to Page 2, Col. 6)
Salem Treats '
Ai-my Guests
So great was Salem's response
to the United Hospitality assochv
tion's program for Christmas din
ners for the army boys stationed
at the capital city that every sol
dier enjoyed a Yule banquet and
500 more could easily have been
accommodated, Dr. Henry E. Mor
ris, UHA president reported
Thursday.
Leaves wire scattered be
tween noon and 5 pjn. Thurs
day . to allow each soldier time
to enjoy his feast, and accord
ing to Dr. Morris many families
were disappointed at not get
ting guests.
"Just like home away from
home" was , the way" Jthe soldiers
expressed' their enjoyment, of the
Christmas treat. "
Dr. Morris stated: that persons
whose requests for a soldier guest
were ,nov nunuea utnznnu ay
might be able to extend the ln
vitatiohA till - Sunday . or J New
Year's, day,; if the army -main
tains its force here. ; -
Canada Defense
To Join OiurcMl,' Fit ?
ilOTTAWAI De5-Prrme
Minister Mackenzie 'King and his
three defensenunisters ; left; Ot
tawa late 'Thursday, fcr-Washing-
tonto attend conferences w ith
Prime Minister Winston Church-
21 and President Roosevelt
Capitulates in 11 -Day Sip
Fig
ht Rages: Axis
HongKong
mm
4 WMSTPr.
- tAMMA
4 V 1 ...
t im - J. . ..
I JJ t 161
Eye-Witness Tells Luzon Battle
Young Jap Boys Lead in Do -
- By CLARK LEE
ON THE -LINGAYET FRONT
NORTH OF MANILA, Dec. 25-(,P5-The
Japanese army rushing
toward Manila from the Lingayen
gulf area is an ill-uniformed, un
trained mass of young boys be
tween 15 and 18 years old, equip
ped with small caliber guns and
driven forward by desperate de
termination to" advance or die.
This fight continued until af
ter dawn Monday, and accord
ing to the American field com
mander almost every Japanese
was wiped out, although many
Bus Crashes,
Burns, Ten
Meet Death
ST. LOUIS, Dec. 25-UP)-Shriek-
ing and screaming in the quiet
of Christmas morning, 10 persons
suffered an agonizing death and
22 others were injured Thursday
in the flaming wreckage of a bus.
Some of them had eome from
the peace of midnight mass at
St. Vincent's Catholic church.
Another was a sailor on leave.
One of the dead was a 15-year-old
girl.
The Public Service company
bus collided with an automobile,
careened off a parked car. and
hurtling the sidewalk, smashed
through a 200-gallon fuel oil stor
age tank in a yard.
The oil tank exploded, envel
oping the bus in flames as It
plunged into the brick wall of
a- tenement.
Terrorized passengers stamped
ed for the exits. Telling of panic-
stricken, efforts to fight their way
out of the bus, Mrs. Margaret
Berthold, one of the least injured,
said the rear , door jammed after
she had made her escape.
"I don't remember getting out,'
she related, "but I did and then
the door slammed shut and the
others trying to get out couldn't
open it
Chicago Has
Raid Alarm
C CHICAGO, rjecvt 25H)-Sirens
sang , put . at an naval training
bases in ihe Chicago, area Thursday',''-
sounding . the first, air - raid
alarm heard .here 'since the war
began. ;Ci .
j Thewaramgwa ' mterrut
Christmas celebrations X at ' . the
Great Lakes' training station, 1 the
naval . reserve r aviation base.' in
suburban Glenview," and the navy
service school and the naval re
see armory ? here.'; ' ."
: 'fNayy '. planes'" were sent jip. to
carry put defense assignments If
necessary," a' navy, announcement
said.
Falls After Heroic Defense
,
' TAI-Tau.,;.
climbed trees to continue shoot
ing, until they themselves were
'gnot down Jflutlrds
At sundown, Sunday there
were a few Japanese transports
and warships along the east coast
of Lingayen gulf.
The American shore forces
awoke at dawn Monday to find
56 Japanese ships, most of them
small transports, of about 1500
tons each, plus a few destroyers
and cruisers, anchored along the
west coast from Bauang to Da
mortis. The ships were in line ex
tending about 25 miles and
Yanks Toss
'Taters at
Jap Planes
SAN FRANCISCO. Dee. 25-(P)-The
story of a fighting lit
tle navy officer who ordered his
men to throw potatoes at the
Japanese during the attack on
Hawaii was related by wound
ed men who arrived here
Thursday.
"Our skipper was a little
fellow," a sailor said In an In
terview. "You could look right
over his head. But he certainly
was full of fight.
"We had only a three-inch
gun where we were, but he
wouldn't lei anybody else fire
it. He peppered away at the
Japs as they came over.
"All of a sudden a bomb bit
nearby and blew our skipper
Into the water. Our executive
officer gave the order to aban
don ship.
"We were just going down
(Turn to Pago 2. CoL 6)
A 5
IV ' I
m - wjw J . mm
Japs Reported Using One
Jer Japanese soldiers are clustered around a en e-man tank used in their attack on Ilanila, The Japa
nese, who have used midget submarines In attacking Hawaii, were reported employing the one-man
tanks also- la the Malay pentrtstla fighting. - . ; - - '
Troops
SCALS OP MtSS
. -' &v
Stars 'X'
.
tutiwaw o
or -Die Attacks
werf anchored about three
quarters of. a mile offshore.
The gulf coast in this area Is
sandy end shallow, with moun
tains four or five miles back from
the shoreline.
The American artillery imme
diately' opened fire and sank
several transports.
One gunner named Johnny
Jones laid two shells from a 75
gun into a transport right at the
waterline causing it to sink slow
ly. Low-flying Japanese planes
bombed and gunned the Amer-
(Turn to Page 2, Col. )
British Chief
Served Yankee
Yuletide Menu
WASHINGTON, Dec. 25-W-
President Roosevelt introduced
his distinguished guest. Prime
Minister Churchill, to a typical
American Christmas dinner
Thursday night.
They ate turkey, chestnut dress
ing with giblet gravy and cran
berry jelly, topped off with plum
pudding and coffee.
Very appropriately for two
"sea-dogs" the president was
assistant secretary of the navy
in World war I and ships are his
hobby, and Churchill was for
merly first lord of the admiral
ty the menus Included beans.
Their table-mates included Mrs.
Roosevelt, Crown Prince Olav
and Crown Princess Martha of
Norway; Lord Halifax, the Brit
ish ambassador and Lady Hali
fax; Lord Beaverbrook, Britain's
minister of supply; Admiral of the
(Turn to Page 2, CoL 2)
v.
j
ge5
Skid
Japs Capture
Sarawak; Land
More in Luzon
Russians and British
Announce New Galni;
Yanks Holding Own .
By Th AaorteUd Pim
Japanese assault troops
captured (he British island of
HongKong Thursday after as
11-day siege, drove dangerous
spearheads into the vulner
able Philippines despite fierce
American resistance and ap
parently captured Kuehing,
Sarawak's capital, 475 miles
across the Sooth China sea
from Singapore.
To the Japanese these gains
were Ma glowing Christmas pres
ent" as the ancestor-worship-
I ping men of Tokyo chose to label
tthem.
But on the other side of the
world Japan's axis partners, Ger
many and Italy, definitely were
still skidding.
British desert troops swept into
devastated Bengasi, strategic Lib
yan port 300 miles from Egypt on
(Turn to Pago X. CoL S)
US Frowns' On
Island Crab
Free French Coup Is
. 'Blunder,' Status Quo
Restoration Planned
WASHINGTON. Dec. IS-iFf-Seizure
by Free French forces of
the little French islands of SL Pi
erre and Miquelon, near New
foundland, Thursday aroused the
state department, which called the
action "arbitrary" and took steps
toward restoration of the "status
quo."
The seizure came at a time
when the Tnited States was do
ing everything possible to keep
Vichy France from veering
toward fuller collaboration with
Hitler, and thus It was consid
ered a monkey wreah thrown
Into the international works.
Both Canada and the United
ST. PIEEaX, Dee. z5-(AVTbe
population of the tiny French
Islands of SL Pierre and Mique
lon voted 18 per cent In favor of
Free French rule Thursday la a
plebiscite held by Vice Admiral
Emlle Muselier. commander of
the Free French naval fortes,
after he had suddenly and
peacefully occupied the Islands
on Christmas eve.
States disclaimed advance knowl
edge of the coup, British author
ities in London said it was a "com
plete surprise" to them and a
French embassy spokesman here
denounced it as a blunder "worse
(Turn to Page 2, CoL 7)
- Man Tanks
JO
;