Medford mail tribune., December 07, 1941, Page 1, Image 1

roil o in.
Weather TJ npan
Forecast: rartlT cloudy to
cloudy with little chant In
temperature aunoay and Mon
day. Morning cloud.
Hlchest Yesterday
Lowest yesterday U
Precipitation put U hra X
Take Time
Ton thoald not fall to read the
want Ads this moraine. Why
not take time rlfht nowf You
may not be In the market for a
thine, still you mlfht be sur
prised to find what yon are
looking for.
Medford
fall Associated Presa
Thirty-sixth Year
MEDFORD, OREGON, SUNDAY, DECEMBER 7, If
NO. 222.
M
uvu
. "" XTS5 -"''- v United Pru
w
BA
. .i
Kelly's
Comment
Flora Washington
Co ait Resident
For Fighting Jap
Few See Danger
Of Invasion
Oregon Second
In Bond Buying
3 Br John W. Kelly
Washington, D. C Dec. 6.
There is a conviction in admin
isters 'on circles that war with
JapJ ' practically certain. It
intt its residents of the Pacific
northwest more than the unde
clared shooting war in the At
lantic. Polls taken by several
congressmen and hundreds of
letters received show that there
is little war feeling in Oregon
and Washington despite the edi
torial position of most of the
press of that area. At least two
postal card polls, conducted by
members of the house, give a
total of more than 80 per cent
against involvement in the Euro
pean fracas. Probably five per
cent of congressional mail criti
cizes senators and representa
tives who voted against repeal
of the neutrality bill and. Judg
ing from the names of signers,
they are either British or Scotch
residents or have family or fin
ancial relations with England.
In the Japanese situation,
however, which is close to home
In the northwest, an increasing
percentage is favoring the ad
ministration policy. This senti
ment appears to take the posi
tion that Japan is spoiling for
fight and Uncle Sam may as
well knock the head off the Jap
anese and have the matter over
with. There is also the argu
ment that the Japanese are a
constant threat to the off-shore
business of the west coast; to
trade routes to Vladivostok, to
China, Dutch East Indies, the
Philippines; to the ports the ad
ministration wishes to dispatch
war munitions and the ports
from which freighters bring raw
materials, such as rubber, tin
ore, tungsten, chromite, all re
quired for the defense program.
FEW letters, thus far, express
fear of an Invasion, although it
is possible sortie might be
made. War with Japan will be
on the sea, principally, with
some land engagements likely in
the Philippines. Next to the
(Continued on Page Ten)
CABINET MEIER
10 SAVE LITTLE
BUSINESS URGED
Washington, Dec. 6. (JP) A
proposal to centralize adminis
tration of the defense program
under a new cabinet officer
attracted strong support in con
gress today, with Senator Mead
(D., N. Y.) declaring that some
such plan must be adopted if
little business is to be saved
from destruction.
This plan is embodied in a
bill introduced by Senator Kil
gore (D,. W. Va.) It calls for the
establishment of a department
of defense coordination and
control, with Jurisdiction over
all defense purchases and over
the utilization of industrial re
sources. The projected department,
headed by a new cabinet mem
ber, would control allocation of
scarce raw materials to Indus
trial plants.
In offering the measure. Kil
gore said he believed the time
had come for co-ordination of
the defense effort under one
responsible head.
Agreeing with this Idea, Mead
told reporters that he believed
uch a set-up would facilitate
the spreading of government
contracts to smaller concerns,
eliminate waste, and give non
defense industries a better
chance of obtaining needed ma
terials. New York, Dec. a. JP) The
Bdrlin radio reported tonight
that German planes had sunk a
Ru.ijn cruiser In the Sea of
Azov The report heard here by
NBC, )did not give the name or
tonnale of the cruiser.
Uliininrnp Tnnnnn
ArMot mm
Contents Of Message
Secret Pacific Situation
Tense Allies United.
Washington, Dec. 6. (AP)
President Roosevelt has dispatch
ed a personal message to Emper
or Hirohito of Japan in the midst
of darkening war clouds In the
Far East, it was disclosed by the
state department tonight.
The president s direct message
to the emperor, who is regarded
as devine by the Japanese was
immediately interpreted in well-
informed quarters as a reflection
of his dissatisfaction with the ex
planation made by Premier Tojo
of Japan through the Japanese
envoys here as to the reason for
Japanese troop concentrations in
French Indo-China.
The message also was viewed
as possibly a step of last resort
to avert an open break with Jap
an since it was considered un
likely that Mr. Roosevelt would
communicate directly with the
emperor unless virtually all hope !
had been abandoned of a satisfac
tory adjustment of Japanese
American difficulties through
the usual diplomatic channels.
The state department's terse
announcement that a message
was being sent by the president
to the Mikado gave no intima
tion of its contents but was point
edly coupled with an assertion
that 125,000 Japanese troops
were reported massing in the
Indo-China area and that two
heavily-escorted Japanese con
voys had been sighted only this
morning steaming toward the
Gulf of Siam.
At the time of the sinking of
the American gunboat Panay by
the Japanese in Chinese waters
in 1037, Prince Fumimaro Kc
noye, then premier, made a re
port of the incident to the Mika
do following strong United States
protests and there also was a di
rect message from the president
to the emperor.
Shortly before the outbreak of
the European war Mr. Roosevelt
sent a personal appeal to Adolf
Hitler in an effort to avert that
conflict.
The importance of the present
step can be measured by the awe
and veneration in which the
mikado is held by his 100,000,
000 subjects. He is considered
descended from the sun goddess
Amaterasu in the "line unbroken
for ages eternal" and holds aloof
on a plane far above the ordin
ary business of government.
Not for years probably not
since the death of the great Em
peror Meijl in 1912 has a Jap
anese emperor attempted to
swerve imperial policy from the
lines marked out by his ministers
or the still more powerful chiefs
of the army and navy.
The situation with respect to
troop concentrations was sum
marized as follows:
Reports reaching the state de
partment show that the Japanese
troops being assembled in the
Indo-China area are estimated at
82,000 in South Indo-China, 25,
000 in the north and on ships
ana nartors in indo-Chlna, 18
000 which is a total of 125.000.
These 18,000 troops are report
ed to be on 21 transports in Cam'
ranh bay. Other reports have
reached the department indicat
ing that two large and heavily-
escorted Japanese convoys were
seen this morning, the sixth of
December, to the southeast of
Point de Cameau, the southern
point of Indo-China, steering
westward toward the Gulf of Si-
am (Thailand.)
It had become apparent earlier
that officials here were com
pletely unimpressed by Tokyo's
explanation of the troop concen
trations.
Discussions with Japanese dip
lomatic representatives here
were in abeyance, and when or
whether they would be renewed
was a matter of speculation. The
Japanese have expressed a de
sire that they be resumed but of
ficials here have not Indicated
their attitude.
OREGON HOME LOANS
Washington, Dec. 6
Home financing In Oregon by
all types of mortgage lenders
.totaled S3, 618. 000 with 1,528
mortgages recorded in October,
the Federal Home Loan bank
board reported today.
Rehash House
w-V "' iw v -
Four bousa Uadsrs who figured in tha complicated parliamentary maneuvers, got together to
rehash tha vote by which tha house adopted stringent controls to chock strikes In defense industries.
Lait to righti Raps. Robert Ramspeck (D-Ga.), who fought for a lata rigid measure) Carl Vinson
(D-Ga.) author of still another lass stringent bill; Howard Smith ID-Vi.l, who wrote and pushed the
hill finally adopted and Sam Hobbs (D-Ala.), who offered an amendment which would prohibit Im
portation of pickets and strike breakers.
F
London, Dee. 8. (IP) A re
port broadcast by the German
radio that King Leopold III of
the Belgians had married Mary
Leila Baels, daughter of a for
mer Belgian cabinet minister,
was termed by Belgians here
tonight as "incredible" and
'strange," but In Stockholm the
sister-in-law of Leopold's late
wife confirmed It.
The German broadcast said
the marriage of the king and
Mile. Baels on September 11
would be announced in Belgian
churches tomorrow in a pastoral
letter by Bishop Van Roey of
Belgium.
The broadcast said the letter
would state that children from
the king's second marriage will
be Ineligible to succeed to the
throne, that right being re
served for Leopold's two sons
and one daughter by his first
wife. Queen Astrid, who was
killed In an automobile accident
in 1935.
In Stockholm, Princess Elsa
Bemadotte, wife of Prince
Charles, who is the brother of
the late Queen Astrid, said Leo
pold had married a well edu
cated, simple woman named
Baels.
TOKYO PRESS IN
FEVERISH STATE
Tokyo, Dec. 0. (IP) The Jap
anese press, accusing President
Roosevelt of insincerity and
stalling in talks of peace, sound
ed a keynote tonight that Wash
ington has turned completely
from appeasement to offensive
attitude that would find all East
Asia at arms In case of aggres
sion. Dr. Morlnosuki Kashlma, Asa
hi's foreign commentator, as
serted that gone is the "former
negative defensive policy" of the
United States, and In its place
is a "positive, offensive attitude
diplomatically, politically .and
strategically."
"It would ba dangerous to
think that the United States still
is sticking to its former appease
ment policy," he said.
Taking much the same line,
the newspaper Kokumln declar
ed that in the event of "Ameri
can aggression a billion people
of East Asia would become
bombs" against the United States
and, Britain.
PLAN CAPITAL MOVE
Bangkok, Dec. 8. (IP) Plans
have been made to move the
Thai 'japital from Bangkok to
an undisclosed site in the event
of war, the interior minister
announced today.
Vote to Control Defense Strikes
LV 'V -'V
I BULLETIN
Honolulu, Dec. 8. (IP) Uni
versity of Hawaii's football team
defeated Willamette university
of Oregon state, 20 to 6, today
before a capacity crowd of 25,
000 in the Honolulu stadium.
The Oregonians were unable
to cope with the tricky, broken
fieM running of Hawaii's co-cap-talif
and fullback. Nolle Smith.
Willamette scored midway in
the first period. Right Half Ted
Ogdahl going over from the
three-yard line on a reverse.
The try for extra point failed.
- Hawaii took the lead late in
the second period, Hart plunging
over center from the one-yard
line following recovery of the
fumble of Bud Reynolds, Wil
lamette left half. Hawaii domin
ated the second half, Hart scor
ing early in the third period
from the one-yard line, the cli
max of an 80-yard drive after
the kick-off. Right Half Abreu
converted.
Naumu of Hawaii scored late
in the fourth period from the
one-yard line after an intercep
tion of a pass.
Portland, Dec. 6. (IP) Jef
ferson high school, Portland
league champion, defeated an
all-star eleven, selected from
seven other Portland schools,
to 0, in a milk fund charity
football game tonight-
Collage Basketball
Snuthern Oreffon Colletfe of
Education 42, Klamath All-Stars !
30.
Moscow, Idaho, Dec." 8. (AP)
Opening its home basketball
season, the University of Idaho
overcame an early 12 point dis
advantage tonight and racked up
a 32 to 23 victory over Whitman.
At Portland, Ore., Bradford's
(Portland) 35, University of Ore
gon 33.
At
S. L.
Seattle: Washington 41,
Savldgea 38.
Portland, Ore., Dec. 8 (IP)
Oregon College of Education
opened Oregon Intercollegiate
conference basketball play to
night with a 39-to-37 victory
over Albany college of Portland.
High School Basketball
Astoria 40, Oregon City 17.
Washington (Portland) 28, The
Dalles 20.
ONE EMBARRASSES
South Bend, Ind., Dec. 8. UP)
The Com p ton brothers, Don
ald and George, won divorce de
crees within a few minutes of
each other in circuit court.
Donald told the Judge his wife
went to see "Gone with the
Wind" one night In February,
1940, and never returned. George
said his mate drank too much
and embarrassed him by telling
stories before their friends.
I Portland, Dec. 6 (IP) All
I produce steady, unchanged.
ONE DISAPPEARS,
I
SENATE ACTS TO
LIFT TEETH FROM
Washington, Deo. 8. (IP)
Influential foro-s in the .senate
campaigned today to replace the
drastic house-approved strike
curb bill with a milder measure
next week. '
There were strong Indications
that the senate labor committee
might retain only the title of
the house bill, sponsored by
Rep. Smith (D., Va.), and . sub
stitute for its contents much
less sweeping control system
proposed by Senator Ball (R
Minn.). The Ball plan calls for
establishment of a voluntary
system of mediating defense la
bor disputes, and in addition
would outlaw strikes over the
closed shop question.
Senator Norris (Ind., Neb.)
declared the Smith bill "goes
too far against labor" and said
he favored the hearings on the
measure lengthy enough to
"give congress a cooling off per
iod before it does something
hysterical."
The Smith bill, approved by
the house Wednesday, would re
quire secret balloting before
strikes could be called, would
outlaw sympathy and lurlsdlc-
tlonal strikes, require registra-
uon or unions, can picket line
violence, and establish the de
fense mediation board as a stat
utory agency.
Calling a closed session of the
labor committee for Monday
morning, Chairman Thomas (D.,
Utah) told- reporters he per
sonally was opposed to holding
hearings on the Smith measure.
Senator McNary of Oregon,
tho Republican leader, wants
consideration of all senate labor
legislation deferred until hear
ings can be held on the Smith
bill.
WHEATMEN FAVOR
Heppner, Ore., Dec. 8. OP)
The Eastern Oregon Wheat
league today advocated "nation
al legislation limiting the right
of labor to strike in defense in
dustries." Members pledged support to
the defense effort and ordered
league funds used in purchase of
a 11,000 federal bond.
The league opposed a special
session of the Oregon legisla
ture to consider tax law changes,
but suggested that adjustments
be made in the future. A re
examination of the six per cent
tax limitation act was urged.
Denver, Dec. 8. (IP) The
federal reclamation bureau's en
gineering office announced to
day a call for bids on the Cas
cade dam of the Boise, Idaho,
project had been cancelled.
NAZI RAIDER IN
SOUTH ATLANTIC
BY
Third Prize In Week
. Historic Cruiser Adds
New Laurels.
London, Dec. 8. (AP) De
struction of another German
raider the third announced
within a week was credited by
the admiralty tonight to the
cruiser Dorsetshire, the British
warship which fired the final,
fatal torpedoes into the German
battleship Bismarck.
The communique did not Iden
tify the German raider, describ
ing her only as a fleeing, con
verted 10,000-ton merchantman,
which was overtaken by the Dor
setshire and sunk In the south
Atlantic.
Late Tuesday the Australian
cruiser Sydney was credited with
sinking the German raider Stei
ermark (also called the Kormor
an) in Australia waters in a com
bat fatal also to the Sydney. The
date of this fight was not given.
The day before the admiralty
had announced that on Nov. 22
the cruiser Devonshire had sunk
another raider In the south At
lantic.
In both the south Atlantic
sinkings the admiralty reported
that the suspected presence of
submarines caused the British
victors to steam off without pick
ing up survivors.
Besides being noted for firing
the last three torpedoes which
sank the 35,000-ton Bismarck,
the 9,975-ton Dorsetshire also as
sisted in the destruction of the
German freighter Wakama last
April off Rio de Janeiro.
She caught her latest victim
as the raider's seamen were load
ing oil and provisions into five
boats alongside her, the admiral
ty said. The communique did nqt
say when the action took place.
The communique said that
when the Dorsetshire's scouting
plane spotted the German raider
the latter tried to escape, leaving
the five boats behind. But the
cruiser closed in swiftly and
sank her.
DEFENSE STRIKE
Morgantown, W. Va., Dee. 8.
OP) A nation-wide walkout
of welders, which had its begin
nings in a Jurisdictional strike
of 67 men on a $40,000,000
ordnance plant, today was call
ed for Tuesday unless there is
government intervention.
At odds with the American
Federation of Labor over rejec
tion of demands for separate
union, the United Brotherhood
of Welders, Cutters and Help
ers announced the strike would
be effective throughout the
country Tuesday morning.
Lloyd Payne, brotherhood sec
retary, In announcing the exec
utive board's decision in Wash
ington, said 75,000 men would
leave their Jobs in shipyards
and defense construction pro
jects. The union claims 125,000
members. .
NEW RUSS ENVOY
LANDS AT FRISCO
San Francisco, Dec. 8. (AP)
Maxim Litvinoff new Russian
ambassador, arrived In the Uni
ted States today with the prom
ise that the Red army would
fight on "In fortune or misfor
tune," against "the enemy of hu
manityHitler". The soviet diplomat nearlng
the end of a flight carrying him
three-quarters of the way around
the globe, good naturedly de
clined to discuss politics on
alighting from the clipper plane
from Honolulu, but said "I am
looking forward with confidence
to my work in Washington."
His reception committee, both
official and unofficial, comprised
one of tha largest gatherings on
record to meet a trans Pacific
' plane here. ''
War Bulletins
New York. Dec. (JP)
Tha Vlchr-eontrolled radio at
Fort da France, Martinique,
said tonight that "units of the
French Madlterranaan float
are actively protecting the
communication Unas batweaa
Franca and her North African
possessions."
"France Is determined to
undertake any step she may
daam necessary to continue
this protection against British
piracy, even If she had to re
sort to some sort of help of a
friendly power,"
London, Dac. 8. (IP) The
admiralty announced tonight
that the British cruiser Dor
setshire had caught and sunk
a German commerce raider In
the South Atlantic.
Berlin. Dac. (JP) The
sinking of a British submarine
by U-boat chasers off Norway
was announced today by the
Germans.
Moscow, Dec. t. (JP) A
large area of axis-conquered
Yugoslavia was declared by
the soviet Information bureau
in a communique broadcast to
day to have been "cleared of
German and Italian invaders"
by Yugoslav guerilla warriors.
"The patriot movement la
Yugoslavia is developing In In
tensity," the communique said.
"Numerous guerilla detach
mants are successfully operat
ing against the German in
vaders." Manila. Dec. . (IP) Im
mediate evacuation of all "non
essential" civilians from Man
ila and other area was re
quested today.
The commonwealth cabinet.
In a special session at which
Praaldant Manuel Queion pre
sided. Indicated also that com
pulsory evacuation might fol
low. Berlin, Dec. 6 MP) A
DNB dispatch from Belgrade
tonight quoted press reports
that 150 Serb guerrillas had
been killed In a battle with
Serb forces fighting for the
axis in the Jabalanltia moun
tains and that the guerrillas
were In retreat-
FINNISH VESSELS
Ottawa Dec. 8. (AP Cana
da followed Britain's lead tonight
and declared war on Finland,
Rumania and Hungary.
Washington, Dec. 8
The navy department announced
tonight It had Instructed the
coastguard to take Into protec
tive custody Finnish merchant
ships In United States ports.
The action was under the
United States policy of taking
over custody of ships of axis
or axis-dominated powers tied
up in United States ports.
The navy announcement listed
six ships known to be In Amer
ican ports at this time.
London, Sunday, Dee. 1UP)
The British quietly and formally
went to war against Finland,
Hungary and Rumania this
morning because they were
fighting on Germany's side
against Soviet Russia.
The zero huor, one minute
after midnight Greenwich time.
or 1:01 a. m. London time.
passed almost unnoticed In
blacked-out London.
Newspapers gave It scant at
tention and the Dispatch even
criticized the British foreign
office for waiting so long to
comply with the Russian re
quest.
YAKIMA PIONEER PASSES
Yakima, Dec. 8. P Alex
ander Miller, 85, Yakima pio
neer, capitalist and philanthro
pist, died tonight after nearly
a week's Illness. He suffered a
stroke Tuesday and all hope was
given up for his recovery at
that time.
Boise, Idaho, Dec. 8 (JPt
Most of the surplus wheat In
the Pacific northwest may be
shipped to Russia under the
lend-lease agreement, Milford J.
Vaught, Idaho agricultural ad
justment administration chair
Iman, said today.
AMERICAN PORTS
NOW IN CUSTODY
NEW NAZI DRIVE
IN BITTER COLD
Capital Still In Peril. As Ger
mans Flee In South
Hitler Drive Terrific.
.Kuibyshev, Russia, Dec, 8.
(JP) The red army was reported
tonight to have hurled back the
Germans pressing on Moscow
from the Maloyaros-Lavets sector
with a strong counter-attack,
routing a large nazi force and
killing 2,000 soldiers.
Dispatches from the front said
the fighting was taking place In
sub-zero weather and that soviet
ski troops armed with automatic
rifles were playing a vital role. .
(By Associated Press)
Massed Red armies, fighting
furiously In the paralyzing cold .
of their native Russian winter,
yesterday (Saturday) parried a
reinvlgorated German drive
upon Moscow with lightning
strokes which staggered tha
Nazi Invaders In numerous vital
fronts.
Nevertheless, Moscow ap
peared to face the greatest
peril of the war as Adolf Hit
ler's commanders In the field
reported their armies had over
run five more towns and swung
close to the headwaters of the
Don river 200 miles southeast
of the Soviet capital.
The new German drive upon,
the Soviet capital was described
by the Italian radio as "tha
most terrific offensive of all
times." It said Hitler was throw
ing a million and a half men, '
8.000 tanks and thousand guns
into the battle.
Specifically, tha Germans,
plowing through deep snow In
temperatures as low as 31 de
green (Fahrenheit) below zero,
claimed they held Mozhaisk, 57
miles west of Moscow, and Klin,
50 miles northwest, while push
ing steadily forward on the
southern flank around Orel and
Kursk.
They said they had captured
Malo-Arkhangelsk, midway be
tween Orel and Kursk, and tha
towns of Llvny, Novosll, Chera
and Mtsensk, all in a 80 mile are
east of Orel.
But the Russians, reporting
the German armies in tha south
still broken and on the run
toward Mariupol, 100 miles west
of recaptured Rostov, said Red
armies had won two important
bridgeheads In the Kalinin sec
tor, 90 miles northwest of Mos
cow, were holding the Nazis
near Klin, B0 miles northwest
of the capital, and were moving
into German defenses around
Tikhvin, 110 miles southeast of
Leningrad.
E
T OPEN TAGS
Chicago, Dec, 8. (JP) The
Vincent Bremners enjoyed tha
serenity of folks who have pur
chased all their Christmas pres
ents, wrapped them neatly and
stowed away under pretty seals
marked: "No not open until De
cember 25."
That is, they had that Cjm- '
fortable feeling until they re
turned to their home in subur
ban Indian Hill early today and
found that burglars had opened
every package.
That waa dlsturDlng enough,
but examination dircloeed that
the finicky footpads had taken
none of the gifts or anything
else.
Boston, Dec. 8. UP) Michael
Johnson felt chipper today.
He went visiting friends, and
on leaving attempted to slide
down a bannister to show how
well he felt.
- At City hospital he was treat
ed for a compound fracture of
a leg and a scalp Injury. John
son is 84 veart old,
BANNISTER SLIDE
INJURES MAIL 64