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About Medford mail tribune. (Medford, Or.) 1909-1989 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 12, 1941)
I BLACKOUT Have More Tim Oet eat yoor pencil eBd paper (or today Is Friday, it Is the day u prepare that Want Ad for the Sunday morn ing edition. Busy people nan ally hart mora tlms on Sunday ta Inreetlfate yonr propoelttoa. Medford Tribune 1:30 a. m. to 7:30 a. m. Full Associated Praia Cj Unltad Press Thirty-sixth Year MEDFORD, OREGON, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 12, 1941. NO. 227. smiD u uiyj si ii fail i i 1 1 1 1 i ii n 1 1 n i B MEBF HSR HWAUL . -I i 1 News Behind The News By Paul Mallon Washington, Dec. 12. Tha baffling Japanese thrusts at the outset of this war were based on a well-ordered military scheme. Behind tha inadequate and conflicting re ports, the Jap plan of war early develop ed clarity. The basic idea was to cut us off from the far east, drive the British out, and maintain a self-sufficient empire ov er tha entire Asiatic hemi Vi 1 aiaal Paul Mallon sphere. With sound military wisdom, they struck first at our fleet and aircraft at Honolulu. By destroy ing the bulk of our planes and a portion of the fleet, they thought to hold us at Hawaii while they picked up the small pieces west ward, first Wake Island then Guam. Having closed the line ot com munications between us and the British at Singapore, they could then besiege or invade the Philippines, rout the scattered British forces in the far east one by one, and enjoy easy pick ings for the rest they thought. e NATURAL American rejoin der would be to concentrate first on breaking up the scheme by destroying the raiding Jap air and surface craft. Our small islands west of Hawaii could not defend themselves and with our fleet depleted their fall could be expected. Most of our navy men have long held an opinion that even the Philip pines could not hold out indefin itely, if the British failed to hold Singapore. But we could fight initially by. bombing and sub marining (with the British) the (Continued on Pago Twelve) Radio Highlights Governor Charles A. Sprague will speak at 3:30 p. m. Satur day on all radio network sta tions in Oregon on civilian de fense. (Time Is Pacific Standard) Tonieht. the War 5 MBS; 5:15 MBS; 5:55 CBS; 6:55 NBC- Blue; 7:30 NBC-Blue; 8 eiaC CBS. MBS 7 boxing, Fritzie Zivic vs. Kid McCoy. Saturday, the war 5 a. m., NBC CBS; 5:45 NBC-Red; 5:55 NBC-Blue; CBS; 7 MBS; 8 CBS MBS; 12:55 p. m., CBS; 1 NBC MBS; 1:55 MBS: 3:25 NBC; 3:30 CBS; 3:45 CBS NBC-Blue. (Numerous other unscheduled warcasts may be expected). CBS 10:30 Adventures in Science, Vice Pres. Wallace; 11:30 Walter Reuther on "How Labor Would Defeat Hitler." NBC-Blue 9:30 a. m., American Farm Bureau Federation. (Editor's note: Because of in accuracies in listings due to war conditions, the short-wave sched' ule will be omitted hereafter.) SIDE GLANCES BY TRIBUNE REPORTERS Wayne Keesee getting much enjoyment out of watching other people's reaction to a Christmas card he received at a gift exchange Yule tree. Gordon Green being Joshed for saying in his gift-box literature his beautiful pine cones and greenery came from "Crater Lake national forest," which. In a manner of speaking, Is neither fish nor fowl. 33.000 SOLDIERS TO BE STATIONED AT EACHOF POSTS Assistant Constructing Quartermaster At San Francisco Tells Approval. San Francisco, Dec. 12. (AP) Lieut.-Colonel Harold D. Stet son, ninth corps area, assistant constructing quartermaster, an nounced today he had recelvea nnrnvsl from Washineton for construction of three major can tonments in the west. Preliminary plans and en gineering specifications for the camps at Marysville, Calif., and Medford and Corvallls, Ore. already had been drawn up. Each cantonment will house 33,000 soldiers. Colonel Stetson made the an nouncement to a convention of contractors. Months and months of work, pleading, conferring, drawing up surveys and preparing briefs cul minated today in success for the Jackson ' County Chamber of Commerce and city and county officials with the granting of au thorization for construction of an army cantonment here. Almost a year ago, when hints were - received here that the army was Interested In studying sites for new camps, the cham ber of commerce swung Into action, made a survey of avail able land in the Beagle-Antelope district, sent the data to the war department and invited the army to come and have a look. Army Unimpressed Army officers did come and have a look. They came for look after look, but they were always non-committal. Their attitude did not discourage the chamber of commerce and its dynamic president, Glenn L. Jackson. Each time tha army showed even only passing interest, Mr. Jackson and his associates redou bled their efforts and set to work on additional briefs, surveys and arguments in favor ot Medford's sites. When army officials did show some interest in southern Oregon as a site for a cantonment, the chamber of commerce went to work in earnest. Enlisting the active cooperation of city and county officials, the chamber sponsored formation of a com mittee to represent all interested parties. The group made a thor ough study of the cantonment project, not overlooking the ef fect of so gigantic an undertak ing would have on community life, on the economic and social life of Jackson county and its cities. Planner Comes Early last May the county was electrified with the news that Capt. Theron W. Bean had ar rived here from Vancouver Bar racks, Wash., to establish a con structing quartermaster's office! in the armory to engage in ad vance plaiining and preliminary surveys for a proposed canton ment in the Beagle-Antelope dis- trict. Then Myron Hunt, famed architect of Los Angeles, and Harold I. Wood, engineer of San Francisco, came here under con tract to draw up advance plans and specifications. The construct ing quartermaster and the architect-engineer took over practical ly the whole armory and for months worked rapidly on plans. During the early stages of this work, rumors were spread far and wide and a mild boom, es pecially In real estate, followed. A civilian coordination board under the direction of Frank Van Dyke of Ashland was organ ized to plan In advance for every possible problem a camp would create, morality, health, housing, schooling, sanitation, traffic. The board worked for months, got everything in readiness and then quit for the time being, awaiting word of construction authoriza tion. Planners Depart Then came the letdown. The architect-engineer finished tha Reds Women Keep Sky Vigil l .Jin anaa am if jym" " '!i,""ei,.M..v;.l l'mii Mrs. Harry Vanda Berg and Mrs. Art Xing (right), maintained a watch as air TSid observers at Point Fermin. near San Pedro, Calif. Woman keep the lookout during tha day on three-hour shifts and man at night on two-hour shilts. Fate of Workers on Islands Not Cleared Up by Reports . Washington Navy still in U. S. hands. ' San Francisco, Dec. 12 (TP) The Postal Telegraph cable de partment reported today it was working Midway island with- out interruption. . 1:30 TO 7:30 AJ. Blackout period tonight will be from 1:30 to 7:30 a. m., the Jackson County Council of De fense was notified by the second Interceptor command this after noon. Effectiveness of the blackout Increased last night as citizens learned more definitely what to do, authorities stated, and pro cured whatever materials were needed to conceal necessary light from outside observation. The police, however, still had a long list today of persons and firms that permitted illumina tion to continue last night after the blackout signal. Contact was being made with some of these today. advance planning and closed shop here, leaving Capt. Bean to carry on. On December 4, on war department orders, the con structing quartermaster's office was moved to the zone 0 con structing quartermaster's office in San Francisco. There was a sudden collapse in enthusiasm, as nearly everyone thought the move forecast the end of Med ford's chances to procure a can tonment But not Glenn Jackson. He hopped a train to Washington, D. C, to find out Just what was happening. While he could pro cure no definite commitments, he did return with confidence that Medford would not be over looked if the army should be en larged. Confidently he called the cantonment civilian coordi nation board together this week to swing bsck into action to be fully prepared In case the camp should be authorized. Today the authorization came. Claim Sweeping Victory FLASH announces Waka and Midway Islands This would indicate Midway island was still in American hands, for communications of fices would be among the first seized by Invading forces. The cable company declined to elaborate beyond saying, "we are worMng Midway right now." Washington, Dec. 12 VP The American Federation of Labor announced today that "navy authorities" had Inform ed it that more than 1,000 mem bers of its building trades unions "have been captured and taken prisoner by the Japanese on Midway and Guam islands." The AFL said it was informed that 700 of the workers, mostly taken from California to work on army and navy base con structlon, were captured at Mid way and 400 at Guam. It said that the navy estimat ed that another 10,000 building trades workers had been taken to Honolulu in the past year or so for defense work and that so far as was known all were safe. Later an official spokesman at the navy department said the navy had no information that Midway and Guam had been captured by the Japanese. Washington, Dec. 12. ;P) President Roosevelt said today that the Wake Island garrison so far as was known, still was holding out. Tha chief executive told a press conference the small group of marines there was do ing a magnificent Job. Eugene, Dee. 12 UP) The State Horticultural soicety end ed its annual meeting last night after electing Riddle Lage of Hood River, president, and awarding the 1942 meeting to Hood River. The society passed a reso lution opposing Jurisdictional strikes, hot cargoes, secondary boycotts and dosed shops. 1JAPANESE FLEET REFUSES BATTLE Brown Men Hurl Fresh At tacks At Philippines Bombers Spread Ruin. Manila, Dee. 12. (AP) Jap anese warships fled from Amer ican surface ships in the first en counter ot the two fleets since the war began and darkness pre vented tha Americans from re newing the action, it was report ed today as Japan hurled fresh land and air attacks on the Phil ippines. Admiral Thomas C. Hart, commander-in-chief of the U. S. Asiatic fleet, said ships from his command have had only one en counter with the Japanese war ships, but that ended without re sult. The size of tha fleets in volved was not stated. Japs Seore Heavily However, he acknowledged that the Japanese air force' had snored heavily in the "success ful" raid WeHnesday on the Ca vite naval yard off Manila and that the raid caused a "consider able loss of life." He said a single direct bomb hit smashed a navy dispensary in Cavite, killing all nurses, doctors and patients in the building. Their number is not yet known. At the same time, the far east ern army command announced that Japanese planes had raided widespread sections of the Phil ippines and an army spokesman said a small Japanese force ap parently had landed at Legaspi, 250 miles southeast of Manila. The Japanese attacked Olonga- po, 30 miles west or Manila, one of the most Important naval in stallations in the Philippines; the province of Batangas, and Clark field, 40 miles north of Manila. The spokesman also declared that the Japanese hau improved their strength In northern Luzon, but that the "situation remains unchanged materially." In a lengthy report on the naval actions thus far. Admiral Hart announced that a naval flier trailed a Japanese battle ship, the Kongo or a ship similar to her, off northwest Luzon until other naval planes could come up and "seriously cripple" the vessel with bombs. TO E Wfth construction of the pro posed army cantonment here now apparently certain, It was expected that the civilian co ordination board under Frank J. Van Dyke as coordinator would be re-established immedi ately in Medford. The office was temporarily given up a few weeks ago when the board had gona as far as it could with its advance planning. It was to have been reopened some time next week but the word received here today from San Francisco will accelerate the reopening. It was stated. I The board has great many things to do to prepare for the . changed conditions which the camp construction will bring about. First item of business, probably will be a new and thor ough housing survey to steer tain definitely how many houses and apartments are available here, first for workers and later for officer and non-commissioned officer personnel. TAKENOFF SHIPS Government Acts to Prevent Sabotage Normandie To Become Carrier Is Hint. New York, Dec. 12 (IF) The $60,000,000 French liner Nor mandie, tied up here since the beginning of the war, was seized today by the coast guard. The coast guard boarded the liner at her Hudson river pier last May 15 and placed guards aboard to prevent sabotage. There have been frequent rumors that the American gov ernment would seize her for conversion into an aircraft car rier, i Washington. Dec 12 JP Tha state department announo ed today that tha crews on all French vessels In American ports would be removed from the boats today. An official statement said: , "As a measure of necessary protection to tha crews and ves sels, arrangements have been made to remove today the French crews on all French vessels now in United States ports. This action does not pre clude the return of the crews to any vessel the resumption of service of which may be deter mined." There are 11 French vessels now in American ports under "protective custody." The French vessels were in ports here, or in American wat ers, at the time Germany occu pied Franca and have since re mained because of the possibil ity they might be captured at sea by warships maintaining the British blockade. an Franeleco Butter Ban Francisco, Dee. la. OPV But ter: M aeora S6o; Si ecore SSe; 00 core Salio; IS eora io. County Defense Council Instructions for Public The Jackson County Council ef Defenee today leaned the third ef a series ef tateraente to gire the paella official Instructions mardlni various phaaea ef clTtllan drfrnet. The council (irate tbat thee ealljr etatemente be clipped out ef the paper an eated for tutors reference and for compart ton with any changes that attfht be made In tha rrinlatloni from time to time. Any ehanrea. tha ceanrll eald, will ha referred by nember to tha corresponding etatement to which It applies. Today's statement follows! He. 1 Official Regulations for Control ef Vehicular Traffic During Precautionary Blackouts. "Highway traffic within city limits will bo restricted to emergency vehicles such as fire, police and ambulance; com mercial vehicles engaged In essential service such as milk trucks, newspaper delivery trucks, mall trucks and the regular trans port freight services: and such private cars as thosen Phy' tans on emergency call and those required for transporting workers to and from employment. Metropolitan areas maytake further precautions If considered advisable by local police '"'"Highway traffic outside city limits will b subject to tha re strictions noted above without exception. ,,,. . "Pending Issuance of permits for operation durmg precau tionary blackout periods, employers should furnish credentials to drivers of commercial vehicles and privato cars which come under the permitted classifications. "For city driving, it is directed that as soon as possible after receipt of this order, all motor vehicles permitted to operate must be equipped with dark oilcloth or rubber masks or hoods attached securely to headlights, with horizontal slit In the lower portion about Vt Inch x 3 Inches, covered Inside with not less than two thicknesses of blue cellophane or one coat of blue ULIcenfenights must be blacked out with an opaque covering. "Tail lights must be hooded with an opaque material, leav ing an aperture at the bottom not more than V inch In diameter. "Side and clearance lights on trucks must be extinguished or completely hooded. . "Use of fog or spot lights with or without covering Is pro hlblted. ti "For operating on the open highways beyond tha corporate limits of cities, removal of the lower one-half of the hood will be permitted for the time being, provided the unhooded section Is covered by at least two thicknesses of blue cellophane or one coat of blue lacquer paint. .... "In an emergency blackest during an air raid alert all ve hicular traffic en all roads and highways must cease, except for emergency fire, police and first aid cars. All motor vehicles must jjreeMo1heeundjllJlottjm War Bulletins Alexandria. Dec. 12 VP) Sweeping within point-blank range, a British cruiser heav ily shelled Darna en tha Libyan coast in a daring sur prise attack today and safely emerged from one oi the biggest dive-bombing assaults since Crete. Axis shipping and harbor Installations were reported heavily damaged. London, Dec. 12, (IP) The admiralty announced today that a British submarine had torpedoed and "probably sunk" an Italian cruiser in the central Mediterranean. New York. Dec. 12 P Rumania has declared was on the United States, accord, ing to a Bucharest dispatch broadcast tonight by the Ger man news agency. Terrific Explosion Shakes Shell Plant Al Burlington, Iowa BurHngtoav law Dec. 11 OP) A heavy explosion reck ed the Iowa ordnance plant hare today, destroying a shell loading unit and killing nine workmen, with Injury to at least 20 mora. Burlington, la., Dec. 12 (IP) A terrific explosion in the No. 1 melt unit of the partly-completed Iowa ordnance plant near here this afternoon shook the neighborhood, injured a number of workmen and possibly killed some. Lieutenant Col. Keith F. Adamson. commanding officer, described the explosion as "very bad," but added tha blast had been limited to the one building in the 160.000,000 plant. .' NAZIS SHOOT 11 Vichy, Unoccupied France, Dec. 12. UP) Eleven residents ot tha port of Brest were shot today for possession of arms and explosives, premedlated vio lence against the German army and espionage, German author ities announced in the Paris press. 85,000 GERMANS DECLARED DEAD T 1,434 Tanks, 5,416 Trucks, 675 Field Pieces Cap tured Or Destroyed, Word Moscow, Dee. 12. UP) Rus sia claimed a sweeping victory tonight on the wlnterbound Moscow front with 85,000 Ger mans killed, 20 divisions smash ed, put to flight or surrounded and strategic positions recover ed on both . the northern and southern flanks of the German line of siege. (The reports Indicated a suc cess even more spectacular than. the recent rout of the Germans on the southern front at Rostov and If the advantage can bw clinched probably a definite lift ing of the threat to tha Russian) capital). Victory was proclaimed In two communiques Issued by the Soviet Information bureau ana broadcast by the Moscow radio. Thirty-thousand G e r m a n were said to have fallen In re cent actions with 85,000 tha to tal for operations between No vember 18 to December 9. 1.434 Tanks Lost In those 22 days tha Russian land forces alone were said to have captured or destroyed 1,434 tanks, 5,418 trucks, 875 field pieces, 339 trench mortar and 870 machine-guns. Stallnogorsk and Venev, on tha southern flank of tha cap ital, actually to Moscow s south east, were reported recaptured with an advance continuing la several sectors west and south west of tha city. Stallnogorsk Is 80 miles east of Tula and 120 miles south east of Moscow. Venev Is half way between Tula and Stallno gorsk. ' Tha forces of General Llluth enko smashed through tha Oar man first tank division and the) 14th and 86th motorized infan try divisions to capture Roga- chev and surround the town ot Kiln, the communique said. Klin is 53 miles northwest of Moscow on tha Leningrad railway. The communique also added that Soviet troops recaptured "400 inhabited places," cap tured 388 tanks, 4,000 motor vehicles, 303 guns, and a large) quanlty of other material. Moscow, Dec. 13 UP) Soviet Russia will fight Germany to the end and Is fully confident that the United States can de feat "tha Japanese aggressor," official statements wirelessed abroad declared today. Tha official communist news paper, Pravda, said of German peace feelers put out through tha Berliner Tageblatt that Ger many would never get peace) from Russia until tha "Hitler gang" Is ousted, and added that any peace would be "only by agreement with Great Britain and tha United States." British Dasfroy Ksil Rigtasst ia . Africa Cairo, Egypt, Dee. 12, CfV" British troops have destroyed the German 381st Africa regi ment numbering soma 1,200 men and surrounded Gaza la In a drive through a two-day sand storm, an advance that swept 30 miles beyond Tobruk, war dispatches said today. Parts of two Italian divisions were believed to have been cut off in tha advance, which pene trated about 120 miles Into Libyan territory. There la no capital punlehnatnt In Sweden, but a Ufa sentence 'or eepe onasa wis recently, tatpossd, .
