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About Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1919-1980 | View Entire Issue (Sept. 7, 1942)
E0 fl Monday, September 7, 1942 54th Year, No. 213 (stand u teeond olu natter t 8lem Oregon Salem, Oregon Price Five Cents Demands Congress :A& Inflation -- n ih : I ii FDR War Workers Keep on Job On Labor Day Full Schedules Main tained Many Donate Earnings to Buy Bonds fBy the United Press) America, the arsenal of demo cracy, beat Its plowshares into weapons today on its first war time Labor day in 24 years. Workers in vital war produc tion plants maintained full sche dules in turning out the mach ines to fight the axis and, in many cases, donated their earn ings to buy war bonds. A total of 150 naval ships and 16 merchant vessels will be launched or have their keels laid on the Atlantic, Pacific, the Gulf and the Great Lakes. The ships included an unspecified num ber of destroyers, submarine chasers, torpedo , boats, mine sweepers and others. Traffic Reduced Only white collar workers, clerks and state and municipal employes and workers in plants ahead of schedule or hamper ed by raw material shortages took a holiday in the customary American manner. Nearly ev eryone, however, had time to lis ten to one of the many addresses by political and labor leaders most of whom spoke on the theme, "Free Labor Will Win." The holiday spirit was tern- pered more by the "work as us ual" rule. Rubber shortages and gasoline rationing in the east was expected to reduce the nor mal traffic death toll. Most Significant Day President Roosevelt, who not ed that "there has never been a labor day as significant as this one," praised the working peo ple of the nation "for the ener gy and devotion with which they have met the demands of the present crisis." He predicted stormy days ahead, but said: "We are certain to be asked for sacrifices. These may be sacrifices of wages increases, crop price increases, profit in creases, bodily comforts. All . this is little enough for free men to sacrifice in a world where freedom is imperiled." Labor Leaders Talk Presidents William Green of the American Federation of La bor and Philip Murray of the Congress of Industrial Organ izations both expressed pride in labor's record in radio addresses last night. "We need no longer pledge that free labor will outproduce slave labor," Green said. "The workers of America actually are doing it." "We can never be satisfied," said Murray, "until we have pro duced the last tank, the last war- plane, the last warship and the last gun that we must have to crush the axis." Half a Ship Brought To Australian Port Melbourne, Australia, Sept. 7 flj.R) Ten heavy bombing planes worth . upwards of $175,000 apiece, 12,000 tons of war ma terial and 1,000 tons of fuel oil have arrived at an Australian port, and in their wake came one half of the American freight er which brought them to Aus tralia only to be wrecked. - Australian soldiers with sea faring or stevedoring experience did the job, one of the biggest salvage operations of the war. The ship broke in halves when it went on the rocks, and the halves were 200 feet apart. The 200 soldiers went aboard, lived on the forward section, emptied both halves and brought one half of the ship to port. No Americans Killed Cairo, Sept. 7 U.R American army headquarters confirmed to day that no Americans were kill ed in recent tank battles on the Egyptian desert. Some were wounded slightly. Americans Stage Daylight Bombing Raid Flying Fortresses Follow Up Yesterday's Smash ing of Duisburg London, Sept. 7 VP) American flying fortresses bombed ship yards at Rotterdam and railway yards at Utrecht in Holland to day, it was announced tonight. London, Sept, 7 VP) Flying fortresses escorted by aircraft of the fighter command operated over enemy-occupied territory this morning, it was authorita tively reported late today. The fortresses presumably were man ned by Americans. The heavily-armored, four motored bombers crossed the English coast, heading toward German positions on the conti nent, in broad daylight, continu ing an offensive which has sharp ly challenged German air fight ing forces. The enemy was reported to be bending every effort to crack down on the fortresses because of the remarkable success they have had. Fortresses Targets "Aside from the fact that the precision bombing of the fort resses is causing heavy damage," said an authoritative source, "Goering cannot allow the leg end of invincibility to grow up around them without severely damaging the morale of the luft- waffe. ; . . "That's why they are making every attempt to block the Am erican raids." . ;The United States army air forces staged their greatest day light raids on nazi-occupied France yesterday and by night the RAF smashed at Duisburg, Germany's great inland port at the junction of the Ruhr and Rhine rivers, and elsewhere in the industrial Ruhr. Two Fortresses Lost For the first time in nine day light raids against the continent, the American squadrons of fly ing fortresses returned with gaps in their ranks for two of the bombers were missing. " In the succeeding night raids, the British reported eight of their aircraft were missing. A ninth RAF craft was lost in to day's operations, - Duisburg is a great industrial city, with large metallurgical manufacturing plants; a center for the shipment of coal, and a hub of railway as well as water traffic. . The blow against it and the nearby Ruhr area was the fifth against Germany by the RAF in the first six nights of this month. Night Air Raid (Concluded on page 10, column 5) Highest Mark in Four Years at County Jail Population of the county jail reached the highest mark for four years today following rushing business over the week-end and in spite of the fact that four men were removed from the jail roster last week and sent to the state penitentiary. Largest single accession of the week-end were three men brqught from Oregon City Sun day by Sheriff Burk and held under a charge of using profane language as result of an alleged fracas at a Woodburn auto camp about 3:30 Saturday morning. The auto camp proprietor told officers that the men showed up at the early hour and asked for a cabin which he was preparing for them when they , became noisy and disorderly, awoke some of the guests at the camp, and when told to leave refused to go. As a result trouble start ed and the men left, it was stat ed, after the proprietor allegedly broke a hoe handle on one of them. They were booked as James Smith, Jack Kenworthy and Tom Brown. Harvey Sullivan, Portland. was left at the jail by state police after bis arrest at the Oregon 'Railroads To Abandon Branch Lines Vale.-Ore.. SeDt. 7 (U.R) Mass ahnnrlnnment of many branch line railroads and seldom-used spurs throughout the northwest was hinted here today after haarinf: nn arirjlications bv the Union Pacific Railroad to dis continue operation of the Vale Brogan branch line. Union Pacific Attorney R. C. Collins told members of the in terstate commerce commission that surveys were being made preliminary to possible aband onment of from 50 to 75 little used routes in Oregon, Idaho and other states. Collins said the Dumose was two-fold, mainly to "fill war ag pnnv renuests for all available steel from salvaged rails," with the secondary issue concerning abolition of routes failing to pay their upkeep. Cuba Signs Pact With U. S. Washington, Sept. 7 (IP) Cuba and the United States signed to day a military and naval agree ment coordinating special meas ures which have been taken by the two countries since the be ginning of the war. Details were withheld for rea sons of military security. A state department announcement ex plained that it "outlines the re spective responsibilities of the armed forces of the two coun- "tries' in ' the zone: affected' and provides for coordination of their efforts and complete cooperation on the basis of reciprocity." ' It was further explained that the agreement would facilitate, for the duration of the war, new measures of' military and naval security by the respective armed forces as necessity arises and without the heed for individual negotiations in each case, The agreement was signed in Havana by United States Am bassador Spruille Braden and the Cuban minisster of state. Cuba is one of the 12 American repub lies now at war with the axis. Wadsworth Offers Youth Draff Bill Washington, Sept. 7 (IP) Sen ator Wadsworth (R., N.Y.), co author of the original selective service act, introduced legisla tion today to lbwer the draft age to 18 years, ( two years below the existing minimum. ' The measure would permit any youths drafted during the last half of a school year to be deferred until the end of the academic year. It would not alter the present maximum draft age, 45 years. Hop Ranch on a reckless driving charge. Lynn Povee was brought from Silverton by Deputy Sheriff Young after Povee's arrest on a reckless driving charge. He gave his home as Portland. E. A. Woosley of Stayton was arrested by Deputy Sheriff Young on an NSF check charge The deputy sheriff stated Woos ley came from Independence to the courthouse here on his own volition. Robert M. Duncan was releas ed Sunday until Tuesday morn ing at 10 o'clock on order of Judge McMahan and under $100 bond on a larceny charge and a $50 bond on a charge of using profane language. He is to re port back at 10 o'clock Tuesday. Louis Brynan Bauman was arrested by the state police on a warrant out of Woodburn jus lice court charging him with threatening to commit a felony. 3 Jap Planes Lost in Attack On Solomons Positions on Guadalcanal Raided Fighting Con tinues in New Guinea Washington, Sept. 7 UP) The navy announced today that American fighter planes in the Solomon Islands shot down two enemy bombers and one enemy fighter last Saturday when the Japanese attacked American po sitions on Guadalcanal and suc ceeded in inflicting "minor dam age." The attack was the latest in a long series, of Japanese air raids on the American-held Guadal- canal-Tulagi area and the enemy's losses in this case raised to at least 122 the total plane losses; he has suffered there since the marine-navy invasion of the area started a month ago today. The navy gave no other de- of the latest air attack. Japs Forces Straffed Gen. MacArthur s headquar ters, Australia, Sept 7 U.R Swift allied fighter planes car rying 1 small bombs swooped down on Japanese positions in the., jungles south of Kokoda three times yesterday, spraying machinegun bullets and bomb fragments- among enemy units threatening the .allied base at Port Moresby; 60 miles to the west.- 'L Allied ground forces, fighting the Japanese in these jungles of southeastern New Guinea, have frustrated all' their attempts to break through to a pass in the Owen Stanley Mountain range which would lead them to Port Moresby. No new developments in the ground fighting were re ported. Like Game Hunting Soldiers returning from the Kokoda region said the fighting there was a grim game of hunt ing an enemy seldom seen and being fired upon by Japanese snipers so perfectly camouflaged they blended into the jungle scene. The allied planes were not opposed in the strafing expedi tions over Kokoda yesterday, it was said. Heavy allied bombers attack ed a Japanese cargo ship off the southeast coast of New Guinea, but the results of the attack were not known. The vessel may have been trying to take sup plies to Japanese troops in New Guinea. Other fronts under Gen. Mac- Arthur's command were quiet, but Australians at Milne Bay continued their dangerous task of mopping up remnants of Japanese invasion forces which walked into an ambush there. Yon Bismarck Killed in Action Cairo, Egypt, Sept. 7 (U.R) Maj. Gen. George von Bismarck, commander of the crack Gorman 21st tank division, has been kill ed in action on the Egyptian front in the fighting which re sulted in the defeat of Field Marshal Erwin Rommel in the first phase of the fall offensive, German prisoners said today. He was a first cousin of Prince Bismarck, founder of the mod ern German empire. He took over the 21st Ger man armored division, one of the two German panzer corps on the African front, when its former commander, Gen. Ravenstein, was taken prisoner in Libya months ago, . Employes Against CIO Affiliation Sweet Home, Sept. 7 VP) Mc Dowell Creek Logging company employes will remain without union affiliation, John E. Hed- trick, NLRB representative, said Saturday. He said the employes had voted by a substantial margin not to join the CIO. 1 JfrV""' , t llp-l Jplp dpj Patrol Has Narrow Escape An enemy shell bursts near a Bren gun carrier in this British official photograph from the southern sector of the Egyptian battle front. This picture was radioed to New York from Cairo. (Associ ated Press Photo). Rommel A t Starting Point Cairo, Sept. 7 VP) The confident push which Field Marshal Erwin Rommel launched a week, ago with the apparent hope of reaching Cairo within a week';Jifis ended with his axis armies beaten back to their starting point under a series of heavy allied blows by land and by air. Behind them the axis forces left the desert strewn with wrecked- tanks and transport vehicles losses which; pt)ser,yers said.ft!j-. aay naa so crippiea; itommers striking power '"(hat -lie would' have to pause and reorganize before striking again. Throughout yesterday, a Bri tish communique said today, British mobile forces continued to harass the withdrawing enemy troops and slashed at the few tank units still remaining with in the allied minefields. A slight increase in air activ ity was noted, but there was no mention of large scale action. The immediate threat to the Nile valley thus appeared to be dissipated for the moment, though military quarters warn ed that the decisive battle on which the ultimate fate of Egypt may hinge is still to be fought. There was no question here, however, that Rommel had thrown his full strength into the offensive in an attempt to crush the British eighth army which had been augmented on the ground by U. S. army tank for ces. Launch 16 Ships In Northwest (Br the Assoclnled Press) Joining with shipyards throughout the nation in a mass launching of boats that will see a total of 174 new ships go down the ways and the keels of 49 others laid today, Oregon and Washington shipyards will launch 16 ships and lay the keels of four others. The vessels and the place of launching include: ' Oregon: launchings two sub chasers, one liberty, ship, at Portland. Keels two subchas ers, two sca-going tugs, at Port land, Washington: launchings eight unspecified craft, at Seattle, Ta coma and Bcllingham; one naval tanker, one escort carrier, one minesweeper, at Tacoma; one destroyer, one wooden cargo barge, at Seattle. 7 Axis Ships Sunk In Mediterranean Headquarters, Mediterranean Fleet, Sept. 7 (U.R) Rear Admiral Sir Henry Harwood, commander in chief of tho British Mediter ranean fleet, said today that Bri tish submarines were taking a heavy toll In raids on axis supply lines to the Egyptian desert. Seven axis -merchantmen, five of them large, have been sunk and five others damaged, he said. Back Burgess Quits ; Police Force After over 14 years of service as a Salem police officer, during which time he has has exper ience in all phases of police ac tivity, Officer Lou Burgess has resigned and will leave the de partment when he goes off duty today. He has secured a position with the Titus Electric company, Portland contractors. His work, for' a time at least, will be in Salem. In 1836 Burgess was selected by Chief Frank B. Minto to at tend the school of the . federal bureau of investigation in Wash ington, D. C, and graduated from' that school. His most recent service on tho Salem police force has been as day desk sergeant. He will be succeeded at that post by Claude Litchfield and Officer William Overgard will take over tho night patrol vacated by Litch field. How the personnel vacancy created in- the department by Burgess' resignation will be filled has not been determined. The civil service eligibility list is exhausted, and the latest effort to call a civil service examina tion was cancelled because of lack of applicants, due to the pay possibilities offered by war industries. Major Points in President's Message ; Washington, Sept. 7 (U.R) Major points In President Roose velt's antl-inflatlon message to congress: Congress must pass legislation by Oct. 1 to put lower ceilings on farm and food prices or the president will take action himself. He will stabilize wages by executive action at the same time that farm prices are stabi lized. Nature of this stabilization not stated. Unless action is taken, the ac tual cost of food and clothing cannot be held down to approx imately the present level beyond October 1. Existing restrictions upon es tablished price ceilings for farm products provide "fuel for fires of resentment against farmers as a favored class." Congressional delay in enact ing an adequate tax program and a law permitting fixing of farm price ceilings at parity "has now reached the point of danger to our whole economy." If cost of living continues to Germans Again Driven Back At Stalingrad Soviet Defenses Hold In 72 Hour Attack by 750,000 Nazis By Henry Shapiro Moscow, Sept. 7 (U.R) Soviet defenses on the near southwest approaches of Stalingrad and the Volga river line quaked today beneath the pounding of 1500 German dive bombers and fight er planes and tanks assaulting in herds of hundreds. The Germans had not advanc ed in 72 hours against the gal lant defense of Russian soldiers, marines and a people's army. But huge German reinforce ments of planes, tanks and in fantry, after 60 hours of contin uous, costly assaults, finally made another penetration of So viet lines on the southwest. Germans Outflanked The noon communique said, however, that the Germans had been outflanked, and forced to retreat, restoring Russian lines to their original position. Perhaps 750,000 Germans were assaulting on the southwest and northwest approaches to Stalingrad, and front-line dis patches said the almost unpreci dented liberality with which the enemy was using planes and tanks indicated that he believed the battle was in its last round. -i On " the --northwest approach, the Russians struck back vio lently and improved their posi tions. To Knock Out Artillery The German strategy south west of Stalingrad now was to knock out Soviet artillery, the backbone of the defense. To this end they attacked more fre quently than ever before with planes and tanks. They were es timated to have increased their dive bomber and fighter strength on this sector to 1500, the great est concentration, perhaps, on any one point since the war be gan in 1930. Their massive air superiority enabled them to subject Russian positions to heavy bombing, day and night. Double Duty Dispatches said the situation was so critical that anti-aircraft were doing double duly against pianos and tanks. At one point, hundreds of tanks tried to break through. Anti-aircraft gunners trained their sights and put 45 tanks and 10 armored trucks out of commission. In some phases of the battle enemy tanks surrounded gun emplacements and almost reach ed the gunners, who were able, just in time, to wreck the tanks with rapid fire. Special dispatches reported one resounding Russian success in tho Mozdon area of the east ern Caucasus, where tho Ger mans had broken across the (Concluded on nngo 8, column 1) rise at present rate, "it will be unjust, in fnct impossible, to de ny workers rniscs in wages which would meet at least a part of that Increase." Government will continue to encourage free collective bar gaining between employers and workers, but will sec to it that wages are kept in balance with the rest of the economy. Tho president will use every power vested in him to "accom plish the defeat of our enemies in any part of the world where our own safely demands such defeat." When the war is won, "the powers under which I act auto matically revert to the people to whom they belong." Act by October Or War Powers To be Invoked Wants Over-All Stabili zation of Prices, Salaries, Wages and Profits Washington, Sept. 7 (IP) Pres ident Roosevelt demanded today that congress legislate by Octo ber 1 to stabilize the cost of liv ing, including farm prices, with a blunt warning that otherwise he would invoke drastic war powers to act. himself. The president's long-awaited message on the inflation problem recalled the seven-point program he presented April 27 to curb rising prices and reproached congress for inactivity on the two points in its field "an ade quate tax program and a law permitting the fixing of price ceilings on farm products at par ity prices." He will deliver a fire-side address at 6:30 p.m. over all net works. Executive Action The other points of the pro gram v.-hich did not require con gressional action he reported were being carried out by execu tive action. He implied a threat to extend his executive action to cover the whole program, unless congress acted with the forthright dec laration: ' "In the event that the con gress should fail to act, and act adequately, I ' shall accept the responsibility, and I will act." Bluntly, Mr. Roosevelt told the legislators in a special message that unless they acted he would accept the responsibility to act himself and "take measures nec essary to avert a disaster which would interfere with the win ning of the war." Economic Choas "Inaction on your 'part," the president said, " will leave me with an inescapable respon sibility to the people of this country to see to it that the war effort is no longer imperilled by threat of economic chaos." Mr. Roosevelt pictured farm prices as a key to the inflation riddle. He said the purpose should be to hold them at parity or at levels of a recent date, whichever is higher. Explaining why he wanted congress to pass an anti-inflation act by October 1, tho president said that "we can not hold the actual cost of food and clothing down to approximately the pres ent level beyond October 1" and no one could give any assurances that living costs could be held (Concluded on page 10, column 1) Brett Back7 From Australia Philadelphia, Sept. 7 U.R) Lieut. Gen. George H. Brett, commanding general of the al lied air forces in Australia, has returned to the United States and will address a Labor day rally here today, tho regional war office of Information an nounced today. General Brett will lake the place of Lieut. Gen. H. H. Arn old, chief of the U. S. army air forces, who "is held in Washing ton by a vital and unexpected conference," the OWI said. "This is the first announce ment of General Brett's presenco in this country," the OWI said. General Brett flew In "from directing the devastating allied air attneks in tho southwest Pa cific" for high command confer ences in Washington, the OWI said. "This is his first public ap pearance since then." Hurled Knif'e Kills Bobcat on Road Enterprise, Sept. 7 VP) Tho impact of Max McKonzie's au tomobile failed to kill a wildcat on a highway near here, but McKcnzle got the cat. He jumped out of the car and threw a hunting knife straight into the bobcat's heart.