Medford mail tribune., December 08, 1941, Page 1, Image 1

ruu u weeia-
Weather ?j report
rorceaat: Partly elondy to
n 1 tit and Taeday with thow
ers bit Tuesday. Not ranch
change In temperature.
Temperature
Highest Yesterday 41
Lowest thtt Morning - St
Thirty-sixth Year
(ft
mm
JEANETTE RANKIN
ONLY HER 10
CAST NAYJALLOT
n T.J-..1 n L Ti, Mlna.
ricsiueni neveaia iu wwai-
ships Lost 3.COO Dead
and Wounded.
' Washington, Dec 8. VP)
President Roosevelt signed the
declaration of war against
Japan at 4:10 p. m. (EST) to-,
day, formallr aatting tha na
tion to its talk of achleTing
what ha called an "inevitable
triumph."
Washington, Dec. 8 (AP)
Congress voted a formal declara
tion of war against Japan today
iter President Roosevelt re
quested immediate action as an
answer to Japan's "unprovoked
and dastardly attack" on Hawaii.
A united congress acted swift
ly after the president had reveal
ed that American forces lost two
warships and 3,000 dead and
wounded in the surprise dawn
attack yesterday.
. The senate vote was 82 to 0.
The house vote was 388 to 1.
Miss Jeanette Ranking (R-Mont)
who voted against a declaration
of war with Germany in 1917,
was the lone member casting a
negative vota. Rep. Harold Knut
son (R-Mlnn) who also voted
against the 1917 declaration,
voted for war against Japan.
Japs Boast
As congress was acting, Japan
claimed she had won naval su
premacy over the United States
In the Pacific. The Japanese
claimed in reports broadcast by
tha- official radio in Tokyo that
they had destroyed two Ameri
can battleships and one aircraft
carrier and had damaged four
other battleships and six cruis
ers. A DNB news dispatch from
Tokyo said a United States
transport had been sunk with
loss of 330 men near Manila.
In his epochal message to con
gress President Roosevelt made
no mention of Italy and Ger
many as he asked for war
against Japan.
The senate and house had as
sembled together to hear Presi
dent Roosevelt ask the declara
tion. They cheered him enthusi
astically and then pushed the
resolution through with not a
moment's waste of time.
The president said that yester
day was "a date which will live
In Infamy."
Within 20 minutes after he
finished the senate had acted.
Standing at the rostrum of the
house chamber, the chief execu
tive, in a scene such as had not
been enacted since 1917, dis
closed that Japanese bombers
had "caused severe damage to
American naval and military
forces and that "many American
lives had been lost."
Victory Pledge
But, the president asserted,
while congress again filled the
chamber with deafening cheers:
"No matter how long it may
take us to overcome this pre
meditated invasion, the Ameri
can people will in their righteous
might win through to absolute
victory.
His speech was brief, but it
was pointed. And when it was
completed, congress set about to
adopt the resolution declaring
war with every indication that
it would be done quickly.
Members on the floor of the
house set up shouts of "vote,
vote, vote" as soon as Mr. Roose
velt had left the chamber.
All the tumult which followed
Mr. Roosevelt's speech was in
sharp contrast with the mood in
which congress assembled. There
were few smiles and only a sub
dued hum of conversation.
Washington, Dec. 8 (AP)
The text of the joint resolution
adopted by congress today de
claring war on Japan follows:
Declaring that a state of war
exists between the Imperial gov
ernment of Japan and the gov
ernment and the people of the
United States and making pro
visions to prosecute the same.
Medford
General White's
War Prediction
Follows Pattern
Salem, Dee. 8 (AP) Major
General George A. White,
commanding officer of the
41st division, died at Portland
only 14 days before his pre
diction of attack on America
came true.
In the general's last book,
"Attack on America" publish
ed three years ago, he wrote
of a Japanese attack on the
Pearl Harbor naval base at
Honolulu. So far, the war in
the Pacific has followed the
general's pattern in his story.
But his friends hope that is
where the similarity ends.
In "Attack on America,"
the Pearl Harbor base was
evacuated by the U. S. navy,
the Japanese invaded the
west coast, and the United
States army retired to the
Rocky mountains.
STATE AND COUNTY
FIRST HALF LEVY
TO BE 5.3 MILLS
The state and county tax levy
for Jackson county outside of
Ashland for the first half of
1942 will be 9.3 mills, and in
side Ashland it will be 4.3 mills.
Ashland is exempt from general
roads and library levies, by
legislative act. They provide
their own library levy.
The levy will raise $181,163.63
for the half year ending June 30
next.
Last year tha levy for the
county outside of Ashland was
11.9 mills, and 10 mills inside,
for the full year. On the basis
of the half-year millage there
is a decrease in state and county
levy, both inside and outside
Ashland.
The state and county levy
announced today by the asses
sor's office does not Include the
city and school district levies,
which will not be completed
for a couple of years. Each city
and district levy is different.
COAST DEFENSES
PLACED AT ALERT
San Francisco, Dec 8 (AP)
The fourth army headquarters
said today that every prearrang
ed emergency precaution was in
full operation "from Dutch Har
bor and Alaska to the Mexican
bcrder."
The statement, issued by a
spokesman for the fourth army
and the commanding general of
the western defense command:
"We have taken all action
called for under plans prepared
for the defense of the Pacific
coastal area In the event of such
an attack as this today.
"Interceptor and air raid
warning services have been
placed in action.
"Anti-aircraft artillery has
been turned over to the army
air lorce tor disposition."
Whereas, the imperial govern
ment of Japan has committed
repeated acts of war against the
government and the people of
the United States of America;
therefore, be it
Resolved by the senate and
the house of representatives of
the United States in congress as
sembled that the state of war be
tween the United States and the
imperial government of Japan
which has thus been thrust upon
the United States is hereby for
mally declared; and that the
president be and he Is hereby
authorized and directed to em
ploy the entire naval and mili
tary forces of the United States
and the resources of the govern
ment to carry on war against the
imperial government of Japan;
and to bring the conflict to a
successful termination all of the
resources of the country are
hereby pledged by tha congress
ot u baited States.
Full Associated Press
mm
SEA SUPREMACY
.S.
Two Battleships and Carrier
Sunk, Six Cruisers Dam
aged Is Tokyo's Boast.
Tokyo, Tuesday, Dec. 9. (Of
ficial Radio Picked up by VP))
The Japanese asserted today
they had won naval supremacy
over the United States in the
Pacific, claiming by official or
unofficial reports the destruc
tion of two American battleships
and an aircraft carrier and the
damaging of four battleships and
six cruisers.
These, declared the Japanese,
were the principal results of the
first shock of their air-naval of
fensive. Jap Fleet Intact
The claim to supremacy ap
peared in a commentary-resume
broadcast by Domei, which said
that any force the United States
now could muster "would be re
garded as utterly Inadequate to
accomplish any successful out
come in an encounter with the
thus far intact Japanese fleet."
Imperial headquarters, in an
announcement broadcast by
Domei, said that four battleship
and- a minesweeper had been
sunk, six Heavy cruisers dam
aged, many merchant ships
seized and scores of planes de
stroyed aground and in the air
in Hawaii and the Philippines.
The communique said also that
a United States aircraft carrier
had been gunk by submarine off
Honolulu "although this is not
confirmed."
Own Losses Slight
The Japanese acknowledged
the loss of only two planes in
Philippine actions.
The Japanese said that the
minesweeper, the 840-ton Pen
guin, was sunk in an air attack
early today on Guam, U. S. naval
station.
(An Italian broadcast quoted
Domei as listing the 33,100-ton
Pennsylvania and the 29,000-ton
Oklahoma as lost. Domei also
was reported to have said that
two United States destroyers and
two oil tankers had been de
stroyed.) '
The imperial headquarters
identified none ot the warships
claimed sunk except the Penguin
but early editions of Tuesday
morning papers carried unof
ficial identification of the two
battleships as the Oklahoma and
the 31,800-ton West Virginia.
"Observers stressed the mag
nificent early Japanese success,
point out that It was reliably re
ported that the United States
naval strength stationed In Ha
waiian waters prior to the Jap
anese attack comprised approxi
mately 60 per cent of the United
States' entire naval power," a
Domei broadcast said.
The Japanese spoke little of
the first air assaults yesterday
on Pearl Harbor and other Ha
waiian objectives but said that
SO or 60 American planes had
been shot down in combat over
Clark field and 40 over Iba, In
the Philippines.
Radio Highlights
By Associated Press
(Time is Pacific Standard)
Tonight, The war 4:45 NBC
Red; 5:33 CBS; 6 MBS; 7 MBS;
7:43 CBS; 8 NBC-Red; NBC,
CBS.
Tuesday, The War 5 NBC,
CBS; 9:43 NBC-Red; 6:53 NBC
Blue; 6 CBS; 7 MBS; S MBS;
10:43 NBC; 12:55 CBS, MBS;
3:23 NBC-Red; 3:43 NBC-Blue
CBS.
HALT SHIPPING
Seattle, Dec. 8 (AP) All for
eign shipping was cancelled here
today, drastic naval port regula
tions were Invoked and all ship
movements in coastwise, inter
coastal and Alaska merchant ser
vice were banned for publication
because, of tha war.
MEDFORD, OREGON, MONDAY, DECEMBER 8, 1941.
Ml fo)Ul
ul If LnJ
Roosevelt War Message
By Associated Press
The text of President Roosevelt's war message to congress
follows:
To the congress of the United States:
Yesterday, December 7, 1941 a date which will live In infamy
the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately
attacked by naval and air forces of the empire of Japan.
The United States was at peace with that nation and, at the
solicitation of Japan, was still in conversation with its government
and its emperor looking toward the maintenance of peace in the
Pacific.
Indeed, one hour after Japanese air squadrons had commenced
bombing in Oahu, the Japanese ambassador to the United States
and his colleague delivered to the secretary of state a formal reply
to a recent American message. While this reply stated that it
seemed useless to continue the existing diplomatic negotiations, it
contained no threat or hint of war or armed attack.
It will be recorded that the distance of Hawaii from Japan
makes it obvious that the attack was deliberately planned many
days or even weeks ago. During the intervening time, the Japanese
government has deliberately sought to deceive the United States
by false statements and expressions of hope for continued peace.
The attack yesterday on the Hawaiian islands has caused
severe damage to American naval and military forces. Very many
American lives have been lost. In addition American ships have
been reported torpedoed on the high seas between San Francisco
and Honolulu.
Yesterday the Japanese government also launched an attack
against Malaya. -
Last night Japanese forces attacked Hong Kong.
Last night Japanese forces attacked Guam.
Last night Japanese forces attacked the Philippine Islands.
Last night the Japanese attacked Wake Island.
This morning the Japanese attacked Midway Island.
Japan has, therefore, undertaken a surprise offensive extending
throughout the Pacific area. The facts of yesterday speak for them
selves. The people of the United States have already formed their
opinions and well understand the implications to the very life and
safety of our nation.
As commander-in-chief of the army and navy I have directed
uiai an measures De iaicen xor
Always will we remember
against us.
No matter how long It may take us to overcome this premedi
tated invasion the American people in their righteous might will
win through to absolute victory.
i Deueve i interpret the will of the congress and of the people
when I assert that we will not nnlv rlefpnrl Aurultm tn tu nii
most but will make very certain
-V . ... wlUMlfQI ! aHMfM, . - - 1 -
Hostilities exist. There is no brinkln at ha taut that ,r nJ.t.
our territory and our interests are in grave danger. '
. With confidence in our armed forces with tha unboundlng
determination of our people we will gain the inevitable triumph
I ask that the contfres rleclnra
dastardly attack by Japan on Sunday, December seventh a state
of war has existed between the United States and the Japanese
empire.
iranKiln D. Roosevelt
The White House,
December 8, 1941.
Far East Casualty List
By the Associated Press
The following is the list of
members of United States armed
forces killed in the war In the
east, as disclosed by official ad
vices to the next of kin:
First Lieut. Hans Christiansen.
21, Woodland, Calif., marine
aviator, at Pearl Harbor.
Private George G. Leslie, 20,
Arnold, Pa., army air corps, at
Hawaii.
Robert Niedzwleckl, 22,-Grand
Rapids, Mich., at Hawaii.
Lieut. James Dethrick, 22, Ra
venna O., army air corps at
Honolulu.
Second Lieut Forge A. White
man, Sedalia, Mo., air corps, at
Pearl Harbor.
UNITY IN DEFENSE
Chicago, Dec 8 (AP) Charles
A. Lindbergh Issued the follow
ing statement through the Amer
ica First committee today:
"We have been stepping closer
to war for many months. Now It
has come and we must meet it
as united Americans regardless
of our attitude In the past toward
the policy our government has
followed. Whether or not that
policy has been wise, our coun
try has been attacked by force of
arms and by force of arms we
must retaliate. Our own defenses
and our own military position
have already been neglected too
long. Wa must now turn every
effort to building the greatest
and most efficient army, navy
and air force in the world. When
American soldiers go to war, it
must be with the best equipment
that modern skill can design and
that modern industry can build."
HOUSING BIDS
Washington, Dec. 8. UP)
Low bid on 85 defense housing
units at the Portland army air
base was $229,960, submitted by
Benjamin H. Sheldon, Spokane,
the Public Buildings administra
tion said today. Third low was
the bid of Ward and MUbrandt,
Portland, at 1207,979.
our aeiense.
the character nf tha nn.1-ht
that this form of treachery shall
that elm... th. iimmimU
Gordon Mitchell Wnl.ln.tnn
Kas., air corps, at Hawaii.
Private Donald Plant, 22, of
Wausau, Wia. .air corps at
Wheeler Field, Hawaii.
Private Dean W. Cebert of
Galesburg, 111., at Honolulu.
Sergeant James Guthrie, Re
publican Grove, Va., air corps
engineer, in Hawaii.
Theo F. Byrd, 20, Tampa. Fla.,
private first class, air corps, at
Wheeler field, Hawaii.
Sgr. George R. Schmersahl,
22, Bloomfield, N. J, air corps
at Hawaii.
Pvt. Robert Shattuck, 21, Blue
River, Wis., at Hickman field,
Hawaii.
RILEA APPOINTED
WHITE SUCCE
Salem, Dec 8. (PtOovti-
nor Charles A. Sprague today
appointed Brigadier General
Thomas E. Rllea as adjutant gen
eral of Oregon, succeeding the
late Major General George A,
White.
Rllea will ask for a leave of
absence, since he now Is com
mander of the 8 2d brigade at
Fort Lewis, Wash., and Lieuten
ant Colonel Elmer V. Wooton
will remain as acting adjutant
general until Rllea returns from
military service.
The governor said In a pre
pared statement:
"While Brigadier General
Thomas E. Rllea is In federal
service and will not assume any
state duties until his return
from the army, we hope to have
the benefit of his advice on state
military matters so long as he
remains on this coast. That his
counsel may be asked for with
propriety, it is advisable to have
his status established as adju
tant general on leave."
A significant development In
merchandising is the stocking
of canned foods and groceries
by hardware retailers, tha de
partment of commerce reports.
Tribune:
Ualttd Pi
CIVILIAN DEFENSE;
TO
Brig.-Gen. Alvln C. Baker
To Head State Guard
Protect Bridges, Tunnels.
Salem, Dec 8 (AP) Under a
state of unlimited emergency,
Oregon mobilized civilian de
fenses today against possible
Japanese air raids and sabotage
attempts.
Governor Sprague, proclaim
ing the emergency last night.
ordered Japanese and other
aliens to remain in their homes
until further instructions, auth
orized organization of a state
guard and expanded the state
police system.
Thousands ot volunteers re
ported today for duty as air raid
wardens, fire fighting and police
auxiliaries.
Key Industries were under
guard, and armed soldiers and
police patrolled bridges and
docks In the Portland harbor.
Dams Guarded
The government's giant Bonne
ville and Grand Coulee dams,
producing power for shipyards.
aluminum and- chemical plants,
were under a doubled guard.
FBI agents rounded up soma
Japanese agents, although
wholesale arrests among Ore
gon's 3000 Japanese were not
expected.
Portland officials discussed
defense plans at Mayor Earl
Riley's call last night Riley said
air raid warning sirens would
be sought at once.
Portland also closed to tha
public two municipal parks con
taining reservoirs.
Organise Guard
Sprague after discussing the
Japanese attack with other state
officials, said a state guard.
(Continued on Page Two)
WIN CLOSED SHOP
New York. Dec 8. (JP)
The United Mine Workers of
America (CIO) have reached an
objective sought for more than
40 years a union shop for min
ers in the major steel companies'
captive coal pits.
An arbitration board appoint
ed by President Roosevelt to
settle the thorny union shop is
sue source of three recent
strikes in the defense-vital cap
tive mines last night returned
a 2 to 1 decision awarding the
union its demand.
Benjamin F. Falrless. presi
dent of the U. S. Steel Corpora
tion, returned the minority opin
ion, in which he assailed the
board's decision as further im
posing an "unregulated labor
monopoly" upon tha industry.
ORDERED CLOSED
Oakland, Calif., Dee. 8. (JP)
All schools In the metropolitan
Oakland area were ordered
dosed today as an air raid pre
caution on reports that a Jap
anese airplane carrier may be
off the Pacific coast.
DISTANT DRAFTEE WIRES
HE IS READY TO SERVE
"At my country's disposal."
This terse but significant tele
gram was received todsy by
local selective service board No.
1 from Christopher Columbus
Allen who, registered here, is
now residing at Lindsay, Cat
Allen is far down the registrar
tlon list, board headquarters said
In announcing big willingness to
be of service
fJA
" '
OREGON MUSTERS war Bulletins I TERRIFIC DAMAGE!
1 ebMaMisaa-BBbbB I
SaFlln. Dae. . JTA Tha
German army does not expect
to capture Moscow this year,
a military spokesman said to
night in explanation of a high
command communique's ref
erence to the coming of win
ter. Port-au-Prince. Haiti, Dec
,P) Haiti Joined the Latin
American nations today which
have declared war on Japan
and pledged the United States
Its full assistance.
Havana, Cuba. Dee. .()
Tha cabinet asked Cuba's
congress today to declare war
on Japan.
Rio de Janeiro, Dec (A1)
President Getslio Vargas
and his cabinet agreed at a
meeting today to "give abso
lute solidarity to the United
States," the Brasll government
announced.
Tegucigalpa, Honduras, Dec
I. (JF) Honduras declared
war on Japan today and tha
government established mar
tial law throughout tha repub
lic Washington, Dec I. 3
Dr. J. M. Troncoso. Dominican
republic minister In Washing
ton, announced today that his
country bad declared war on
Japan.
DEFENSE HEADS
URGE LOCAL FOLK
TO
"Stay calm and do not get ex
cited." , This message for the public
was expressed today by the
Jackson County Council of De
fense after a meeting of all divis
ion heads with city and county
officials this morning.
Civilian defense In all Its
phases was perfected In the
blackout rehearsal October 31
and tha council is prepared to
function fully, the meeting was
told. The air raid warning divi
sion went on 24-hour duty at 1
p. m. today and all public util
ities in the county have been
placed under guard It wag an
nounced by Capt 8. M. Tuttle,
council chairman. Tha organiza
tion is to be expanded Immedi
ately to take care of tha widened
scope of defense work brought
on by tha Japanese war, ha said.
Those who have not registered
for civilian defense may do so
at the Jackson County Chamber
of Commerce but this cannot be
done by telephone, Capt Tuttle
said. Rural telephone lines
should be kept as tree as possible
(or air raid warning use, ha as
serted.
E. W. Winkle, commander of
Medford post of tha American
Legion,, said that because of the
emergency every ex-service man
In the county should register
immediately at the chamber of
commerce for civilian defense,
The post's Defense Preparedness
company is complete, he said.
Thomss A. Culbertson, Jr.,
superintendent of Medford mu
nicipal airport received official
notice today that all pilot cer
tificates excepting for those em-,
ployed as pilots, have been sua-'
pended and will be reinstated
only as ordered by tha CAA.
M'NARY ONLY SENATOR
PRESENT FOR WAR VOTE
Washington, Dec 8 JP
Senator McNary (R-Ore.) was
the only senator from the Pa
clflc northwest to vote for war
with Japan today. The othen
Holman (R-Ore.) and Wallgren
end Bone, Washington Demo
cratswere listed as absent
' Shungklng, Dec 8. OP) Chi
na has decided to declare war
on Japan, Germany and Italy,
Foreign Minister Quo Tal-Chl
announced at a special press
conference tonight. Ha said Chi
na was prepared to make every
sacrifice to collaborate with the
United States and Great Britain
in defeating Japan.
Christmas Money
Arm je nakUg en effort tm
eoUeet setae extra Chrtstaua
money by Mlltn artlclea 70
00 longer aeedf Others ere ul
by so doing they am helping
thaee lew fortunate, ten by
adrertlslng.
NO. 223.
AT ISLAND BASES
Gasoline Supply at Nichols
Air Field Believed De
stroyedSky Lighted.
New York, Dec 8. (JP) An
NBC reporter, broadcasting In
the midst ot an early Tuesday
morning air attack on Manila
said that "terrific damage" had
been left by tha Japanese at
tackers. Including the apparent
destruction of the gasoline sup
ply at Nichols air field.
There was a lull in tha action
some time after 3 tin., Manila
time, but at 3:41 a.m., the anti
aircraft fir reopened, said tha
radio reporter, Don Bell. He add
ed that the fire had died down
at Nichols field, In the southern
part of Manila. Ha continued:
"From what wa can see from
the top of this building, tha
whole sky is a brilliant red."
ENGLAND JOINS
IN MR DECREE
By tha Associated Prase
Great Britain formally declar
ed war against Japan today as
Imperial Tokyo headquarters
claimed smashing naval and air
victories over the United States
and mighty forces of the U. S.
fleet were reported combine tha
Pacific to seek battle with Jan.
anese warships.
In London, tha house of com
mons cheered tumultously aa
Prime Minister Winston Church
ill, fulfilling his pledge of a
month ago, invoked war against
the Tokyo government made al
lies of Thailand and Free China,
and declared:
"Every preparation in our
power has been made and wa
(OonUBued on Page Two)
ROUNDED UP DY
FEDERAL AGENTS
Portland Ore., Dee. 8 (APV-.
Twenty-four Japanese were ar
rested here last night and held In -jail
for the Immigration service,
J. Douglas Swenson, federal bu
reau of Investigation agent, said
today.
Portland police and army
authorities co-operated in tha
arrests.
Swenson said no further infor
mation was being released.
Washington, Dec 8 (APV 1
Federal agents arrested 738 Jap
anese aliens during tha night in
tha United States and Hawaii.
Attorney General Blddle an-
nounced today. ,
Tha Japanese are being placed (
In custody of Immigration offi- 1
dais after arrest by special (
agents of tha federal bureau of
investigation. 1
The attorney general said that j
hearing boards would be set tip
to pass on evidence gathered by !
the FBI and determine tha
"future status" of tha aliens.
"While it is contemplated that
soma additional Japanese will bo
taken into custody, Biddla said,
"the arrests made up to tha pree ,
ent time cover tha majority ar
tlclpated. Tha FBI has for son,,,
time conducted a careful and de'
tailed Investigation into the na
tivities of Japanese in tha Unit
ed States, and tha detention of
tha persons now In custody rep
resents tha results of these Jj
vestlgaUong," -