Indianapolis Times, Indianapolis, Marion County, 14 December 1942 — Page 1

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FORECAST: Warmer tonight, not much change in temperature until Tuesday forenoon; occasional light snows this afternoon and tonight.

VOLUME 53—NUMBER 238

MONDAY, DECEMBER 14, 1942

/

Entered as Second-Class Matter au Postotfice, Indianapolis, Ind. Issued daily except Sunday.

Get Going, Doc!’

Indienapolis Times and The Chicago Daily News, Inc.

~ SOMEWHERE IN AUSTRALIA—

Copysians, 1942, by The

\

“They are giving

him ether now,” was what they said back

in the aft torpedo rooms. “He’s gone under, and they're getting ‘ready to cut him open,” the crew whispered, sitting on their pipe bunks cramped between torpedoes.

One man

went forward and put his

arm quietly around the shoulders of another man who was handling the submarine’s diving apparatus. “Keep her steady, Jake,” he said,

Tey’ ve just made the first for it now.” |

cut, They're feeling around

‘Different’

“THEY” were a little group of anxious-faced men with their arms thrust into reversed white pajama coats. Gauze bandages hid all their expressions except the tensity in

their eyes.

“

“It” was an acute appendix inside Dean Rector of

Chautauqua, Kas. The stabbing pains had

become unendurable the day

before, which was Rector’s first birthday at sea. He was 19.

They were below the surface.

enemy waters, crossed and

And above them were recrossed by the whirring

propellers of Jap destroyers and transports. The nearest naval surgeon competent to operate on Rector was thousands of milés and many days away.

THERE was just one way to prevent the appendix from bursting and that was for the crew to operate upon

their shipmate themselves.

And that’s what they did.

The chief surgeon was mate wearing a blue_ blouse

a. 23-year-old pharmacist’s with white-taped collar and

squashy white duck cap. His name was Wheller B. Lipes.

He came from Newcastle, near Roanoke, Va., and had taken the navy hospital course in San Diego, thereafter serving three years in the naval hospital in Philadelphia. Lipes’ specialty as laboratory technician was in operating a machine that registers heartbeats.

But he had seen navy

doctors take out one or two

.appendices and i he could do it.

a- War Yarn

THEY operated on the table in the officers’ wardroom,

approximately the size of a You enter with knees already

way anyone can be upright in The operating table was

Pullman car drawing room. crooked to sit down. The only

the wardroom is by kneeling. just long enough so that the

patient’s head and feet reached the two ends without ,

hanging over. First, they read up on the appendix.

got out a medical book and

The cook provided the ether

mask. An inverted tea strainer, covered with gauze. The 23-year-old “surgeon” had as his staff of fellow “physicians,” all men his senior in age and rank. His

anaesthetist was Communications Officer Lieut,

Hoskins of Tacoma, Wash.

Franz

Before they carried Rector to the wardroom, the sub(Continued on Page Seven)

> _General Obeys No. 1 Order of the Day |

Gen. George Marshall may be chief-of-staff of the United States army but in family matters—well.

re the general puts woolen socks on Mrs. Marshall's feet just before the start of the Washington

Reisiins-Chicao Bears game Yesterday at Washington.

ot —— hea 4 JHE Bh

‘Fear Rujns, of Hotel May. Yield as Many as 10 More Bodies; 102 in ‘Hospitals: With Severe Burns;

‘Some Believed

ST. JOHNS, Newfoundland, Dec. 14 (U. P.).—One hundred charred and trampled bodies gave mute testimony today to the ferocity of the fire and panic that swept the St. Johns hostel for service men of the Knights of Colum-

bus ‘Saturday night. Authorities feared that

many as 10 bodies may be mingled in the ashes of the

two-story wooden building which burned to its foundations, but 100 was the official death toll until such time as

checks of missing‘ military|

and naval personnel and civil-

ians establishes a higher one. ‘Though some 600 persons were in the hotel, of whom a sizable proportion were womsn, there were only seven bodies of women in' the p morgues to which the victims were taken. “Authorities ascribed this to gallantry, feeling that despite the panic which overwhelmed | the merrymakers almost as quickly as did the fire, the men saved the lives of their wome:, some at the cost of their own, In hospitals today were 102 men and . women, many of them so severely burnec they were expected) to die. Of the dead, the bodies of

(Continued on Page Seven)

Near Death.

the bones and ashes of as

STRIP-TEASE WAAG IS GIVEN DISCHARGE

Corresponds to Dishonor-

able Dismissal in Army.

. DES MOINES, Iowa, Dec. 14 (U. P.) —Kathryn Gregory, the shapely, red-haired WAAC who went A.W. 0. L. to become a burlesque theater’s chief strip-tease attraction, received an “other than honorable” discharge from the wopen’s army aglliary corps today: Col. J.(A. Hoag, commandant at the Ft. Des Moines training center, said the discharge corresponded to

a dishonorable one from the regular army. 3 ’

African Invasion Speeded Up | By Stick of Gum, C. of C, Told

A bit of chicle from Central America probably saved the allied

. North African campaign from seri-

ous delay. . ' So reported Joseph C. Rovensky, assistant: co-ordinator of ' interAmerican affairs, before the foreign trade group of the Chamber of

X

TIMES FEATURES ON INSIDE PAGES

Inside Indpls.. 11 Jane Jordan.. 15 Men in Service 4 Millett ... Movies .... ‘Obituaries ... 9 Pegler ... 12 Pyle ... : 1 12| Radio 21 | Mrs. Roosevelt 11 Side Glances. 12 Simms 12 '20| Society. -14,15, 16 11) Sports ... 18, 19 | State Deaths. 2

Amusements.. 8 Ash Cecil Brown. ‘11 Business ..... 17

Commerce at their noon luncheon today in the Tndianagols Athletic club, Mr. Rovensky, in an address on the co-operation of the Americas, cited the dramatic story of Lieut. Gen. Mark Wayne Clark and his fellow officers as they hid in the cellar of a house during the hazardous mission to North Africa that preceded the mass invasion of Nov. 7. Said Mr. Rovensky “Police were searching the.house. A junior officer got a tickle in his throat and began to cough. “ ‘Here, take this’ whispered Clark, handing the officer a stick of American chewing gun. “The officer took the cue . . . and the gum . . . and his coughing stopped.” With the dramatic opening, Mr. Rovensky followed with more prosaic but equally important material on the relationships in the western hemisphere. “The solidarity with which our sister republics are lined up with us

in Bal..

BE ae is 1 the 1 war time |

ORDNANCE WORK

HERE CURTALED

Fall Creek Plant to Have Fewer Furnace Lines; ~ Cost Is Reduced.

The Fall creek. ordnaice plant

form by E. C. Atkins & Co., will

have two furnace lines: for the heattreating of armor plate instead of the five originally’ planned, it was learned authoritatively today. The plant itself, now more than 90 per cent completed, will be finished. The cost, originally -estimated at $5,000,000 and financed by the government, will approximate $4,000,000. : When full-scale production is under way, employment will be about 40 per cent of early estimates or about 1000 persons. Most of the workers will be trained on the job and it is Street that three shifts will be used.

Strategy Changes Plans

The reason for the curtailment of the project, ordnance officials explain, is that changes in military strategy, the shift from the defensive to the offensive, are causing changes ‘in war production. Currently the emphasis is on ships ang planes. Consequently, veadjustments are being made in plans for the Wabash valley . ordnance ‘plant north of Terre Haute and other or nce plants in the Gary district as well as the Atkins plant here. Sixty per cent of the needed machinery has arrived for the Fall creek plant, it was stated, and production is expected to be in full swing by Feb. 1. Use Storage Space

The space in the plant not used in making light armor plate will be of considerable value, officials said. There is a great shortage of adequate storage space for military equipment, which needs considerable maintenance. 1t is likely. therefore, that military supplies will be stored in the unused portions of the new plant. However, should war demands increase the need for more armor plate, more machinery could be installed in the Atkins plant and production stepped up io original plans. In the meantime, the valuable machine tools destined for the project here will be diverted to other vressing needs.

7

SHOPPING

ROMMEL QUITS AGHEILA FRONT WITHOUT FIGHT

Armada Pursue Axis Force

Into Tripolitania.

(Map, Page Seven; War Moves Today, Page Nine)

Ry UNITED PRESS

The British Eighth army, operating=under- strong “air -prptection. thet included American “bombess |: and fighters, -pufsued Marshal Ere win Rommel's ‘Afrika “Korps westward into. Tripolitania today. The axis rear guard showed no disposition to-stand and give battle, and there has been no miajor -engagement since - Gen. Sir Bernard Montgomery's army resumed the offensive it started on Oct. 23. The Afrika‘ Korps apparently thought that British reconnaissance operations were the start of an allout offensive against the El Agheila line: and Began their retreat before the full weight of the Eighth army struck them.

Berlin Admits Retreat

For the first time in world war II the German army abandoned a major defense line without even putting up a serious fight. A middle eastern command communique said the Germans and Italians were under relentless pursuit, and Berlin broadcast an admission that Rommel’s troops had been forced to withdraw. Allied planes ruled the skies above the two armies. American, Australian and British fighters and bombers made more than 300 sorties yesterday and encountered insignificant opposition. Six enemy planes were shot down without a loss for the allies. ‘The most likely place for Rommel

to attempt his next stand appeared

to be at Misurata, 285 miles west. Tunis and Bizerte Bombed .

At the other end of the North African battle line allied planes struck at harbors and docks at Tunis, Bizerte and Sousse in what was described by United Press Staff Correspondent Donald Coe at allied headquarters as the biggest allied offensive operation of the Tunisian campaign. Relays of Boeing B-17 flying fortresses smashed at Tunis and Bizerte and B-25 Mitchells hit docks and shipping at Sousse. A key railroad bridge northwest of Sfax was bombed by B-26 Martians. Enemy attacks on the BritishAmerican lines anchored at Med-jez-El-Bab, 30 miles southwest of Tunis, slackened ufter a determined series of thrusts over the week-end.

Eighth Army and Allied Air,

On the War Frons|

Dec, 14, 1942 NORTH AFRICA — British ‘break. through at El Agheila, penetrate, Tripolitania as axis refinants flee toward Tripoli; allied planes batter Tunis, Bizerte, Sousse in biggest allied offensive of Tunisia campaign. RUSSIA—Soviet shock troops penetrate second German defense line in southern Stalingrad; fighting’ seesaws ony Rzhev front.

PACIFIC—Japan loses destroyer in attempt to reinforce Guadalcanal forces. Allied planes bomb, strafe trapped Japanese in New Guinea; tropical rains flow ground fighting. CHINA—Japanese attempt to cross Salween Tiver beaten back.

fu. 8 Copp Seve)

FAIL TO GRAGK RUSS 5 PINCERS

Germans at- Stalingrad Are

Beaten Back With Loss © 0f 2000 Men.

MOSCOW Dec. 14 (U. P.) —Russian troops have smashed a German attempt to crack the southern arm of/the Soviet pincers encircling axis forces in the Stalingrad area, and have penetrated the second enemy line of defense in the city’s southern outskirts, front dispatches’ said today. ©: Soviet forces also were on the offensive in the northern factory district of Stalingrad, where they drove the:Germans from 11 pill boxes. On-‘the Caucasus front’ Soviet argillery blasted 68 enemy 'dugouts nartheast of Tuapse. Fighting swung back and forth on the central front arpund Rzhev with the Russians on the. offensive in some sectors and resisting counter attacks on others. Battle line reports said 2000 more axis troops had been killed at Stalingrad, while on the central front west of Rzhev, upwards of 1500 more ‘eniemy troops had been killed in the last 24 hours. : German casualties, already estimated by the army newspaper- Red Star ai more than 8,000,000 killed, wounded or captured since the start of the Russian war, were mounting rapidly on all active fronts, it was said.

STRIKE ON N. Y. PAPERS NEW YORK, Dec. 14 (U. P).— Millions of New Yorkers were unable to Manhattan newspapers today use of a sudden circulation drivers’ strike which forced the papers to publish only a few copies available solely at newspaper offices. Afternoon papers printed regular first editions chiefly for their own

WICKARD HITS

‘PLOW - UNDER FARM POLICY

Urges Program of Abund-!

ance to Be Continued in Post-War Years. NEW YORK, Dec. 14 (U, P).—

Food Administrator Claude R. Wickard, outlining a post-war farm pro-

‘gram of abundance, today told farm-| | ers that the United 8tates must not

-the “plow-under”’ Bro-

gram war program’ “for capacity food production next, must. be kept in high "gear. the war to feed war-ravished ‘nations and to ive | Americans a better ‘diet. : © “We must find the way toiget: full] distribution * and full production,” Wickard, who ‘also is secretary of agriculture, . said, “We must’ and we’ will ‘work -out an’ ‘economy of abundance. ¢ i

U. S. Must Feed West

“Already we can be certain of one thing, the need for great farm production will ‘not end: when peace comes, In general, the same kinds of production which are so greatly needed during the war will be the ones that are needed after the war. “For several years after the war, the united nations will have to feed the people of Europe and Asia whose agriculture has been crippled by the axis invasion. At the same time we will be sending them seeds and materials to help put them back on their. feet.

Seek ‘More: Eggs, Milk

“But even when the period of emergency relief tomes to an end, the need for full farm production will not end: with it. © “If everyone’ in this country could have a liberal diet, they would need 75 per cent more eggs than people are eating now, twice as much milk and - large increases in other protective foods. “If this rich country of ours is not able to work out a system whereby everyone has enough to eat and wear and has a roof over his head, people might well ask what we are fighting this war for.”

WORKER KILLED IN FALL An unidentified Negro workman, employed on the construction of the new Allison plant on Tibbs ave., was killed today when he fell from a ladder. Witnesses said the man, who was about 30, apparently suffered from scme sort of attack or|

files and historical records.

fainted. He fell 30 feet.

(List of Donors, Page Seven)

He Dug Into His Pocket . Children Won't Be Let Down

gardless of what

“That's right,” he said. “How can I help you?”

WANT TO CLOTHE ONE yourself?” we asked. : vm ue wer.

we might think, we can’t let those

7" Lieut. ‘Gen: Henry H. Arnold”

wi Pes

Allies Planing’ Gigantic _ Aerial , Offensive; Chief Tells Cadets.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 14 (U. P).— A major aerial offensive against the axis—probably on a scale larger than the German “blitz” against Great Britain in 1940—is being prepared and when it comes Hitler, Mussolini and Hirohito better take cover. : i: Twice withina week, Lieut Gen. Henry ' H. - Arneld, commander of the army's air forces, has issued statements asserting that axis overall air strength is decreasing while that of the united nations is Just hitting its stride. He talked on both atcasions of new model American planes that will make 1942 models look like training ships, of firepower that will make existing aerial guns feel like peashooters, and of bomb-loads that will include many times the destructive power of those of today. Secret weapons — the American experts have a “secret weapon” two up their aerial sleeves, too, and soon will demonstrate them to the axis. “Entirely new ‘battlewagons’ are on the way” . ;, . He previously (Continued on Page Nine)

NEW YORK CENTRAL GHT AGENT DIES Clarence H. Witt 51, Was i Short Time.

Clarence H. Witt, 51, general agent of the New York Central

| system’s freight traffic department

Heres fied at his iim sotay alter »

sn —

ACCEPT TES

FOR i

Goo Users cers Will Not Be

Allowed to Suffer, Taggart Says.

By EDWIN C. HEINKE Alex L. Taggart, Marion

{county rationing co-ordinator,

disclosed today that he had

issue fuel oil to persons who need ‘supplies regardless of

{whether they have coupons

or not. “Marion county fuel oil users are not going to suffer because of the lack of coupons or because

the consumers,” Mr. Taggart disclosed.

to

their coupons on the promise that they will deliver the necessary

them from the ‘rationing boards. Coupons Being Mailed

were being sent by mail as swiftly as possible, and that this was preventing consumers from standing in line, avoiding delay and von. fusion. Thus, through the arbitrary slashing of red tape, Marion county

tion as a result of overburdened rationing boards.

impact of zero weather struck the state, dealers who were

down. Ignore Consequences

emergency quantities of oil with

to-the-consequences” attitude. Mr. Taggart’s disclosure of his

ing issuance: of fuel oil, follows the letter he wrote to James D, Strick= land, state rationing administrator, in which he declared that the enw

and county was on the verge of collapse. He pointed out that the reasons included bureaucratic bungling in

to provide paid workers, lack of entirely undependable system of

volunteer workers. In this, Mr. Strickland soncurred completely and said he had com municated the state’s needs to re-

tem was apt to collapse if conditions were not immediately regtified. * d

the\distribution has not been made yet to

He said he had instructed dealers accept “promissory notes” from fuel oil consumers who do not have J

stamps later when they receive. :

Mr. Taggart said the coupons :

conditions which face almost all - In Illinois yesterday, as the first =

with demands for oil, flatly said the rationing system had broker

Most Illinois dealers were issuing out coupons with a “be-damned=

or|“common sense” operations regard-

tire rationing system in the city

Washington, lack of financial aid 8 adequate working facilities and the

gional OPA authorities at Cleves land, “imploring them that the sys-

Nn

bad

:

instructed fuel oil dealers. wav |

£ 4 oil i 4

a ‘ Fa