Indianapolis Times, Indianapolis, Marion County, 20 May 1942 — Page 1
VOLUME 53—NUMBER 60
How Are We Doing In Our War? Here's
By WALTER LECKRONE Times Special Writer
Two years ago President Roosevelt made his famous “50,000-
» planes-a-year” speech.
What have we done. since? first of three articles with the latest publishable figures,
Here is the
WASHINGTON, May 20.—Two full years of rearming have tyrned America into one vast arsenal. Today, as the third year on the road back to military strength begins, the biggest question in the world is:
“How are we doing?” We are doing very well.
Not so well, perhaps, as gov-
ernment press agents tell us in future tenses. Better, certainly, than our enemies had reason to expect. Not so well, over the whole 24-month period, as we did in 1917-18.
RECORD STREET,
J0B PROMISED THS SUMMER
- $250,000 Now Available for Indianapolis Paving,
Johnson Says.
By NOBLE. REED
- Spurred by complaints from motorists that rough pavements are wearing out their tires, city officials today outlined for 1942 the biggest street improvement program in more than 10 years. : Street paving and repair departments went into high speed this
week following the lifting of the| i
government's freezing order on pavement construction last Saturday. The freezing order had held up paving projects Costing more than $5000. City hall's money bags for 1942 street work are bulging with some $250,000 cash from gasoline t&xes , and other earmarked revenues.
Contracts to Be Let Soon
“We're going into one -of .the biggest street paving programs in many years and by the end’ of ‘this year there shouldn’t be any bad pavements left in Indianapolis,” de glared City Engineer Ollie Johnson. He said contracts for resurfacing many of the rough streets will be let as soon as possible and that by mid-summer thousands of feet of new pavement will have been laid. Last week, Tod Stoops, Hoosier Motor club secretary, wrote Mayor Sullivan that many of Indianapolis’ streets had become a menace to the motorists’ precious rubber,
have been removed for war industries. Patience Urged
These trenches left by removal of rails have been roughly patched over, leaving jagged ruts. “But this is only temporary until we can get the big paving contracts let,” said Engineer Johnson. “I wish people would have a little patience and show more co-opera« tion in this street emergency caused ‘by removing 70 miles of rails out of the pavements. We can’t pave all of those streets in three weeks. Anyone ‘knows that.” ~ Some of the streets that have been finished or are in the process of being resurfaced with asphalt include Kentucky and Oliver aves., English ave. from Pine st. to Fletcher ave., Pine st. from Pine to Shelby st. Morris st, S. Meridian st. from Raymond st. south to the city limits. N. Alabama st. and others on the . North Side will be next on the program as soon as rails are removed.
BOND SALES AHEAD OF MAY SCHEDULE
The half way mark in Indiana's war bond sales quota for May was passed today, according to the stste bond savings staff. A report frcm 86 of the state’s 117 bond sales units disclosed that in the first 16 days $7,122,823 in bonds had been sold. The state’s May quota is $12,894,300. Marion county’s war bond honor roll today received four more Indianapolis firms which are participating 100 per cent in the pay roll allotment plan on a 10 per cent of salaries basis. The new additions raised the honor roll total to 39. The firms are: Bramwood. Press, 121 W. North st.; Reliance Specialty Co. 2225 Massachusetts ave.; S. & S. Machine Co., 2075 Martindale ave., and Sonith Pattern Works, 38 S. Cruse st.
-TIMES FEATURES ON INSIDE PAGES
A
Inside Indpls.. 9 Jane Jordan ..13 Movies ... 4
Eddie Ash .,..14 Business eee seDS 6 ! Clappér sensses 9 Comics S senes dl Crossword ....16 Editorials .....10 Edson .:......10
vee
Organizations , 7 Pattern .......13 Pegler ........10
j= Mrs. Ferguson.10|Radio ........:13
Mrs. Roosevelt. 9 Schools ..... oe Serial Story ..17 [Side ‘Glanées ..10 Simms ....,... 9
Fimancial .....'6 Forum .......:10 Freckles ......16 Burton Heath. 10 Hold Ev'thing. 9
espe-| cially the thoroughfares where rails|’
| France during the night, containing
tributed by the British a
‘Obituaries .... 8
ciety ..,.13, 13
Mr. Cobb... , he -e 8 a
Indiana)
FORECAST: Rain ending this afternoon and continued cool through tomorrow forenoon.
WEDNESDAY, MAY
BUT BETTER IN TERMS of today’s rates of produc-
tion in most categories, than
the best we did then.
The two years have made the nation the greatest arsenal on earth—but not yet a great military power. Considered apart from our allies, on the basis of fighting strength refidy for action now, we are still a second-class
power—weaker than Germany, than Italy, than Japan, On Oct. 5, 1940, after a careful survey of national defense in terms of what we had, what we needed and what we were doing to get it, I wrote: “America’s military power will begin to be formidable
about the fall of 1942.”
The statement can stand, without a chalise, today.
Suh, This 1S Mr. Cobb
Tooks ee his photograph
2 2
He's Here to 'Talk Along’
Before Contemporary Club
* By WILLIAM CRABB
Mr. Irvin 8. Cobb will talk to the Contemporary club tonight.
He The
Just talk along—but it will seem longer. (He says.) rst ‘citizen ‘of Paducah, Ky., is: spending 24 hours in’ Indiana,
one of the few states with a personality. But some of its politicians—phooey!
“Mr. McNutt takes a beautiful
RAIN LEAFLETS (ON VICHY AREA
RAF Carrie © Roosevelt Pledge to French; Algiers Clash Reported. VICHY, France, May. 20 .(U. P.).
—British' planes dropped Americanprinted . leaflets ' over. ' Unoccupied
a promise by President Roosevelt that all occupied French possessions would be restored after the war. Wave after wave, to an obbligato of anti-aircraft gun fire, the royal air force planes droned over the Vichy area showering their leaflets on town and countryside. All- the leaflets bore the statement that they were printed by the United States gover: t and disforce. It was half an hour before the
(Continued on Page Five) EJ »
On the War Fronts
(May 20, 1942) RUSSIA: Great tank battle rages on Kharkov front with both Russians and Germans fighting to keep or seize the initiative,
LONDON: Sir Stafford Cripps, lord ‘privy seal, says allies mass power for a “carefully planned attack on the continent of Europe,” at some date not disclosed; R. A. F. heavily bombs German war factories at Mannheim.
MEDITERRANEAN: Two British Catalina flying boats and one French plane downed ip BritishVichy clash of aircraft and light naval units off Algiers.
HOLLAND: Heinrich Himmler, gestapo chief, takes over Nazi storm troops in Holland, guarding against possible invasion.
CHINA: Chinese wreck Burma road to stop Japanese in Yunnan province, but enemy columns, aided by airplanes, smash toward main air and supply bases in China. i
et —————————— LOCAL TEMPERATURES
o
picture, and does so every day,” is one of the quotations we can print. Speaking of pictures, Mr. Cobb, if you've ever wondered, DOES look like his photograph. Today he wore a stunning blue shirt, a bright red bow tie and a belt fully six inches wide for which he has the girth to hold up. He likes to talk. about ‘Indiana and Hoosiers—that’s apparent. But one gets the impression “that way down deep he feels ‘that Indiana is just one of the states on the northern border of Kentucky. “Hoosiers. kid each ofher about being Hoosiers. But, Suh, Kentuckians take themselves serious-
Deplores Regigientation The physical characteristics of Indiana are losing their individuality, Filling stations, chain stores, etc., have regimented our small towns, The personality of Hoosiers; however, hasn't changed much because of the literary soil they grow up in and the fact that the state stretches “across the continent” from Michi (Continued on Page Five)
ORDERS PROTECTION OF VITAL FACILITIES
FDR Assigns OCD Tasks to
Prevent Sabotage,
WASHINGTON, May 20 (U. P). —President Roosevelt today directed ‘the office of civilian defense to co-ordinate a new plan of action to protect such “essential facilities” as highways, communications systems, utilities and mines agains sabotage. In an executive order issued on the OCD’s first birthday, the president directed the agency to formulate a “facility security program” and correlate it with protective programs already put into effect by the army, navy ahd federal power commission. The president's order provided that the new plan of action be developed by OCD Director James M. Landis+in conjunction with Secretary of War Henry L. Stimson, and ‘be made subject to the latter's approval. ’
6am... 52 10 a. m. .. 54
will not"
The new OCD program, however, tvestigative ti
20, 1942
A
IT WAS PREDICATED
1 nes
ay
Entered as Second-Olass Matter at Postoffice, Indianapolis, Ind. Issued daily except Sunday.
on the assumption that, by
the fall of 1942, we would have an army of 2,200,000 men, of whom 1,800,000 would have a year’s training and 400,000 would have at least six months; that we would have 11,000 fighting planes; that we would have a 17-battleship navy plus the essential smaller sea units. Today we have such an army, and by fall that many men will have that minimum of training. Also we will have in uniform and being trained 1,400,000 more men, to bring total. army strength to the announced goal - of
3,600,000 by Dec.*81. We have built at least when war began we had a required small units.
13,000 fighting planes, and 17-battleship navy with the
CRIPPS BARES INVASION PLAN
Carefully Planned Attack ~ In_Making, He Says in Reply to Critics.
LONDON, May 20 (U. P.).—The Churchill government informed the house of commons today, at the conlusion of a two-day war debate; that. Great Britain is amassing
continent of Europe.” % The assurance was given by Sir Stafford Cripps, lord privy seal and government spokseman in com-
Leslie Hore-Belisha had warned that Japan probably would attack Russia in the east, if the allies invade western Europe. Sir Stafford said that the R. A. F.s heavy offensive against the vitals of Germany's war production is a prelude to .an ultimate invasion, and the best way that Britain can aid Russia at this time,
Invites Confidence Vote
He defended Mr. Churdhill against attacks on his conduct of the war and said that the government is willing to stand or fall on
policies. Mr, Hore-Belisha had urged the creation of a ministry of defense composed of chiefs of staff to re-
framing of defense policies would be “unhampered by politicians.” Sir Stafford replied that “there is no one with wider and longer experience in defense problems than the prime minister.”
The India Failure
Germany still holds the initiative, he said, and has superior forces and interior lines of communication. Of his unsuccessful mission to India Sir Stafford said that Britain has not closed the door to negotiations and is anxious to settle the problem, Meanwhile, he said, the British are doing their best to solidify the defense of India against a threatened Japanese invasion. Replying to ‘Mr. Hore-Belisha’s assertion ‘that the British army is without dive-bombers, he said that orders for such aerial weapons had been placed in 1940 but that so far no great quantities of the. planes had been delivered. Tanks and airplane production is now large, he said, but not large enough to satisfy the demands on
TO COMMONS
strength and intends to “make a}%e~ carefully—-planned = “attack: ‘on “they PE?
a vote of confidence on its war|
place Mr. Churchill so that thel"
Woollen Sr. Dead Wi
FOUNDED BANK
‘Favorite Sor’ Candidate For. President in 1928; Rites Friday.
Evans Woollen sr. candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination in 1928 and foundex of the Fletcher Trust Co., died early today at his home after a brief illness. He was 77 and lived at 6800 Dean rd. Mr. Woollen for many years had been a leader in the civic and business life of the city and state and at the time of his death was chairman of the Fletcher Trust board of directors. His death came as a surprise. He stayed at his office in the bank all day, yesterday, ‘and in the evening presided over a meeting . of the board of the Art Association of Indianapolis. Surviving are .his wife, Mrs. Nancy Baker . Woollen; a son, Evans Woollen Jr.; a sister, Mrs. Harlow Hyde,. and ‘three grandchildren, all of Indianapolis. The Rev. George A. Frantz will conduct funeral services at.2 p. m. Friday at the First Presbyterian church, of which Mr. Woollen was (Continued on Page Five) .
A HOOSIER WENT ALONG A Ft. Wayne man today was reported by the war department to have been among the American air
force which hombed Tokyo a month ago. He is Lieut. Richard E. Miller. Just what duty Lieut. Miller held in the flight was not disclosed by
all the far-flung fighting fronts.
the war department.
300 BOMBERS POUR FLAMES ON FACTORIES
Nazi . Munitions Center Is Target in Renewal of British Raids. LONDON, May '20—A big fleet of British bombers set’ the German
Mannheim. afire ‘with. tens:of. thousands of incendiaries; and high explosive bombs in a 500-mile round
* [trip assault last night, the air min- * “istry reported tonight, -
CIVIC LEADER
mons, after former War Minister |e
About 300 bombers took part in the attack, during which bombs were dropped on the German submarine base at St. Nazaire and on airdromes in northern France and Belgium. Twelve bombers were reported missing. 55th Attack on Town
The air ministry said that Stim lings, Halifaxes, Lancasters, Manchesters, Wellingtons and Hamp-
.|dens were among the bombers
which. unloaded the incendiaries and bombs of the heaviest caliber on Mannheim in southwest Germany. ‘One detachment of Stirlings alone carried more than 40,000 incendiaries, it was stated. It was the 55th R. A. F. attack on Mannheim. Fighter planes attacked. German airdromes in northern France and Holland during the night.
War Factories Bombed
The principal targets at Mannheim were war factories, including the Badische Anilin chemical works, the Lanz armament works and the Daimler-Benz engine works. The R. A. F. has been raiding coastal shipping almost daily and nightly, but it has not faided inside Germany since May 9, when Warnemunde, In northeast’ Germany, was blasted. : The Germans’ reprisal raid, first in 11 days, was principally directed last night at a northeast English town, where, a communique said, there was damage and a number of casualties.
SENATOR 1S CLEARED OF N.Y. POST CHARGE
Walsh Victim of - Mistaken - Identity, Says Barkley.
WASHINGTON, May 20 (U. P). —Senate Democratic Leader Alben
‘The new. naval ordnance plant here will be commissioned formally Friday, just one year-and one day after the first ground was broken for the huge © war plant. Co ceremonies will be "held on the plant grounds- at noon with. Rear Admiral W. H, P. Blandy, chief of he navy bureau of . ordnance in Adm. Washington, ac- Hany
the Lukas-Harold Corp.
cepting it for the government from ;
The plant will be turned over by
|Naval Ordnance Plant Here To Be Commissioned Friday
The $12,000,000 plant at 21st st. and Arlington ave. is one of the largest of its kind ‘in the world. It
W. Barkley announced in the senate today that the justice department has completely exonerated Senator David I. Walsh (D.'Mass.) of charges published in a New York newspaper that he had frequented a Bpooklyn “house of degradation” where Nazi spies congregated.
armaments and chemical center of] -
FINAL. H OM E
PRICE THREE CENTS
An alls THREE-FOURTHS OF THAT army, nine-tenths of the warplanes, and perhaps one-sixth of the navy are the products of that two-year effort. ; American rearmament officially began on Mhy 16, 1940, when President Roosevelt, warning the nation of , its danger, called upon congress to provide “everything = necessary for the army and navy for national defense,” spoke of 50,000 war planes and asked for $1,186,000,000 ? to start. : In the 24 months since then the modest billion-dollar ! defense program, which the president then said need not ‘“discomboomerate” anybody, ‘has grown into a
$162,000,000,000 total war effort which in some degree : (Continued on Page Five) .
RAF FIRES MANNHEIM; "RUSS KEEP OFFENSIVE
NAZIS USE ALL
RESERVE TAN
German Counter Attack South of Kharkov Held; Struggle Becomes Greatest Slugging Match of War.
By JOE ALEX MORRIS 3 United Press Foreign Editor
. "Phe: Russians clung to the offensive in the greatest. : mechahized slugging match of the war on the Kharkov front; today and reported that all available Nazi tank reserves hag failed to halt the Red army advance. “The Red army was supported’by renewal of the RA. T offensive against the Nazi war machine—striking hard at the Mannheim munitions plants—and by an official state. ment in the British house of commons that the allies are massing strength for “a carefully planned” invasion of Eus rope at some undisclosed date. x
take part -in any “second front” to relieve pressure on the. Russians in such battles as that now in progress at Kharkov. ;
- Who Is Best Slugger?
Outcome of the Kharkov battle that is expected to de< 4 cide whether Hitler can launch his summer offensive in the Ukraine still was undecided, but reports from both Moscow and Berlin indicated that a German counter-offen< sive toward Barvenkovo on the Soviet southern flank had failed so far to make important progress. The Russian radio reported the German forces were in “full flight” along the 100-mile front before Kharkov where thousands of tanks and masses of men fought in an “ine fernal cauldron of destruction.” All dispatches today told of the tremendous scope of the battle in which tanks and artillery, infantry and Cossack cavalry were so tangled in deadly combat that the air fleets . battling overhead found it difficult'to intervene. ] It was indicated that the outcome would be determined’. by ability to stand up to ruthless slugging that is costing both armies heavily in men and machines.
Use All Tank Reserves
Soviet Marshal Semyon Timoshenko appeared to be well equipped for the exchange of grinding blows on the Ukraine front, having seized the initiative there with large reserves and early air superiority. At the same time, the Moscow radio said Nazi Field Marshal Fedor von Bock had thrown all of his tank reserves into the conflict. without halting the slow, grinding Rus-|Was ro reason to believe that they
sian advance. ' The Nazis, however, had massed| I0¢ important thing from Timo
huge forces in the Ukraine for their|shenko’s viewpoint was to keep 3 contemplated offensive and there (Continued on Page Five)
a
“1
War Analy
By WILLIAM H. STONEMAN
2. by The Indianapolis Times and The L ¥ Copyright, 194 [LA TPS an the :
LONDON, May 20.—Having slowed down the Ruse sian offensive around Kharkov, which began a . ago, German Field Marshal Fedor von Bock countered with an offensive of his own against left flank and rear of the Russian forces south and west of Kharkov. " The result has been a fantastic tangle from which the Russians may find it dificult to extricate themselves. Russian’: for some time, had been in tie neighborhood of Krasnograd, which 1 50 miles southwest’ of Kharkov. ' During the recent fighting, they were |} ,|reported at the gates of that town and to be pushing further strong south, and a Ite fo the wee, forces into the’ salient which point- | cafient, ed toward it. Now von.Bock is. pushing up of the salient,.which the had maintained on .the Russian front further south, and is reported to: be striking noFiWaid Jowaid 1 Barvenkovo and Izyum, 1 some ™ miles east.of K
American forces in the British isles presumably would .
had yet suffered any decisive blow, %