Indianapolis Times, Indianapolis, Marion County, 4 March 1943 — Page 1

* FORECAST: Warmer this afteroon and early tonight tolled by mach. coder and

VOLUME 53 NUMBER 307

2 me as Second Class Matter at Postof! ice,

iapolis, nd. Issued daily except Sunclay.

‘By DON CASWELL United Press Staff Correspondent

MacARTHUR’S HEADQUARTERS, Australia, March - 4.—Japan’ 8 time-table for the ‘war. in ‘the South Pacific ‘was thrown far off schedule today by the crushing loss of . 22 ships and 15,000 men—first time in this area that every Vessel in a convoy was left sunk or sinking after a battle.

Allied bombers, victors

in one ‘of the great air-sea

“battles of the war, were mopping up today in the stretches

of the Pacific where crippled Japanese ships were attempting to escape the wrath of Gen. Douglas MacArthur's

pilots.

Ten Japanese warships—eruisers and destroyers—and 12 transports carrying 15,000 men were blasted i in a two-

day battle in which the enemy defied the striking power of land-based planes in an attempt to reinforce his base at Lae, on the Huon gulf in northeastern New Guinea.

Not a single ship got through.

The smashing defeat upset whatever plans the Jap-

anese may have to attempt to stem the tide of allied victories :-which have been cutting into enemy strength since the United States marines stormed the Solomons. “Our decisive success cannot fail to have the most important result on the enemy tactical plans,” said a communique issued at Gen. MacArthur’s headquarters. ‘His campaign, for the time being at least, is completely dis-

located.”

The Japanese suffered heavily in the air.

Fifty-five

of their planes were blasted,

38 of | which are known -to

have been destroyed and 17 damaged. Against that figure, the allied forces lost only one homber sind three fighters

although several planes which got back to their bases

were damaged.

In matter of enemy ships destroyed. the battle, which occurred Tuesday and Wednesday in the Bismarck sea between New Britain and New (Guinea islands, was second of those fought in the Pacific so far. ‘But it was the first battle in which airplanes alon: attacked enemy surface vessels attempting-a military incursion and seemed to demonstrate that a powerful serial force could wreck a

convoy not heavily protected

by planes.

The American victory in the battle off Guadalcanal

Nov. 18-15 in which 28 Japanese vessels were destr 0 was the only one to outrank the new one in damage 1

flicted upon the enemy. The.

battles of the Coral sea

Midway resulted in fewer ships being destroyed,

they were, strategically, of the utmost porta.

The convoy was bound for Lae, on the Huon gulf,

New Guinea, !

in the gulf,

and the last phase of the battle ‘was fought

The victory was ug major. disaster to the enemy,”

‘army spokesman said.

The tonnage of the destroyed ships totaled app

mately 90,000 tons.

Seventeen Japanese planes, in addis

tion to the 38 déstroyed, were damaged. The battle started Tuesday morning when

(Continued on Page Four)

DID PARTY GET ‘BRUSHOFF AT

FOR PARLEY?

Yes, Says One Democratic |

Leader; Denies Hearing 4th Term Talk.

By DANIEL M. KIDNEY Times Staff Writer

WASHINGTON, March 4—Ten|} .years ago today Franklin. Delano; Roosevelt took the oath of ‘office|d

ist Phoio of

for the first time as president. nt the Gh

‘United States. Democrats:

gverywhere

WASHINGTON, March L—Rep. !

But only yesterday an’ ‘official dele] gation from the Democratic party} called on the chief executive to inquire whether the New Deal plus the war had left them completely out in the:cold.

Today varying views of what oc-|

. curred at that White House con-| ference were expressed by those who| Attended They: ‘range from hopefulness regarding a fourth term fo despair regarding the whole future of ‘the Democratic party. The official view, wrung from clamlike Postmaster General Frank C. Walker, Democratic national . committee chairman, was that sev‘eral of the visitors had suggested & fourth term if the war continues ‘but fhat the president only smiled.| White House reporters who gar-|: nered this tidbit, after considerable “ questioning of Mr. Walker, felt that

former governor of his state, t.is exactly what they ‘did get.

3 (Continued on Page Four) RELIEF TO BE BRIEF;| ‘COLDER TONIGHT’

brief, the weather : bureau warned Temperatures climbed steadily today, but the bureau predicted much colder weather and light snow late tonight followed by a “cold wave” tomorrow morning mercury will dip to 15 or:20.Rising temperatures brought some-| what of a thaw in the ice and snow and city streets were safer for}

Le ving. Roads throughout the state

sae 18 ‘am, ..27

during which the M

; —President " Roosevelt:

Berlin Ruins

Acme “Telephicto.

Hee is ‘the rst and’ exoltibive radiophots;of the damage inflicted

on Berlin | in: Monday. night's: great raid” ‘by R. A, F. bombers. This picture’ shows Dr. Paul Goebbels (center): ‘inspecting; wreckage in: St. Hedwig’s: ‘Cathedral, Berlin's biggest Catholic church in the’ center of “the city. : “This photo was ‘obtained from’ neutral sources, radioed to Acme. Piottres in New York and telephotoed to The Indianapolis Times,

Indianapolis’ Sergt. Dirr Aids In the Bismarck Sea Victory

Sergt. George E. Dirr, Indianap‘olis ‘ veteran ‘of almost four years of service in the U. S. air forces, is listed as a hero of the Southwest Pacific for the second time in six months. | -Sergt. Dir, according to a dispatch’ by George Weller of The Indignapolis Times and Chicago Daily News, was a member. of ‘the crew of one of the fortresses which helped to. destroy a whole Jap convoy in the. battle of Bismarck sea. "Mr. Weller estimated that there were as many as 5000 Americans’ in the plane. crews which accounted for 90,000 tons of Japanese shipping, leaving 2 ships either sunk or sink-

“The local ners! engineer was &

FOR BEGINS 11TH WITH PRAYER

Asks Power for Victory,

“Forgiveness of Foes.

{Swisamenon. Méreh 4 U.P). began. his 11th ‘year in office today by praying

[for .pawer to: contend, against the : os : foross of evil and asking forgiveness re am... 18 am... Mn :

member of the crew aboard a ship commanded by Capt. Harry Staley of Genesdo, N. Y. It was the third in the first of four waves which | battled zeros and rained bombs on the enemy fleet headed: for Lae. The deep-laden Japs, ringed by warships, were hugging the northern coast -of New ' Britain, -westbound, under cover of fighters and rain squalls, - After finding the evasive convoy, which: consisted of approximately three medium cruisers, or large flotilla ' leaders, four destroyers, or large. corvettes, and :seven mixed merchantmen, transports and cargo vessels ranging from 3000 to about 12,000 tons, the American bombar(Continued on Page Four)

‘House Here Lauds Pacific Victory MAYOR TYNDALL joined with | the House of representatives today ‘in ay brief spontaneous celebration of the. recent overwhelming ‘allied victory in the Pacific. The house ‘opened its morning session - by singing the national

anthem under the direction of Rep. esse 1.. Dickinson (D, South Bend). ; :

VR BARD IS APPOINTED BY GOVERNOR

# Replaces One Abolished by

"Legislature; ‘Includes Mrs. Ahigren.

Greathouse Printing: Co., and Leo

M. Gardner, Indianapolis attorney, | both Democrats, and A. E. Sinclair, |

personnel director of P. R. Mallory

& Co. and Mrs. Qscar A. Ahigren.

of Whiting, president of the Indiana Federation of Women’s Clubs, Republicans.

The new board was appointed ashi TN a result’ of the new law passed by|

Wife AT

B |commodities, it was learned today:

this session of the legislature and} ju signed by the governor yesterday,| Le which abolished the old personnel} f

board and removed from office Personnel Director W. Leonard Jobin son.

Temporary Director Seen

The governor said today that no plans had been made as yet concerning appointment of a new director, but that he expected a temporary appointment would be made to give the board ample time to in-

terview applicants for the $5000-a-}

year position before making a permanent appointment. The board members were administered the oath of office by Supreme Court Judge Curtis G. Shake. The governor said he believed that the inclusion of a woman on the board would be highly beneficial since many women are em{Continged on Page Four)

TRIMBLE MANSION BOUGHT BY STATE

$85, Li Price { to Include

2s Furnishings. \: The purchase of the Trimble

LEE Is READY

10 TAKE | STAND

Oeiense to Rest After Driver Gives Version ~ Of Tragedy.

By HELEN RUEGAMER Following a parade of character witnesses to the stand, John W. Lee was to testify in his own behalf this afternoon at his - trial on - manslaughter “ang reckless. ‘homicide

charges. The defense expects to rest its case shortly after hearing Lee's version of the wild dash of his auto} at Meridian and Washington sts. last July ‘which - resulted in the death of ‘three persons. “In addition to character ‘witnesses today, Miss Katherine Buehl, 1906 8. Meridian st., an eye-witness, described seeing Lee’s car stop at the fire hydrant and of: rushing to his aid. She testified that she got into the

{car and Lee was completely relaxed

at the wheel. She added that took “his pulse: by a nurse's watch _| which she was wearing and it was (Continued on Page Four)

= pyle Gof 3 Hours of Sleep = AH er Retreat Order Gams

a :

wr Fon

of Other.

{in April. “{uled to stari March 28; but the new

she} public ‘of

liste. * Ning, Page Te)

oe i cheese, lard | ‘land other cooking fats under ‘which

md coupons of ration book 2 would be used inferchangeably for those

"This plan=still subject to possible

weekly mest purchases might ex-

age of 1% pounds if he went witholt other items. He could buy more butter and isheese, and less meat. . Each coniumer would be allowed an as yet undetermined number of points a month govering all of these items, and qll or any portion of the monthly paint total could be used for ‘any of the items’as the consumer chooses.

Rationing Delayed

As the QPA perfected its plans, i. appeared that most major food items will b? rationed by some time

Meat ratibning had: been sched-

plang for rationing additional items gt the sam? time may delay the program until about April 15, officials said. Thus far, there is no plan to retrict consumer purchases in the tneantime.: | The néw txtension of the rationing prograni will leave only bread, potatoes, frish vegetables, eggs and 1 ly. milk among major foods not rationecl. 7 Sugar, coffee and canned and processed vegetables, juices, fruits ei soups already are rationed. .Introduction of meat rationing will coineicle with ‘the climax of OPA’s drive against black raarket ‘meat operations. - Brown outlined a four-point jprogram of attack: (1) Meat rationing; (2). licensing of slaughterers by the agriculture .deartment;: 3) an extensive adver. 4ising ‘campaign to convince the ithe. dangers of eating ‘black market meat; (4) enforcement

J 2% black muiskek operators,

of OPA. regulations by prosecution

Dies af 70

pg 6. 0. P. LEADER

Ex-National Committeeman Ill Since January; Led Watson Campaign.

M. Bert Thurman, former internal revenue collector’ for Indiana and for years a leader. in Republican politics, died early today at his home, 4802 Park ave. He was 70. Mr. Thurman had been confined to ‘bed since the first of the year, when he suffered a stroke. His condition became worse last ¥Friday. He was 8 former Republican national: committeeman, . a candidate for governor and for mayor of Indianapolis and managed the presidential campaign: of former Senator James E. Watson.’ Helped ‘Organize Bank “Mr, Thurman was born in Or=leans, Ind. -At 14 he became an apprentice. printer on the Greencastle Star Press. - Later when his family| moved fo New Albany, he entered New ' Albany "business college. He purchased the New Albany Tribune in 1901. Exhibiting an’ early - interest in public affairs, he: twice was elected:

(Continued on Page Four)

Hurry the Senate.

ACTION IS DELAYED | ON ‘EXPENSE’ BILL|

House Lobby Fails wl 3

HAMBURG A SETS RECOR

8 Straight Night F 3 : Double Old Mark; Yan Increase Distance. LONDON, March 4 (U

{—American flying fortr tearied the allies “day i night aerial -assault “|axis Europe into its .

week today with dayli tacks on Rotterdam in pied Hollarid and on the road yards at Hamm’ in ern Germany. Five bombers were double thrust at the widely rated German targets, a. States army air force comm said. i The raid on Hamm was the est penetration American pia

| have made into Germany. Theol {is ‘more than 50 miles from

Dutch border, ‘The raids came shortly alter royal air force—working the shif; in the allied assault —

of Hamburg and ather targets ; the western part of the.Reteh, British bombers were lost,

the prime objective of -the : fortresses, and the smash at E obviously was an attempt to the German railroad network. - Hamm is an important \* point for all the railroads in ern Germany. It has’ 85 times since the start the last time being on A Fotterdam, victim of a German air attack in the of the wer, has been raided allies 84 times. The last rai made by Americans on Sept. Today was the third United States army air {Continued an Page | TeYistielin

On the War

(March 4, 1943)

AIR WAR: U. 5. fying t homb: Hamm and

« 1

ing for 15,000 Japanese inflicting a "major ¢ ‘the encmy.