Indianapolis Times, Indianapolis, Marion County, 31 December 1941 — Page 1
The Indianapolis Times
FORECAST: Cloudy with occasional light snow this afternoon and tonight; colder with lowest temperature about 20.
FINAL HOME
VOLUME 53—NUMBER 253
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 31, 1941
at
Entered as Second-Class Ma Postoffice, Indianapolis,
PRICE THREE CENTS
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U.S. STILL HOLDING MANILA AS LAST-DITCH BATTLE RAGES
DARING RAID TO,
SEIZE ROMMEL IS FRUSTRATED
Headquarters of Nazi Chief In Libya Penetrated by British Squad.
CAIRO, Dec. 31 (U. P.) .—A daring
pand of British Commandos came] §
within an ace of killing or capturing Gen. Erwin Rommel in a night raid on the German commander’s headquarters at the zero hour of the British offensive into Libya, it was revealed today. feader of the British suicide was Col. Goeffrey Keyes, son of Admiral Sir Roger Keyes, World War hero of Zeebrugge and first head of the Commandos. Col. Keyes was killed. Only a birthday party which took Rommel away from his headquar- } ters the night of the raid saved him from capture or death, according to the story of one of the participants, \ &% young, bearded lieutenant-
-Kept Two-Night Vigil The raid by the Commandos was with the start of the offensive Nov. 17. Three is before the opening of the British drive a party of 30 Commandos slipped behind the Axis lines into Libya and made their way 200 miles “7 the main Axis headquarters near
two nights the Commandos a dry-wash near the head-
on the zero hour, they up to Rommel’s headquardarkness. Unable to back door or window,
and the Com-
the door,
perof other Germans. With pistols
and Tommy guns they speedily ac-|
counted for the whole group. Sheoting Arouses Post The shooting aroused the whole headquarters and sleepy soldiers! shouting in German: “What the hell is going on here?” A sergeant of the royal artillery jet go with a Tommy gun and drove them back. Other Germans tried to come to the aid of their comrades from outside. They were driven off by two corporais at the door. Meantime, Col. Keyes, a captain and a sergeant threw open the door of another room. They could hear \ the suppressed breathing of a group of Germans in the darkness inside, but Col. Keyes went straight ahead, blasting away with his pistol. Falls Gravely Wounded He was met by a volley of fire and fell back into a passage, grave-| ly wotinded. The sergeant stepped
room. fire, but the captain followed the a in and yelling to them to back threw in two hand grepades and slammed the door. As the grenades exploded among the trapped Germans, the captain] _ and Sergeant carried Col. Keyes outside. He died within a few minutes.
‘4 BRITISH SINK 5 SHIPS
JONDON, Dec. 31 (U. P)— ish submarines operating in the
pan have sunk five y schooners, one laden with junition, and hit an Italian dejoyer with torpedoes, the Admiry said today. 3%, "MoNELITS SWORN IN Judge John McNelis was sworn in
of Municipal Court 3 for
‘four-year term today.
TIMES FEATURES ON INSIDE PAGES
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SCHOOLS TEACH Indianapolis to Go All-Out
BOMB CAUTION
| School custodians in Indianapo-
and officers stampeded downstairs, |lis will go to school in the near | future to learn the “art” of snuffing
(committee, said a letter would be over his body and emptied the mag-|sent to the parents of every school pine of his Tommy gun into the 3 The Germans continued to)
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Custodians to Learn How To Extinguish Missiles If Raids Come.
out incendiary bombs. The instruction will be directed by Bernard Lynch, chief of the Fire
Prevention Bureau. Plans for widespread enforcement of air raid precautions were discussed at School Board headquarters at a meeting of the committee on air raid precaution today. “We will have to erase from our minds the idea of ‘it can’t be done here,” declared Mrs. Sheldon Goodwin, P.-T: A. representative on the committee. “We must act on the assumption it will happen here.” Murray Dalman, principal of {School 81 and chairman of the
child in Indianapolis telling them what to do in case of an air raid. The committee includes Mr. Dalman, Mrs. Goodwin, Mr. Lynch, L. T. Stafford, principal of School 75; Miss Belle Ramey, principal of School 76; Miss Grace L. Brown, |superintendent of the Indianapolis Free Kindergarten Society; John Kettery, vice principal of Technical High School; the Rev. Richard A. Langen, secretary of the Catholic Youth Organization, and William A. Evans, safety director of the Indianapolis school system.
2 PUBLIC BUILDINGS
As Usual in Hailing 1942
That new babe which Father Time will christen Anno Domini, 1942, will receive in Indianapolis the doting attention which was given. to 1941, or any other New Year that arrived in time of depression or Prosperity,
| peace or war.
It’s only three weeks and three toric “in capital will keep alive the old saying, “Happy New Year,” as well as the new war cry, “Remember Pearl Harbor.” So, as the stroke of 12 draws nigh on this last night of 1941, the people of Indianapolis will be celebrating in much the same way as they celebrated a year ago.
Hotels Expect Crowds
Downtown hotels and clubs reported that New Year's parties have been arranged, in response to public demand, on the same basis as last year. Most of them anticipated capacity crowds tonight. Numerous individuals, interviewed by Indianapelis Times reporters, revealed that they were planning to celebrate New Year's in the usual way. “We can’t worry all our waking moments about the war,” a State House employee declared. “My wife and I expect to greet 1942 in just the same way as we greeted 1940 and 1941—at a friend’s party.” Other comments on New Year's celebration heard at the State House: “I am going to drink, but not too (Continued on Page Two Two)
SNOW DUE TONIGHT
While the U. S. Weather Bureau
was forecasting snow for Indianapolis tonight, the Indiana Highway Commission warned motorists today that roads in the vicinity of Lafayette, Kokomo and Marion are already packed with snow.
days since the Japs made 1041 his-
infamy”—as President Roosevelt put it—but the Hoosier
GERMAN MARCH IN SPAIN FEARED NEAR
Move 1s Seen to Relieve Pressure in. Libya.
Cop. ht, 1941, by The Indianapolis Times iH The Chicago Daily News, Inc.
LONDON, Dec. 31.—Every indication points to an imminent German march through Spain to immobilize the Straits of Gibraltar and relieve pressure on Gen. Erwin Rommel’s army in Libya. For some.days past reports have been received of German troop concentrations in Southern France. The fact that the Germans have not withdrawn their tank divisions from Russia has led some military experts to doubt the probability of a Spanish move but others point out that the unlikelihood of their meeting resistance in Spain makes the use of tanks unnecessary. German staff officers and guns have been going to Tunisia for some weeks. It is expected that the Axis will attempt to make a stand on the Tunisian-Tripolitanian frontier unless Gen. Rommel is able to hold up the British before that. It is regarded as significant that the Spanish cabinet is to hold what is deseribed as a most important meeting today. It is believed that it will consider German requests for
free passage through Spain.
ROSY OUTLOOK GIVEN OTTAWA
Singapore Will Hold, He Says; Lauds Defense Of Philippines.
OTTAWA, Dec. 31 (U. P.) —Prime Minister Winston Churchill predicted today that Singapore will “surely hold” under the Japanese attacks, and expressed the hope that the Japanese “will get more than they bargained for in Manila.” Mr. Churchill's views were expressed during a 45-minute press conference at the residence of the Governor General, the Earl of Athlone. Mr. Churchill said that the results of his conferences with President Roosevelt would be expressed in deeds rather than words. “Obviously the President and I have not been doing nothing in Washington and equally obviously, the Pacific situation has played an important part in our discussions,” he said. Russian victories have inflicted “gs, very deep and internal lesion upon the whoie economy and life of the German people,” Mr, Churchill said. He added he did not believe, however, that Hitler would permit an internal collapse in Italy because of the reverses the Italian armies have suffered. Lauds Hongkong Defense He commented in connection with the relations between Hitler and Mussolini and the prospects of an Italian collapse that “the organ grinder has too tight a grip on the monkey’s collar.” Mr. Churchill said that he considered worthwhile the price paid in the defense of Hongkong by its nixed Canadian - British - Indian garrison. He paid tribute to the courage of the Canadians who took part in its defense. He refused to suggest any conscription or manpower policy for Canada, declaring: “One of the rules I make is never to interfere in controversial matters in the great self-governing dominions, “You have got to settle these questions for yourselves,” he said. Mr. Churchill said the Battle of the Atlantic was “going very well” and added that last January, when the Germans had developed planes that could fly from Brest to Norway and back he had been worried by the shipping situation. “Japs” Too Familiar Methods developed by the British to combat submarine and air attacks on shipping had cut losses during the last five and one-half months to one-fifth the losses of the previous five-and-a-half month period, he said. The British are no longer losing shipping at a “decisive rate,” he added, and are confident of their ability to handle the situation through 1942 and until the great flood of United States tonnage now being built becomes a factor. Mr. Churchill said that he dislikes referring to the Japanese as “Japs” because “it seems too familiar.” He said he had read American Army despatches and that the Unit-
ing magnificently. The Filipinos also have shown great bravery, he declared.
LOCAL TEMPERATURES
6am .... 38 0am. Tam...33 llam.... S§a.m .... 35 12 (noon) .. Sam .... 35 ip. m .
HELD INADEQUATE
Police Station, Court House Draw Jury Criticism.
The Grand Jury in its final report of the year to Criminal Court Judge Dewey E. Myers today condemned both the Police Station and the: Court House as inadequate to handle the present public business. The report stated that inspection revealed the Police Station does not provide sufficient room for administration activities and pointed out “glaring inadequacy in the Munici-
He Poured Hair Tonic Into the Stream, the Fish Jumoed Out and He Won Liars’ Crown
BURLINGTON, Wis,, Dec. 31 (U. P.).—The Burlington Liars Club went “hook, line and sinker” for a fish story today and awarded its annua] world’s championship for a tale about catching fish with a barber pole. R. C. Cross of Wausau, Wis.,"won the title and the diamond-studded 10-cent lyre symbolic of interna-
developed, Mr. Cross said, in the land of Unadilla, where fish grew beards after a native accidentally
spilled hair tonic in their habitat. E. C. Hulett, the club’s president, sail Mr. Cross’ story was picked from among 6259 entries and that|and the war hadn’t interfered with the output of lies. The club’s fame has spread since it was founded 12 years ago as a newspapermen’s gag on the Burlington police chief. Mr. Hulett denied the club had
The {adopted a wartime slogan of “Keep
"Em Lying” but said the group would continue
went to D. ‘'W. Peters, Anderson, Ind.; C. H. Sisson, Monroe, La., and . P. Samuelson, Los Angeles. Mr. Peters told of inventing a large caliber gun which would fire a 500-pound shell 30 miles. After the shot, the gun would roll 14 miles and shoot small caliber bullets for
BY CHURCHILL)
ed States Army in Manila was fight- |
Warns Japs
Tojo Tells Them Not to Indulge in Any Too Rosy Hopes.
BERLIN, Dec, 31. (Official German Broadcast)—Tokyo dispatches reported today that Pre mier-War Minister Gen. Hideki Tojo, in a New Year’s message to
the Japanese, warned them against over-optimism, Tojo was reported to have said Japan had numerous difficulties and cbstacles to surmount. Tojo said that despite great suc= cesses achieved thus far they must not indulge in t00 rosy hopes. (Japanese language broadcasts today contained more solemn war comment than usual. Commen=tators emphasized that America had only begun to mobilize her potential war power, and told Japanese listeners nothing of the Nipponese advance in the Philippines, NBC in New York declared.)
HITLER PLEDGES "42 VICTORY NOW
Regards Sat as. as ‘Dove of Peace’; Ignores Promise Of Year Ago.
BERLIN, Dec. 31 (Official German Broadcast) —Adolf Hitler, who predicted Germany’s “greatest victory” for 1941, said in a New Year message today that “the year 1942 will bring a decision for the salvation of our people and those nations allied with us.” In his message, Hitler said the war came “because énemy countries did not want to live in the type of world we wished for.” President Roosevelt made such an “admission” in a fireside chat, said Hitler, who likened himself to a “dove of peace.” (In his New Year message one year ago Hitler said in an order of the day to his army: “Soldiers, the year 1941 will bring consummation of the greatest victory of our history.” “The world, however, has just as little in common with America as Americans have with us,” Hitler said today. “Nobody in Germany would dream of inviting, let us say, Frau Roosevelt, to live according to the German way or of asking the German people to put up with American principles or ways of living.”
KAMCHATKA BASE HINTED FOR U. S.?
FDR’s Remark on Use of Supplies Arouses Interest.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 31 (U. P). —President Roosevelt's cryptic comment implying that finished American war supplies might be used even in Kamchatka (Russian territory) caused considerable comment today, but no official interpretation of his remarks was forthcoming. The President emphasized that he was aiming at utmost utilization of the nation’s productive capacity. No human being, he said, could tell what would be done with the finished products—whether to Russia, China, Britain or the Kamchatka peninsula. Reporters expressed surprise at the mention of Russian tegritory, and Mr. Roosevelt replied that the peninsula is the most practical and available piece of land west of the Aleutian Islands, The peninsula lies difectly north,
ART.
JAPS POUND SAVAGELY ON NEW YEAR'S ISLAND CAPITAL GATES
EVE AT
Struggle Against Overwhelming Odds Goes On as End of Year Brings Advances by Allies on Other World Fronts.
By JOE ALEX MORRIS United Press Foreign Editor
American defenders of the Philippines fought a valiant last-ditch battle for Manila today as Allied armies ended a year of spreading war with ringing blows against the Axis on other fronts. The struggle against overwhelming Japanese air and mechanized forces outside the gates of the Philippine capital continued furiously as the darkness of New Year's eve settled over Luzon Island, but communications to Washing« ton showed the defenders still were holding out as midnight struck. The end of the year brought continued Allied advances in sub-zero weather on the Russian front and the British still were hammering at cornered Axis forces south of Benghazi in the Libyan desert, while in Malaya British im< perials took the offensive against columns pushing into the- | rich tin, rubber and coal centers. Adolf Hitler—his armies pressed by the Soviets in the east and by the British in the Mediterranean—repeated in his annual New Year's message to Germans his feeble promise of victory within a year,
Fuehrer Changes the Date
The Nazi fuehrer changed the date in his message of one year ago when he promised that “the year of 1941 will bring consummation of the greatest victory of our history. {But he toned down his predictions this time and said ‘that “the year 1942 will bring a decision for the salvation of our people and those nations allied with us.” But in allied capitals and on the battle fronts the end of 1941 brought only increased determination to fight on until the Axis is crushed. The British marked that deters mination with a communique from the admiralty saying that submarines had sunk five enemy schooners in tha Mediterranean and torpedoed an Italian destroyer, And in the Philippines the American defense forces fought a bitter-end battle against overwhelming odds. “American and Philippine troops continued to offer strong resistance, inflicting heavy losses on the enemy,” a War Department communique said after the interruption, at least temporarily, of all except military Sunmjunicstiong} with Manila.
Manila Defense Holding
“The enemy continues to exert heavy pressure on all fronts with extensive use of dive bombers and ‘armored units,” the communique said. The communique said that the defense lines had been readjusted in orderly fashion but gave no definite positions, although the last dispatches from Manila said that a save age New Year's eve battle was in progress close to the capi tal. Axis reports broadcast by Berlin and Vichy claimed the Japanese were within four or six miles of Manila. The interruption of normal communications with the
as the battle raged along the highways toward the capital, The Navy still was in touch with Manila by radie, however, at 9 a. m. (Indianapolis Time) and the Army was in touch with the headquarters of Gen. Douglas MacArthup near the city. The Navy's inessage at 10 a. mmidnight in the Philips pines—made it clear that Manila still was holding out as the Jar ended and 1942 beghn west of the international dates ne. But commercial communications were interrupted. New York received no word for hours. Chungking ree Cuntisued on Page Five) |
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Robof-Like Jap Infantrymen Swarm Highways to Manila
By FRANK HEWLETT United Press Staff Correspondent MANILA, Dec. 31.—Retreating United States and Philippines pushed back by the impact of savage Japanese drives north and sc of Manila were fighting against tremendous odds, it was announced: to Swarms of Japanese dive bombing planes control the air. tanks and armored cars are ripping into the tenuous ilnes which ican troops were battling furiously to #hold. Behind the tanks and armored cars are thousands upon thousands|groves, in the fields and on of Japanese robot infantrymen, | slopes of the hills. The last © faceless men walking upright intojcommunique transmitted to machine gun fire, picking their way United States forces from &
jamong the bodies of their ¢ Bast was issu dat 11:30 a,
Philippines was due apparently to rigorous military contrel a