Medford mail tribune. (Medford, Or.) 1909-1989, December 23, 1943, Image 1

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Medford mail tribune., December 23, 1943, Page 1, Image 1

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Newspaper Page TextOn The MAIL TRIBUm Want Ad Way Quick Results At Small Coit ?TiIBUNE Clonal with atonal light rale tonltbt ant Friday, Little chaiiie la tern perature. Temp. Hlihnt refter-ay t Ixme-t this mornlnf 40 rreclpiUiUoB put Uln,. United Pi Full Leased Wire Uni!ed Pr-aa full Leased Wire Tbirty-eighth Year MEDFORD, OREGON, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 23, 1943 NO. 233 X Weather Medfo News Behind The News By Paul Mallon ft use m IT Washington, D. C, Dec. 23 Russian strokes near Nevel and at points south are being herald ed a' the 1 a u n ehlng of the winter of fensive to carry Stalin to Berlin by spring but they are not quite that, not yet. So far, they are discernib ly only open ing phases of rrnnl Hallo what may de velop Into a general offensive. Exaggerated notions of the moves so far spring largely from the Berlin radio which has been playing them up (for its own purposes, no doubt) far more than Moscow. . EVERYTHING depends on the weather. If the reds can get a moderate cold, dry spell be fore heavy snows pile in roads and fields, and the bottom of the thermometer limits the mechan ical objectives, they conceivably could swing into a decisive win- Iter campaign. But winter offen sives in Russia can have only Very limited successes. Long, swift sweeps are. impossible. - The Russian break-through south westward from Nevel, for Instance,, has, as its ultimate goal, Riga and the Baltic shore. The nazis knew it was coming. ' The very spot was designated by this column as far back as newspapers of November 24, just as the break-through north of Dnepropetrovsk which broke the back of the Germans In the south last summer, and, in fact. the American invasion of North Africa, Sicily and Italy were forecast. ' ' . , - This is not done of secret in formation, but upon sound mlll , tary advice concerning obvious strategic points for attack. Thus , a drive from the region of Nevel . i(Conj- oa . -"--... " Br United Press ; ' The winter's second Arctic cold wave gripped most of the nation today, moving Into the east and south coast states, but the possibility of a white Christ inas appeared remote. The U. S. weather bureau at Chicago said most of the country would be clear of snow for Christmas. Traces of snow will be found only in Northern Mich igan, Minnesota and in northern New England, the forecaster said. The mercury dropped a few more degrees at the cold air mass left the Dakotas and Min nesota and moved across Wis consin, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio and Pennsylvania. The fore caster said it would reach the Atlantic states tonight. By Christmas Day, he said, there will be considerably mild' er weather fdt all sections of the country. Canton, N. Y., was the na tion's coldest spot today with a temperature of 25 degrees below zero. ' COUNTER-REVOLUTION , REVEALED, IN BOLIVIA Santiago, Chile, Dec. 23. (U.R) Victor Paz Estenssoro, head of the new revolutionary gov ernment of Bolivia, revealed to day that counter-revolutionaries attempted unsuccessfully to overthrow his regime soon after it came into power last Monday. In a telephone interview with the United Press, Estenssoro said the counter-plot was led by Col. David Toro who served as president of Bolivia from May, 1936, to July, 1937. SIDE GLANCES By TRIBUNE REPORTERS r ti. O. (Doc) Boomer submit ting a bill for $5 to Herb Cratn for "professional services render ed" during s recent attack of flu. Pauline Abiayne Champlin en thusiastically describing the good qualities of her snappy WAVE uniform. Postmaster DeSouza wishing that the owners of numerous gloves, fountain pens, umbrellas and one pair of basketball trunks would call at the office for them. All-Out Air Smash hmm HMttmlr ail ff -. ep.rit XJ VV Ftea-larf Maa FRANCE C 5WITZ a i i i i . km uali Inmatr ran, lain r ttoa.iaaialititaG.rmsa rail at as llluia la caattal Italy vv..., if I Tetttniaiait tf WM-tsnifaif , rwh wMsmmw i.. .vm& mmzi . mmm -.wss x (Atsm TtUpKoul Hap shows how tha Allies' two-day, all-out air offensive has smashed targets from Bremen In Germany to Eleusis airfield, Athens, and closed tha wrpnqftr Faas. IGHT WITH NIP FLIERS Chungking, Dec. 23 (U.R) American fighter pilots blasted a Japanese raiding fleet out of the skies in a furious dogfight over a forward U. S. air base in China yesterday, destroying or damaging 45 of the 58 enemy planes engaged, at a cost of one American fighter, a communque revealed today. . Five other American planes were damaged in the battle and a transport on the airdrome was wrecked but Ma, Gen. Claire L. Chennault's Flying Dragons ac counted for 11 Zeroes and four bombers definitely destroyed, 13 Zeros and three bombers prob ably downed, and 11 Zeros and three other bombers damaged. Bombing Bobblad So effective was the Ameri can interception that the enemy bombing formation was able to inflict only minor damage to the airfield installations, in addition to the destruction of the trans port. (A Tokyo broadcast heard by the United Press in San Fran cisco said Japanese planes "se verely damaged" an American airdrome at Kunming yesterday and shot down 18 intercepting U. S. fighters. Only four Japa nese planes were lost, according to the enemy version.) . No Christmas Rush For Marriage Here So far there has been no Christmas rush at the county clerk's office for marriage li censes. December applications to date have been average, with eight issued one day last week for the highest of the, month. The final week of the year, in the past has been a brisk one for matrimonial ventures. "New Deal" Tide Outmoded President Roosevelt Feels Washington, Dec. 23 (U.R) President Roosevelt feels that the term "new deal" which has Identified his administra tion since he became chief ex ecutive In 1933 Is now out moded and should be discarded in favor of some new slogan more reflective of the war ef fort, the White House said today. Questioned about reports that Mr. Roosevelt wsnted to aban don the term "new deal," White House Secretary Stephen T. Early said this was so. . "The phrase was born back in the days of 1932 emergency and It was the slogan through ,M-ck J -St-t-W iwnati - a - et erlla GERMANY POLAND , Aei.atg km chitt X wciMncamiltalonl, I an. p,o.UCM Jjo. H ,! II . - A InmtriKk Irifuwr YUGOSLAVIA Utt of FofjfliaouMcH ( rorgerMowili Gtrmany and the lalfcam mtiktrn cm .ttntm wigc 1 IF BALTIC BASTIONS Moscow, Dec.. 23. (U.R) Rus sian armies closing against the Baltic front bastions of Vitebsk and Polotsk have trapped many thousands of Germans In the marshlands ' below Nevel and now are wiping them out In fierce battle of annihilation. field dispatches said today. . The swift advance of Gen. Ivan C. Bagramian's Siberian veterans enveloped, a number of German garrisons, which .stood pat under the illusion that they were safe ' behind their '"iron wall" defenses, front ' reports said.' Crush Trapped Foe While the bulk of the first Baltic front troops drove on to within striking distance of Vitebsk and Polotsk, foundation stones of the German defenses, powerful detachments remain ed behind to crush the trapped Nazis, , , . The German command threw large forces of tanks and planes into frantic efforts to break the Soviet rings around the Harri sons south of Nevel. But they failed to check the Russian cam paign of reduction marked by what the press called "terrible hand to hand combats. Panicky Nazi garrisons which threw their full weight against the Red army cordons were re ported beaten back mercilessly to await the death blow. At one point a Soviet batta lion surrounded 1,000 Germans, who counterattacked repeatedly in an effort to rejoin their main forces. Russian Infantrymen beat them back with rifle butts. spades and knives, finishing off hundreds in their trenches. Oregon State College library contains 200,000 volumes. the campaign," Early said. "This is now IB. 3." Asked recently -what he pre ferred in place of "new deal,' Mr. Roosevelt suggested "win the war." The discarding of the slogan orougnt qu.cK Republican re tort Harrison E. Spangler, chair man of the Republican National committee issued a statement Inquiring whether "the leopard can cnange nis spots. "Evidently Mr. Roosevelt thinks so when he tells the press that ne wants to get away 'rom the tattered emblem "new deal'," bpangler said. -7 HUNGARY liana ' w BIG FORMATIONS SMASH SITES OF Heaviest Assaults Since 1940 In Effort to Knock out Hinted Rocket Attack. London. Dec. 33. (U.R) Brit ish bombers, in what London newspapers called in banner headlines "a blitz on the Rocket coast," carried the heaviest as sault on northwestern France since 1940 well into its fourth day today with heavy smashes at areas . where . the Germans have been reported setting up secret weapons ; to bombard England. This - afternoon great forma tions of aircraft, flying above the clouds, - roared out across the straits in the direction of Dunkirk, and RAF Typhoons, carrying bombs, swept out to ward France flying so low that ey appeared to be skimming e water. . . , - For Hours ' For' the last 98 hours the RAF has been hammering hard at the Pas De Calais area where, ac cording to neutral dispatches, the Germans are preparing bat teries of Rocket guns. London newspapers, giving banner headlines to the assault across the channel, referred to the. attack as a "blitz on the Rocket coast" and also called the fortified area of northwest ern France "the secret weapon coast." J w ' -v - ,. Iu-tfer '-today mediunt bomb ers took up the attack on the 'Rocket- coast"' which RAF heavy bombers carried through last night. .... The offensive appeared to be approaching the violence of that which wrecked German- pre parations for- an- invasion f Britain in 1940. . - iVettf Radio .Tubes' ' Forthcoming Soon ' Washington, Dee. 23 (U.I. The War Production board to day moved to correct a situation whereby thousands of radio sets have been "blacked out" by lim ited supplies of radio tubes. The board announced that at least 4,900,000 tubes of critical types for civilian receiving sets have been scheduled for produc tion in the first quarter of 1944. Officials added that tubes will continue to reach civilian out lets In Increasing quantities as the new program progresses. Fields' Gardener: t ' ' Pronounced Sane Hollywood, Dec.' S3 (U.R) Gaetano Falclanl, 35, former gardener for British comedienne Grade Fields, today was pro nounced sane by the same Jury which several days ago convict ed him of first degree murder in the slaying of pretty Violet van Someren, 33, Miss Fields' former secretary. Under the verdict . Falclanl faces a life sentence reeom mended by the Jury, unless a motion for a new trial is granted. Raid On Kunming Costly For Japs Br united Press The Chungking radio reported today that defense fighters and-l anti-aircraft gunners shot down more than 20 of 9S Japanese planes which attempted to at tack Kunming yesterday. Many bombs fell on a south eastern suburb of the city, ac cording to the broadcast record ed by the United States foreign broadcast Intelligence service. WAC LIEUTENANT IS GRANTS PASS GIRL Lt. Dorcas "Shelton," report ed in yesterday's paper to be a Medford girl stationed in a WAC unit at Dallas, Texas, was Iden tified by a local friend today as Dorcas Sheldon of Grants Psss, Her nam was incorrectly speOed In a press release, and efforts made to locate local rel stives yesterday were without avail. Lt Sheldon attended school In Grants Pass, and was a reporter on tha Courier there tor several years. F. D. R. Calls on Management, Unions To Let Him Settle Railroad Dispute Railroad Union Heads Confer With President 3 0 Mema TafapAAfnJ Arriving at the White Rouse for a conference called by President Roosevelt In an effort to avert a nation wide railway strike scheduled for Dec. SO are these five members of oparatlng railroad brotherhoods. Left to right are T. O. Caahen, president of AFL, switchmen's Union; H. W. Fraser, president of the Order of Railway Conductors; A. P. Whitney, president of the Brotherhood of Railway Trainmen; Alvanly Johnston, head of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers; and D. B. Robertson, president of tha Brotherhood of .,' Locomotive Firemen and Englnemen. s New York, DeeJ 23 (U.R) A labor leader and six, Chicago gangsters, convicted of conspir acy charges to extort $1,000,000 from the film industry, were at liberty : today under $100,000 bail each until December 30 when they will receive sen tences that may range up to 10 years in prison. - . . . A federal court jury of nine men and three women found the group guilty last night after de liberating slightly more than 10 hours. Defendants were Louis Kauf man, business manager for the Newark ' local of the Interna tional Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employes, and six former members of the Al Capone gang, John Roselll, Louis Campagna. Phil D' Andrea, . Francis Marl- tote,, Paul De Lucia and Charles Gloe.' .... Three other men were Indict ed with the group last March One of them, Frank Nlttl, an other Capone follower, shot him self the day the indictment was handed down; Nick (Dean) Clr cella pleaded guilty and charges against Ralph Pierce, also a re puted member of the Capone gang, were dismissed last month. The principal government wit nesses were William Bloff and George E. Browne, former offi cials of the Iatse and both serv ing terms for extortion. Tlfey testified that the seven defend ants had shared in the receipts from a $1,00,000 shakedown of west coast movie studios, which Bloff and Browne said was to keep the union members "In line." LATE DELIVERIES ON PARCEL POST Delivery of parcel post Christ mas packages will continue Fri day evening until midnight ac cording to an announcement to day by Frank DeSouza, Medford postmaster. Christmas Day there will be one parcel post de livery made In the city, the postmaster said, and special de livery packages and letters will be taken out both Christmas Day and Sunday. While the mall has been heavy, the load has been much more evenly distributed than In Lpast years, Mr. DeSouza stated, ana aaaea mai inis was aue con lderably to the early mailing. Each day the crew, even though reduced in size because of Influ enza, has been sble to handle that day's business with no accu mulation of carry-over, he said. t - i ii & M tk i .1 ' ; ill i ; r mtummm I r n lair 1 1 -i ai------a-a---aaajL, Nazis Driven From Ortona In House to House Battle ' Allied Headquarters, Algiers, Dee. 23 (U.R) Canadian assault forces have carried the bloody battle of Ortona into its final phase, driving the Germans from most of the Adriatic port Into its northwest outskirts in house to house fighting, it was re vealed toaay...... .,. FLU FATAL FOR OF Eugene, Ore., Dee. 23. (U.R) Dr. Donald Milton Erb, 43, presi dent of the University of Oregon, died at 1 p, m. today from a se vere case of influenza and pneu monia after being taken to a local hospital with a heavy cold Tuesday. The : educator, who . became president of the University at the age of 37, ic 1938, to be the institution's youngest president, went to a hospital Tuesday with a heavy cold. He had worked at his office until last Friday. Blood transfusions, penicillin and sulfa drugs failed to save his life. Erb was born Aug. 3, 1900, at Brooklyn, N. V. He was educat ed in public schools of Wooster, O., and Chicago. He graduated from the University of Illinois, receiving his bachelor of science degree in 1922 and his master of science degree from the sai school In 1924. . . He received his master of arts and doctor of philosophy degrees from Harvard. While at Harvard he was ap pointed a Thayer fellow and won the coveted RJcardo prize for out standing work In economics. He came to the University of Oregon in 1927 as assistant eco nomics professor and returned in 1930 as professor. He was asso ciate professor at Stanford uni versity and later acting head of the sociology and economics de partment there. While at Stanford in 1937 he was hired by the Oregon state board of higher education to re place Dr. Clarence Valentine Boxer. He was the seventh president of the university. His wiaow is the former Rox ane Catherine Stewart of Quia cy, 111. He is also survived by two daughters, Barbara, 19, sophomore at the university, and Elizabeth Jean, 11, and parents, Mr and Mrs. John Lawrence Erb, New York city, where his father is a nationally known or ganist and composer. a ft ,yfc.i - r. - - ..cv;. - ,vj,1i - . -V v ff aaaaaj . mm , a, via. tiv w a-ge v the German defenses in Italy crumbled under British Imperial pressure, . American troops bat tling to lay open the Rome road slogged through the rain-soaked mountains above Cassino to cap ture two more commanding heights. . French forces manning the Fifth army front northwest of Venafro came back strongly aft er suffering a slight reverse and scored new gains to the 3,000- foot mountains. Canadian units spearheading the ceaseless assault by Gen. Sir Bernard L. Montgomery a Eighth army had all but cracked the extreme northeastern end of Marshal Albert Kesseling's transpenlnsula line. Slowly but Inexorably the tank-supported Canadian shock units battered through the streets of Ortona, the Adriatic anchor of the German line, wrestling from the desperately resisting Nazis all but the ex treme northwest edge of the town, The Germans, fighting with a desperation born of necessity threw parachute units Into the Adrlatio battle to fight as infan try. They knew full well that If they were forced back along the coast their entire position in Central Italy would be threat ened and their Rome defenses laid open to a possible flanking attack. F.R. Washington, Dec. 23 U.R The White House said today that President Roosevelt's radio sddress to the nation end the armed forces tomorrow will have the widest broadcast cir culation of any speech he has ever made. Mr. Roosevelt's speech Is timed for 12 noon PWT from his home at Hyde Park, N. Y. It will be carried by all Ameri can networks and overseas. Members of the American armed forces throughout the world will be able to hear the address either when It is deliv ered or when It is rebroadcast tomorrow night at 7 p. m. PWT. FEED IMPORT DUTIES LIFTED FOR PERIOD Washington, Dec. 23 U.R) President Roosevelt today signed a bill which lifts for three months the import duties on feed for poultry and livestock. . The measure is designed to alleviate the present shortage of domestic feeds. FROM PRESIDENT '- a Decision "Within Law of Land" Promised Quickly if Interest Will Accept. Washington. Dee. 23 (U.R) The nation's railroads and the largest of five operating unions today accepted an offer by President Roosevelt to sat. tie their wsge dispute Lmmadl. ataly and avert a general atrlke scheduled for Dec 30. The union,-which acceded io Mr. Roosevelt's wishes, voiced earlier In the day at a White House conference, was the . Brotherhood of Railway trainman, headed by A.' F. Whitney and -.presenting nearly 130.000 oi the 9504)00 operating employes. - Washington. Dec. . 2Slim President Roosevelt today called on railroad management and labor to let him decide their wage dispute immediately, and warned that "the war cannot wait and I cannot wait." Acting peremptorily to avert . general strike called -ior Deal : 80, Mr. Roosevelt exacted from rail and union officials an agree ment to let him know their answer by . 3 p. m. EWT "If possible." Within Lsw ! "I want to know,", he told conferees summoned to tha White House, "whether you ob ject to my deciding this contro versy immediately and whether you wUl abide by my decision, which, of course, must be with in the lsw of the land." ' "The war cannot wait,"' Mr. Roosevelt said,' "and I cannot wait. American lives and Amer ican victory are at stake. Mr. Roosevelt' phrase, "with in the law," apparently meant that he has no intention of maklng any wage award which -would be in conflict with the nrtlonal stabilization act and the little steel formula. Insists On Speed His Insistence upon a speedy response appeared to indicate that he was prepared to take strong measures if the unions and railroads rejected his offer of arbitration. Such measures conceivably could take the form of government seizure of the roads, for which Mr. Roosevelt would have the precedent of World War I. The rail and union officials had been In conference earlier In the day, seeking a wage for mula acceptable to them and the government, when they were celled to the White House. It was understood they told tha president thy had been unable to reach an agreement Railroad Crisis In Next Months Washington, Dec. 23. U.F0 Director Joseph B. Eastman of the office of defense transporta tion said today that rail trans portation faces a crisis In the next few months, but that "If we can get by safely, we will be over the hump for the rest of the year." Eastman told a senate inter state commerce subcommittee that the coming months would be critical because of Increased troop movements and industrial, food and grain shipments which will "place a heavy strain on the railway facilities." TWO THIEVES Boston, Deo. 23. (U.R) Police searched today for two thieves one who stole a hearse end an other who stole harp. MO PAPER DEC. 2t In order to conserve paper under the government's ra tioning program, the Mail Tribune will not publish on SundyecemberB EM '-Fi.