Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 41, Number 48, Decatur, Adams County, 25 February 1943 — Page 1

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fcjhelmshaven Lin Target Os fetish Planes ■ Ax is U-Boat Nest ■ Aaom Bombarded I 8v British Planes ■ iB/ Un.ted Press) ■ . - i.h air offensive over K., ! , ; K-.:!' ■ ' n>'atc.| attack KwiJwlnwttavT'K n • 1-txMt :>• -t at Wilb'dmsHr,„ n -ti, furtli block-buster l:i an intensive 20K..-, holm*••tm-nt. the raider, K<.| •• ■ • ’ ton demoition Kinon a- k-y naval base. kind- ....,■ f.*:r>re <•» dock*. shipand por’ f»<’lHtl«WHr j ''i ’i - ' !<.|>ort< that all H,,.. ~:«>•»«» entirely by 9 r liiadian airmen safely t<> their bane*. ■ T . -jJ.nd.'d a -hort lull in air k* becatl*'- of fog over the ... .-. I marked the 74th K. !a '■ " 111 Im-'taven in K‘ V Ing to the air mln K- ,” 4 k- iav.- caused w.d* 9L ami ili-location 9f u . i •,.. dilution A direct Kg 4; .. r. biliary I! raid Is K, • 'iui. .|. -nolielx-d 150 acres K't “''l th.- navy arsenal ■o ~- (tr.'i-h planes swooped 9, •; ti. rmany in diver- > r a< I.C ’Hie Berlin radio Kg. «tha* th-- raiders caused K . -mu-d buildings. Hp it- m nlrttry ways that Ki, single plan- was lost. 9 L i'al.a::- '•;><»> t that parts of Kr:--'i I'a’y ■ I Sicily also Were ■>) ' ‘ I air i.ghtning durI';. Home radio says Mfo" »-e ra <1 dby planes from Kri.l-l.- - .i. Hiimaiid. ami ad K;. da nagi- w 1* < an-, d. 9— — 0 Kred On Assault And Battery Charge ■ Amerine of this city Kbfcti-d 41" and costs by Judge" ■ fa-! Frwhh- In Adams circuit 9k' w- t'.-r lay shell he pleaded Kty •<> a < targe of assault and ■if JTV affidav it wa» signed by his l.«wa Amerine. Prosecutor 9* 8 OeVoss represented the H** ffienff la-" (lilllg was the ar■ftt affleer. H- - o Believe Hiller To tonscript Armies I Plans Purging Os I Nazi Opposition I *By United Press) ■ Allied sourc-s in London believe Hitler plans to conscript Polish and other national m®'** to help him hold the fortress ■f Eirop* I TN* belief Is based on Hitler's **«>' proclamation, which was *’ Munich ytsterday. Hitler's ■bfarnt said: 1 ,lu ll not hesitate to de- • 'on'ributton to this fateful ■ '*** !f from those countries fy ** responsible for the out W”* « the war We shall consld f ' a matter of course not to F ’’’ n " ! to spare foreign Ilves at ■ J* •bb h <1- mands great sacrif" of our own lives." I Hi:l *r stated that his party's F*" 8 •’lstorie mission" would be F b* , t*n< of all opposition to f” t ** > - And he uttered a new r?' * r,!n »' the Jews. ■ unrest continues to within the Nazi fortress. f rs » roung (^ rmana are t,, T * b ** n »bot for distributing F 1 T’enty-two hostages were In Greece, according to F* »«' for an attack on a Ger ■ L?’ rh “‘" at Baton| l t * L « ftlkaf ,l,eaw * b E rßß >' F' German troops now have orcs■7/ rustia because of tear ot In F ■*" taking over all civil and F «7 kdaiaiatration. I— 0 ' I ftCADtIM I 9 »*OCHAT TMgRMOMCTgs ' !i‘~ 5 I ’ B6 »• a. WtATMtR 9 ’ much change In temp- * "•*” pertien Friday sereOeaaeienal anew Frtday *’**'Wl IM ap- ” •■irrme norin r 1 *’* tnmght. Winds fresh te •* werth

DECATUR DAILY DEMOCRAT

Saw Transports Sunk sHKr "1 11 never forget It as long as I live!" Robert Weikart. 21. of Cleveland, a signalman, third class, in the navy, was telling about the torpedoing of two I'S transportcargo ships, which were sunk In the Atlantic by Asia subs with a loss of BSO lives. W«lkait told 01 seeing survivors in lifeboat< with men a' the oars. "But." raid Weikart. “the men weren’t moving. All were dead, frozen t 1 death." Registration Will Close This Evening 12,000 Ration Books Issued In Decatur fly 5 o'clock this evening some 22.000 persons in Adamo county are ezpected to have war ration book No. 2 and of this nunilar it is likely that nearly 14.M0 will have been registered at the llrcatur junior-senior high school. Glenn Hill, local war price and ration hoard chairman, and Vaughn Millikan, chief registrar at the local school, estimated thta morning ■ h-t noariy U.uoo ImmiU were issued at the local school during the first three days of the registration and that possibly 2.000 more may register liefore the closing hour today. Mr. Hill reported today that books 'oxued in Geneva up to last night totaled 2.033. and tn Berne 4.M3. making a total of 6.014 for tte south part of the county. This makes the number issued in Adams county nearly l».ooo. with registration closing in all three centers late this afternoon. Mr. Hill ezprened complete satisfaction at the smoothness with which the registration was conducted here, lauding all persons who took part. He ezpreased special appreciation to officials of the two Hecatur schuois. the Monmouth. Pleasant Mills and Kirkland schools, as well as the volunteer registrar corps. Up to a late hour today, the registration had been conducted without a disturbing Incident and the thousands of persons had iieen registered with surprising speed and efficiency. Mr Hill said. The ration board offices will be be closed all day Monday and and Tuesday, while work of aa •embling the registration date Is completed. Mr. Hill received word late yesterday from the state OPA office which said liwtltutlonal users of the rationed food would be permitted to moke purchases before March 1 without surrendering points. The registration will be concluded promptly at S p. m. today to per(Turn To Pag* ». Column »> Assessing Work To Be Started Monday County Assessor To Hold Meeting Here —— Last minute prearations for the task of making the 1043 assessments will ba made Monday. March 1 at 10 a. m. at the county court house. It was announced today by Ernest J. Worthman. county assessor All trustees, assessors and their deputies are to attend the meeting and receive final lustnictlona as well as supplies. Reports will be made weekly to ihe county assessor by the assestors of the resect Ire using uniu. It was stated The assessors will assess all personal property and additional improvements made since March 1. IM2. and dog* This b also the year for tke mumeratioa of all males, aged 21 years or older. #

Soviet Forces Smashing West Toward Dnieper Hard-Hitting Red Armies Advancing Closer To Orel (By United Press) Red army forces racing against the weather — arc smashing westward frtin Kharkov toward the Nazi Hnieper river defenses. The hardhitting Russians) have breached an enemy defense line guarding Poltava, a rail junction only 60 miles from the Dnieper. The Moscow noon communique says the R<d army captured one town -after savage hand-to-hand street fighting. Only 12 hours earlier. the Russians captured another town in the same area. They’re driving hard to reach the Dnieper liefore warmer weather turns the Ukraine front into a sea of mud. North of Kharkov, several more villages have fallen before Russian forces sweeping in on Orel from the south. amounts of booty, including hundr'ds of rifles and 214 supply vehicles), have fallen Into the hands of the triumphant Russians. A Berlin dispatch reaching Stockholm declares that the Aral Russian unit equlp|H-d entirely with American tanks has swung Into action on the central front. Berlin eays 2<> American tanks attacked across the Moscow Smolensk highway, a hint that the Russians may have opened still another offensive. * Terrific fighting rages In the southeast center of the Ukraine above Rostov. A Ixtndon report says Hitler has ordered his men to retake at all costs two strategic towns held by the Russians. The Nazis are hurling strong tank and Infantry forces, heavily supported by planes, into the battle. But Russian gunners have given the German forces a severe mauling. Meanwhile, the ilovlet Informa(Turn To Page 3. Column 3)

Further Action On Indiana Merit Bill Lower House Passes G.O.P. Amended Bill Indianapolis. Feb. 25. — (UP) — The Indiana house of representatives today passed a Republicanamended hill to settle a dispute revolving around the state personnel board and merit system. By amending a minor senat<measure, the representatives abolished the state personnel board, created a new one but restored the original appropriation tor the board which had been slashed sharply. As amended, the bill would empower Democratic Governor Henry Schricker to appoint a new personnel board and a new director. The amendment provides for an appropriation of she 3171,570 originally included in the measure. Th- allotment had been decreased to $115.32». Republican Representative Earl Teckemeyer of Indianapolis, who presented the amendment this morning. «xpislned that the bill is aimed at getting rid of present members of the board. He also Indicated that the proposal would sattafy critics of the entire merit system and also critics of the personnel board Itself Party extremists hsd demanded abolition of the entire merit system They also sought the ouster of state personnel beard director W. L Johnson snd board member Rowland Allen. Friends of Allen and Johnson, however, said that the two officials had refused to resign their positions Observer* predict that Ooverncr Schricker will sign the iegtabitlon if it is approved in its smended form by the senate. The amendment was a comphte re-write of a minor senate bUI which was up for third reading In the lower chamber. o Another 'New High' In Food Declaration Another “new high" in canned food declarations was reported today by registrar* a: the Decatur senior high school A Decatur tody declared <42 cane in excess of tbs «*• c *s* per person allotted under the ration program. the retfotrars reported Incidsatally. tbs lady Breu oa North Second street nrer tbs man who “held tbs record" before with a 4d4 declaration

ONLY DAILY NEWSPAPER IN ADAMS COUNTY

Decatur, Indiana, Thursday, February 25,1943.

Bombs Fall on Axis Airfield 11 Column of black smoke rl es from installations ami fuel dumps on an Axle all field at El Antna. near Tunis, as U.S. bombers drop their call Ing cards. Al least Ko Axis planes on the ground were destroyed during the intense bombardment.

Ouster Sought For McNutt, Perkins Congressmen Seek Ouster Os Leaders Washington. Feb. 25 -(UP! Influential memlreiw of congress threaten to wield the power of the purse to force President Roosevelt to oust the present heads of the lal>or department and the war manpower ccmmUsion. The threat was carried out to a slight degree today when small ap pripriatlomi for lal>or stcretary Frances Perkfis and war monpuw«r commission chief Paul McNutt were denied. Some congressmen say they will cut off all future appropriations until the President appoints new beads of the two agencies. The congressional lx)g Jam on the pay-as-you-go tsx plan appears no nearer solution today. And there are reports that the house may seek to relieve its ways and means committee of the job of considering the tax plan if a decision Isn't reached soon. The committee defeated by an unannounced vote of modified I Truro To P»S» Column >» Mohandas Gandhi Appears Stronger Poona. India. Feb. 25 —(t I’t — Mohandas Gandhi appears stronger today, but his doctom warn that a new crisis may arise anytime in his projected 21-day fast. The Indian nationalist leader began his protest fast on February 10th and already has passed one crisis. He received twenty visitors yesterday. Among the visitors was bls slater and two of his runs , Gandhi's fast Is In protest againat bis detention by the British for alleged complicity In the Nationalist riots last summer.

Victory Garden Clubs Will Be Organized Monday Night

With the goal of a Victory Garden for every home In Decatur, a meeting has been tailed by cliy Civilian Defense chairmen for Monday evening at 7:30 o'clock at Library hall, at which time block captains will be nam'd and plan* made to enroll local residents in (he "Produce Your Own Fresh Vegetables" program If you want fresh vsfletsbles so ths tabls — prow 'emBesides providing fresh v»getsblre for the family, the cultivation of a Victory Garden will be presented on the grounds of an enjoyable patriotic hobby, in which moot people will engage this spring and summer. Altta-ugh any man or woman interested la tbs Victory Garden program te tavtted to the meeting, cards have been rent to gsrd- n clubs, elvlc snd service organiza tfoos. church socle tire and other groupe asking that heads of the orga*JteatloM er repreeeetat ires •

Some Footwear Types Exempt From Ration The local war price and rationing office hae been advised that certain types of footweor are exempted from rationing. They are: All baby shoes up to size 4; current stocks of ski ehoes, skate shore, rubbersoled shoes with frabric uppers, locker sandals, bathing elippers, and play shoes with uppers made of fabric or of types of leather not on the critical list The exemptions are limited to stocks now in the hands of retailens, wholesalers and manufacturers), or which are manufactured liefore April 16. —— o —- Urges Farm Workers To Seek Deferment Wickard Asserts No Stigma To Deferment Washington. Feb. 25 (UP) Young men engaged In farm work should ask for deferment. There is no stigma attached to such action, and secretary of agriculture Claude Wickard believes that reluctance of young farm men to seek deferment from military service may Ire partly responsible for the farm-labor shortage. Wickard suggested. In testifying before the house agriculture committee. that farm youths be encouraged to seek deferment. He alsj Insisted, under quest'onlnF. that bls plan to recruit a land army of hoys and girls and available adults from towns and cities would do much to relieve the rh-rrtage. The questioning touched on all phases of the administration's farm policy. Wickard vigorously defended the sdmlniatratlon'a position. and—ln connection with the attempt now being made to have farm production costs Included In (Turn To Page 3. Column l>

named by them, attend the Victory roundup. It i* the plan of the chairmen to have a captain named for every bloc k In the city, who will use his or her initiative In enrolling resident* of the area in the Victory Garden clubs. No one will be told how to grow a garden, the sole ld«a being to get the gardens started. ‘ With ratknlng of canned fruits and vegetables snd the resultant heavier demand for fresh vegetables and fruits, every American realizes the necessity ot producing garden produce this year, the chairman stated. Many person* are planning to have a Victory Gard-n this year Some have rented vacant lots, others will cultivate tracts not heretofore used' while several are planning to have an acre or more of ground in the country for growing of fresh vegetables on a larger scale. Fresh vegetable# contain the vitamins needed for a balanced diet and under the strain of war. longer and harder working hour*", every individual will require full portkn* of the essential body-bulldiag foods. Assisting in the organization of tbs Decatur Victory Garden program. are Cai E Peterson, city Civilian chairman and Mrs Arthur i R Holthoeae. chalrmaa of women's ; actlritlee. who were asked to formulate plans for the organiza I meeting

Allies Pound Retreating Axis Army In Tunisia; Stimson Says U.S. Troops In Clean-Cut Win

Chinese Seek More Air Power Aid From Allies Few U. S. Airplanes Sufficient To Drive Japanese From Asia By t*nit««d Press The Chinese foreign minister. T. V. Soong. l>»-lieves that if China ba I a. few hundn-d American planes It could start tin offensive to drive the Japanese off the Asiatic continent. Soong, who recently returned to Washington, called on se<-rc-tary of state Cordell Hull and undersecretary Sumner Welles this morning to discuss increoaed aid to China There 4a Increasing Interest In Washington on the problem of getting additional war materials to our Chinese Allies. .Madame Chiang Kai-Shek's visit to Washington and her address before cot)gross has done much to focus attention on Chinese needs for supplies. From the Chinese batliefronts comes news f >day that Chinese soldiers are holding Japanese offensive* in check. Chungking reports that three Japanese planesupported columns attempting to push westward along the Yangtze river have been halted In Hupeh province. A dispatch from New Delhi reports that American fighter planes have shot down six and probably destroyed 12 other planes of a Japanese bomber-fighter formation of 30. The formation was headed for the Assam air base near the India-Burma border. In the Booth Pacific. General MacArthur's flying fortresses raided Rabaul. on New Britain Island, for the third straight night They blasted a 10.000-ton enemy cargv ship, scored near misses on two small warships, and chased a larger warship aground. Growing air strength at Japanese bases In the northern Holomons Is causing concern in Allied military circles. American bombent are raking Mund a on New Georgia and Jap bases In the Shortland area almost (Turn Tn Psgn 6. Column 3) Sunday Is Deadline For Tire Inspection Adams county motorists who have have ' B'' or “C" mileage ration books were reminded today by Glenn Hill, chairman of the war price and rationing board, that February 2s is their deadline for Initial tire Inopections under the office of price administration's program of periodic inspection to make the tires now on cars last as long a« possible. ’ Remember.” Mr. Hill Mid. “you won't lie eligible for renewal of mileage rations or issuance of tires In the future if you neglect having the examinations made.” Hold Up Soldiers' Aid In Cotton Crop Doubt Emergency Labor Shortage Washington. Feb 25 — (UP) The war department's plan to use soldiers to pick cotton is be'ng held up until It can ba determined whether an emergency tabor shortage estate This la revealed by aecretary of war Stimson, who says: •■lnvestigation tends to show that It may not be necessary for the army to harvret the '■'ttoa crop in Annona.” Stimson recalled for newsmen that President Roosevelt, in announcing plans to use soldiers in fa-m labor shortage arena, said they would be used orly if a real emergency existed. The secretary of war refused to say why It was suspected that the soldiers might not be used But a farm security admin istraoort spokreman says his organlast ion sent nearly 2.« W workers to Arisons to help pick cotton He reports about <«0 of them still are there.

Call Received For March 15 Contingent New Regulations Received By Board A second 'all (or the month of March has been received by th" Adams county draft board, it wax anm unced today. Contingent’s have now been ord erod to report for final physical examinations on March 3 and March 15. Th- draft board also received today a copy of new regulations designed to protect men who are rejected by examiners from questions and embarrassment, occasioned by their rejection. The regulations prohibit publication of the names of men ordered to take final examinations at any time. They also prchiblt publication of the names of the rejectees or those held over for further examination. The names of those accepted by •She armed forces may lx- released by the draft board, as soon as the board knows which registrants have qualified. A new ruling also prohibits publication of the day on which any accepted group departs for active service. In the past newspapers have been pennltt-d to publish full lists and photos of men who take final exams. after they have departed. Newspapers heretofore have also been permitted to publish the departure dale ot an accepted group, omitting only the exact hour of departure and the destination. The new rulings are those from the Indiana si lectlve service headquarters. ■ I—, i ■■■■ ■ n i. ■ ■ ■■ Chairmen Listed For Red Cross Campaign Fund Campaign Will Open Next Monday Chairmen of the Industrial, business and residential districts In the Red Cross roll call and war fund drive, which will open here Monday, were announced today by I Walter J. Krick, city superintendent of schools, and chairman for Decatur. E. V. McCann, manager of the Central Soya company, will again act as chairman of the Industrial division. He will select his coworkers and chairmen in the other Industries and launch the drive in the factories among the employen, all of whom have been heavy contributors to the Red Cross and other patriotic campaigns. Five chairmen have been named for the Decatur business district. They are. Robert J. Zwlck. furniture dealer; Herman Knicckeberg. assistant cashier of First State Bank. I'ete Reynolds, i-lty editor of the Daily Democrat; Ernest J. Woithman. county assessor, and James Elberson. gasoline dealer j In the residential district, the town has been laid off according to the voting areas. In third "B" precinct, five persons have been. named to apportion the laige area to block workers The wa d csptains are: First (Turn To Page 3. Colun n I) Idaho Potatoes Go To War—Few To Be For Civilian Use By United Press The Idaho potato that piece de resistance of the subterranean tuber family—has gone to war. Government agencies have taken over virtually the entire crop for the armed forces and lend-lease This news is acknowledged by mercantile authorities who released It in Chicago this morning to be most unwelcome to gourmets. They tried to soften the blow somewhat by explaining that potatoes from other part* of the country which will replace the Idahos have one definite advantage The experts say they will make better mashed potatoes. Coincident with the release of this announcement that few. if any. Idahos will be available for civilian consumption for the duration. the department of agriculture denied persistent reports that I there is a potato shortage The departmeat describes the marhet as "coatured and full of turmoil."

Buy War Savings Bonds And Stamps

Price Three Cents

Swarms Os Planes Pound Relentlessly At Rommel Forces Now In Retreat By United Press Aille<l forces In central Tunisia are hitting mu with everything they've got at Nazi marshal Rommel’s fleeing army. Enemy tank* and troop* are streaming headlong through the Kaoserine pus* And swarms of Allied planes, droning overhead like vengeful hornets, are pounding then) with a relentless rain of Iximbs and bullet* Secretary of war Stimson. In Washington, say* the untried American troop* have administermi a clean-cut setback to Rommel s veteran*. He declares that the Yanks shook off the punishment dealt out by ,b, ‘ 4»attie-hardened enemy, took their losses, and cam* storming back in a powerful counter-attack. Where Rommel will try to make a stand Is uncertain, but front report* make one thing clear It will not be west of the pass. According to the report*, be must gel out of the bottleneck to save his forces from the concentrated rain of Allied bomb*. Northeast of Kasserine. a new threat ha* developed to Hitler's ace field commander. Allied patrol* have swung into action In the Sbiba area The Germans have opened up with artillery to drive them back. Today's Allleo headquarters communique for the first timo mentions the action of the British eighth army, which ha* now moved Into the zone of Eisenhower's command It say* British armored cars are roaming the Axis Marelh line, apparently looking for a weak spot. Allied bomber* are attacking Axis supply line* and communlca(Turn To Par* 6. Column 1) _ -O- - • — Avon Burk Is Taken Home From Hospital Avon Burk. Decatur elevator proprietor. who was operated on three weeks ago. was removed lo his home on North Second street today. He is progressing nicely and hope* to he able to l"‘ up and around In a short time. ————o ■" — Volunteer Women To Meet Friday Afternoon Volunteer women workers who will assist at local stores next week In explaining point rationing, are to mere Friday afternoon at 3 o'clock in room 2«>4 of the Decatur junior-senior high school. Mrs, Jews* Rice, chairman, announced today. Final Insitructlons will be received during the meeting by the volunteers. who are to receive specific food store assignments. The program is under the direction of the women's division of tho county civilian defence council, as i suggested by national leaders. — Escape Injury In Truck-Auto Crash No on* woo hurt al»out 4 o’clock last evening when a car driven by i Mervin Mlchani* end a (Mtlien» | Telephone c<»mpany truck driven by Marion Heare crashed at a road Intersection, five miles south of Decatur, on the Mud Pike. Both the car and the truck were i Imdly damaged Sheriff Loo Gillig i was relied to the scene and fnvreI tinted. ' i o ■ "■ '■ Swedish Sources Say Finland Wants Peace Say Negotiations Will Start Soon London. Feb. 25.— (VP) —Swedish sources report that negotiations for a separate peace between Finland and Russia probably will start next week. According to the Swedish report, Finland already has Informed Russia of her wiUlngness to discuss terns. The Finns are reperted to bo awaiting a reply from Moscow. Reliable Informants say the first Finnish peace fasts re were made through Sweden several weeks ago. Finland wants restorettoa of her 1»3» frontier* plus security for the tutare,