The Oregon statesman. (Salem, Or.) 1916-1980, February 11, 1942, Page 1, Image 1

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    Lone US W
Tel
S.Singapore
Story Pago One, Column Eight
Death Stra
Oilier Correspondents Leave
City as Japs Draw Ring of
Steel About British Base y
POUNDDB 1651
NINETY-fTEST iEAB
Salem, Oregon, Wednesday Morning, February 11, 1942
Prieo 3a Newsstands 5cr
No. 275
' ' r. - 1 ' - J .. . . . -T '.-
ggle
v5
'.- (Editor's Not Terrttl yet kisarre, tht following pictare of Singapore
hcUflro and the evening tea dance; divo feombert and placid movte-ioert
comes from tile ht, f rey-haireO C. Tatea McDanlel, the only American newt
paper man to cover the nine-day (leg and the only foreign newspaper nu
to remain now in tht Battle of the Island itself. . China-bom, McDanlel has
pent Bjnch of his life in the orient)
By C. YATES McDANIEL
SINGAPORE, Feb. 10 (7:30 p. m.) (AP) From
dawn to dusk Japanese invaders, greatly strengthened by
new landings from across Johore strait, beat with rising
fury Tuesday at British defenders who are falling back from
the outer ring of Singapore's defenses under merciless enemy
assaults by air and land.
In their hour of near-disaster imperial forces fought
bitterly and stubbornly, making the invader
pay dearly for every inch of ground.
Anti-aircraft batteries manned their
guns unflinchingly, but still the hordes of
heavy bombers and dive-bombers came.
" Sir Shenton Thomas, Singapore's gov
ernor, declared solemnly:
"We are all in the hands of God, from
whom we can get comfort in our anxieties
and strength to play the man and help one
another in all the ordeals which are to come."
It was a day of withdrawals
the international press corps.
spokesman gave his daily situational talk to an audience of
three representatives of two
For a fortnight I have been the only American news
man in Singapore and today
the United Press and the Australian representative of Inter
national News Service joined
eral Australian correspondents
vessel.
I looked down on Singapore in the late afternoon on
a scene of striking contrasts.
To the north, columns of black smoke billowed skyward
from burning oil tanks, providing a somber backdrop for the
stage on which the grim drama is reaching its climax.
The opposing guns ceased their pounding for a brief
moment but darting in and out of the drifting clouds of
smoke, Japanese? dive-bombers
loads oi the day Deiore aarxness
called them back to their bases.
Near the center of the stage
. clouds of light gray smoke arose
from rubber plants, pineapple
canneries; and latteries to which
the owners had applied the torch
to prevent their use by the enemy.
The scene to the south was one
of unnatural calm. In the far dis
tance wisps of smoke spiraled
slowly over fishing villages on
the small Dutch islands which dot
the straits between Malaya and
Sumatra.
' Inside Singapore harbor steam
ers, Chinese junks, Malay fishing
craft and Sampans rode at an-
TOKTO (From Japanese
broadcasts), Feb. ll-j!P)-Japa-nese
troops advanced to within
m miles of Singapore city to
day when they stormed and
captured Bokit Timah peak,
highest ; point on the bland,
Japanese imperial headquarters
announced. A communique
broadcast at 12:20 p. m. (11:20 p.
m. Tuesday, eastern war time)
added that the Japanese operat
ing on ; Singapore Island were
continuing to drive the defend
ers before them.
chor just as they did when I first
looked over the waterfront a year
ago.
Along main roads in the fore
ground motor cars, trolleys and
rickshaws were carrying people
home after the day work. In
front of the famous Raffles ho
tel cars were depositing patrons
of the daily tea dance and out
side the movie house immediate
ly below people were queueing up
in front of the box office to see
Joel McCrea and Ellen Drew in
"Reaching for the Sun."
"' The oddest touch of unreality
to the entire scene was pro
vided by a letter which my fel
low observer, Erie Davis, di
rector of the Malayan Broad
easting corporation, received
(Turn to Page 2, CoL 4)
Five Welders9
Unions Form
Brotherhood
' HOUSTON,' Texas, Feb.- lb-JP)
The United Brotherhood of Weld
ers, Cutters and Helpers In Amer
ica was organized here Tuesday at
a meeting of delegates, from five
independent welders unions.
One of the first actions ef the
pew i. brotherhood. - which has
grown out of disputes between
the welders and AFL craft un
ions i that have ordinarily had
Jurisdiction , over the .welders,
was to send a telegram to Don
aid Nelson, M production chief.
The brotherhood demanded that
Kelson send a representative to
Houston by Friday to confer with
the delegates of the union. The
brotherhood requested that neith
er Sidney Hillman of the war pro
duction board nor Paul Porter,
JUHman's assistant, )e sent
3-
LUf.
also among c. Yates McDeniel
A military
local newspapers and myself.
the British correspondent of
the Reuters manager and sev
aboard an outward-bound
were delivering their last
Navy Secures
Supply Lines
Pearl Harbor Fleet
Protects Convoys to
New Zealand Sector
BOSTON, Feb. 10-JP)-A report
that United States naval forces
had established a trans-Pacific
supply terminus at Wellington,
New Zealand, after convoying size
able contingents of American serv
icemen to way station islands
along the route, was received
Tuesday by the Christian Science
Monitor,
In , a cable dispatch direct
from Wellington, where an al
lied censorship has been estab
lished, Joseph C. Harsch report
ed after a month with strong ,
(Turn to Page 2, Col. 1)
Sewer System
Check Slated
On Hazards'
Dumping of "hazardous or de
leterious substances" into Salem's
sewage system would be made un
lawful by an ordinance which, will
be introduced next Monday night
to the city fathers, Phillip L.
Holmes, chairman of the sewerage
and drainage committee, announced-
Tuesday.
Holmes and City Engineer Har
old Davis declared Salem had
needed such prohibition for some
time. An emergency clause is at
tached to the bill, which provides
penalty for violation of a fine of
not less than $50 or more than
$500, or a sentence to the city jail
of not less than 30 days nor more
than six months, or both fine and
sentence.
n
Navy Facing Mighty Job to
Salvage Stricken Normandie
' NEW YORK, Feb. lMThe navy was confronted with
the mightiest salvage Job in history Tuesday the raising and
repairing of the 83,423-ton former French liner Normandie
a ghastly, flame-charred hulk lying on her side at her Hudson
river pier at 50th street - -
Naval officers and salvage men
pointed out that never before
had so large a ship capsized.
Rear Admiral Adolphns An
drews,, commandant of the third
naval district, and Manhattan
district attorney Frank S. Bo-'
ran attributed the blaze, which
swept the ship for four hears
Monday injuring 229 and kill
lng one, to sparks from a weld
er's torch.
I The salient f a c t developed,"
said Hogan, "is that a flame, caus
ing sparks to fly, was used within
two or three feet of hundreds of
bales or inflammable material.
Counties
Prep
are
For Camp
Central Office
For -Cooperation
May Be Set up
Problems of housing more
than 8000 construction work
ers and of meeting the recre
ation and other needs of a
far greater number of sol
diers when the Albany-Cor-
vallis cantonment is complet
ed are soon to be pipelined
through a paid coordinator
serving the Four-County Can
tonment council, it was indi
cated at a meeting of the
organization at Albany Tuesday
night.
The council members, consisting
of the county judges of Linn, Mar
ion, Polk and Benton counties and
mayors of seven cities affected by
the cantonment, agreed to meet at
Monmouth next Wednesday noon
to vote on a budget for a central
coordination office. A minimum
cost of $5000 a year was placed by
Fred A. Cuthbert, consultant for
the Oregon Economic council, on
requirements of this office.
The coordinator would be re
sponsible for assembling informa
tion dealing with problems of
housing, sanitation, health, recrea
tion and law enforcement ex
pected to arise during construe
tion and to- continue following
completion of the big army base,
lvine principally .; in Polk and
Benton counties but touching Mar
ion and Linn for a short distance.
A formula for pro-rating
costs of the coordination office
on the basis of population, area
and assessed valuation of the
eounties and cities was out
lined by W. H. Crawford, di
rector of the economic council.
Belief that the vice problem,
paramount in many recent dis
cussions of the cantonment,
would be negligible during the
construction period was express
ed by Cuthbert. He said exper
ience around similar projects in
California indicated that drunk
enness and speeding would con
stitute the principal law enforce
ment . problems.
Health and sanitation matters,
it was disclosed by Mayor F. R.
Bowersox of Monmouth, will be
handled in Benton and Polk
counties by a new two-county
health service provided by the
federal government.
A doctor for this agency has
already arrived at CorvaUis; a
nurse and a sanitary officer are
also to be provided to supple
ment services' of the two coun
ties' present health officers and
nurses. Similar duties will be
assumed by the already-constituted
Marion and linn county
health departments.
(Turn to Page 2, Col. 7)
Women Survey Workers
Meet in Salem Today
Captains of the teams of women
who next week are to undertake
in Marion county a survey of the
skills of women are to meet at 3
o'clock today in Salem chamber
of commerce rooms to receive final
instructions and materials, Mrs.
David Wright, county chairman of
the canvass has announced.
The meeting is open to all
workers on the survey but cap
tains especially are expected to be
present, she said.
"There is no evidence of sabo-
tage. Carelessness has served the
enemy with equal effectiveness.'
. The " task of raising the huge
$60,000,000 liner was complicated
by the fact that she lay in 12
feet Of mud and was pinched be
tween two piers, .
The navy indicated that it had
not abandoned hope of salvage.
Asked abont resorts that the!
Once proud ship was beyond
salvage, the naval district pub
lie relations office said: ,
The navy supports no such
contention at this time."
Gov. Sprague's Formal
Last summer I announced that t would bo a candidate
for reelection. I renew that announcement now. and ac
company It with a brief statement
My campaign for reelection is based on my record as
; governor. I submit that my acuiiinistraubn has boon clean,
! vigorous and constructive.
Under my leadership successful attacks were made on
GOV. CHARLES A. SPRAGUE purposes.
The war-stimulated prosperity has increased receipts
from income and excise taxes and I shall recommend to
the next session of the legislature a substantial reduction
in state income taxes; or the application of an equivalent
sum for reduction of local property taxes. This will bring
much-wanted relief at a time when federal taxes are high
and should be an attraction to now industries.
In my administration real progress has boon made in
efficiency and service of executive departments; in the
care and management of institutions, notably those for the
mentally ill; in meeting the state's obligation toward the
aged and the impoverished; in obtaining for labor definite
gains in compensation for unemployment and industrial
accidents; in prison parole reforms
I have worked for improvement of our public school
system through consolidation of districts and equalizing
the tax burden, and the establishment of vocational schools.
I favor more generous support for our 'school system.
I have maintained an open door policy, hearing the ap
peals of all classes, but holding paramount the interest of
all the people. -
I launched constructive policies for the economic up-
building of Oregon through a complete program of forest
legislation for conservation and re?waL and through an
: (Turn to Page CoETi)""
Sprague Submits Record
In Reelection Campaign
Reiterates Candidacy Declaration of
Last Summer; Says Sole Question in
Race Is Experience; Otes Gains
Gov. Charles A. Sprague
in May on the basis of his record, he announced Tuesday night
in a formal reiteration of his declaration of candidacy made last
summer.
"I submit that my administration has been clean, vigorous
City Schools
Closing Date
Set May 29
Spring vacation of Salem public
schools was sliced from five days
to one-half day by the board of
directors Tuesday night, on rec
ommendation of a special com
mittee which conferred with US
employment service officials.
Closing date was set for May 29,
one week earlier than usual. S
Plans to cooperate closely in
meeting needs for harvesting
crops in nearby areas were
stressed by the . board, which
tentatively set next year's school
opening and closing for Sep
tember 21 and May 28, respec
tively, with no spring vacation
and shortened Christmas holi
days, t---
The half-day holiday this spring
will be the afternoon of Friday,
March 27, so teachers may. attend
some sessions of their state con
vention. f
' - K
Wooton Named
Full Colonel i
Promotion of Elmer V.. Wooton,
state selective service director,
from lieutenant colonel to colo
nel in the United States army,
has been approved by the war
department, Gov. Charles A.
Sprague announced here Tuesday.
v Colonel Wooton was inducted
into active federal service from
the Oregon national guard on Sep
tember. 21, 1940, and, upon .rec
ommendation of the governor.
was appointed by the president
to serve as state director of select
ive service for Oregon. i
In addition to serving as state
director of selective service, Colo
nel . Wooton; is acting adjutant
general of Oregon during the' ab
sence of Brig. Gen. Thomas - E.
Rilea, who is now stationed at
Fort Lewis, Wash -
the problems of employ
. menL ; Industrial peace
and order hare prevailed.
Business and agriculture
have prospered.
The finances of the state
are In excellent condition.
The deficit has boon
'wiped out the indebted
ness steadily reduced. For
the first time In history all
property taxes for state
purposes, including the
elementary school tax,
hart been eliminated, the
only property tax remain
Ina belna for atrlcuV local
will be a candidate for reelection
and constructive," the executive's
statement said
The issue of this year's guber
natorial campaign, the state
ment continued, is:
"Shall the state change its
leadership now?
"Personalities of candidates,
minor issues of local signifl-
(Turn to Page 2, Col. 3)
Here's Normandie Ablaze
f
t
1
Smoke shrouds Manhattan's ekyscrapent aa fire ravages the
former French loxary liner Normandie at her Hudsca
river- pier at New Ycrk City where the wta Idzz
NY Mayor
e ' .
Ousted As
OGDHead
Landis Is Named
Chief; Mrs. FDR
Now Under Fire
WASHINGTON, Feb. 10
(AP) -Demands that Mrs.
Franklin D. Roosevelt quit
the office of civilian defense
arose in congress Tuesday as
President Mtoosevelt an
nounced the designation of
James M. Landis to head the
organization.
Mayor F. H. LaGuardia of New
York, who has headed the OCD
since its establishment last fall, is
stepping out immediately, Mr.
Roosevelt told his press confer
ence, and will be succeeded by
Iandis, now executive director.
A reporter, having in mind that
Mrs. Roosevelt became assistant
director before Landis joined the
office, inquired whether Landis'
say would now be final. The presi
dent replied that it would.
Before the president's announce
ment, Senator Butler (R-Neb)
urged that both LaGuardia' and
Mrs. Roosevelt "remove them
selves immediately from the OCD
so that the real work can go for
ward." He contended that civilian
defense "means organizing our
civilians against danger. not
teaching them new dance steps."
"It is obvious that the ad
ministration looks on this dead
ly serious problem as Just an
excuse for another social expert
. meat," Butler said in I state
ment. "The time Is past for
boondoggling. If the communi
ties wish to organise dancing
and calisthenics, I am sore they
can do It themselves without di
rection from the throne."
His reference to dancers obvi
ously was a thrust at Mayris
Chaney, blonde entertainer and
friend of Mrs. Roosevelt Miss
Chaney was named director of
children's activities at $4600 a
year.
From the house, Rep. Taber (R
NY) wrote Comptroller General
Lindsay Warren urging him to
"eliminate from the rolls those
who are engaged in what seems to
me to be extra-legal activities."
In disclosing LaGuardia's de
parture, Mr. Roosevelt explained
that the mayor never had received
a formal appointment because
there was some question whether
the New York state constitution
would permit it but had been re
quisitioned to organize the OCD
and was leaving now that this job
had been done. LaGuardia served
here without pay.
Decorated
Priv now Master Sergeant, Jo
seph I Lockard (above),' 20, of
Williamsport, Fa has received
the distinguished service medal
and a promotion for sounding
the warning of the approach of
Japanese planes at Pearl Har
bor. His report to a superior
was disregarded. He has also
been designated for officer
training.
Alert Hawaii
0 . ?
Hero Honored
War Department Rates
Jap Detector Private
And Awards Citation
WASHINGTON, Feb. 1M)
Pvt. Joseph L. Lockard, who was
practicing at an aircraft detector
at Pearl- Harbor after hours and
detected , the Japanese planes ap
proaching December 7, only to
have his. warning disregarded, has
been: . . . .
Awarded 0 distinguished
service medal;1"
Promoted to staff serreant;
And designated to attend the
of fleers candidate school at Fort
Monmouth, NJ, next month.
A war department communique
Tuesday1 which told of the honors
reported also that the planes
Lockard detected had been proven
to be the Japanese attackers.
The report of the investigating
commission headed by Justice
Owen J. Roberts of the supreme
court, which recounted Lockard's
action, left this point in doubt
The report recited that Lock
ard reported the planes to "an in
experienced lieutenant" who as
sumed they were American and
took no action.
Monday's Weather
Weather forecasts withheld
and temperature data delayed
by army request River, Tues
day, 8.8 feet. Max. temp. Mon
day, S3, mhx, 48. Rainfall, .14
inches.
Before She Turned Over
equipped for use as an auxiliary naval craft. pver2C3cf
the
s 22S0 persons on board
tzlzj ncrrirz the great
Tu
vaders
n
HiiHard
By
Defenders Shoot
Down Seven Jap
Planes in Day
WASHINGTON, Feb. 10
(AP)' Great numbers, of
veteran Jap troops are ex
erting tremendous - pres
sure on tbe center of Gen
eral Douglas AlacArthur't.
line on Bataan, the War de
partment reported Tues
day, but the defenders,
have dealt the invaders
hard blows in "particular
ly savage" fighting.
They mopped up Jap in
filtration units on the left
of the line, fought sharp
patrol skirmishes on the right.
and shattered with artillery fire
a new attempt to land troops on
the west coast of Bataan with the
apparent purpose of taking the
Americans, and Filipinos in the
rear.
In addition, the defenders shot
down seven Japanese planes, and
the guns of Fort Drum at the en
trance to Manila Bay replied, with
apparent effectiveness, to shelling
from Japanese batteries.
However, twe war ' depart
ment communiques Issued dur
ing the . day spoke somberly . of
large Japanese ' reinforcements
making themselves "Increasing
ly evident', and of the defend
ers battling against heavy odds,' "
Five veteran Japanese divisions
(presumably some 123,000 men)
were present on Bataan penin
sula, the army said, together with
supporting forces, a force occu
pying Manila and another man
ning Japanese shore guns which
have been intermittently pound
ing Corregidor and the other is
land forts.
(Turn to Page 2, Col. 8)
Whistle Test at Noon
Today; Reports Asked
Test of six mockingbird-type
whistles located strategically
around Salem is scheduled for 12
o'clock noon today, L. Ft LeGarie,
Salem defense chairman, has an
nounced. Residents of the city or
its immediate suburbs who do not
hear the whistles distinctly arc
asked to call the Salem police
station, 3159, to report. This in
formation is to be used in placing
10 electric sirens to serve also
as air raid warnings, LeGarie
said.
the vessel were injured Carly
ship eapsiied.
Yanks