Indianapolis Times, Indianapolis, Marion County, 6 January 1942 — Page 9
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TUESDAY, JAN. 6, 1942
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Hoosier Vagabond
ALBUQUERQUE, Jan. 6.—One reason I like to be in New Mexico is that you get some attention paid to you out here. Why, I can go in and see the Governor any time I want to. If I lived in New York, I'd have to make an appointment a month ahead. of time to see the Governor. Out here things arent so congested. In a country where you can see for 80 miles, a fellow like me can get somewhere. What I'm trying to lead up to is that I've been made a New Mexico colonel again. Four years ago Governor Clyde Tingley, in some kind of eivie convulsion, appointed me a colonel on his staff. And now the present Governor, John E. Miles, has lost his head and made me a colonel again, Twice a colonel but never a bridesmaid. There are three of us fellows here in Albuquerque who have lunch together occasionally. One is Lieut. Col. C. R. Smith, of the Army air base. One is Earl Mount, my contractor friend. And one is me, Mount is a New Mexico colonel too. Well, we meet for lunch and there we are—three colonels. But we stand on all the formalities. Our friend Smith is only a lieutenant-colonel, so he goes to the foot of the line. Mr. Mount is a straight colonel, so he takes his place next.
It's Double Colonel Pyle
BUT I RANK both of them, for I am twice a colonel, you see. They must defer to me in all things. They dare not start eating till I have taken the first bite. When they address me, I insist on being called “Double-Colonel.” At the end of each sentence, they not only have to say “sir” to me, they have to say “sir-sir,” in recognition of my double rank. And of course it would pe akin to treason if they ever let me pay the bill. It's wonderful to live in New Mexico.
So
WHEN THIS column suddenly stopped last fall, last one was from Cleveland. Well, at that time I was just starting a trip which
Inside Indianapolis By Lowell Nussbaum
FIRMS EQUIPPED to recap tires are reaping a harvest as a result of the new tire ban. They're worke ing day and night, and most of them are a week or more behind. Inside Indianapolis made a little survey of the business and found the following: There's nothing new about recapping: it's been done for years, and has been quite popular with large fleet operators such as Red Cab. The price of a recap (you fumish the casing) is roughly half that of a new tire. to run about 80 per cent as many miles as a new one, and sometimes longer. Don’t wait until your tire is smooth before you have it recapped; take it down as soon as the tread begins to disappear and before it begins picking up nails and glass. Recapping, according to Harry E. Scott, General tire Co. branch vide president, is fairly simple. First you buff the tread to roughen it, Next you wrap a length of new tread stock around the old tread, then put it under pressure and heat the tread to cure it. After an hour or so it comes out looking like new, even to the usual tread. Another way to renew tires is to retread them-— stripping the old rubber off from bead to bead and putting on new, but that’s under U. S ban now-—takes too much raw rubber. Good casings, especially six or eight ply tires, sometimes will stand two or three recaps. By then the Axis ought to be put in its place and we can buy Jew tives,
Washington
WASHINGTON, Jan. 6 ~The Office for Emergency Management says greater emphasis is to be placed on the production of bombers, the long-range offensive striking force of the Army and Navy. No news could be more welcome. When I was in England last summer’ everyone with whom I talked, whether American or British, was convinced that the most important thing the United States could do would be to make heavy bombers. They were what England needed then to carry the offensive to Germany and Italy. They are what the United States needs now. Fighter planes are more quickly produced. Even England, with her limited facilities, was able to make all the fighters she needed. The heavy bomber is more difficult to build. But it is the weapon most needed. We were delayed some months ago by material shortages and model changes. But Boeing, the mother plant of the Flying Fortress, reports that it has far * exceeded the earlier delivery schedule for December, and is working seven days a week. Another heavv-bomber plant, Consolidated, has just brought in a mass-production expert to try to increase the output.
The: Oversize Army Issue
THE OPM SAYS that because of the pressing need for the heavy bomber it is necessary to assign the efforts of a large section of the aircraft industry to this work. A four-engine bomber weighs nearly seven times as much as some single-engine fighters and uses up considerably more labor, raw materials,
My Day
WASHINGTON, Monday —Yesterday morning, two children, who were staying in the house, decided they would like to go to see the Unknown Soldier's tomb, so we took them there and to Rock Creek Cemetery to see St. Gauden’s memorial. To me, that memorial is one of the most beautiful things in Washington, in snow or sunshine, I said my prayers of thankfulness and of hope, with my eyes fixed on that strangely enigmatic woman's face. She lived a full life, I am sure, but I am never quite certain whether she just became resigned, or whether life gave her a complete and peaceful contentment. Back for luncheon, after which some of our guests left, so that I spent a fairly quiet two hours in my sitting room before Mrs, Aymar Johnson came in with some English children who are staying with her. Later, about 15 political science students from Mt. Holyoke, with their teacher, Miss Victoria Schuck, came to see me, They asked a number of questions and I arranged _ for them to go to the Office of Civilian Defense to find out all they could about our work. Miss Jane
It’s supposed *
By Ernie Pyle
was never finished. Last fall's jaunt was to be a flying trip up through Canada to Alaska. I put the car in storage in Cleveland, went to Ottawa for three days, then flew across Canada one night on Trans-Canada Airlines. I expected to do Alaska and be back in Cleveland to pick up the car in about six weeks. But I never got to Alaska, and I've never even been back to Cleveland. During these idle months out here, I rented a second-hand car to run errands in
And then suddenly came Pearl Harbor, and our newiy planned trip to the Orient vanished in thin air, It became apparent that my travels would be mostly within our own borders for a while. So I got an awful yen for that little car sitting there so dead in Cleveland.
He Gels His Car Back
I WIRED the editor of The Cleveland Press, with faint hope, asking if anybody on the staff would like to lake a vacation and drive my car to California. The editor put the telegram on the bulletin board.
He had three volunteers in 15 minutes. Then he tore up three small strips of paper. Two he left blank; on the third he wrote the word “Go.” And then he had the three volunteers draw the slips from his hand. . The first had nothing on it. The second had nothing on it. The third was drawn by a young man named Clarence Judd. He girded his startled wits about him, kissed his family goodby, and left that very night. ' . He took the Southern route, through Oklahoma and New Mexico. He honored my own top speed limit of 60 miles an hour, but he drove terrifically long days—one day he drove 20 hours. He went right through Albuquerque, and completely forgot that That Girl was here, or he would have driven out and let her look at the car a minute. He arrived in San Francisco at 11 one night, just four days and 3000 miles after leaving Cleveland. He said he wasn't even tired. So that's how I've got my little automobile again. | The first time I drove it, after the long separation, I actually felt embarrassed. But now we've got the hang of each other once more, and we motor with a fillip and a flair,
Bing Saves the Day
FOR SEVERAL DAYS before the Butler-Great Lakes basketball game Saturday night, Donald Burchard, Butler publicity director, looked all over town trying to find a certain phonograph record. The record he wanted was, “The Star Spangled Banner,” and would you believe it—he couldn't find it anywhere, He wanted to play it for background music during the induction ceremony for a group of naval recruits between halves of the game. Well, by time for the game to start Mr. Burchard was ready to tear his hair. . Then a student happened to recall there was a Bing Crosby recording of the national anthem over at Broad Ripple High School, several miles away. He rushed over to the high school and got back in time to save the day for the Navy.
Around the Town
MAURICE GRONENDYKE of the Associated Rail- | ways managed vo pick off the cream of the 1942] license plate crop. He got “Ind. 12741” Get it? Twelve, seven, forty-one. Now it won't be any trouble for him to Remember Pearl Harbor. . . . Ironically, the public resentment over the Japs’ treachery is having a kickback against the Japs’ mortal enemy, and! long-time victim. Some of the Chinese businessmen here report business falling off. They blame it on the public's inability to distinguish between Chinese and! Japanese—in appearance. And that’s a real insult to the Chinese. . . . Two cars collided at North and, Illinois Sts. The drivers “boiled” out and started toward each other belligerently. They stopped, grinned | and shook hands. It took a chorus of horn tooting! from other motorists behind them to break up the
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By Raymond Clapper
engines and plant space. In the Flying Fortress and the Consolidated we have superior bombers. But we have not been able to achieve the large production that will be required before we can turn the balance in the Pacific. A growing school in the Army is opposed to an over-sized Army now, preferring to concentrate on air and armored forces rather than to create an enormous Army of several million men. The arguments are first, that the air and armored forces are the most effective and compact units we can send to the distant strategic points. Second, to maintain an over-sized army would monopolize labor, materials and factory capacity which could be more usefully applied to planes and armored equipment.
Transportation the Big Problem
EVERY SOLDIER in camp at home is not only a man lost to industry but he must be supported by the industrial plant. Our supply of labor and of materials is limited. The argument is that we cannot afford to immobilize them on a gigantic army camped in the United States when they are needed to produce the planes and armored equipment that may be sent abroad where the decisive engagements are fought. There appears to be an increasing disposition to think in such terms here. The most difficult thing is to keep a balance. While planes are vital, there must be ships to carry the fighter planes to the distant fronts. Churchill said here the other day that transportation was going to be one of the hardest problems. It has been our difficulty in the Pacific thus far. So when one aspect such as planes is emphasized, it does not mean there are not other urgent difficulties to be overcome at the same time.
By Eleanor Roosevelt
Seaver, of our Youth Activities Division, came to us from Mt. Holyoke, so I am sure they found a friend and made use of the Washington bureau of the International Student Service also. Last evening, in addition to my own broadcast, I presided at the Washington Forum of the Air, and enjoyed the audience as well as the galaxy of speakers. I thought it very remarkable that each one was able to make such a valuable contribution on the subject of unity in such short speeches,
I reached the Office of Civilian Defense this morning at 9 o'clock and was in the middle of a staff meeting when the White House telephone rang. myself talking to Franklin Jr, back from the seas. He was in hopes of getting leave but was not very sure. Since then he has told me that he cannot have leave this time, which will be a blow to Ethel, who is very anxious to show him the baby. I was so glad to hear his voice for he has been gone two months, a long time not to know the whereabouts of the young people you care about. He was fairly bubbling over because he found that he had
his first step up the
NAZIS BEATEN IN RUSSIA BY (OWN TACTICS
Soviets Learned German Flanking and Circling Strategy.
.By A. T. STEELE Cone hha AN RS KUIBESHEV, Jan. 6-—Detailed accounts of Red Army operations cast a revealing light on the Soviet tactics which have insured successes in the present counter-offensive against the Germans west of Moscow. A characteristic feature of these tactics has Ween outflanking maneuvers similar in pattern to the encirclement methods so dear to the hearts of the Nazi warlords. One of the determining factors has been the skilful way in which the Russians have taken the maximum possible advantage of winter conditions. With the German mechanized columns confined largely to highways, the Russians, time after time, have slipped through intervening gaps to deliver lightning blows against enemy positions deep in the rear,
Cavalry Raids at Night
Russian tanks and airplanes have borne the brunt of the offensive where it was possible to use them but an enormously important role has been played by mobile detachments of cavalry, ski troops and automatic riflemen dispatched far into the German lines to make surprise raids on villages and lines of communications in towns many kilometers behind the front.
Typical of these attacks are the cavalry raids usually made at night. Starting at sundown to escape enemy aerial observation, the horsemen sneak up within striking distance of inhabited points as deep as 10 or 15 miles in the German rear.
Then the troops dismount, deploy and launch a surprise attack on foot. They usually are armed with automatic rifles and often are equipped with anti-tank guns and other anti-tank weapons.
Use Anti-Tank Airplane
Sometimes their purpose is merely to kill, destroy, sow confusion and withdraw before dawn. On other occasions their object is to capture a town and hold it pending the arrival of their main forces. The capture of Kaluga was accomplished by a striking group composed of infantry, cavalry, artillery and some tanks, which deliberately chose a line of approach through an almost roadless region which the Germans had considered impassable and which was, therefore, inadequately defended. Before the Nazis realized what was happening, the advance was well under way. A newly developed anti-tank airplane, heavily armored and able to fire armor-piercing shells of small caliber, has contributed to the Soviet successes in the Moscow battle according to reports.
Villages Reduced to Ashes
Whenever they have time, the Germans set fire to villages they are about to abandon in order to deprive the Russian troops of winter shelter. One of the best ways to check up on the speed of the German withdrawal from any given area is by the extent of the fire damage. In places where the Nazis have been surprised by a flank attack and forced to retire hurriedly, the damage is often negligible. In many cases, as noted on a recent trip to the front, whole villages have been reduced to ashes. The problem of billeting troops in such cases is ine deed a difficult one. The Russian victories have brought about a psychological transformation scarcely less significant than the victories themselves. This psychological lift is everywhere evident. It shines through the newspapers and it permeates the speeches of Soviet dignitaries.
More Sure of Themselves
The first victories at Rostov and in the vicinity of Moscow brought cautious optimism. But as the Red Army has gone from success to success, the Russians have grown more sure of themselves—more and more confident that what they have taken they can hold. The effect on morale has been cumulative. The recapture of Rostov gave just the moral stimulus that was needed to insure the success of the Soviet counteroffensive at Moscow. Soviet newspapers for several weeks have been devoting many columns of space to promotions and decorations of officers and men who distinguished themselves in counteroffensive operations. After each new success the portraits of come manding officers are conspiciously published. Cartoons almost invariably picture Hitler in the role of a defeated modern Bonaparte wearing a Napoleonic headpiece, ete.
TURNER NAMED TO AIR PATROL POST
Col. Roscoe Turner, president of the Turner Aeronautical Corp., has been appointed a special representative of the Civil Air Patrol, attached to the General Headquarters staff. He will be assigned to organizational duties. The patrol is being organized among civilian pilots and aviation personnel for auxiliary air duty throughout the country and is under
Dutch Mean Business in War on Japs
More Subs Needed ds Singapore's Fale Lies in Naval and Aircraft Strength
By GEORGE WELLER Copyright, 1942, by The Indianapolis Times and The Chicago Daily News, Ine. WITH THE BRITISH ON THE CENTRAL MALAY FRONT, Jan.
6.—The jungle phase of this war is that most easily discussed in dispatches but the cue to Singapore's fate lies in aircraft and naval
strengths.
These have neither lines nor positions which can be re-
vealed and discussion of relative powers of the forces engaged is
naturally taboo. In an irregular transjungle line extending from a few miles north of Ipoh, northeastward to the roadless border where sea and jungle meet upon the shores of the China sea, landwise progress is slow. The Japanese float troops down rivers, like the Perak, when roads fail and these scouting parties, riding rafts or inflated rubber lifebelts, are mopped up. British soldiers, some from a famous Scottish regiment, others from the country regiment which suffered heavily north of Penang, make their way back by sampan or drift through the forest with Chinese guides. It is easy, under such circumstances, to lose objectivity and become unable literally to see the situation for the trees. LJ
Ever-changing Tactics
THE FASCINATION of jungle warfare in which techniques are constantly changing—the Japanese one day throwing grenades from trees, and the next losing 30 men repeating the stunt, described in the first of these dispatches, of sending suicide soldiers along the highways to bait out hidden British locations—is likely to lead one into forgetfulness that this is only a delaying action. It is a delaying action—for both sides. As far as Malaya is concerned the Japanese are not at the stage they were in the Philippines, when only one landing had been effected and Hongkong still held out. Somewhere—and it is pose sible that the British High Come mand may know where—they are probably assembling transports released from Hongkong and those no longer needed in the Philippines for an onslaught here. Britain's first war communiques from here admitted that 80 Japanese transports were seen crossing the China Sea two days before the attack was launched but gave no reason why this failed to result in an ultimatum to Japan. For some reason Japanese transports are always reported in fleets of 80 and, however overestimated this figure may be, it is revelatory of Japan's large-scale attacks,
» ”
Dutch Morale Fine
WHEN SUCH an armada approaches the Malayan coast the Jungle warfare now engrossing correspondents will shrink to the scale of border skirmishes and already it means little more in the general pattern of the struggle for Singapore, : It would take the Japanese six months to reach Johore Bahru, gateway to Singapore Island, by their present methods and at their
= »
This is the second of a series on the military techniques employed in the Malayan jungles,
present speed. But what may be expected first is an attempt at a landing around Singapore, coming probably from Japan's new base at Kuching, in Sarawak (North Borneo) direatly east of Singapore. The Dutch Navy, carrying the burden of interference with Japanese sea transport in these waters, reputedly devolving on the British and American navies has harassed southward bound trans ports. But having, like all the Allies in southeastern Asia, ine sufficient land forces to handle the Japanese once they effect beachheads, it cannot be expected to drive them from British territory in Sarawak. Morale and discipline in the single Dutch garrison among those protecting Singapore and its flanking islands, visited by your correspondent, were excellent, »
Dutch Imaginative
THE DUTCH have ripped a leaf" from the German-Japanese book in waging not 9 to 12, 2 to 6 o'clock warfare, but warfare on a 24-hour basis. Like the Greeks, Norwegians, Poles and Belgians, the Dutchmen out here are eager to punish the Japanese even if their world of sundowners, batmen and orderly room procedure goes temporarily by the board in the process. If the Americans and British possessed military imaginations about Japanese tactics comparable to the East Indian Dutch, and the proportionate means, it would be the submarines of these powers which would be leading the fight against Japanese invasion, not those of little Holland. \
FACES ARRAIGNMENT IN HAMMER SLAYING
LAWRENCEVILLE, Ill, Jan. 6 (U. P).—Lawrence Corrie, 37, Bridgeport, Ill, is to appear before Lawrence Circuit Judge Blaine Huffman today to enter a plea to an indictment charging him with first-de-gree murder in the hammer slaying Dec. 13 of Adam Greismer, Bridgeport old age pensioner, Also named in indictments returned yesterday were William
Pfeiffer, 52, Bridgeport, and Ocea Edwards Ingler, 42, Vincennes, Ind. both charged with being accessories to the crime, Authorities said Corrie admitted details of the slaying in a signed statement.
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$12,313 ADDED T0 RED CROSS
Local Total Now $162,903; Open General Campaign Within 10 Days.
Contributions of $12,513.40 reported yesterday by workers in the large gifts division of the local Red Cross chapter's war relief campaign swelled the fund to $162,903.45. At the fourth report meeting, held at the Indianapolis Athletic Club, plans for the organization's general campaign, to begin within the next 10 days, were outlined by George S. Olive, the drive’s general chairman. Workers will solicit gifts from business and industrial firms and employees while another group will conduct a house-to-house canvass in the City and County, The Indianapolis chapter has been assigned a quota of $350,000 as its share of the national campaign.
10 Per Cent Exceed Quotas
Arthur R. Baxter, chairman of the large gifts division, read a message from National Red Cross Headquarters which stated that 10 per cent of the country’s total number of chapters has excéeded their quotas on Jan, 1. A minimum of 50 million dollars is sought. Mr. Olive said that the funds sought will be used by both national and local chapters to meet primary and fundamental Red Cross responsibilities to the American armed forces; to cover expansion and maintenance of existing Red Cross services and such development of them as may be necessary for civilian defense and the country's morale; to give aid to the forces and people associated with this Government in the war or to people where action would be consistent with national interest, and to meet any other requirements for relief or service growing out of the conflict, directly or indirectly.
Next Report Friday
“It is not possible to foresee all of the emergencies which will inevitably develop as the war continues, both at home and abroad,” Mr. Olive said. “But the American Red Cross will, in its discretion, utilize these funds to deal adequately with all such situations as fall within the scope of its activities, in a manner consistent with the principles and traditions of the Red Cross. : The next report meeting will be held at the Athletic Club at 12:15 p. m. Friday.
50 STATE TROOPERS TO BE ADDED IN FALL
Fifty more troopers will be added to the State’ Police force this fall and applications for the positions must be submitted before March 1, Supt. Don S. Stiver of the State Police announced yesterday. The application blanks may be obtained at State Police headquarters at the State House. Minimum requirements demand that a man be between the ages of 21 and 35 years, be five feet, nine inches tall; a high school graduate and a resident of the state for one year. Only applicants who have been classified by Selective Service in a 3-A classification, or who are likely to be so classified, will be accepted.
1st Coins Included In Display Here
TWO OF THE first coins issued by the American colonists—the New England shilling and the Pine Tree shilling, minted in 1652 —are included in a collection of 2500 coins now on display in the Central Library. The coins are the property of Ray Fiscus. 1833 Nowland Ave. who began the collection 23 years ago. Another of his most highly prized coins is a Fugio cent, issued by authority of the Continental ‘Congress in 1787. The first issue
approved by the Congress, it was designed by Fraoklin,
LOST IMPORTS T0 HANDICAP ARMS PLANTS
Philippines Sent Fourth Of Chromite Needed For Machine Tools.
By CHARLES T. LUCEY Times Special Writer
WASHINGTON, Jan, 6.—Loss of vital raw-material sources in the Philippines deals a severe blow to both normal and wartime produce tion tasks, as munitions maker and housewife alike will find in coming months.
It means disappearance of about one-fourth of our supply of chroe mite, needed as an alloy in hard steels for machine tools, airplane propellers, engines and other parts, for armor plate and dozens of other items of war materiel. In the past it has helped make the higher« grade stainless, heat-resistant, none corrosive steels devoted to wide civilian use. Severance of the Philippines trade line chokes off virtually the entire supply of Manila fiber that goes ine to rope, of tremendous importance to the Navy and in other war opere ations.
Shuts Off Sugar
It stops import of two-fifths of all fats and oils brought into this coun= try, including coconut oil, the ine gredient which gives lather to soap, It curtails a strategic by-product of soapmaking — glycerin, used in nitroglycerin and black powder.
It also shuts off supply of about 900.000,000 tons of sugar annually— replaceable from other sources—and smaller amounts of manganese ore and other products. In coming months, when the housewife must do without chrome metal in vacuum cleaners, kitchen sink trim, frying pans, carving and paring knives, ash trays and dozens of other domestic items, and when the same holds for her husband in golf-club shafts, sporting-rifie bare rels, desk trim, camera shades, fancy auto gadgets, etc., it will be because; The United States, fighting a war, needs the chrome for airplane proe pellers, for engine connecting rods, bearings, pistons, sodium-filled valves, crankshafts and hundreds of other things on which men’s lives will depend.
Substitutes Sought
The country also faces loss or re= striction of supplies of tung oil from China, used for waterproofing such things as cartridge shells and bale loon outer covers, and of palm oil from the Netherlands East Indies, used in tin plate and textile manu facture. So acute is the need to replace these products that a Government commission headed by Charles E, Lund of the Commerce Department will go to South America soon to seek substitutes. Special study is to be made of the babassu-palm nut, available in huge quantity in Brazil, the oil of which is said to have virtually the same properties as coconut oil tor soape making and glycerine.
Sent Glycerin to Japan
The U. 8., looking now to conserve coconut oil for glycerin, was exporte ing glycerin to Japan, ordinarily a surplus shipper of the product, as recently as 1940. ' This country, seeing possible cure tailment of supplies of Manila hemp and other fibers, imported 725,000 bales from the Philippines in the first nine months of 1941, compared with 470 bales in all 1940. Except for a minute quantity from the Netherlands Indies, all the $45,000, 000 worth of Manila fiber imported in 1934 came from the Philippines, The Philippines were, with the exception of British South Africa, this country’s largest foreign supe plier of chromite, The U. S. imported $28,624,000 worth of chromite from the Philipe pines in 1939, and much more than this—$40,000,000 worth—in the first half of 1940.
TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE
1—The Commander-in-Chief of the U. S. Army is George C. Mare shall; true or false? 2—How many red and how many white stripes are in the Amerie can flag? 3—“Tristan and Isolde” is an opers by Berlioz, Verd: or Wagner? 4—Greyhounds hunt entirely by sight or scent? 8—A 10-inch string formed in a circle encloses an area greater or less than if formed into a square? 6—Who wrote the tark”? 7—What is a purple grackle? 8—The mopn’s orbit around the earth is elliptical; true of false?
Answers
1—False. (The President is Come mander-in-Chief.) 2—Sevén red and six white. 3—Wagner, 4—Sight. 5—Greater, 6—George Barr McCutcheon, T—Species of bird. 8—True.
novel “Grause
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