Indianapolis Times, Indianapolis, Marion County, 20 April 1942 — Page 1

The Indianapolis Times

. .FORECAST: Continued cool today and tonight; light frost tonight...

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semipes —mowarn] VOLUME 54—NUMBER 34

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MONDAY, APRIL - 1942

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

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JITTERY JAPANESE SHAKE UP ARMY

U.S. Troops Arrive as MacArthur Charts "Knockout Blow

American soldiers are shown arriving in Australia for the “knockout offensive” now being planned against Japan

POWER MASSED IN AUSTRALIA

Supreme Chief and Curtin Reach Accord on Plans To Drive Back Japs.

GEN. MACARTHUR'S HEADQUARTERS, Australia, April 20 (U. P.) —Gen. Douglas MacArthur and Prime Minister John Curtin have reached complete agreement on plans for “knocking out Japan by a concentration of allied strength,” it was announced today after a threehour conference of the two leaders. “Our conceptions of the whole global strategy are identical,” Mr. Curtin said. He said that allied communiques soon will come from Gen. MacArthur's headquarters as the result of the latter's formal assumption of supreme command on the Pacific battle front. As Gen. MacArthur and Mr. Curtin conferred, U. S. and Australian squadrons battered at Japan's island invasion bases. Air Minister Arthur Drakeford announced that the Australian air forces now are battling the Japanese with American Kittyhawk — Curtiss P-40—fighters and that the Australian fliers no longer are compelled to go into action with planes (Continued on Page Five)

APPROVED $16,795 FUND FOR AIRPORT

The city’s airport appropriation of $16,795 received approval today by the state tax board. The appropriation will be used to hire new guards and clerks to meet CAA emergency requirements. A guard must now be posted at the airport 24 hours daily. The clerks will register incoming and outgoing pilots and planes. Ray Herner, airport superintendent. will name the guards and clerks within the next few days.

TIMES FEATURES ON INSIDE PAGES

Eddie Ash ....14|Jane Jordan ..13 Amusements .. 4 Movies Clapper . 9! Obituaries .... Comics PE ..17| Pegler crcsccesll Crossword ee. 18 Pyle sessnssnse 9 Editorials .10' Questions .10 Edson 10| Radio Mrs. Ferguson.l0| Mrs. Roosevelt. a Figacial sree 6 Serial Story . Cans eses 10; Side Glances $ ening 13, Simms In Indpls .... 3|Society ...12, 13 Inside Indpls . 9|Sports ees.ld, 15

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Everyone Help, Is Plea of Hull

WASHINGTON, April 20 (U. P.).—Secretary of State Cordell Hull said today he was sure that all the anti-axis nations have

only one watchword: “To move forward today and not tomorrow.” He called on all citizens to give every available aid to the war effort. It was Mr. Hull's first statement since he went on a vacation to recuperate from the exhaustion caused by handling diplomatic matters leading up to the war. He returned to his desk today. Every bit of effort given today, he said, will speed victory “with a vast saving in suffering, in life, and in property.”

ARMITAGE, LEADER IN POLITICS, DEAD

Regarded as Influence in Both Parties Here.

James E. Armitage, long a power behind the scenes in Marion County politics, died in Long hospital yesterday after a long illness. Mr. Armitage was 71 and had been in the hospital since Christmas. He was one of the most colorful figures in political circles in the county and stories about his effectiveness bordered on the legendary. The only office he ever had was as 8a member of the safety board during the second mayoral administration of Samuel Lewis Shank. He was associated in business with his brother, William H., in the operation of the Hoosier Mint Co., 15 S. Senate ave, and they lived for many years at 3855 Washington blvd. Recently, however, they moved their residence to 5402 N. Pennsylvania st. While he was a Republican and wielded considerable influence in that party's affairs, he was also reputed to be highly effective in Democratic circles as well There was a close attachment between the brothers and until James’ illness, they were frequently seen downtown, strolling together. Mr. Armitage was born in Louisville on Jan. 26, 1871. He had lived here 67 years. He was a member of the St. Joan of Arc church and the Fraternal Order of Eagles. His brother is the only survivor. The funeral will be at 8:30 a. m.

{Wednesday at the family home and ‘at 9 a. m. at the church. Burial will

be in Crown Hill.

ORDERS N, Y. POLICE ALERT NEW YORK, April 20 (U. P)— Police Commissioner Lewis J. Val-

entine ordered all policemen today to maintain § M-Hour alefs for eme|

WILLKIE LOSES IN GOP CONTEST

Martin Names Sub-Group To Act on Resolutions Of War Policy.

CHICAGO, April 20 (U, P.), — Over the protests of Wendell L. Willkie’s supporters, Joseph W. Martin, Republican national chairman, today appointed an all powerful subcommittee to consider resolutions before the G. O. P. national committee on the party's war and postwar poiicy. Mr, Martin named Wallace Townsend, Little Rock, Ark, as. chairman of the seven-man committee which included only two “Willkie men,” according to Willkie supporters. Those characterized as Willkie adherents were Walter S. Hallanan, Charleston, W, Va., vice chairman of the national committee, who submitted Mr. Willkie’s resolution, i Burroughs, Manchester,

Fear Compromise

Willkie supporters, including Mr. Hallanan, had objected to the appointment of a resolution sub-com-mittee on the grounds that such a committee most likely would draft a compromise resolution for adoption by the committee of the whole which would be “meaningless.” Mr. Martin, who has fought continuously behind the scenes to make the national committee meeting “harmonious,” said all resolutions would be given to the sub-commit-tee “without debate” after being read before the whole committee. He said the sub-committee définitely had the power to “throw out” all resolutions and submit a compromise one. Mr. Willkies resolution would pledge the party to abandon isolation now and after the war.

Coughlin Fights U. S. Mail Ban

DETROIT, April 20 (U.P.).—Fr.' Charles E. Coughlin, founder of the magazine Social Justice, announced today he is solely responsible for the policies and contents of the publication and will challenge the right of Postmaster General Frank C. Walker to suspend its second-class mailing privileges without a hearing. The magazine’s mailing privileges were suspended last week for alleged seditious utterances and Atty. Gen, Francis Biddle has announced that a federal grand jury in the District of Columbia soon will begin an investigation of the publication.

NEW MONDAY STORE SCHEDULE IS BEGUN

Railways Add Facilities To Serve Shoppers.

Monday night shopping hours will be started by most downtown retail stores tonight to accommodate thousands of war industry workers who couldn't get to the stores during day hours. Under the schedule agreed upon by merchants last week, stores did not cpen until 12:15 p. m. today and will remain open until 8:45 or 9 p. m. This Monday schedule is to remain in effect for the duration of the war. The shopping hours for other days of the week will remain the same, 9:30 a. m. to 5:30 p. m. Meanwhile, Indianapolis Railways officials announced that additional busses and trolley cars will be put into service between 6 p. m. and 10:30 p. m. to accommodate the shopping crowds on Monday nights. The car lines will be checked tonight to determine if other changes in the schedules will be

necessary on Mondays.

VICTORY OUTPUT IS CURTISS GOAL

Nelson’s No. 1 A 1 Aid to Talk At Launching of Drive Wednesday Night.

Curtiss-Wright will launch a victory production drive here at 6:30 Pp. m. Wednesday with a banquet at

the Hotel Lincoln, at which William H. Harrison, No. 1 assistant to Donald Nelson, WPB chief, will be the chief speaker, Director of the production division of the war production board, Mr. Harrison is expected to deliver an address of national significance, keynoting production drives throughout the country. The dinner, to be held in the Lincoln’s Travertine room, will be staged by the joint labor-manage-ment war production drive committee. It will be a prelude to a plant-wide rally at the CurtissWright plant here Thursday afternoon. Attending the banquet will be 250 employees who, upon invitation of the management, volunteered their services in seeking means to speeding up production. Company executives attending {Continued on Page Five)

DOWNSTATE TO GET 5 MILLION PLANT

WASHINGTON, April 20 (U. P.). —Award by the war department of a construction and management contract for a war plant in the vicinity of Evansville, Ind., was disclosed today by Rep. John W. Boehne Jr. (D. Ind.) . ; The Ryan Construction Co, Evansville, will be the contractor. The plant's exact site was not definitely stated in conformance with war department policy. It will

cost in excess of $5,000,000.

Willkie Slips a Slip to the Republicans (Who Were Trying to Give Him the Slip)

By THOMAS L. STOKES Times Special Writer CHICAGO, April 20. — Wendell Willkie won’t let the Republican party alone. The Republican national committee, a dignified, orthodox and solemn lot, slipped into this city of a quiet Sunday to prepare for a meet-

from New York and things began to happen. Lemoyne Jones, familiarly known as Lem, is Mr. Willkie’s personal representative at affairs such as this. Mr. Jones is the breathless symbol of an explosion about to happen, a fire about to start pouring from every window, a murder about to be committed. A former New York Daily News reporter, former criminal investigating aid to Tom Dewey, there’s something about him that warns you

about his fast talk and quick motions, about the tie that wobbles all over his shirtfront despite a pin clip in his usually wilted collar. It got around that Lem was in town. Newspapermen made for his hotel room, and soon he was as busy about his master’s business as during that hectic 1940 campaign when he rustled copies of Mr. Willkie’s perpetual speeches up and down the train, saw that there were enough hotel rooms for the boys

to sleep in, and made sure that cars reserved for reporters weren't taken

Er —————.

"DIVE BOMBERS

ATTACK FORTS

Nazis Take Pounding From Reds as Thaws Mire

Troops in Russia.

By JOE ALEX MORRIS United Press Foreign Editor A Chinese army scored a major allied victory in Burma today but the Japanese bombarded the fortress of Corregidor in the Philippines with both dive bombers and medium planes. . Japanese artillery firing on the American forts in Manila bay drew return fire that knocked out at least three enemy battries and broke up truck and troop concentrations on captured Bataan peninsula. But today’s war department communique indicated that the Japanese were making a climactic attempt to destroy the defenses of the Manila bay forts still held by Gen. Jonathan M. Wainwright. It was the first time communiques had mentioned the use of dive bombers against the bay forts. On Mindanao island, American patrols ambushed two bus loads of Japanese troops and inflicted numerous casualties on them.

Retake Burma Oil Center

On the Burma front, the Chinese reinforcements under Lieut. Gen. Joseph W. Stilwell, U. S. A, rushed down from the north in trucks and attacked the Japanese holding Yenangyaung, in the Irrawaddy river oil fields, recapturing the town, killing 500 enemy troops and breaking the encirclemerit of British forces to the south. The Chinese victory — first real allied counter-blow on the Irrawaddy front since the British abandonment of Prome—came as Adolf Hitler’s armies took a heavy pounding on the northern Russian front and plans were reported underway for U. S. bombing squadrons to join in ‘| Britain’s big aerial offensive against the European continent.

Bold Counter Blow

In Burma, the British and Chinese operations appeared to have been closely co-ordinated. As the Chinese struck from the north, British armored forces trapped south of Yenangyaung also attacked the Japahese and the two onslaughts annihilated the enemy units, London and Chungking reported. Military sources described the ac(Continued on Page Five)

14-YEAR-OLDS HELD IN 40 BURGLARIES

Destroyed or Threw Away Loot, Police Say.

Four 14-year-old boys, who confessed stealing a blind man’s watch

ani using it for shotgun practice are being held by police in the investigation of more than 40 burglaries. The juvenile gang has confessed robbing homes in the northeast part of the city and to the police departments knowledge they have never benefitted from their loot, estimated at several thousands of dollars. The boys either destroyed it or

filled with jewelry and other articles was hidden by the boys in Dearborn park but someone stole it from them, they say. The blind man’s home was robbed Dec. 22 and the young thieves took his “raised numbers” watch and also a watch belonging to his son. They took them to Dearborn park and with a stolen shotgun smashed them with shot. A silver fox fur piece, from another burglary, was tied to a string and with one of the four acting as the motivating power for the “fox” the other three shot it apart.

TIP TO GARDENERS: LIGHT FROST IS DUE

LOCAL TEMPERATURES

A light frost is on the weather schedule tonight, but no need to worry, according to the weather bureau. No “victory gardens” are expected to be sabotaged by nature, There was a light frost this

morning and that one didivt-doeny Baa; Sh hare D

IN MANILA BAY

|F. D. R, TO ADDRESS

threw it in sewers. A suit casel

® ® ° Hi Yi, Pu Yi! BY UNITED PRESS Adolf Hitler was 53 today, and one: of his first birthday presents, according to the Tokyo radio, was a message from Emperor Pu Yi of Manchukuo: “Congratulations on the occasion of your 57th birthday.” It was assumed that, as Hitler, like other dictators, is sensitive to the encroaching years, he would receive the message in corrected form. Paul Goebbels, Nazi propaganda minister, broadcast in a birthday message that Hitler was Germany's “great and unique man.”

ALLOCATION OF LABOR T0 BEGIN

Is

Voluntary Distribution McNutt’s Aim; May Ask Draft Deferments.

WASHINGTON, April 20 (U. P.). —The new war manpower commission will set up a labor priorities system to distribute manpower for America’s war effort “on a voluntary and democratic basis,” Paul V. Mecnutt, commission chairman, said today. Mr. McNutt intimated to his first press conference that if the voluntary system should fail, he would ask for authority to assign men and women to specific jobs. But he saw no immediate need for such compulsion. He said also that he may ask selective service, which is partly under his jurisdiction, to grant blanket group deferments for men working in certain war industries.

Attacks Plant “Pirating” Mr. McNutt struck hard at “pirating” of employees among war production plants, which he said already are facing “a serious deficiency” of skilled workers. “It is absolutely foolish for one essential industry to take skilled workers from another essential industry,” he said. Skilled workers, he said, must be hired “through an orderly process guaranteeing that factories engaged in the most urgent war production receive first call on the available supply.” He said this would necessitate establishment of a labor-pri-orities system. Mr. McNutt said other members of the commission would be named “early this week” as well as an executive director. Gets Labor’s Help 5

He said he had “been reassured by all labor unions they will assist us in carrying out our purpose.” But he said he did not know why labor will not be represented on the commission, and said he had asked labor to appeint an advisory committee. He emphasized that “the commission does not replace the existing machinery for ‘collective bargaining, mediation and the settlement of labor disputes.” But it will co-op-erate closely with the war labor board, he added.

NATION ON H. C. L.

Message and Radio Talk: Expected April 27.

WASHINGTON, April 20 (U. PJ. —Senate consideration of new labor legislation apparently was postponed today when President Roosevelt disclosed he will send congress a special message covering control of the cost of living and his views on related tax, profit, wage and labor problems. Mr. Roosevelt revealed his plans to congressional leaders, including Senator Tom Connally (D. Tex), who had planned to seek senate consideration today of his bill to freeze management-labor relations. Senator Connally told the senate he was withholding his motion at the personal request of the president. He said Mr, Roosevelt intended to send congress within a week a message about establishment of a general national policy on the cost of living and the various factors entering into it, including labor. Mr. Connally added that the president intends also to address the nation on the subject by radio after his message goes to congress. The senate agreed unanimously to a request by Connally that his right to call up his bill be extended to Tuesday, April 28. The president’s message and radio ad-

TOKYO CLAIMS RAIDS MADE BY 10 U. 5. PLANES

‘Came From 3 Carriers and Flew on to China,’ Nippon Believes.

By UNITED PRESS Radio Tokyo said today that about 10 United States medium bombers from three aircraft carriers had taken part in Saturday’s raid on four Japanese cities and that Lieut. Gen. Akira Muto had been ousted as commander of the military affairs bureau

and sent to the front. The propaganda broadcasts from Tokyo increased confusion and seemed to indicate mounting Japanese nervousness in connection with the reported bombing attacks since many of the radio statements were illogical or contradictory. The removal of Muto, however, was regarded as reflecting dissate isfaction with the central home command, presumably due to the effectiveness of the raids as dee scribed in axis dispatches.

Varying Reports Given

American and allied sources still were silent, but enemy propaganda broadcasts kept up a steady and unco-ordinated stream of comment, Tokyo radio, for instance, dee scribed the American planes as B-25 bombers—but these are too large to take off from carriers. It also gave varying reports of the number of planes involved and the number shot down. It was announced that Maj. Gen, Kenryo Sato had been named to succeed Muto. The Japan Year Book calls the military affairs bureau “the real center of military administration.”

Used Three Plane Carriers

A special communique of Jape anese imperial headquarters, indie cating that Japan had now about made up its mind, after two days of worried uncertainty, that carrierbased planes made the Saturday attack on Japan’s great cities. “A hostile naval unit, with three aircraft carriers as its center, ape peared on April 18 at a distant point off the eastern coast of Jae pan proper,” it said. “But fearing a Japanese counter-attack it fled

dress are expected on Monday, April 27,

without approaching Japanese shores. “On the same day approximately 10 enemy aircraft of North Amere ican B-25 type appeared over Toe kyo and other areas, flying singly or in. pairs. Raiders Fly to China?

“Hostile planes which managed to escape flew to China. “Damages caused in the raid “were extremely slight.” Previous Japanese versions spoke of 60 planes. , Japan alleged Saturday that nine bombers had been shot down over Tokyo alone in the raid which Japan itself announced. However, another Tokyo bro:ide cast revealed that the damage was sufficiently serious to cause a meete ing today of vice ministers in the Japanese cabinet to discuss “dame age sustained in the raid and remee dial measures, and regulation for control of rumors.” Tokyo reported a series of air raid alarms over a wide area of (Continued on Page Five) ” » ”

On the War Fronts

(April 20, 1942)

BURMA: Chinese counter-attack recaptures Yenangyaung in Ire rawaddy oil fields on western Burma front and liberates encircled British troops.

JAPAN: Imperial command says “around 10” North American B-25 medium bombers launched from three aircraft carriers carried out Saturday attack; five U. S. pilots ‘reported captured; chief of Japan’s military bureau removed and sent to front.

RUSSIA: Adolf Hitler reported on Russian front on his 53d birthday; Russian offensive pounds ahead north of Leningrad.

BRITAIN: U. S. air squadrons may join R. A. PF. in big offensive against Nazi-held Europe as re= sult of Gen. George C. Marshall's consultations in London; mists slow down aerial offensive.

AUSTRALIA: American-Australian planes attack Japs at Rabaul.

CORREGIDOR: Japs dive bombing