Indianapolis Times, Indianapolis, Marion County, 20 February 1943 — Page 1

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FORECAST: Thundershowers probable this afternoon; cooler tonight. Mid perwerabines domorros, forenoon.

VOLUME 53—NUMBER 297

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

SCRIPPS — HOWARD

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 1943

TE APRA PE Tob Saiyan

publican presidential

‘Financial .

——————————r

ACTION TAKEN WITH SPONSOR

‘0UT OF ROOM’

Less Than Minute Required; Drys Fail to Get Senators On Record.

The state senate took less than a minute today to kill the local option issue for the

remainder of the session. With L. E. York, head of the

united dry groups, in the gallery|

just a few minutes before, the public policy commitiee reported the township local ‘option bill to the

floor of the senate “without recom-|

mendation.” Senator Leslie Thompson (R. Evansville) arose and moved that the bill be indefinitely postponed. Lieut, Gov. Charles Dawson, pre-

. siding officer of the senate, had

his gavel in the air in readiness. “All in favor, say aye,” the lieutenant governor called. There was a roar of ayes.

“All opposed, say no,” came fromi

the chair. ‘Noes’ Are Scattered The scattered noes had hardly

been given when the lieutenant gov-

ernor rapped the gavel: "The ayes have. it.” The author of the local option bill, Senator Milton Thompson (R. Covington) was “out” of the room at the time of the vote. The senate’s action kills the subject matter of local option for the rest of the session. It also prevented the dry forces from getting the senators on record either for or against the prohibition subject. The option bill was one of the most controversial subjects facing the legislature this session, Dry groupe tried for three weeks to get

the. bill, duced before Senator] Milton he agreed to present|”

it on the next to the last day in which bills could be ‘offered.

Thompson “Disappointed” The public policy committee held

a hearing 10 days ago in which both |

drys and wets packed ‘the supreme court chamber and argued for more than two hours. The public policy committee held two meetings before they decided on the strategy for disposing of the bill : The author of the bill said he was “deeply disappointed.” “There are several hundred thousand in Indiana who wanted local option,” Senator Thompson said. “I just happened to step out of the room.” ; «4

Asks Landon Help

Form Coalition

WASHINGTON, Feb. 20 (U. P.). —John J. O'Connor, former New York Democratic congressman, in a letter to Alfred M. Landon today said that unless the “real Democrats and American-think-ing Republicans get together in some coalition, we will be led down the same disastrous path which Hitler led his people.” O'Connor told the former Recandidate that the time had come for the Republicans to stop their “hoggish attitude” as to the job of. vice president. He added that there are some “real Democrats” such as Gen. Douglas MacArthur, James A. Farley, Harry H. Woodring and a dozen Democratic senators who would do honor to a “coalition” ticket in 1944. O'Connor was defeated by an administration candidate in the 1938 ‘‘purge” campaign.

ARNOLD COMPLETES 35,000-MILE FLIGHT

WASHINGTON, Feb. 20 (U.P.).— Lieut. Gen. Henry H. Arnold, commander of the U. S. army air forces, has returned to Washington from a 35,000-mile flight to combat theaters in North Africa, the Middle East, India. and China, the war department announced today. After participating in the unconditional surrender conference at

. Casablanca, Arnold inspected U. S. army air forces fighting units along| |

the whole North African coast. <

TIMES FEATURES ON INSIDE PAGES

Amusements. .

Obituaries ... 4 Pegler ....... 10 Politics ...... 3 os Pyle .........' 9 Curious World 4 Editorials .... 10{Real Estate .. 14 Edson ........ 10 Mrs. Roosevelt § .. 11|8ide Glances.. 10 via 10

Paying Off a Bet

“If the speaker hands down your pet Lake county bill today I'll eat that hair ribbon,” Joe Klen of Hammond told Rep. Betty Malinka (D. Gary). The speaker of the house handed the bill down for a vote and Mr. Klen made good—or “tried to.

Men in Service 4

WASHINGTON

A | Weekly - Sizeup by the Washington Staff of the Seripps-Hovard Newspaper:

NY ASHINGTON, Feb. 20.~~The ‘administration isn't gh fighting to stop inflation. Byrnes works frantially behind scenes, has told OPA and agriéulture there must e ‘no upward adjustment of prices on necessities

of life,

Signs multiply that he is iired waiting for Wickard to. fix. livestock ceilings, will act himself, cn recommendation of Brown. But | pressure groups redouble efforts, gain ground in . congress. Administration’s best hope is that congress :may go .too far, make the country ‘realize its demands mean soaring living costs, wage spirals. NO 8-hour-week order was rushed out to spike John L. Lewis’ guns. Under it overtime for miners would be more than the $2-a-day increase he asks—yet wage ceilings wouldn’t break as they would under Lewis rates. Success of stratagem is still uncertain. miners would work longer hours if asked to. 2 8 = : HN.

No one knows whether

‘Nelson Gives Wilson Chance

. FOR ALL PRACTICAL purposes, Charles E. Wilson now heads war. production board: Nelson won't quit. ‘But he will sit back ang. let. Wilson try his hand at running the show. If Wilson flops Nelson will be there to take over. In general, production and material companies like the Wilson rise to power. . Unhappiest about it are army and navy. They may take their troubles to Roosevelt, ask for assurances that WPB will not exercise the power it has to take back materials already allocated for ‘war production, divert them to civilians. They know Eberstadt shared their views on this point; aren’t so sure about Wilson-Nelson. Services argue that invasien plans must have first call for unlimited amounts of war materiel; that it may be a tough year: for

‘civilians, but winning the war, saving the Bives, of as many fighting

men as possible, must come first. 2 ” ” : ” ‘we shake-up putting Jeffers under ‘Wilson ay mean a new flare-up in rubbper-for-civilians fight. Jeffers pretty much had his way the first time; may find Wilson a tougher nut to crack. Despite I ne doubts, Wilson’s said to lean ‘in’ their direction in the rubber row, | & # = x a 8

: Say Paul Herzog Will Fill NLRB Vacancy

INSIDE DOPE is that Paul Herzog, of New York state labor gard, will get that NLRB vacancy. He worked with original labor board of Lloyd Garrison-Francis Biddle days. NLRB is busy, despite ed drop | from limelight; is conducting important collective-bargaining elections in many large industries. [. = » 2 s J 2 .. WICKARD’'S FOOD administration is in trouble, may be ripe, already, for:a shake-up. Quiet surveys show its big talk about increasing production, quotas is only graveyard whistling. Returns from one area show acreage planted this year will actually be down 15 per cent, production down at least 10 per cent. . One congressional will -use figures to demind removal of all AAA and OPA Foci on food producers; another to demand smaller army. Administratiod may move fast to try so stem the tide. NOTE: Same survey shows farmers lose more labor to war industry than to draft.

And to add to agriculture's woes, black market has developed in (Continued 0 Page Two)

Bromfield Blames Hoosier

‘Czars' for Food Muddle |

This is the last of four articles by Louls Bromfield, novelist, farmer and for many years an ardent supporter of the New Deal, who believes that administration failure tc solve the food-production problem threatens hunger for the American people . and disaster for American

Aopes of winning the peace by feeding Sa millions in Europe.’

nm———

By LOUIS BROMFIELD

MALABAR ‘FARM, Lucas, O., Feb. 20.—The .war and navy departments and the president continue to insist on more than 11,000,000

men in the "armed forces, although, as Herbert * Hoover pointed out,

there are no present means of shipping so many men or the supplies and food they would need overseas. : I would add that, even if the present Submarine threat is overcome,

[the OPA said. However,

enate Kills Local Opti

U.S.N

PLEASURE CAR TIRES NEED NO RATION PERMIT

Light Trucks Aso Affected By OPA Ruling; Jeffers Gives Approval.

WASHINGTON, Feb. 20 (U. P.).— The office of price administration today . removed all rationing restrictions on recapping of passenger car and light truck tires. Tires may now be recapped with reclaimed rubber, the OPA said, without restriction. This is a measure to save rubber by extending the life of tires already in use. Rubber Director William M. Jeffers has fully approved the plan, it was pointed out the measure in no way relaxes rubber conservation meas-

# | ures such as the restriction of mile-

age through gasoline rationing, the

there will be difficulty in supplying such an army with vital foods

unless the food-production prob-

ject have not. been Jade ili

35-mile an hour speed limi and tire inspection.

No Gertificaté Needed en

The OPA said that removal of the rationing restriction means that owners of passenger cars and commercial vehicles using tires smaller than 7.50x20 will be able to get their casings recapped without applying to their local boards for certificates. Recapping of other commercial vehicle tires will continue under rationing restrictions. Purpose of the change In recapping restrictions, the. OPA said, is

{ to reduce the demand for replace-

ment tires by encouraging recapping, which takes less than half as*much reclaimed rubber as a new war tire. Rationing of replacement tires will continue.

Eastern Lottery Raided By F.B.I.

WASHINGTON, Feb. 20 ((U. P.).—Director J. Edgar Hoover of the FBI said today that special agents had smashed a‘ $2,000,000 lottery ring through arrest of 12 men in simultaneous raids in five New England states. Hoover said the ring operated a so-called “treasury balance” lottery. Payoffs, he said, were determined by daily U. S. treasury balances as published in the newspapers. Payofls ranged from nominal sums to a capital prize of $10,000, he said. Tickets sold for 25, 50 and 65 cents. Hoover named Michael J. O’Connor, 62, Lynn, Mass., as the key figure of the lottery syndicate, but disclosed that he had not yet beén arrested.

DENIES MOVE AFOOT T0 REMOVE NELSON

White House Secretary

| Says Rumor Untrue.

WASHINGTON, Feb. 20 (U. P). —White House Secretary William D. Hassett said today he had been authorized to declare that reports that President Roosevelt’s chief ad-| visers had urged him to remove Donald Nelson as head of the war production board are “absolutely untrue.” The reports said that Nelson's removal had been urged by Ecoomic Stabilization Director James Byrnes, and by Judge Samuel Rosenman and Harry Hopkins. “I am authorized to state,” Hassett said, “that published statements that Judge Byrnes, Judge Rosenman and Harry Hopkins have urged the president to rembve Mr, Donald Nelson are absolutely - untrue.” The denied reports had said that

Baruch in ‘Nelson’s place.

the president was urged to appoint |’ Bernard

On the War Fronts

(Feb. 20, 1943)

PACIFIC—U, 8S. navy surface force ‘shells Jap positions at Attu in Aleutians.

raid on Wilhelmshaven; its heavdest of anti-U-boat campaign so far.

NORTH AFRICA — Americans re- ' pulse light German attacks near Kasserine, but withdrew across Ousseltia valley. British continue

into position ta flank it from both ends.

RUSSIA—Soviet troops criss-cross important rail lines in continued advance on Orel and toward Dnieper.

SUB BASE GETS BIGGEST RAID

12 and 4:Ton- Blockbusters

Fall From Possibly ~ 300 Planes.

LONDON, Feb. 20 (U. P.).—Royal air force four-engined bombers blasted: Wilhelmshaven, German submarine center and naval base, with two and four-ton blockbusters again last night in what appeared to be the heaviest attack of the intensified allied aerial offensive. It was the second heavy raid in as many nights on Wilhelmshaven and in addition the royal air force carried out raids in western Germany and occupied France. The scale of the raids was indicated ih the loss of 14 planes—I11 from the bomber command and three from the intruder .command which ‘ raided electric transformer stations in occupied France. At the average loss of § per cent of the planes engaged, that would mean some 300 planes took part. (The German high command reported ‘that British planes raided “localities in northwestern and western Germany, among which again was Wilhelmshaven.” It said 11 British planes were shot down and “inconsiderable damage done.”) 74th Attack of War

The R. A. F. took advantage of the full moon to run its heaviest aerial offensive of the war against Germany, Italy and occupied western Europe into a fotal of 28 attacks

‘lin 13 nights this month.

The raid was another blow in the campaign to cripple Germany’s U-boat offensive, which Prime Minister Winston Churchill has admitted is delaying an allied victory. Wilhelmshaven, . with its : shipyards, docks and other facilities, is an important cog in the submarine offensive in the northeastern Atlantic. Last night's attack was the third this month and the 74th of the war on Wilhelmshaven.

MANNERHEIM ILL STOCKHOLM, Feb. 20 (U. P.).— Field Marshal Baron Gustay Mannerheim, commander-in-chief of Finland's army, has been suffering five days from a bad attack of bronchitis, a reliable. report from Helsinki said today.

grocery stores today to stock up on canned , food supplies before the sales of canned soups, vegetables

AIR WAR-—R. A. F. makes 74th

shelling of Mareth line, move|.

ion For T

Recap Restrictions

TOTAL OF 775

TEAMS TO PLAY

FOR NET TITLE

In Opener Here; Ben Davis, Ripple in 2d Game.

(Complete State Pairings, Pages 12, 13.)

By EDDIE ASH

annual - Indiana high school basketball championship tournament. The Indiana high school athletic association today announced complete drawings for the 64 sectionals, 16 regionals, four semi-finals’ and finals. * The Hoosier Hoopla firing is to start in the-sectionals next Thursday: night. - The dates are Feb. 25, 26, 27. Other tourney dates are: Regionals, March . 6; semi-finals, March 13, and finals, March 20. The Washington Hatchets are de-

state cage crown the last two years: 16:in Loeal Sectional

In the Indianapolis sectional of 16 teams, Warren Central and Lawrence Central will lead off at 7 p. m. next Thursday in the Tech

Ben Davis and Broad Ripple are paired at 8 p. m. and . Crispus Attucks and Shortridge at 9 p. m. Lawrence Central won the local sectional last year. Next Friday morning the draw-|. ings call for Beech Grove and the Indiana State School for the Deaf to meet at 9 o'clock, Howe and Decatur Central at 10 a. m. and Washington and Cathedral at 11. On Friday afternoon Manual and Sacred Heart meet at 2.0’clock and Tech and Southport at 3 o'clock, completing the first round.

745 Teams Entered Total number of teams entered in

the tournament this year is 775 as

against 769 in 1942. The record is 787, set in 1938. The I. H. S. A. A. has 819 member schools. No school was ‘tardy about getting its entry blank in on time this year. Catholic high schools, Negro high schools, private . schools and prep (Continued on Page Two)

7 AWOL to Bomb : ’ Naples—15 Days CAIRO, Feb. 20 (C. D. N.). — Three men of the French Foreign Legion in the desert have just wound up their sentence to 15 days detention—but they think - it was worth it. Encamped : not far from the heavy bomber base of the 9th American air force, they one day strolled over to the airfield and got to talking with the American airmen as the" Liberators were being warmed up to go somewhere. “Can we go along?” the legionnaires asked. a hop in,” said the Ameri-

+ Housewives were jamming local,

days. ”

Food Freeze Starts Tonight: Buyers Crowd Local Stores

canned goods are unfrozen March 1, coupons from book 2 will be used to purchase the canned items. . Registration for the second war ration book will be held from 1 p. m.

Lawrence, Warren Paired

They're ready to go in the 32d

fending champions, having won the|

'Ball of Bones’

, Mohandas K. Gandhi

BOMBAY, Feb. 20 (U. P)— Growing = steadily . weaker, Mohandas K. Gandhi, 73-year-old Indian nationalist leader, was barely able to speak today as he passed the half-way mark of his projected 21-day fast. His condition was so grave that Dr. Bidhan Chandra Bose was expected to’ ask Gandhi's youngest son, Devadas, to cancel his-sched-uled. visit today. One visitor said the Mahatma was: “only a little ball of, ‘bones and muscle.”

HIGHER UPS’ IN GAMING SOUGHT

Voluminous Records Scanned Following Raids

On ‘Nerve Center.’

By NOBLE REED

Voluminous records showing fabulous profits from Indianapolis’ vast lottery syndicates may involve additional “higher ups” in the gambling industry ‘here, Prosecutor

{Sherwood Blue hinted today.

The records and nine truckloads of equipment were seized yesterday in raids on fhe offices of four firms which the prosecutor said were the headquarters of lottery rackets having an annual ‘gross “take” of more than $1,500,000. Emil K. Rahke, 4146 N. Meridian st., wealthy owner and operator of two raided firms, was arrested and held under, $500 bond pending the filing of an affidavit in criminal court charging him with operating a lottery scheme. and gift enterprise. : Ex-Sheriff Faces Charges

The same charge was fo be filed today against ‘Charles (Buck) Sumner, former Marion county sheriff, and ex-manager of the other two raiced firms, Mr. Blue said. The raids, conducted by Prosecutor Blue’s staff without city police or the sheriff’s office knowing anything about it, was regarded by observers as another chapter in the . (Continued on Page Two)

ALLIES REPULSE 2. ATTAGKS IN TUNISIA

British 8th Am Army Holds Mareth Line Flanks.

ALLIED HEADQUARTERS, North Africa, Feb. 20 U. P.).—German forces. have been repulsed in two light thrusts at American and British forces in central Tunisia, and

{further south the British eighth

army appeared to be ready tu strike the Afrika Korps today. The * action came as Gen, Sir Harold R. L. G. Alexander formally assumed’ commond of allied ground forces in Tunisia as Gen. Dwight’ D. Eisenhower's deputy commander. Americans r ed the first small German thrust ‘In a pass north of # British

re A ® aide last Aug. 8 by a task group

{of the Pacific fleet.

the navy announced today. Attu is the westernmost of the Aleutian | islands and was the first point o¢cupied by the Japanese when they invaded the island chain last June. | © : The navy said that results were not observed but that our surface forces hammered at the enemy pos sitions im Holtz bay and Chicagof ttu. : I ‘ried to Retaliate

vy also reported new air raids on Japanese

of the main Japanese Aleutians base at Kiska. : The last American surface force attack in the Aleutians area was

This force heavily bombarded a group of emy ships, camp facilities and sho H installations lat Kiska. Since that

lied on air power to carry the at= tack to the Japanese.

Once Believed Abandoned

When the enemy first moved info the Aleutians last June it occupied three 'islands—Attu, ' Agattu and Kiska. Subsequently, ofHOCE, 7, the navy reported ‘the reconn had failed to show any ‘signs enemy occupancy or agtivity Attu and Agattu. It ‘was: b then that the enemy had co dated all its forces at Kiska. later, enemy seaplanes and. s were detected in harbors at islands. Attu is unusable as an air because of its completely ru and mountainous terrain, It is miles long and about 20 miles wide The destruction of the two en planes attempting to attack Amers, ican positions -in the Aleutians raised to at least 62 the number o enemy aircraft destroyed in | area since early June. oa In addition; U. S. forces ha sunk 14 Japanese ships; probal sunk four and damaged 33 other in the Aleutians campaign fo ¢

REPORT ROMMEL _ Ii COMMAND IN RUS

. LONDON, Feb. 20 (U. P.), == Daily Telegraph reported fr Stockholm today that Marshal win Rommel has assumed cc of the German armies in Rus The dispatch, which said ti formation was received “private channels” from ported that Rommel first uled for the post last ; he went to Berlin for a with Adolf Hitler. The crucial African situe layed Rommel’s assumption new post until the dxis pos Russia became even more CI the dispatch said.

(U. P.)~—Ruth. St. ' Denis, America’s most, famous

time U. S. Aleutians forces have ré= {