Indianapolis Times, Indianapolis, Marion County, 16 March 1942 — Page 1

FORECAST:

Wscares howard] VOLUME 54 — NUMBER 4

MONDAY, MARCH 16, 1942

Showers and thunderstorms this afternoon and tonight; mild temperatures this afternoon, becoming considerably colder late tonight; moderately strong wind.

Ind. Issued daily

Entered as Second-Class Matter at Postoffice, Indianapolis, Issued except Sunday.

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PRICE THREE CENTS |

U.S. Air Reinforcements Bolster Allies In Far Eas

» &

Japs’ Troubles Just Starting; Far-Flung Lines Will Be Hard to Hold

By WILLIAM PHILIP SIMMS Scripps-Howard Foreign Editor WASHINGTON, March 16—The Java sea disaster has put a finish- . ing touch on Japan’s control of the land, sea and air between Hawaii and Rangoon and between Kamchatka and Australia. But that means her troubles are only just beginning. Unless Japan can maintain her record for quick knockouts until she has conquered Australia, China, India, Siberia and Hawaii—something few believe she is capable of—her doom is certain. As long as the united nations have at their disposal any one of these five bases, they will have a foothold from which to launch an offensive. # » u » # AUSTRALIA, PROBABLY Japan’s next major objective, is almost exactly the same size as continental United States. Her land area is 2,974,000 square miles. Ours is 2,977,000.

To remove that continent from the united nations’ line-up would be a collossal undertaking, even though its population is under eight million. Darwin is more than 3000 miles from Tokyo. True, Japan now has bases in the East Indies, and Singapore's facilities seem to have been left more or less intact, but her fighting men and munitions must still be transported from Japan proper. India is just as distant. Calcutta is as far from Tokyo as Darwin And India, like Australia, is virtually a continent. Unlike Australia, however, India is crowded. She has a population of 350,000,000. To conquer and hold these people in subjection would not be easy ~—unless, as in Malaya, the Japs had fifth column help. # # ” # " "

MEANWHILE, EASTERN SIBERIA hangs heavy over Nippon and her puppet state of Manchukuo. For nearly 40 years Tokyo has complained that the Russian base

at Vladivostok is a cocked “pistol pointed at Japan's head.” Siberia’s maritime provinces are just a couple of hundred miles or so from the main islands of Nippon. Vladivostok is only about 800 miles from Tokyo. Japan can never be sure of her conquests until she can be sure of eastern Siberia. Similarly, Japan must find a way to dispose of Alaska, the Aleutians, Hawaii and other outposts—perhaps including the great French island of Madagascar off the east coast of Africa—before she can be

- at all secure.

That the Japanese can do all unis no one here believes. They are not supermen. Their victories thus far have been won mostly by default. " The united nations were simply not ready and the Japs were. Eventually the real fighting will begin.

NEW VOTERS REGISTRATION LAW INVALID

. Court’s Ruling Is Victory For Ettinger, Who Fought Bradford’s Measure.

~The new voters’ registration law —which was designed to take control of registration in the seven largest counties in the state from the county clerks—was declared unconstitutional today by the state supreme court.

The decision affects Marion, Lake,

Allen, Madison, St. Joseph, Vigo-and |"

Vanderburg counties. The invalidated law provided that

the circuit court judge.in each of] -

the seven counties have a board of registration composed of one Republican and one Democrat, both selected on the recommendations of the respective party chairmen.

Ruling by Justice Shake

. The law further provided that the two board members should come from the two parties casting tiie highest number of votes for secretary of state in the last election. . “If the general assembly may require that certain officers shall be selected from the two parties casting the highest number of votes, no logical reason is seen why * such appointments may not be restricted to the one party which cast the largest votes at a given election,” Chief Justice Curtis Shake said in the 13-page unanimous opinion. x oe proponents of the act before would hardly contend that this oi be done under the restrictions, against special privileges found in our constitution.”

Bradford Sponsored Law

The court also held that it was beyond the power of the legislature to confer on the respective Republican and Democratic county chairmen the right to make nominations binding upen the circuit court Judge. \ The measure was sponsored during the last session of the legislature by James Bradford, Marion county G. O. P. chairman, and was fought bitterly by Charles R. Ettinger, Democratic circuit court clerk, who would have 10st. his control of local registration machinery. The decision means that, in Marion county, voters’ registration ma.chinery will remain entirely in the hands of Mr. Ettinger. The decision reversed a Jasper circuit court decision holding the law constitutional. The suit asking for an interpretation of the law was filed by a number of taxpayers.

HITLER AWARE DOOM IS NEAR, WELLES SAYS

WASHINGTON, March 16 (U.P.) —Acting Secretary of State Sumner Welles said today that Adolf Hitler's speech denouncing the democracies left “implicit in every word and every phrase Hitler's own recognition of his impending downfall and of the inevitable conquest of the German armies.”

TIMES FEATURES ON INSIDE PAGES

6 1 17 15

King’s Row... 1 Lieut. Gen.

Eddie Ash.... Business eevee Comics sseess Crossword ...

Far Eastern conflict.

Singapore fell, and the British lost thousands of troops, a strategic bastion. But what does this Malayan mother care? child. Beside a battered jinrikisha she wails her grief; the naked bod y of her baby lies before her amid the ruins of the city. A Jap bomb fragment struck the child dead in one of the last raids before the surrender, and the camera recorded one of the most tragic, scenes of the

British Lost Singapore, but She Lost Her Baby

She lost her

TERMS REACHED TOEND GAS CASE

Authority for City to Buy Company Real Estate Asked in Petition.

By LOWELL B. NUSSBAUM

The city and the Indianapolis Gas Co. moved today to settle the 45 million dollar gas lease litigation in ‘which they have been engaged six years.

In a joint petition filed with the public service commission, they ask permission for the city to purchase all the real estate and other property of Indianapolis Gas, including its Langsdale plant and more than 600 miles of mains. These mains service roughly 60,000 of the municipal gas utility’s customers. Purchase of the property automatically would cancel the 99-year lease which the city inherited (but refused to recognize) when it ac-

‘quired the old Citizens Gas Co. back

in 1935. Means Huge Savings

Cancellation of the lease. will mean a saving of from 20 to 25 I million dollars for the city in the 70 years yet to run on the 99-year lease. The agreement provides for the city acquiring ownership of the property by: 1. Buying up the two million dollars Indianapolis Gas common stock at $40 for each $50 per share. 2. Retiring the $6,681,000 of mortgage bonds outstanding, paying par of $1000. 3. Paying the bondholders 2 per cent interest for each of the six Years the city has used the prop-

Wind would make the total cost of the property roughly $9,500,000. To cover this, the city expects to issue only seven million dollars worth

5|of revenue bonds. The

The average downtown office

also wet. A sudden downpour of warm,

ernoon and tonight, with considerably colder temperatures late tonight. The rainfall between 7:26 and 9 a. m. totaled .89 of an inch. In less than an hour the city street department had received a dozen calls on flooded sewer “catch |1 basins” and inlets.

Water Stands in Streets

North side parents packed their children into family cars to get

high water at such intersections as 44th st. and Central ave. 32d st. and Capitol ave. 35th st and Washington blvd. and 25th and Delaware sts. Water also was standing in the street in the 1400 block, Martin ave. Traffic of Indianapolis Railways was generally slowed up over the entire city. Water standing at the Fairfield ave. and Monon railroad and 10th st. and Massachusetts ave. intersections stalled traffic and the Speedway city bus line met difficulties in low places on the streets.

Lightning Hits Pole Lightning hit a pole this morning at 10th st. and Olin ave. knocking out a 33,000-volt line. Electric service was interrupted for a short time.

Scattered shots of lightning were experienced in Broad Ripple and

them to school dry and encountered |_

Weather to Turn Colder Tonight After More Rain

girl got to work late today—and spring rain broke shortly before 8

o'clock this morning. It caught the office populace on the way to work and sent them scurrying to drugstores entrances and awnings for shelter. The weather bureau predicted showers and thunderstorms this afto

HEAT RECORD!

Indianapolis broke its first heat record of the year today. At 1 p. m. the mercury reached 73, breaking the March 16 record of 73 set in 1927.

LOCAL TEMPERATURES

ipm... 73

109 SALES TAX TAKE PUT AT 9 BILLIONS

2 Billion Above Income Levy

Program, Treasury Says.

WASHINGTON, March 16 (U, P.). ~The treasury estimated today that a 10 per cent sales tax could raise as much as $9,702,000,000 in war revenue. More than $2,000,000,000 over

the estimated yield of the administration’s proposal for stiffer income and corporation taxes. The treasury submitted its statistics to the house ways and means committee. The yield estimated by the treasury did not include a tax on rents or OF personal services. It did, however, include purchases by the federal, state and local governments and by

U.S. INCOME TAX IS DUE TONIGHT

Revenue Collector’s Mail Heavy With Cash as

Deadline ‘Nears. (Photo, Page Two)

The pen, uséd In signing a check for payment of the federal income tax, is mightier than the sword.

Thousands and thousands of Hoosiers “unsheathed” their pens over the week-end and sent money to Uncle Sam. The pens made strokes which eventually will slask: the axis. Bags stuffed with envelopes holding these checks poured into the mail today and more will be posted by midnight tonight. An envelope postmarked by midnight will save the taxpayer from being classed as a delinquent. Moreover, the income tax office will remain open until midnight. Mail Bags Heavy Will H. Smith, collector of internal revenue, received between 75,000 and 80,000 pieces of mail this morning, and most of the envelopes brought checks. John H. Rothert, superintendent of mails, had a crew of 150 sorters working yesterday, and Mr. Smith had about 125 clerical workers on the job handling the incoming mail. The line of taxpayers at the federal building was noticeably short this morning—the last day for paying. “We expected more people,” Mr. Smith said. “We are surprised to find that they have already been here.” Mr. Smith believes that the

BAD FOR JAPS; HUGE BOMBERS ROLL OFF LINE

Consolidated Workers Feel One Plane Now Is Worth

Three in Year. (Photo, Page 11)

By E. A. EVANS Times Special Writer SAN DIEGO, Cal, March 16— Here's happy news for income-tax payers—and bad news for Japs. Huge bombers have started to roll off the first constantly moving assembly line ever used in building planes of their size. Day and night, from now on, they'll emerge from the gigantic portals of the Consoliddted Aircraft Corp's. amazing Southern California plant, ready to take the air against Hitler and Hirohito. The rate at which they're rolling is information the enemy would like to have. But it’s great enough already to bring a broad smile to the face of Tom M. Girdler, the steel man who became Consolidated’s chairman three months ago, and whose driving energy gets much of the credit for the now achievement.

And the enemy would get no comfort out of Mr. Girdler’s conviction that the now slowly moving line will gather speed with each week. Shortages Only Worry

There's one big “if.” They're concerned out here about shortages— possible shortages of some materials and slow deliveries of some of the parts and. gadgets, not made by Consolidated itself, but produced by other manufactureres or supplied by the government. “If we can get these things fast enough, we'll have no trouble,” Mr. Girdler says. “We're not afraid about getting plenty of good workers, and we're not a damn bit worried about anything we make ourselves.” He’s especially proud that the aircraft industry, rather than the automobile industry which originated the moving assembly line, has been first to apply this process to mass production of giant planes. (Continued on Page Two)

ORDERS ARBITRATION

WASHINGTON, March 16 (U. P.). President Roosevelt has demanded that the management of the strikebound Toledo, Peoria & Western railroad comply with a war labor board order to submit the dispute to arbitration, the White House announced today.

KHARKOV'S CAPTURE NEAR, RUSS SA

RED *CHUTISTS

LANDED

BEHIND

SMOLENSK LINE

Trapped Staraya Russa Army Being Ground

Into Bits, Moscow

Claims; American

Planes Arriving in India.

By JOE ALEX MORRIS United Press Foreign Editor

American offensive power

in the air bolstered the united

nations front in the Far East today and Russian offensive power on the ground chewed into both ends of the axis

defenses on the eastern front.

The Red army, hammering into the Ukraine front, reportedly was about to drive the Germans from the key base

of Kharkov, in the south. Russian gains continued

on the northern front with

capture of enemy defense positions on the Staraya Russa sector and killing of 1800 Germans on Leningrad front. Stockholm reported that Russian paratroops landed bes

hind the German fortified lines on the central Smolensk

225,000 STATE MEN IN DRAFT

New Registrants’ Numbers To Be Pulled From

Jowl Tomorrow.

The immediate future of a large portion of the .state’s 225,000 new draft registrants will be determined in the national loitery which begins at 5 p. m. (Indianapolis Time) tomorrow. Those whose serial numbers are among tke first pulled out of the fish bowl at Washington are ‘“cinches,” providing that they are healthy and have no reasons for deferment, to be in the army before the middle of the summer. Draft officials expect the first of the new registrants to be called sometime early in May or June. It will take that long, they say, to classify the new registrants,

The Serial Numbers

Until then, the local draft boards will continue combing over the present depleted lists of registrants for men to meet their quotas. The serial numbers of the new registrants which are now posted are important only for one thing, draft officials pointed out today. The manner in which they are|, pulled out of the fish bowl deter- | mines your order number. It's the order number which determines when you will be considered by your local draft board for possible military service. Your serial number is the one placed on your registration card by your local draft board members when they went though the pile of new registration cards numbering them consecutively from the top to bottom. If your serial number of 167, for example, is the third one to be

(Continued on Page Two)

around the corner... .

Page Nine.

respondent,

Keep Up With The Times

The cost of living is going up . . . rationing is just

~ “WATCH YOUR PENNIES.”

The other day we were informed our crack foreign corGEORGE WELLER, was missing in Java. But today we heard from the ubiquitous George. His dramatic story is on Page Two.

How well prepared is the West Coast? FRED S. FERGUSON is out there to tell you. And his eyewitness story will start in The Times on Wednesday. We have a bulletin from RAYMOND CLAPPER. He

arrives in Cairo today. And he’s going to write his first column for tomorrow's Times.

All this (and so much more) in your

NDIA NA POLIS

You're going to have to It starts today on

enemy bombers. American and allie

Dili airdrome on Ti land, at Rabaul on New island and at enemy planes ing the islands off Australis

erable damage to enemy | hases the destruction of at enemy planes was repo. .

Burma Gets U. S.

reinforcing the : front in the India-Burms

indicated an improved m uation in the TOuHE00 ATE

in south central B making surprise thrusts

and four damaged. Berl British destroyer and fo boats were hit. Vital Nazi Bases Periled The Red army gains on the eastern. front were still not fully osed but it appeared that the Russians were attempting to wrec 1942 offensive plans by drive as spring arrives. | 3 At the bomb-battered industrial center of Kharkov on the southern front. and at the wrecked city of Staraya Russa on the north, the Soviet armies reported that they were grinding the enemy to pieces and were nearing two of the most (Continued on Page Two)

On the War Fronts

MOSCOW: Red army blasts ab both the norta and south ends of the western front; claim libere ation of Kharkov near.

LONDON: . British air and na forces sink two German E-boats and damage four others; London has air raid alarm but no bombs dropped. :

MELBOURNE: Jap base of Dili on shoot down 17 Jap Cape York, northernmost tip Australia; Port Darwin d American flying fortress