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About Medford mail tribune. (Medford, Or.) 1909-1989 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 23, 1941)
Weather e0r",u' forecast: Little ehanfe ta temperature. Temperature Highest Yesterday 41 Lowest this Morning , U Thirty-sixth Year News Behind The News By Paul Mallon Washington, Dec. 23. Ho the British could fare so poorly in defense of Singapore against a land attack for which they have been pre paring at least IS years Is the first major mystery of the far east war. The explana tion being sent out of that "im pregnable has ten" by the Faol Ma I ton news-men is that insufficient men and material were furnished by London. This would seem to be a hand-worn and miserable excuse. The truth is they slipped In only one particular, the most im portant one. They neglected to concentrate sufficient pursuit planes to protect the adequate troops and material which they had mustered. They underesti mated the Jap air force (as has everyone else). Such fighting planes could not be flown to the Orient in view of their short range, but had to be shipped out around South Africa. As they were also needed at home and elsewhere, the British fell easily into a critical error, . e e IIUR defense of the Philippines "has relied heavily upon the British grasp of the Singapore flank. If the Japs win there, their fleet and troops can be turned full on General MacAr thur. Furthermore, the helpful rainy season is about over out there and good fighting weather will prevail through April. If the Philippines can be held until next May they will never be lost. THE meeting of the maritime unioneers and ship operators swiftly got down to business here. Called by John R. Steelman of the government's labor con ciliation service and Admiral Land of the maritime commis sion, it developed Immediate unity. Strikes were barred. War aid was promised. But then the (Continued on Pee Six) Radio Highlights By Associated Press (Time is Pacific Standard) President Roosevelt's greeting to the nation and Pope Pius' Christmas message to the world may be heard on Wednesday. The president's words will be carried by all networks at 2 p. m. The pope's message is to be sent out by the Vatican City short wave station at 2:30 a. m. At 7:30 a. m. the MBS chain will relay the broadcast in full from recordings. Other day-before-Christmas programs: CBS, 6:19 a. m., Santa Claus Is Coming To Town, music: 12:30 p. m., "Night Before Christmas," drama. NBC-Blue, 7:45 a. m., carols from Wall Street, N. V. MBS, 12:30 p. m., greetings to travelers at Grand Central and Pennsylvania stations; 3, carols from Chicago. Tonight: CBS, 7:13, Dr. Wil liam Agar on "War to Victory." Eugene, Ore., Dec. 23. OP) An automobile fatally injured G. O. Haugen, 75, custodian of the city library, here last night SIDE GLANCES BY TRIBUNE REPORTERS Retired Bob Newland drop ping in at the postoffice to see how hard the boys were working. "Rickey" Reichstein watching Ice skaters from the side lines and friends wondering when be was going to try his luck. mm i -i Medford SECOND VESSEL E Tanker Montebello Victim All Hands Reported Safe ly Landed; Spot Not Told. San Francisco, Dec. 23. VP) The 440-foot tanker Monte bello was attacked and sunk by an enemy submarine at 4 a.m. today off the California coast, headquarters of the 12th naval district announced. Four life boats carrying survivors have landed. The navy said it had no report of any casualties. While the Montebello was be ing attacked, the Richfield tank' er Larry Doheny was reported to have encountered trouble with an undersea raider in the same general locality, but to have escaped. The navy said, however, it had not been in com munication with the Doheny since the attack. Eighth Attack It was the eighth submarine attack on American freighters and tankers in nearby Pacific waters since opening of the war. ' From 3 a.m. until almost mid- morning the sound of gunfire rolled in to shore from action only a few miles off the coast Occasionally a deep thunder ing explosion could be heard, that rattled windows and doors in coastal communities. By noon lifeboats were being beached at points along 100 miles of coast. The survivors aL' appeared uninjured. The navy withheld informa tion as to the exact spot today's attack occurred. The attack on both boats was apparently made at about the same time. The Montebello, built In 1S21 by the Southwestern Shipbuild ing company of San Diego, weighed 8,107 net tons. San Luis Obispo, Calif., Dec. 23. WV-A series of heavy ex plosions were heard off-shore on the Pacific coast today. There was speculation wheth er it was an enemy submarine attacking an American freighter, or an attack by U. S. forces on an enemy raider. Los Angeles, Dec. 23. W An enemy submarine fired on and sank the Union Oil tanker Montebello at dawn today off the California coast. All hands were reported safe in a telephone message from Capt. Olaf Eckstrom to Union Oil offices here. Bill Srez, of Westvllle, Mass, one of the crew, said he did not know whether the Montebello was torpedoert. "There was a hell of an ex plosion," Srez said after he was dragged from the surf by Jack Freebody, and Austin Waltz. "I know they fired on us from the deck, however. The fellows in the other boats were subjected to machine gun fire, but they had gotten started away to shore. We don't know whether they made it." Capt. Eckstrom, Srez, John T, Smith of Torrance, Calif., Edgar F. Smith and two other men whose names were not learned, were so cold and numbed when they were brought to safety on a life line they could hardly talk. Their lifeboat crashed on the rocks. Some watchers on shore saw the shelling of the Montebello. They said one direct hit caused the tanker's bow to lurch up ward and almost immediately she sank. There had been firing before this hit, however, wit nesses said, and flashes of light could be seen. Capt Eckstrom said the Montebello was attacked about 6 t-m. MESSENGERS STRIKE Tacoma, Dec. 23. M West ern Union messenger boys went on strike today, asking a pay increase of from 30 cents to 43 cents an -our. Full Associated Press NW "iTAINni-7 junim w 15) u. War Bulletins Hongkong, Dec. 23. (TV- Hongkong's defenders have "contained" halted and per. haps surrounded Japanese forces who made a light penetration" In their lines on Mount Cameron on Hong king island, the British com mand announced today. Moscow, Wednesday, Dec. 24. (P) Red army troops, still driving the Germans back on the Moscow defense arc, have occupied the important railway Junction of Gorbaehe vo, 150 miles southwest of this capital, it was announced of ficially today. The town Is about 50 miles southwest of Tula, about mid-way to Orel. London, Dec 23. P) The rumble of explosions and bril liant bursts from anti-aircraft guns tonight showed that the RAF had crossed a moonlit channel and attacked objec tives along the French coast PRIVATE FLYING HALTED BY WAR ON COAST SLOPE San Francisco, Dec. 23 JP) Private flying within 150 miles of the Pacific ocean from Ore gon to Mexico was grounded to day on orders of the civil aero nautics authority. Private flying schools and plane owners had the choice of moving inland beyond the re stricted zone or storing their craft in hangars, where they must maintain an armed guard day and night to guard planes against possible destruction by enemy agents. Transcontinental! mall and passenger airlines were not af fected by the grounding order which affects some 2,000 civil ian pilots and more than 200 airplanes. Planes belonging to a flying school in San .Jose were flown to Reno in the company of an army escort yesterday. The CAA announced that the army would accompany planes grant ed permission to fly inland. All aviation ground school classes in schools and colleges were also ordered closed. The order was expected to re main in effect for the duration of the war. LABOR, INDUSTRY AGREE ON PEACE Washington, Dec 23. (P) Labor and management repre sentatives agreed today to fore go strikes and lockouts for the duration of the war and to settle all disputes by peaceful means. The agreement was worked out by 28 representatives of industry, labor and the govern ment after four days of delib eration. The conferees also recom mended that President Roose velt set up a labor board simi lar to the one In operation in the last World war to handle disputes. Announcement of the agree ment -was made by William H. Davis, moderator of the confer ence. Davis read to reporters a letter from President Roosevelt to the conference in which Mr, Roosevelt said he was "happy to accept your general points of agreement." The president added that he accepted without reservation "your covenants that there shall be no strikes or lockouts and all disputes shall be settled by peaceful means." He said fur ther that he would proceed at once to act on the third point of the agreement, calling for establishment of a war labor board. MEDFORD, OREGON, TUESD AY, DECEMBER 23, ME FOOTHOLD GAINED BY JAPS rief Announcement Fails To Say If Island Captured No Word From Midway Washington. Dec. 23 The Japanese have landed at last on Wake island, at a cost known only to themselves and the sturdy marines who fought off attack after attack In a style that has thrilled the na tion. In fact, since the navy depart ment communique telling of the landing today gave no details. there was still hope that the tiny Pacific Island was not lost entirely. This hope was not inspired by Wake's importance, for it has little, but by the almost Incred ible exploits of men who bat tled against overwhelming strength and refused to give up, There was no mention of Midway in the communique. Wake, one of Fan American Airlines' clipper bases, has been under repeated aerial assault and on occasion has been at tacked by naval units as well TANKS INTO USE IN LUZON BATTLE Washington, Dec. 23. OP) The war department announced today that Japanese invasion at tacks on the eastern shore of Lingayen gulf 1n the Philippines were increasing in intensity and that the invaders were using light tanks in vigorous attacks south of Agoo In this area. A late day communique said General Douglas MacArthur re ported enemy war planes had been particularly active in sup porting landings and attempts to advance ashore. The communique also said that American army bombers attacked several enemy troop ships off Davao, more than 500 miles to the south on the island of Mandanao, but results were described as undetermined. Manila, Dec. 23. 4:lfl p. m. 2:19 a. m. EST) UP) U. S. army headquarters announced today that sharp fighting was continuing in northern Luzon but said there had been no change in positions since yes terday, when the Japanese land ed strong forces at Santo Tomas, approximately 125 miles irom Manila. The situation In the Davao area on Mindanao island south of Luzon, where American troops have been engaged in sharp fighting with a Japanese land ing force, was described omc- lallv as "obscure." An armv sDOkesman said u had not been determined exact ly how many troops the Japan ese had been able to land at Santo Tomas. FRATERNITY HOUSE HAS $3,000 DAMAGE BY FIRE Eugene, Dee. 23. (Pi A fire starting In a clothes chute did an estimated $3,000 damage to the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fra ternity house at the University of Oregon today. No one was injured. CRASH KILLS SAILOR Fresno, Calif., Dec. 23. AP) Vernon Lyle Watt 21, of Hub bard, Ore., sailor from the San Diego naval base, died in the Fresno county hospital last night, the second fatality of a four-car highway pileup here Sunday. Refugio Salcido. 21, Fresno, died an hour after the Sunday acci dent in which Watt was injured. Churchill i Wearing Ms reefer and cap, Winston Churchill arrived at the White House with President Roosevelt and the president's naval aide, Capt John R. Beardall, after his daring and secret Journey to the United States for another history-making conference with Roosevelt The president met Churchill In a car it a "nearby airport" They were closeted at the White House to talk war plans to encompass "the defeat of Hlilerlsm." Roosevelt, Churchill Hold U. S. ARMY. NAVY Washington, Dec. 23. AP President Roosevelt called a con ference for 2 p. m. PST today with American army and navy i officials and British Prime Min-! Ister Churchill and his staff. The White House said this group might be called the "war coun-, cil." The American group Invited j Included Secretary of War Stlm-1 son, General George C. Marshall, army chief of staff; Major gen eral Henry H. Arnold, deputy chief of staff for air Secretary of the Navy Knox; Admiral Harold R. Stark, chief of naval oper ations; Admiral Ernest J. King, new commander of the United States fleet, and Harry L. Hop kins, special assistant on lend lease affairs. With Britain's prime minister, who arrived here last night were to be Lord Beaverbrook, supply minister; Admiral Sir Dudley Pound, commander of the Brit ish fleet; Air Marshal Sir Charles F. A. Portal, and Gen eral Sir John Dill, former chief of the imperial general staff and now governor of Bombay. In announcing the conference, Press Secretary Stephen Early told reporters: "That group you might call the war council." This was to be the first confer ence between the president and the entire British mission. Even before the capital recov ered from its surprise at Chur chill's dramatic arrival, the con- Tribune United Press 194 - Ann in U. S. for Conference ! Council Confidence Washington, Dec. 23. VP) President Roosevelt and Prime Minister Churchill, sitting side by side in the White House, voiced utmost confidence today In the abil ities of their countries to fight' the war to a successful conclusion. The two submitted to ques tioning at a Joint press con ference, with the British leader assuming the bulk of the task of replying and em phasizing at one point that the allies were working out a complete unity of action in the southwest Pacific. Asked at the end of the conference whether he had any doubt of the ultimate outcome, Churchill said he had absolutely none. He said the allies should, however, bank on an exter nal knockout of Germany rather than on an internal collapse of the relch. venations were under way and the White House had become, for the present, the G. H. Q. for the world-wide battle against totali tarian arms. From early last evening until 1 o'clock this morning, the president and the British prime minister conferred in the oval study in the White House once used by another war president Abraham Lincoln for his office. The White House said the president and prime minister probably would resume their per sonal discussions late this after noon. For most of the time last night the two were alone. In subse quent conferences they are ex pec ted to call in whatever ad visers they need. icfiiiio)Mnrp IMl J of War Telephone Company Asks Pcblic Not to Call Long Distance A request to the telephone using public to "lend us a hand" over the holiday season by not sending greetings by long dis tance telephone was made today by R. B. Hammond, manager here for the Pacific Telephone and Telegraph company. "Our lines are carrying a tre mendous volume of rails In the last few days the greatest number in history, Mr. Ham mond said, pointing out that It was necessary, of course, that in all instances the lines readily be available for telephone calls Important to defense. "We want the public to know that we are meeting this emerg ency with everything we have," he concluded, "and that we deeply appreciate the public's considerate thoughtfulness." E-l The office of the Med ford cor poration announced today they would close down Thursday for Christmas, but would resume operations Friday, giving the workers a one-day holiday. Timber Products company will close down Christmas, and Man ager Floyd Hart said the plant would not operate Friday and Saturday. Manager Hart said It was cus tomary for the mill to close down for a week or 10 days at Christmas time for repairs but this year all repairs had been previously made. Not Expensive lb smalt Want Ads are oo tut wonders then tfaji. Many people depend upon them to buj, sell, trade, find, rent, etc, end ere dellchted with results. Thee ere not expenslre end they do prodoee splendid re sult t. Why not try themt NO. 236. EXPECTED LUNGE THROUGHFRANCE Move Toward Spanish Fron tier Reported in Switzer landForce Not Large. Berlin, Dec 23 (And! Agency to AP) German sources asserted tonight that the United States and Britain had designs on Spain and Tur key and were responsible for the "unfounded rumors" el Nasi plans In those two coun tries. (By Associated Press) Authoritative reports that Ger man troops were moving west ward through occupied Franc to the Spanish frontier were received tonight in Switzerland, and it thus appeared that Hit. ler's expected new lunge might be taking the form of an at tempt to break Gibraltar and enter north Africa. A new German effort to re trieve the Nazis' reverses In Russia had been widely antici pated since Hitler's decision to oust his top military command-, er. General Field Marshal von Brauchltsch, and take upon him self the responsibility ol unique-- personal command. His troop movement through western France was not large so far as could be learned, and the exact nature of its equip ment was not ascertained. There) was some speculation that the Intention might be to attempt to ship men from Spain to north Africa. LI DELAYED BY WAR Salem, Dee. 23. W Because of an expected shortage ol ma chinery and paper, the State De partment of Agriculture an nounced today that its sanitary milk cap regulation, which was to have become effective Janu aty 1, would not be enforced un til further notice. The regulation provided that nil grade A dairies tinder the department's supervision roust provide mil- caps covering vm pouring lip of the bottle. "Those dairymen who have se cured their bottling equipment and caps may proceed to use them, and dairies using the re quired equipment will not be penalized In any way for ltt use," the department said. Portltsd Psptrs U? Ssbscrlp.!:- r.;!:j Portland. Dec. 23. UP) Both the Oregonlan and Oregon Jour nal announced today Increases) In monthly subscription rates. effective Jan. 1, from 65 to 85 cents for the daily editions and from $1.05 to $1.25 for daily and Sunday. The newspapers said operat ing expenses had increased. HITLER NERVOUS AND EYES ARE INFLAMED London. Dee. 23. WV-The Moscow radio said today in broadcast heard here that Adolf Hitler bad consulted "the famous German doctor Schuster" and was told he was suffering sever nervous exhaustion and inflam mation of the eyes. Hitler's eyes have troubled him since he was gassed In the first World war. WOULD AVZNOB SOU Portland. Dee. 23, WO liara T. Nugent 43. applied to day for enlistment In the navy to replace his son, Thomas, kill ed In the Dee. 7 attack on Pearl Harbor. The veteran of the first World war is city fireman in chart of the Baker first- car. i
