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About Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1919-1980 | View Entire Issue (Aug. 17, 1942)
llSfcss. OiSy fesak. ll, 1 Buy War Bonds Keep 'Em Flying KAU Yp klt 1Q fciUMd at weonct ol&u Salem, Oregon Monday, August 17, 1942 Price Five Cents WTlll I CUIf 11V. ir matt at Salem Oregon A tree feoCairiry on r'U otil Victory 11 I IH h .1 11 H oesAg Timor Bombed As Battle in Solomon Rages MacArthur's Airmen ' Head Off Jap Reinforce- ments as Fight Continues General MacArthur's Head quarters, Australia, Aug. 17 (IP) General Douglas MacArthur's airmen maintained ceaseless vi- gil over the waters northeast of Australia to prevent Japanese reinforcements from reaching the Solomon islands as the battle for control of vital bases there entered its 11th day today. O While United States marines were believed to be extending bridgeheads already won in hard fighting in the' Solomons, actual developments in that the atre were hidden by official si lence both here and in Washing ton. Timor Bombed No reference to the situation was contained in the daily com munique from MacArthur's headquarters, which was devot ed to a. brief report of a new allied bombing attack on Jap anese-occupied Timor and to continued patrol skirmishes in the Kokoda area of southeast ern New Guinea, 60 miles from the allied base gt Port Moresby There was evidence, however, of quiet confidence in Austral ian circles, whose attitude was reflected by William H. Hughes, a member of the Pacific War council, in a speech at Sydney yesterday in. which he acclaimed the. Solomon islands offensive as "a revelation of the strength of our ally, America." ; Jap Broadcasts "It has been shown," he said "that man for man the Japanese are not ' equal to the United States marines." The JaDanese radio continued to broadcast sweeping claims of victory in the Solomons, which it failed to reconcile with the admission that "the battle- is continuing between our forces and American marines who have succeeded in landing." Relegating this fact to the background, a Tokyo broadcast mis morning made much of an imperial headauarters commun ique reporting that . Japanese suomarines nad sunk 10 allied vessels totaling 90,000 tons in Australian waters during the latter part of July and the first 0art of August. (Concluded on Page g, Column 8) Battle to Death . In Solomons Auckland, N. Z., Aug. 17 (U.R) The battle of the Solomon is lands was reported today to be a raging, knock-down drag-out iignt, but reports that American marines ; have captured "thou sands" of Japanese prisoners were regarded with considerable reservation. It was pointed out that the Solomons battle is a finish fight, with a highly important strate- aic stronghold at stake, and it 'as believed that Tokyo has is sued orders to Japanese troops to "stand or die." The history of the war thin far, it was noted, has shown that tne Japanese do not surrender In large numbers unless thev are pinned down under hopeless conditions. The nature of the terrain where the present engagement is being fought would indicate that the action is necessarily fluid, involving comparatively small numbers of men. Complete official secrecy con tinues to shroud the operation. Despite the fierceness of naval encounters around the Solo mons, it was thought here that no sea action of such conse quence is likely to develop. OThc opinion of observers here as that the Midway battle con tinues to be the most decisive single American contribution to the Pacific war. .,, Senate Votes Dependency Allowances Washington, Aug. 17 (U.R) The senate today passed by voice vote and sent to President Roose velt a bill permitting immediate payment of dependency allow ances to families of men in the nation's armed services. Of 18 senators present, only two voted against the measure Chairman Robert R. Reynolds (D., N.C.), of the senate mili tary affairs committee, and Sen.. Elbert D. Thomas (D., Utah), a member of that committee. The measure eliminates from the service men's dependency act passed several weeks ago a prohibition against payment of the allotments to dependents prior to Nov. 1. The bill does not require payments before that date! Grew to Assist Secretary Hull Washington, Aug. 17 (U.R) Ambassador Joseph Clark' Grew, returning soon on the exchange ship from Japan, was reported today to be slated for a job as special assistant to Secretary of State Cordell Hull to advise on far eastern affairs. A precendent exists in the case of John Van A. MacMur ray, former ambassador to Tur key, who is now serving as spe cial assistant to Hull, The 62-year-old Grew already has notified the department of his wish to cooperate in the war effort. Unless President Roose velt .delegates hjin to, a special assignment, ne is scheduled to take over most of the department's-' advisory work on the far east. Grew will report to the presi dent and Hull after he arrives on the exchange liner Gripsholm later this' month, may next take a short rest on his New Hamp shire farm, and then is due in Washington for his hew duties. Several publishers have asked Grew to write a book on his ex periences. The ambassador has kept a detailed diary since he started his diplomatic career in Cairo in 1904, and has copious material, particularly on American-Japanese relations. Alma D. Kafz, 68 Dies in Portland Portland, Aug. 17 (U.R) Fu neral arrangements were being made today for Alma D. Katz, 68, manager of the Oregon City Agency of the Mutual Life In surance company for 33 years, who died late yesterday at his home here. Katz, a native of Salt Lake City; started his varied career as a reporter on the Salt Lake Herald. He later purchased the Salt Lake Argus, a weekly pub lication. During World war I he served as civilian aide to the adjutant general of the United States for Oregon, Washington, Idaho and Montana. Firemen Injured in Crash with Truck Two firemen from the North Salem station were Injured this morning when the equipment and a loaded sand truck collided at Hazel and Highland. The firemen were making a run to 2380 Hazel avenue. when the accident occurred. came to rest on its side about 30 injured were Captain Commo-1 ore perry Thrapp, dislocated shoulder, and Eldon New, fire man, shock and, bruises. Floyd Smith, driver of the fire truck, and Jerald Page Bickell, 260 Marion, driver for the Salem Sand and Gravel com pany, were uninjured. The men were treated by the fi'st aid car crew and hospitalized. Both streets are narrow and the view at the intersection is obstructed. The fire truck was going north and the loaded sahd truck west. Considerable damage was done to the fire truck which U.S. Airforce Participates in Desert Battle Training Period with British Officers Over and Bombers Now in Action Cairo, Aug. 17 (IP) The slar-in-a-circle of the United States army air force is almost ready to put on its own fighter show in North Africa's skies. The dress rehearsal days of intensive training of American pilots as flying comrades with desert-wise RAF s'quadrons-is over. When the Americans go back into combat, they will fly the newest American pursuit planes, with their own insignia, in com plete United States air force squadrons. U. S. A. A. F. bomber squad rons already are in action. Fruits of Battle . The fruits of air battle, sweet and bittter, were shared by the Americans and their British and South African mates in camps pitched together for the final fighting-training partnership. Two firsts at the enemy's ex pense were logged for Major Claremont E. Wheeler of San Jose, Calif., and Capt. Glade B. Bilby of Skidmore, Mo. Wheeler fired the first shot at an axis plane and Bilby, who flew a fighter-bomber in a big show at dawn Friday against the airdrome' at Fuka, dropped the first- bomb; - . - ;;. . . Second Lieut. Jack S. Wilsqn of Benton City, Wash., may get credit for half a German plane. Wilson Shot Down Wilson was the first American flier shot down but as he step ped out of his damaged fighter inside the British lines the Mes serschmitt which had attacked him also was seen plunging. A Lieutenant Whitaker of Tennessee let go several bursts at -a Messerschmitt but' did not claim to have hit it. First Lieut. William W. O'Neill, Jr., of Seminole, Okla, was shot down into the sea. He swam ashore and is in a hospital recovering from exhaustion. , Brig. Gen. Auby C. Strick land, and Alabaman who form erly commanded Paine Field, near Everett, Wash., spoke en thusiastically of the Americans' final warm-up. American Vessel Sunk Last July Washington, Aug. 17 VP) The navy Announced today that a medium-sized United States merchant vessel was torpedoed and sunk by an enemy submar ine late in July. The attack occurred in the Atlantic several hundred miles off the northern coast of South America, and survivors have been landed at a United States cast coast port. feet north of the intersection Considerable sand was spilled on the street but the truck did not overturn, stopping on the parking strip parallel to Hazel avenue. The front was consid erably damaged. Lighter equipment on the fire truck was removed and the equipment towed away for re pairs. According to version of one witness to the accident two of the men were tossed through the air. New was apparently riding on the rear end and Captain Thrapp and Smith were on the seat. The 96th Division becomes a reality at Camp Adair as Maior General James L. Bradlov standing at attention on the platform receives the colors from a fellow officer- The scene was enacted during activation ceremonies held last Saturday lorenoon in the middle of a large red clover field at Camp Adair. The color guard stands immediately behind the officer with the national flag. Fleet Rehearsal For Solomons By Joe James Custer United Presn Stuff Correspondent ' With the United States Pacific Fleet, on the Way to Battle (U.R) (Delayed) The Pacific fleet i steaming to battle somewhere in the Pacific after a flaming dress rehearsal which almost knocked a tiny island off the map. It was plowing along, the destroyers out ahead of the mammoth ships which are the backbone of the Black Market Washington, Aug. 17 W) In vestigation into the charges of Higgins Industries, Inc., New Orleans shipbuilder, of a "black market" in steel has developed no evidence of black market ope rations "as the term is common ly understood in this country and England," the compliance branch of the war production board reported today. The branch, summarizing findings of a hastily-ordered in vestigation, said that Andrew J. Higgins, head of the firm, "pre sented no evidence that scarce material has been diverted from the war program., and all of the deliveries cited by Higgins were made pursuant to high-rated de fense orders." The inquiry did indicate, how ever, that some steel warehouses may have violated WPB quota regulations "in addition to the 32 penalized last spring in other cases," the branch declared. In addition, some deliveries of steel to the Higgins company ap peared to have been made at prices higher than the office of price administration ceilipg for warehouse sales, and others ap peared to have been evasions of OPA regulations in order to ob tain the premium price on lcss-than-carload deliveries, the WPB branch reported. These possi ble violations are now under in vestigation by OPA. Greek Patriots. Face Firing Squad London, Aug. 17 (IP) A num ber of Greek patriots on the is land of Crete who mistook Ger man parachute practice for a British invasion and tried to help by seizing Candia airdrome have paid with their lives; ac cording to reports reaching the Greek government in exile here today. Three hundred were said to have been arrested, and an un disclosed number shot. These reports said that fish ermen's stories of large ship movements off Crete prompted rumors that a British invasion flotilla was approaching the Is land and when the patriots saw German parachutists making practice jumps Ihcy assumed that the hour of liberation had come. iieet, wnen the reconnaisance planes roared over to make their report. V ly'JFor. , the pyjrposesof,iyie;,.e)ik hearsal, it was approaching its objective and the planes had scouted the enemy fleet dispo sitions and shore strength. Orders flashed through the gun stations and the range find ers went to work. The guns were trained. "Commence firing!" came the order. In an instant the great bat teries were sending their shells hurtling and whistling into space, straight on their object. The big guns roared again and again. The decks trembled un der the concussion. Individu ally and by batteries, the ships poured streams of destruction into the clear blue morning sky, shattering the slumbering calm of the Pacific. Orange flames spurted out of the gun muzzles and the fleet was enveloped in thick blankets of coal black smoke. The guns settled back. Great white puffs of smoke rose from the island upon which the tons of projectiles had crashed and exploded. The destroyers r.aced off, de ploying for their part of the ac tion. As they closed in, their shorter ranged guns joined and their whistling shells smashed on the target. . The bigger ships had moved in now to closer posi tions, and they thundered again. (Concluded on Poire 7, Column 7) Brazilian Ship Sunk With 700 Troops Buenos Aires, Aug. 17 (U.R) The newspaper Critica said to day that the 4,801-ton Brazilian freighter Baependy had been sunk off the Brazilian coast and: that between 700 and 1,000 Bra zilian troops went down with the' vessel. The newspaper reported thai: the Baependy, which belonged : to the Lloyd Brasilciro line and: was built in 1899, was serving asj a troop transport between coast-1 al points. I Twelve Brazilian ships previ ously had been attacked by axis submarines between February and July of this year. Ten were sunk, one was damaged and made port, and another still is missing. . . - Tillamook Logger Killed Tillamook, Aug. 17 IIP) A rolling log fatally crushed Ern est L, Robertson, 60, native of Rickreail but a resident here for 40- years, at the Stone logging camp Saturday. The widow, a son and a daughter survive. 1 i -3 i Sit J 5- 4 i..W Plane Output 3 Times Axis Cleveland. Auff. 17 (U.R) Am erican airplane production will be nearly three times that of the combined axis powers by next year, Representative Mar tin F. Smith (D Wash.) told the 44th national encampment of the United Spanish War Vet erans today. "By the end of next year, the control of the skies will hp soln- Uithe.Aandsofefluib.nlanes Smith said that recent nnval appropriation bill passed in con gress provided for the develop ment of a new secret weannn and the training of men in its use. "So closelv guarded is t li r navy's secret that only the naval aftairs committees of the house and senate have heard about it," he declared. Landings of JaDanese trnnns in the Aleutian islands is one phase of the war in which Amer icans, "particularly those nf ns who live in the far west," should be gravely concerned, he said. I call upon our commander-in-chief, our secrelarv of wnr and our secretary of the navy to take immediate steps to drive the Japanese out of the Aleu tian area," he said. Jennings Directs Coast War News San Francisco, Aug. 17 (IP) Dean Jennings, former San Francisco newsman, has been appointed regional director of the office of war information news and radio bureau here. Government war information originating in California, Wash ington, Oregon, Idaho, Nevada and Arizona will bo cleared through Jennings' office, there will be branch offices in Seattle, Los Angeles, Portland and Phoe nix. Demand Now Keen For Bean Pickers For the first lime this season the demand for bean pickers has caught up with the visible supply, it was announced nl the local office of the Oregon State employment service, South Cottage and Ferry streets. As a result those persons who have been hankering for a chance to sec how many beans they can strip from the vines In a day will have their curiosity gratified. If un able to locate a picking spot, pickers will bo sent to the most available producer if a call is made at the employment office. Pickers who wish to camp and those who prefer to travel back and forth morning and evening are desired. The peak of the harvest is approaching rapidly and during the next three weeks pickers will he In demand. At the employment office it was sold there were a number of yards where Ideal camping spots are available. One of these is Russians Hold New Nazi Drive On Stalingrad Supreme Effort Under way Reds Fall Back From Ruins of Maikop By Eddy Gllmorc Moscow, Aug. 17 (IP) The German offensive in the Don Bend flared to full force today in a powerful new drive toward Stalingrad while in the Cauca sus the Russians fell back from the ruins of the Maikop oil fields toward their next petrol eum producing area at Grozny. A Russian communique re ported a terrific toll of new nazi manpower and material thrown into the assault southeast of Klctzkaya and northeast of Ko telnikovski against the flanks of the fortified line guarding Stal ingrad. Battlcfront dispatches said the Germans rolled forward at tre mendous cost in the Letskaya salient, 75 miles northwest of Stalingrad, but were held firm ly at the Kotelnikovski flank, 95 miles southwest of Stalingrad, Oil Fields Blasted In the Caucasus, extending axis lines appeared checked on the Krasnodar flank where the Germans are . thrusting toward the port of Novorossisk, but they stretched ever farther to. the southeast along the rail and oil pipe line toward Grozny and the Caspian. ; . '.. : "The 'RusSinTisrr'epOi'tcd fight ing southeast of Mlneralnyo Vo dy, 140 miles from Grozny. In ackowlcdging the loss of Maikop, they snid that the valu able oil installations of that area which produced seven per cent of Russia's petroleum had been blasted to worthlessncss. No Soviet Oil for Nnzis "The German fascists, who ex pected with the capture of Mai kop to enrich themselves at the expense of soviet oil, have mis calculated" the communique said. "They did not gel soviet oil and will not get it." The Russians had plenty of time to destroy the oil installa tions at Maikop and nil official announcement that oil supplies had been removed and "oil establishments themselves made completely unusable" was taken here to mean that a typically thorough job of destruction had been performed. (The Germans claimed the capture of Maikop August 9.) Fighting Continues The great weight of numerical superiority, especially In me chanized equipment, was giving the German drive toward Groz ny its impetus as the red army continued to fall back to new lines southeast of Mincralnyc Vody, 140 miles from Grozny There was no indication of a stiffening of resistance although the midnight communique said the soviet forces "retreated to (Concluded on Phrc 7, Column Si the Herman Darley plantation of 98 acres in the West Stayton district. Darley has provided new tents, showers and lights. He will call for families and will return them to their homes at the conclusion of the harvest. All of the platoons arranged for earlier In the season arc op erating and while there is de mand for others It is improbable they will be formed. A survey of the help situation as it pertains to the early hops is being made today. A number of yards opened last week for early hop harvest and at least a dozen more started operations in the Independence district this morning. Churchill and Stalin Confer With Americans Moscow Meeting Pre sumably Discussed Third Front Wavell Present By Edward W. Bcattie London, Aug. 17 (U.R) Prime Minister Winston' Churchill, Premier Josef Stalin and Ameri can representatives have agreed in a Moscow conference td carry on "tins just war of liberation with all their power and energy" until a full' victory has been won, it was announced officially today. The Churchill party arrived in Moscow Wednesday, August 12, and departed Sunday morning. The announcement of the Brit ish ministry of information de clared that "a number of deci sions were reached covering the field of the war against" Ger many. Presumably these deci sions covered the vital questions of whether a second front will be opened against the nazis this year. Ilarrimnn Present Representing the United States at the Moscow conference presumably last week was W. Averill Harriman, United States lease-lend administrator. For three weeks the axis pro paganda radio has been carrying rumors that Churchill had gone to Moscow for. consultation, with Stalin, ..'' Hbwcver, tlie: Secrqt..o.f ... the meeting obviously was well kept. Only today the axis radio started out on a new lack, claim ing that Churchill who had been described last week as re turning from Moscow via Cairo had only arrived at the soviet capital a few days ago. The military nature of the dis cussions held and the decisions reached was emphasized by the participation of high war offi cials of both Britain and Russia. Generals Present On the British side were Gen. Sir Alan Brooke, chief of the imperial general staff and Gen. Sir Archibald Wavell, British commander-in-chief in India. On the Russian side was Mar shal Klcmcnti Voroshilov, vet eran leader of the red army. No hint of the nature of the specific decisions reached at Moscow was contained in the of ficial announcement. But it was obvious that the entire field"" of the war had been scanned. Presumably the British and Russian leaders carefully exam ined the red army's ability to continue to hold the German forces at bay and all measures (Concluded on Tagc 8, Column 4) Doolittlein Great Britain London, Aug. 17 (Pi T h 6 presence here of Brig. Gen. James H. Doolittle, who led the United States army air force bombers in the attack on Japan last April 18, was disclosed for publication today. He has been hero ten days, and is expected to return to the United Stales soon. Doolittle, it was indicated au thoritatively, will not be at- tached permanently to the Am erican air command in the Eur opean theatre. This was his second special wartime mission to Britain. He came here in 1941, before the United States entered the- war, as a member of a mission head ed by Lieut. Gen. George Brett, now Gen. Douglas MacArthur's air chief in the southwest Pa cific. Doolittlc's arrival was a tight ly guarded secret until after he had conferred with MaJ. Gen. Carl Spaalz, commander-in-chief of United States air froc es in the European theatre, and his second in command, Brig. Gen. Ira C. Enkcr. Ho also made a three-day tour of American air bases In Britain.