I.
apitalMjoBraall
Endc4 Salem, Oregon R H EM . fS Wednesd - :
Buy War Bonds
Keep 'Em Flying
54th Year, No. 203 natter t Salem. Oregon
Price Five Cents
More Jap Snips Hit on Solomon's
Battle
oRoosevelf io
Make 3 Major
Radio Speeches
Anti-Inflation Address
Scheduled for
nhnr Dnv
.
Washington, Aug. 26 VP)
President Roosevelt today sched
uled two additional major radio
addresses, one of which, on Sep
tember 3, will be addressed to
the youth of the entire world.
The other, to be delivered Au
gust 31, will be made at the ded
ication of the new navy medical
center in suburban Bethesda,
Md., on the 100th anniversary of
the founding of the navy's bur
eau of medicine and surgery
The White House disclosed
also that a forthcoming presi
dential speech centering on the
problem of spiraling living costs
and inflation probably would
be on Labor day. Mr. Roosevelt
had said yesterday he expected,
on, before or after Labor day
to send congress a message and
make a radio address to the
country on a plan now being
evolved to combat inflation.
World Wide Broadcast
The September 3 speech will
take place at 9:30 a. m., Pacific
war time, and the immediate
audience will be an assembly of
the international students serv
ice here, including students from
all of the United Nations. "
Stephen., Early, . yresidentid
k secretary, 'said:' , f ' , "
" "The : president 'will '' speak
through this assembly to the
youth of the world everywhere,
in United Nations and enemy
countries, too, if they can be
reached, emphasizing the duties,
responsibilities and opportuni
ties of youth in the days of war
and in the days of peace that
will follow."
Ships to Tune In
Early said an effort would be
made through the army, navy
and office of war information,
to complete arrangements for
men on naval and coast guard
vessels and men in military
camps, wherever they may be,
to hear the chief executive's
talk.
The August 31 address, which
will be about 10 minutes long,
Early said, is set for about 1:30
p. m. Pacific war time. The navy
will arrange for the program to
reach navy units and hospitals
) at stations all over the world
where representatives of the
bureau of medicine and surgery
are on duty.
(Concluded on pngc 12, column 4)
Secret Weapon
To Blast Nazis
London, Aug. 26 VP) The
head of the United Sttes army
ordnance mission said today the
British and Americans both were
producing a secret weapon which
would prove "a great surprise"
to the Germans.
The ordnance chief is Brig
Gen. G. M. Barnes.
f Speaking after a tour of Brit
ish munitions factories, he de
clared that United States and
British armament production
was sufficient both in quality
and quantity for "the support of
a full-sized army in any enter
prise.
General Barnes said some of
the new British weapons now in
production were "real eye-open
ers."
The general, 56, is chief of the
U.S. war department design sec
tion and an expert on the design
and manufacture of heavy ord
nance, particularly anti-aircraft
guns. He arrived in London re
cently at the head of a technical
mission to work with the British
in correlating allied fighting ma
terial. ,
He pointed out that the nature
of his work, concerned chiefly
with developing advanced types
of munitions, must be secret, but
declared neither the British nor
Americans had to concede "any
superiority to the Germans In
qualitative weapons." ,
Duke of Kent
Axis Base at
Dakar, Africa
(By the United Press)
A sudden splurge of axis prop
aganda interest in Dakar today
aroused suspicion that Germany
may be taking the first moves in
a campaign to bring the vital
West African base under nazi
control.
Both the Berlin and Rome
radios broadcast a series of
rumors that American or allied
action against Dakar is immi
nent. Other propaganda dis
patches claimed that an invasion
of Tunisia or a move against
French Guiana is in prospect,
The propaganda drive was
keyed to Brazil's entry into the
war and axis sources repeatedly
noted that Dakar lies only 1,715
sea miles across the south Atlan
tic from the Brazilian bulge.
' The first1 'feelers 'came-'lrom
Germany Tuesday, with the
Dakar action "report." The
United Press reported from
Vichy today that such, rumors
had been current for 24 hours,
but authorized Vichy sources
said that "we have absolutely
no knowledge here of any such
attack," adding that weather in
West Africa is unfavorable at
present.
Italians Fear
Southern Front
Bern, Switzerland, Aug. 26 (IP)
The Rome correspondent of
the Tribune De Geneve said to
day that reports of allied con
centrations of transports and
warships at Gibraltar and west
African ports were current in
Italy, where they were interpret
ed as possible preparations for
opening a second front.
The correspondent said that
"these considerable concentra
tions," according to views held
in Rome, might be intended as
reinforcements for Atlantic con
voys, "but it is also thought pos
sible that they are destined for
use in a surprise attack in the
Mediterranean basin similar to
that at Dieppe."
The correspondent said Itali
ans are pointing to French Tu
nisia as "the most exposed point'
in the Mediterranean and assert
ing that Anglo-Saxon enter
prises against French possessions
have succeeded very well." (The
reference presumably is to the
occupation of Syria).
Pickers Still Needed
In Parts of Valley
Unless conditions change radically within the next few days,
it is probable it will not be necessary to call upon a wholesale
exodus from the city into the bean and hop yards, W. H. Baillie,
manager ot tne local u. s. em-
ployment service stated today,
although admitting that there is
still room for pickers in all parts
of the central valley.
!'We have not been behind the
eight ball at any time and pro
spects are right now that we will
not be during the present har
vest season," Baillie added. He
spoke highly of the cooperation
received from growers and from
citizens of Salem and other com
munities who have responded to
the call for harvest hands. The
turn to cooler weather has slow
ed the growth of the beans some
what, permitting the pickers to
pull up even with the situation."
Britain Mourns
Duke of Kent's
Death in Crash
Brother of King Killed in
Smash of Flying Boat in
Scotland Hills
London, Aug. 26 VP) All
Britain; where the grievous
message "killed on active ser
vice" has darkened countless
households, offered understand
ing sympathy today to the royal
family, bereaved by the death
of the Duke of Kent, King
George's youngest brother, on a
wartime mission.
The Duke, fifth in order of
succession to the throne, died in
the line of duty yesterday when
the Sunderland flying boat
which was taking him to Ice
land for the RAF crashed in
northern Scotland.
Circumstances surrou n d i n g
the crash of the four-engined,
20-lon flying boa' were held in
strict secrecy but an authorita
tive source said it was in no way
due to enemy action.
Crashes Mountain
The plane was believed to
have crashed against a moun
tain. The lord chamberlain an
nounce'l that by command of the
king the court would remain in
mourning four weeks. The fun
eral is expected to be private.
Fourteen of the persons in the
plane were killed.and 'heir bod
ies recovered. The only survi
vor was the rear gunner.
Among those in the plane was
Michael Slrutt, the Duke's aide
and son of Lord Belper.
The body of the Duke, who
was the first member of the
British royal family to be killed
in an airplane and its first to
become a fatality of war in a
century, was to be brought to
London later.
Investigation Launched
An air ministry investigation
has been launched into the crash,
which occurred in desolate
country about 60 miles from the
takeoff. Press reports said it
was in an area where other
planes have been wrecked. Semi
official sources emphasized that
the pilot was one of the most
capable in the RAF.
The 39-yea--old youngest son
of Queen Mary and the late
King George VI was the most
air-minded of all the royal fam
ily. The marriage of the Duke of
Kent to beautiful Princess Mar
ina of Greece in 1934 was one
of the most resplendent royal
occasions of the century. They
had three childron,s Prince Ed
ward, 6; Princess Alexandra, 5,
and Prince George, who was
born last July 4 and bears the
name of Franklin for President
Roosevelt, his godfather.
Relatives Notified
As soon as news of Kent's
death was telephoned to King
George and Queen Elizabeth at
one of their summer palaces, the
king sent a special messenger to
break it to the duchess at her
simple Buckinghamshire house,
(Concluded on page 12, column 81
While the bean harvest has
been slowed by the lower tem
peratures, pickers continue to
make good wages with the pla
toon groups showing up excep
tionally well in this department.
Establishment of a new labor
camp three miles cast of Turner
and between Aumsvillc and
Stayton and which will accom
modate 100 more bean and hop
pickers was reported today. The
camp is provided with floored
tents, beds, water and sanitary
facilities. Each family group is
asked to work two hours weekly
in keeping the camp clean. .
Ambassador Grew Returns from Tokyo U. S. Ambassador Joseph C. Grew (right, cen
ter)', home from Tokyo, was surrounded by newsmen as he left the diplomatic exchange
ship Gripsholm at Jersey City, N. J., shortly after the ship ended its trip from East Africa,
where the Americans were exchanged for Japs. Associated Press Photo.
Prison Flax Fire
Held Incendiary
mS .
. Fh-e that late yesterday destroyed the second flax shed
five days at the state penitentiary, together with 900 tons of flax
straw, was followed by an order from the state board of control
today for a 'Complete investigation into the two fi'rrjs. "The first
fii?e,'iast Friday, ' burne'ei; a shed and about 25 tons "of sH.r'aw.' "The
Claim Japanese
Supremacy Lost
London, Aug. . 26 (U.R) The
London Star reported from Syd
ney today that reports from the
Solomon islands battle "show
very clearly that Japan has fin
ally lost naval supremacy in the
southwest Pacific."
The Star reported that it could
be assumed that the main fleets
of both the United States and
Japan are massing for a decisive
showdown in the Solomons area.
The battle, it suggested, may
be "so big that the future may
show it to have been another
Jutland."
The German radio carried
report, heard here, that an
American cruiser had been lost
in the Solomons and that a Jap
ancse cruiser had suffered dam
age but still was in action.
British Attack
Axis in Desert
Cairo, Aug. 26 (U.R) The Bri
tish imperial army broke the
long lull in desert fighting west
of El Alamein today with a hea
vy attack on the center of the
line that followed an intense ar
tillery barrage.
The attack, which may be the
opening blow in the new battle
for Egypt and the Suez, was
spearheaded by New Zealand
Maoris whose charge terrified
the Italians of the Bologna divi
sion, holding the center of the
axis line.
Cairo, Aug. 26 (U.R) Tension
in the western desert was re
ported growing '.ntiay with move
ment of German armored forces
in the southern sector noted by
British observers.
British sources believed that
at any moment Marshal Erwln
Rommel may launch a new of
fensive against the British des
ert lines.
In the northern area of the
'front, observers spotted Italian
troops concentrating and ap
parently carrying out similar
tactical preparations to those
which occurred before the last
axis push started.
Air action was reported in
creasing steadily with German
night air attacks n the battle
area having resumed.
One Junkers 88 v. as shot down
by a New Zealand pilot, bring
ing the bag of his squadron to
268,
combined loss in the two fires is
estimated at $66,500, or $6,500
in the first and $60,000 in the
second.
Members of the slate board
were of the opinion at today's
meeting that the fires were of
incendiary origin. Warden
George Alexander said he did
not know how they started
The two prison fires are only
part of the flax industry loss by
fire this summer. Early yes
terday a fire at the Harrisburg
plant in Linn county destroyed
two buildings with a loss of
j about $25,000. Other fires have
occurred at Eugene and Silver
ton.
The Salem fire department
kept streams from the prison
millrace playing on the fire yes
terday until far into the night
and prevented spread to other
buildings. Five more sheds re
main on the prison premises.
In today's inquiry Warden Al
exander said that 13 convicts
were in the shed a half hour be
fore the fire started, but that
none of the 13 was in the shed
that burned last Friday. He said
it would have been possible for
one of the 13 to have started
yesterday's fire, but that it was
obvious that the same man
could not have started both. The
board told the warden to pro
hibit smoking by convicts and
guards working about the flax
sheds.
The theory that the Jircs were
started with matches or burning
cigarettes by a convict momen
tarily out of sight of guards was
considered most plausible. The
mystery was deepened by the
fact that- both fires started 15
or 20 minutes after the gun
gangs had been returned to their
cells.
American Nurses
Club in London
London, Aug. 28 VP) The first
of seven clubs for United States
army nurses on leave in Lon
don was opened today with a
speech by Mrs. Winston Chur
chill, who expressed hope that
"the furnace of war will forge a
strong, live friendship" between
Britai. and the United States.
The club, which was organiz
ed largely through the efforts
of Mrs. Anthony J. Drexcl Bid
die, wife of the United States
envoy to several of the exiled
allied governments in London,
was accepted formally on behalf
of the army by the chief surgeon
in the European theatre, Colonel
Paul R, Hawloy. College Corners,
Ohio.
IChinese Attack
Chuhsien Base
Chungking, Aug. 26 VP)
Chungking, Aug. 26 VP) The
counter-attacking Chinese have
occupied a point four and one
half . miles from Chuhsien and
tnow are. developing a "concerted
attack" on that strategic Che
Ikiang provincial city from which
Japan could be bombed, the Chi
nese high command announced
tonight.
Chuhsien is the site of the big
gest air field in China, built by
the labor of 200,000 coolies.
The Chinese attack upon it ex
tends the Chinese grasp upon the
Chckiang-Kiangsi railway to
about 165 miles, 40 of them in
coastal Chekiang in a thrust from
the west, the remainder in Ki
angsi in drives from both cast
and west.
At one point in the present
campaign the Japanese held the
entire railway briefly.
The Japanese today were re
ported to be still drawing their
forces toward Nanchang, their
big invasion base in northern Ki
angsi province, following Chi
nese recapture of Tungsiang, 50
miles to the southeast.
Tungsiang, which Chinese re
ports said was rcoccuplcd Mon
day, became the lllh important
point in cast China regained by
the Chinese in the one week
since the invasion tide began re
ceding in that area.
Like Shangjao, the first In be
wrenched from Japanese control,
Tungsiang is a railroad center.
Local Will Forego
Labor Day Lay-off
Aberdeen, Wash., Aug. 28 (U.R)
A decision to forego the Labor
day holiday this year because
of the war was announced yes
terday by TWA Local No. 2
through its president, Jack Win
trip. Shattering
By Mac A rthurs Fliers
Gen. MacArthur's Headquarters, Australia, Aug. 26 (U.R) Al
lied planus of Gen. Duuglus MacArthur's command, in a blazing day
of action 700 miles west ot the southern Solomons, have made
shnttprintr flllnrUs nn n .Inn-
ancse convoy and three big cne -
my bases, it was announced, to -
day.
Sighting the enemy reinforce-1
mont convoy, apparently includ
ing troop carriers off the tiny
Tobriand Islands, 210 miles cast
ot the new Japanese base in the
Gona-Buna area of New Guinea,
allied bombers sank one gunboat
by direct bomb hits and heavily
damaged two transports with
gun fire,
Forcing their way over the
dangerous Owen Stanley moun
tains of New Guinea through
sleet-like rain, allied fighter
planes made two surprise at
tacks on the Gona-Buna base.
3 Nazi Panzers
Closing in On
Stalingrad
A L" f'.t... L J
Mpproacninq v-iry irum jt
Directions One Drive
Halted Menace Grows
London, Aug. 26 (U.R) The
Moscow radio tonight reported
that Soviet troops have broken
through German defense posi
tions in the Kalinin sector north
west of Moscow.
Moscow, Aug. 26 (U.R) A Ger
man battle force of 750,000 men,
spear' ded by an estimated 25
armored divisions, was reported
today closing in on Stalingrad
from three directions, despite
fierce Soviet reristance.
Soviet reports placed nazi ad
vance guards less than 40 miles
from Stalingrad due west of the
vital Volga river industrial and
communications center!
Front-line dispatches said the
Germans are approaching Stalin
grad from the northwest, west
and southwest with crushing
pressure that is crowding the
Soviet defenders into an ever
narrowing defensive front.
One of the dangerous nazi
thrusts that moving down on
Stalingrad from the northwest
was said to have been checked,
at least temporarily, but there
was on indication that the Ger
man push was losing any ot its
momentum.-- '! V .
"The Germans were placed at
about 75 miles northwest of
Stalingrad, and 85 miles south
west of the city, in addition to
the deep penetration due west
of Stalingrad.
Fighting was r-.id to be rag
ing over a rectangular front area
about 105 miles long and 40
miles wide between the Don, the
Stalingrad-Novorossisk railroad
and the Volga.
The task of the forces defend
ing Stalingrad, it was said, was
made more difficult by the lack
of good communications. Three
railroads radiating from Stalin
grad have been cut, and traffic
on the remaining lines is ham
pered by German air attacks.
The situation grew more grave
by the hour. German planes
bombed Stalingrad, a city of
290,000 people, in waves, trying
to reduce it to the rubble and
ashes in which they had left the
Crimean fortress city of Sevas
topol.
Claim City Burning
(The Italian radio said Stalin
grad was burning after the heav
iest German air attacks. "Num
erous buildings In Ihe city have
boon destroyed afler repeated
hits and arc fiercely burning,"
it said. "The central railway
station is aflame.")
Gorman losses were fearful,
but it was not doubted that they
would pour more men, more
tanks, and more planes across
the great bend of the river Don
in an effort to take one of Adolf
Hitler's most coveted objectives.
Ihe Soviet noon communique
gave few details of the critical
fighting.
A ttacks
1 J,,st sou,h of Bl,na' 0,1 11,0
1 n"r'h Nc,w Gui"ea coasl' MicA
..htcr planes destroyed a iium-
r ui eiiL-my supply uiirxus ana
1'ig
b i'h.
Rea
store of supplies on the
eavy bombers, probably fly
ing fortresses, dropped eight
tons of high explosive and in
cendiary bombs on runways,
hangars, plane dispersal areas
and seaplane bases of the two
big Japanese bases ot Rabaul
and Gammata, on New Britain
island northeast of New Guinea
and north of the Tobriands.
In a raid on Timor island in
the northwest Australian zone,
MacArthur's planes started fires
among enemy lrf'nllat's.
Results So Far
Encouraging
To Americans
Total of 13 Jap Ships and
33 Warplanes Smashed
One Force Withdrawn
Washington, Aug. 26 (U.R) The
navy announced today that
American airmen had raised to
13 the number of Japanese ships
hit in the renewed battle of the
Solomon islands and that one of
the attacking enemy forces was
forced to withdraw.
Revealing mat six more Jap
anese ships two destroyers and
four unidentified vessels had
been hit, the navy also said that
12 more Nipponese planes had
been shot down. This raised the
enemy's aircraft losses to 33.
Explaining that it was still
too early to estimate the out
come of the battle in which the
Japanese are attempting to re
take the islands, the navy said
the results "are encouraging so
far" for the Americans.
Guadalcanal Base
The communique r e v e al e d
that American fighter planes
were stationed at Guadalcanal,
apparently making use of Jap
anese facilities which were on
the island when it was seized by
American leathernecks.
The navy stressed that while
it was "still too early", to est!- -,
mate the probable outcome of
the big engagement "tlie results;
to date, of the battle for reten
tion of our foothold in the south
eastern Solomons are encourag
ing." No mention was made of pos
sible large enemy air reinforce
ments, such as had been report
ed by the German radio today,
and from the tone of the com
munique it appeared plain that
the Americans were giving a su
perb oerformance in the air.
'lt of Communique
Text of navy communique No.
112, as of 2 p. m. EWT today:
"South Pacific.
"1. It is still too early lp esti
mate the outcome of the battle
at sea being fought off the Solo
mon islands, but reports to date
reveal that our forces at Gua
dalcanal arc holding their posi
tions in the face of strong enepiy
thrusts and in each action hav
infliqtcd heavy damage on the
attacking Japanese forces.
"2. During the previously re
ported shelling of Guadalcanal
island on the night of August 23
24 (Washington date) our dive
bombers damaged an enemy de
stroyer. ' :
(Concluded on pane 11, column 8)
Repatriates
Being Quizzed
Jersey City, N. J., Aug. 26 VP)
Government officials an
nounced today that about 150
passengers among the more than
1,400 repatriates aboard the dip
lomatic liner Gripsholm had
been taken to Ellis island for
questioning.
While there was no official
comment on the reason for this,
ostensibly it was because offi
cials had found their papers un
satisfactory or wished to ques
tion them more intensively.
The U. S. immigration station
is on Ellis island and it is there
that enemy alien hearings are
conducted. There was the pos
sibility that some might have
been transferred there because
of illness, since there Is also a
government hospital on the is
land. Until last midnight about 300
passengers including all of the
American diplomats had been
disembarked, but by 10 a. m. to
day only abut four or five more
had left the ship and a customs
official said it would take sev
eral more days to clear all the
passengers who were brought
here from the Orient in ex
change for Japanese and Thai
nationals in this country.