Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 40, Number 286, Decatur, Adams County, 4 December 1942 — Page 1

f/se /5 Chores!

XL No. 286.

ILLIED AFRICAN DRIVE IS STYMIED

Incan Navy Loy For New ■panese Attack Lnese Attempt To K n d Reinforcements ■ foiled By Navy ■ithngton. Dec. 4—(UP) rav/ announce* that : an troops supported by panes are continuing K. ( patrol activities on n the Solomon*. , kl iied '» Japanese on •* | a" d time. The K, ia/s they were support ■p, fighter planes on five H ,By Uni’—i Press » H r ... • -lx ba* ended on ■K .... t i h:« in*w* an- look Kr m ■■[••-tunic to put over a K,;. ami th y have their I K,.,;- . number seven. ' ■ic.! »;x • til- 1 * hen nine Jap K•«, I, .- -troyer* or cruisK.,.- destroyer*. two -. algo whip weie ■ - ■*.•; by an Ann rh an ■l-ask force. K de. >*:<:> m this contest, ■- .i:niiier sunk and ■- . ..d smashed the ■; 4 • laud reinforceK .:. Guadalcanal. An estiK m-vhi liousand enemy Ki were killed K Am- alls are taking Ki ! : pr.i.’. d They remem■f., ' Hr’- uni they more or ■ • ’!i Japs to try some-~-»a or desperate fcxemora'e 'ii.it day cf Infamy Hr iixiu’ December 7th. K> .>■' G .ilii anal naval batH?< the American SCOre to 51 I Hit.;« sunk ni< hiding two bat Ap. a. sgtltist 26 loot by u*. Ktei two aii< raft carrier*. Ari Harinii dispatche* «ay Jap ■t losses iii the Solomon* and Hg.p-s -ime early In August H •!«'. Ni[,|i ne*e strategy In Hhcific I' i- estimated they've ■ Jh«) plane* A Peari Itaibor report was ac- ■ ■N by General MacArthur who ■ tifly.t, -mashed 21 ground- 1 Apiatii-s tn a lightning raid on ! MX on Timo*. This brought i ■t»od»y total to 41 Jap planes ' K ■- Are was only intermittent A fighting on the Buna-tic tin Bin New Guinea, where Japan- ' IhA. are to the sea. Jungle . H*r« To Pag* J, Column 4) I o r ldies Entertained ecatur Rotary D*c*t»r Rotary club observ- **• night Thursday evening > anikiual and highly entergrograin, held at the AmerWon home. Eiffel Plasterer, ‘••cher at Huntington high . presented hi* nationally "Bubble* Concerto." an ' UttsuiG and colorful enterR*«t provided entirely by the f®* of soap bubble*. I'«r<l Calland. chairman of the P* tight committee, was chair pt the program, and Clarence f<i»b president, conducted the k fd Burkhart This Morning Creek Township "omon Dies Today . ' Wward Burkhart. 71. well k*ua M * n! ot Hl °* town l her home thia morning 1 1 - ’*• born *" K «“t««*y * n<l ' ■ k. l M,rrl Ohto - ■ BUIIHI r jLu" o ** l * ,o Adam* county L 7** 1 dl "d six year* ago. ' »»< children are: Carl and •ki*> w h,r,; Mr "' Wlkbur Adrlaß Myert. Gor- . r *hart, *ll of Decatnr; Mrs t s ., r J ch ’’ Monroe; Dbnnki . ■ Berne. Mr* John Kai * 1! shire, O.; Pvt. Paul >a—.. Cta > Carrabelle, Fla.. ("•«* to deceaa- d. Four si* I , r grandchildren **t grandchildren also I »’****• * ,U P rob * h! T ** n 7’, Mttdiag upon the *- Wili - froß nortd ‘ ■ * M «t Mary's Ohto. I

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DECATUR DAILY DEMOCRAT

Tin Can Salvage Drive December 12 Collection To Be Mode In Decatur Adams county’s tin can salvage drive will be staged Saturday. December 12. The date for the drive -the latj e«t asked by WPH to aid in the allout war effort was set last night In a meeting of the salvage committee and announced by Mr*. Delton Paaswater. chairman. Arrangements have been made with Mayor Forrest EHey and city officials. Mrs. Pass water stated, to secure city trucks for the collection of the cans. Member* of the Decatur B«y Scout troops, under the direction of Steve Everhart. Scout commissioner. will work on the truck* and assist in the collection. Resident* are asked to have their tin can* ready and at the curb In i front of their home* early Saturday morning. In preparing can* for the | collection, citizens are asked to > wash off labels, knock out hath end,i and then stamp them flat. The cans are to Im- placed in container on the curb. Collection depo's will be set up In Decatur. Berne and Geneva. Mr*. Passwater stated. From these points the cans will be taken to a central depot at Fort Wayne. “Thia is the strangest war that has ever come to America.” Mrs. Passwater said today. In quoting a WPB statement, “but It ha* proj duced nothing stranger than the paradox which has overtaken the humble tin can. For many year* the tin can ha* been nothing but the epitome of cheapness. We have wasted 17 billion each year. Now ' the tin can is changed from a dieI reputable tramp into a war hero, partly because of the tin coat he wear*. By weight only 1.25 percent of a can is tin. The rest I* pure steel plate.” Lyman L. Hann, couuty school superintendent, has been placed in charge of collection* In the rural areas through the schools. Pul Essential Men Lasl On Draft List — New Plan Announced By State Director Fort Wayne. Ind . Det 4—tl'l’t i -State selective service director Robinson Hitchcock declares that kssentia! mett In Industry will be drafted last under a new plan. H* told a group of business leaders at Fort Wayne last night that the eventual result will be the same a* the pr sent induction method However. Hitchcock explains that although all physically fit men will be called, they will be taken in the order ot their value to their employ r*. The new plan ■ Is expected to be effective in Indiana within two weeks Each industry will be asked to make an inventory of ail of Its manpower and to compile a replat ment schedule. Replacement schedule* -will list worker* according to their Importance to the concern, their dependency status and other necessary Information. Replacetn tit schedules will be submitted to the state selective service beadquarters for approval Hitchcock *ay* that employer* should ask how long they can have to r place a man instead of inquiring how long he can be deferred I < — Launch Fifth Ship At Evansville Monday Evansville. Ind . Dec 4. —(1 P> The launching of the fifth oceangeing naval auxiliary to be constructed at Evanavllle will n- ,ke the observance of Pearl Harbor day on Monday Mr* Ashley Fancy of Louisville will sponsor the ship She I* the daughter of Lieutenant Commander and Mrs. F. G. Healy. 17 SHOPHNt DAVS -toChristmas STAMPS

Former Liner Sunk During African Operations I lx* r z • " The naval transport Hugh L. Scott, formerly the liner President Pierce, ot 12.546 tons, was oiu- of five transports lost during early November as the result of Axis I'-lMiat attacks during the successful occupation of North Africa by American forces.

Roosevelt Orders WPA Liquidation Manpower Proqram Announcement Soon Washington. Dec 4 — (UP) — President Roosevelt lias ordered "prompt liquidation" of the works project administration. He has Informed federal work* administrator Fl ming that war work maker, unnecessary a national work relief progrum. Mr. Roosevelt left unanswered the question of when his new manpower program will be compl ted. but said something will be forthcoming soon Mr. Roosevelt also says he will announce something on the manpower program soon; but h« cannot tell exactly when. The presid lit declined, at his new* conference today, to make any promise* regarding the announcement. He said there also will be som thing to report or. a proposed new f<md administration In that same indefinite m-ar future. The chief topic of discusskin in W'ashlngton today is power manpower. womanpower and presidential power. Th first two are in the process of change* In organization but there's a lot of resistance to any changes In the third. In fact. co:igre*slonal opponents of the bill to give the presid nt wartime powers to suspend immigration and tariff laws plan to hold it in committee until If* too late for passage. The deadline for the pre* nt session of congress to act on the bill is about December 15. And the opposition is lining up a lot of arguments to take up the time They claim that the measure won’t have a c’.tanc- with the next congress which convenes In January. T ie riorranizt'l war manpower commission already has a new Job - present d to It by transportation director Eastman. It’s to find and train half a million new worker* for the nation's railroad trucking, air and water carrier industries before next summer. Eastman advocates the use of old r worker* even though they may be less efficient. The situation, he says, is that critical. A new policy on the use of womanpower in th war effort wilbbe (Turn To Page 6. Column 3) —————— Committees Report Campaign Expenses Thursday Last Day To File Expenses —— The Adams county central committee spent In tbe recent election and tbe GOF committee *54797, according to statements filed by the treasurers of tbe respective parties in the clerk's office at tbe court houae. Tbe Democratic statement show* receipt* totalling *2.021.14. leaving a balance of *34.78. The Republican itatemeut shows donations of *634 79 from Decatnr. *7l from Berne and ,65 from Geneva for a total of *770.7». leaving a balance of *222 82. Yeeterday wa« the final day for candidates in th-* recent election to file expense accounts. Those who were among the latent to file art: Carl Schug. Rep. Monroe township trustee. *l7 95; C. O Troutner. Dem., county dork *IIJM; Mlhon Swearingen. Rep. city council > none. Harold Mattax. Wabash ad vieory board, none; Fred C. Myers. Blue Creek advisory board, nona. I

ONLY DAILY NEWSPAPER IN ADAMS COUNTY

Decatur, Indiana, Friday, December 4, 1942

Travelinq Salesmen To Get Extra Gas Washington, Dec. 4—(t’P)- This Is a story about traveling salesmen perhaps the only one you haven't heard before., The men whose exploits, real and fancied, have enriched American folklore for decades have convinced the government that they do a lot more than provide material for Jokes. Price administrator Henderson announces that the traveling salesmen have won their long battle for increased gasoline rations to keep their cars on the road. How much extra ga* they'll get hasn't been decided yet. however. — - ——O' Agree On Production Control For Wilson Prolonqed Struqqle Is Officially Ended Washington. Dec. 4 — H'Pt — The prolonged struggle bet we n the war production board and the armed services has ended officiall> An agreement Just reach <1 give* WPB vice-chairman Charles Wilson general supervisory authority over scheduling of all arm* output. And It puts him In direct control over aircraft, radio, detection equlpm nt and escort vessel*. A Joint statement by WPB chairman Donald Nelson, secretary of war Stimson and secretary of navy Knox say* the new arrangement assures success for the immense, production task for 1943. The pact constitutes a victory for Nelson to the extent that he recapture* scheduling power* which he transferred to tbe ■ rvlre* last March. In effect, however. the services recognize the final authority ot the WPB but th y will continue to perform the actual scheduling work, subject to Wilson'* supervision. Accident Victim Is Sliqhtly Improved The condition of Miss Rose Marie Stanley. 18. critically hurt in an auto accident Monday night, was described late today by hospital attaches a* slightly improved. She had shown some improvement yesterday when she reportedly gained consciousness for the first time since the crash.

Japs 9 Infamy Before Pearl Harbor Reviewed By Writer

Washington. Dec 4. —(UP) —Juat one year ago today. Japan's aircraft carriers were ploughing the Pacific toward Hawaii to blur a page of history with (he treachery of Pari Harbor. And in Washington, two little diplomat* from Tokyo were trying to lull America to sleep with phony negotiation* for peace —a farce that lasted until one hour after Japanese bombs dropped on Pearl Harbor. Dectmber 7. 1941. Tbe history of those two monumenta of infamy is traced by H. O. Tbcmpeon. the former Tokyo manager of United Pres*, who watched the war lord* rise to power In Japan. That wa* over a period of years. But the last act say* Thompson. started some 10 month* before Pearl Harbor, when Japanese Ambassador Nomura presented his credentials to our state departmeat. From there on. Thompson de clarea. Japan's diplomata argued and talked a smokescreen of peace, behind which the war lords moved

Best News Stories Os Year Selected U P. Executive Picks Two Lists New York. Dee. 4—(UP)—One of the biggest news year* In our history i« drawing to a drumatbclose. Never before ha* the crash of events put such a strain on the reportorlal facilities, of the pres* And never before ha* It been more difficult to pick the "ten best" stories of the year. Earl Johnson, vice-preatldent and general manager of United Press, solved the problem by picking two lists one from the plethora of world-shaking for elgn stories, the other from domestic ones. Johnson picks as the top foreign development a combination of three closely related event*—the American Invasion of north Africa, the rout of Rommel, and the scuffing ot the French fleet. As the top 1 domestic story, he pick* three oth ' er related developments ration- ’ ing. wage-freezing, and the tax pr<e gram. 1 Here are Johnson'* complete lists: First — American invasion of ’ North Africa, the rout of Rommel, and the scuttling of the French ’ I fleet. Second -Jap conquest of Philip- ] pines, Singapore. Java and Burma ‘I Third—The Red army's counter- ' offensive beginning with the stand at Stalingrad. Fourth —Battle* of Coral sea and Midway. Fifth — American offensive on Guadalcanal. Sixth Allied air attack* on German and Italian cities Seventh—Doolittle's raid on Tokyo. Eighth The Dieppe raid. Ninth iFallure of Cripps miaaion and the arrest of Gandhi. Tenth —Rescue of Eddie Rlckenbacker. And among the domestic stories. U. P. executive Earl Johnson picks tTurn To Page 4. Column t> Air Raid Wardens To Meet Toniqht Zone and sector air raid ward ns will meet tonight at 7:30 o'clock 1 at the Legion home All are urged to be present.

I Step by step until they were ready : for their sneak attack on Pearl Harbor Tbe play by play events during those final ten months run some thing tike this: Nomura became ambaasadcr in I February. 1941. and tbe very next month, started his shadow-boxing with the state department. He talked of liberalised commercial relation* and told of Japan's desire for peace. But offered nothing In April. Secretary of State Hull presented Nomura with a fourpoint statement cf American principles—which. in effect, called upon Japan to stop her aggression In China. Nomura countered in May with a proposal that Uncle Sam be tbe middleman to settling the Chins war by giving Japan everything she wanted When that failed. Japan s war lords started tbe first concrete I steps down the trail of war with (Turn To Page J. Column 1)

Situation In Tunisia Takes Turn For Worse; Superiority In Air Forces Taken By Axis

Sales Os Gasoline Reported Increasing Slow Sales Reported In Rationinq Proqram Sale of gasoline in Decatur and community began to pick up some today for the first time since the rationing program went Into effect oh December L Service station* here and there reported one ot the flr«t few sale* of gasoline. If not the first sale, today. Meanwhile, issuance ot supplemental rations and T books for truckers continued at the Decatur Junior-senior high school. The raI tion l>oard today issued a statement ; of special appreciation to the CenI tral Soya. Decautr Casting. Cloverleaf Creameries. Inc., and the Schafer company for furnishing members of their respective office staffs to aid in the ration program. Glenn-Hill, ration board chairman. called attention of all motorists to the fact that each coupon , in an A. B and C book Is worth i four gallon* of gasoline. The value of the coupon ha* been established for this ration period, which continues through January 1. D. coupon* for motorcycle* are for one and one-half gallors. Both T-l and T-2 coupon* for commercial vehicle* and truck* are for five gallon*. E coupon* are for one gallon and It coupon* for five gal- ■ lon*. Bulk coupons are worth the a mount printed on the face, either , one gallon or 100 gallons - Howard F. Beery Dies In Nebraska Native Os County Dies Last Niqht Howard F. B*-ery, 41. son of Mr. and Mr* W. F. Beery of this city, died last night at 11 o'clock at hi* home In Lincoln. Nebraska Mr. Beery, plant superintendent of the National l»airy Products company tn that city, had gone there some tint- ago after spendI ing about a year In Decatur, attempting to regain hl* health. Death was attributed to malignant hypertension, following an illness of three year*, flirt condition bad been critical aince Labor Day Mr Beery was born in Pleasant Milla on December fi. ID#*, the son iof Wilson F and Hattie Custer Beery. He had been gone from this community for a nun.her of tTurn To Page 1, Column () —— - o————— Sharp Decrease In Traffic Fatalities Indianapoli*. Dee. 4 — (UP) — Traffic deaths in India:?* during the fln*t eight month* of 1942 decreased 32 percent from th" toll for tbe corresponding period last year. ThU I* reported by Governor Henry Bchricker's coordinating safety committee. The committee credits the 35 mlle-per- hour speed limit and the fear of restrictions by county rationing board* for the reduction Eight hundred and 35 Hoosier traffie fatalities are reported for the firwt eight month* of thia year ' One thousand. 229 were k'lled during the same period a year ago. — g ——i • ——— — ♦ Buys Health Bond The Historical club has voted purchase of a *5 health bond, of- ' CHRISTMAS SEALS campaign In Ad- , am* county an i A 11 proceeds ; from the annual dJI Christm** Seal HJggyjgU: -«■< tn the fight on ftWscfW Maass tuberculosis f»ba*c»to*«s and to purchase milk for undeniotirHhed children

Weather Aids Germans Slow Russian Drive Stiff Resistance To Red Offensive Offered By Nazis Moscow, Dec. 4. — (UP) — The Nazi* —aided by blizzard* — are putting up stiff resistance to the hard-driving Russian war machine Moscow says German troop* are counter attacklitiK strongly along the eastern bank* of th,- Don river northwest of Stalingrad. Small band* of Nazi* are trying persistently to infiltrate the Russian line*. At one point, a tank led German battalion ru*hed a Soviet position In bitter hand-to-liand combat, the Ruwlati* thr« w back the charge, destroying 150 German* and two tanks. At several additional point*, the Russians have been kept busy fighting off German efforts to recapture ground lost in recent fighting. But the Russian army newspaper. Red Star, say* other Russian column* have managed to continue their ad vance. Heavy snowstorms, which ham|e ered Red air operation* have helped the German* slow up the drive-. Bitter fighting to reported in the *<>uthwest Stalingrad sector Russian treops cleared one series of Nazi fortification* then stood firm in the face of German counter-at-tacks aimed at re-taking the lost ground Three hundred Germau* fell on the battlefield. German and Russian artillery are du< ling sporadically in the bat tered northern factory district of Stalingrad. The Russian* say they wiped out eight pill boxes and 300 German*, apparently in preparation for an effort to renew their advance. On the central front, a fierce battle is raging west of Rzhev. Russian unit* have killed or wounded thota<and* of Germans in the past thre edays. And Soviet reinforcements are reported pouring Into th fight Several Germau <ounter attacks have been thrown ba> k with heavy losses for the Nazis, South if Rzhev, on the road to Vyazma. Russian unit* have b- elt kept busy standing off strong German assault*. Six hundred enemy troops have fallen In the battle. At an unidentified pidnt in the far north, Russian coastal gun* have Munk two German transport vessel* o Italian Senators Demand End Os War Mussolini Throne Reported Totterinq By United Pres* MuMolinl's dream* of a new Ro man empire fast are turulng into nightmare* Shorn of hi* African colonies, 11 Duce s home front now I* reported to be. crumbling. And his throne, itself, i* said to be tot-; tering perilously. Advice* from Ankara say a number of Italian wer.ators — some of i them Mussolini's in-law*— have de 1 manded of King Victor Emmanuel that Italy get out of the war to prevent utter ruin The little Monarch has not re-, plied. Other report* to Ankara say that ! Albania patrtoto aeized the capital city of Tirana on tbe night of October 28 sending the Italian gar i ri*on into panic and hiding. German dispatches aay sixteen person* have been killed In an explosion in Bucharest. Two Danes have been given long prison torsi them. Mussolini * in law*- have defor distributing handbill* asking German soldier* to revolt. And two men have been executed tor sabot < age in Alsace-Lorraine. |

Buy War Savinas Bonds And Stamps

Price Three Cents

Hard-Pressed Allied Forces Fiqht Grimly To Hold Positions In North Africa By United Pr s* Hard-pressed Allied force* are fighting grimly to hold their positions in Tunisia again**, powerful Axis, counter-attacks. * Heavy battling is In progress In the Tebourba area. 18 mile* west of Tunis; on th western outskirts of Djedelda. six miles to the east; and the vicinity of Mateur, 20 miles southwest of Bizerte. Front dispatches acknowledge that the en my bh* won almost complete mastery of the air. Ned Ru*?e!l. United Pres* correspondlent covering the Tebourba lighting. say* the luftwaff seems to have the free run of the skies. But | the enemy ha* been unable to blast the Americans and British from their forward position* thr e and four mile* to the east of Tebourba Allied loss of the air i* believed in Ixmdon to be only temporary. And there are possibilities that mor> tighter plane* soon will ; arrive at the front. The French Havas new* agency saya that a large Allied convoy ha* arrived at Gibraltar —presumably en route to i North Africa with vital supplies. But It's apparent that until wo get mor • air strength into the Tunisian springboard, we probate . ly will have to tight a defensive I battle The Germans are pushing ’ 1 slteable reinforcement* through • the Alli <1 air and naval screen despite heavy losses. Rome claims the capture of an important position In Tunisia, and ' the seizure of more than 4w prisoners. The British radio quotes . Allied h adquarters report* di*I closing almost continuous enemy attack* on Hone, the trig Allied I supply base. 65 miles east of Alj giers. And Stockholm has heard : that the Axis I* preparing to launch a big counter-offensive in th • near future. Two more enemy merchant ships have been sunk by British bomber* from the middle east and British light naval force* Rank a torpedo ooat In th same convoy. A destroyer possibly was damaged. Allied planes hive scored heavy new raid* on the Tunis and Bizerte airdromes and neat ly a dozen mor enemy plane* have been shbt down. Ove: all Axis strength In (Turn To P»c* 6. Column I) .. . (j— — Late Bulletins W»*hington. Dec. 4—(UP) — Rubber director Jeffers warns that a probable delay in the construction of synthetic rubber plant* may reduce the nation'* rubber stockpile below the 120.000-ton disaster deadline. London. Dec. 4—(UP) —The French Havas news agency report* that a large Allied convoy escorted by British warships has arrived at Gibraltar from the Mediterranean. In a broadcast from La Line*. Spam. Hava* wd that the convoy, escorted by cruisers and torpedo boats, included three large liners. 13 freighters and a tanker. London, Dee. 4 — (UP) — Large formations of RAF planes swept over the English channel at several points today Indicating that a strong attack on France la under way. British fighter planes have fought dogfights between Folkestone and Boulogne. Earlier, a lone German plane flew over the English coast but dropped no bombs. FEMPERATURE READING ■CMOCMAV Th4rmom(T(* fi:00 a. m. ..._ IQ 10:00 a. m. ?g Noon . 20 2:00 p. m. 25 3:00 p. m. — n WIATMER Not quite so cold today, conI Unued cold tonight.