Indianapolis Times, Indianapolis, Marion County, 8 April 1943 — Page 1

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. commissioned officers to the motor

JAPS WARN PEOPLE

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FORECAST: Continued warm this afternoon and tonight.

Indianapolis Times

FINAL

THURSDAY, APRIL 8, 1943

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

PRICE FOUR CENTS

INS BAG 70 NAZI PLANES. 3/ JAP AIRCRAFT IN 3 BATTLE

Allied Forces Make Gains In All Sectors Of De

Symbolic of the most “conveyorized” airplane propeller plant in the nation—the- Curtiss-Wright plant in Indianapolis—this photograph shows blades receiving final cleansing chéckup before entering the paint spray booths. There are “many miles” of various types of conveyors in the newly enlarged plant, speed-

ing propeller. production and ‘reducing needed an-howrs.

ATTERBURY GROUP TO VISIT WAR PLANT

‘Turn About’ Invitation of ClO Union Accepted.

CAMP ATTERBURY, Ind., April 8 (U. P.).—Soldiers who “gave the works” to 275 key ordnance makers of the United Automobile Workers union (C.I.O.) three weeks ago, found the shoe on the other foot today. i. Gen. Frank W. Milburn, commander of the 83d division at Camp Atterbury, announced that he has accepted the invitation of Detroit union locals to send 75 non-:

city April 16 to see production on the home front. The 75 soldiers served as guides to the war workers who donned uniforms and took .regulation military training for three weary days here March 21-24. So for three days, the non-coms will be guests of the men they initiated into the rigors of modern war and go into the factories to help build the implements they later will use in battle. Milburn said his men would fol-

low the same plan used at Atter-|.

bury, except in reverse, observing and working in the war plants.

apolis propeller plant, largest in the

On the War Fronts

(April 8, 1943)

TUNISIA: American and British forces join hands in south Tunisia as 8th army rolls up big gains in pursuit of Afrika Korps and 1st army attacks in north.

RUSSIA: Red army goes ovér to attack from Donets line, expanding its bridgehead south of river and captures two villages on ‘Smolensk front.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC: Americans down 37 of 98 Jap planes in big air battle near Guadalcanal. Allied planes attack three-ship Japanese, convoy off New Ireland.

(U. S. communques and War Analysis, Page 7; Tunisian " Map, Page 4)

New Methods Gidrantes Volume Production Here

Curtiss-Wright Corp. announced today that its enlarged: Indian-

because of new manufacturing methods, is geared for volume production, The new ultra-modern plant at Kentucky and Morris sts. was designed by the late Albert Kahn, famous industrial architect, and built by the Ryan Consiruction Co. It is on the site of the old Marmon motor

TIMES FEATURES ON INSIDE PAGES

nation, is now in full operation and,

car plant where .- Liberty motors were turned out in the first world war. The chief feature of the factory is the utilization "of conveyors, eliminating the necessity of trucking materials from one department to another and saving much time. Curtiss-Wright officials believe the Indianapolis plant is the most completely conveyorized propeller plant in the nation. : In their tour today of the plant, members of the Curtiss-Wright board of directors also saw innovations as: A slat conveyor several hundred feet long where gears and cuffs are assembled to the blades before final assembly. A paint shop where mixing and distribution of ‘the paint is automatically controlled from a central system which carries blades and (Continued on Page Five)

NEW MANSION TURNED DOWN BY GOVERNOR

Schricker Cites Tax Burden; Avoided GOP ‘Trap,’ Say His Friends.

(Photo on Page 6)

By EARL RICHERT Governor Schricker today refused to approve the purchase of the Trimble mansion on N. Meridian st. as a home for Indiana's governors, thus eluding what many of his close advisers regarded as a “Republican

| trap.”

The governor’s o. k. was the last step necessary for the purchase of the mansion, for which the recent G. O. P.-controlled legislature had appropriated $85,000, and his action ended the entire matter. The chief executive explained his action in a brief statement which contained no references to any of the political implications in the matter, - Cites Tax Burdens

“ “The staggering tax burdens of

plenty eof time to give thought to the future comfort and residential requirements of Indiana's governors. “Just now nothing is more important than the husbanding of all our resources in suppert of the war effort and also the re-construc-

tion problems of the post-war era.

“I am confident that my imme-

diate successors, whoever they may

be, will cheerfully yield full support to those conclusions.”

Quips About Garden After handing out the statement at a press conference, the governor

quipped: “I thought we'd settle that ques-

| tion before we got into the spring

planting.” He said that Mrs. Schricker already had four rows of onions planted on the grounds of the present mansion on Fall Creek blvd. and that they were considering planting other vegetables. Today’s action by the governor means that the present mansion will remain the home of Indiana’s governor until some future legislature takes action. Owned by the city

(Continued on Page Five)

PALERMO, NAPLES, MESSINA-BOMBED

Yanks Make Latest Raid, British Strike Twice.

CAIRO, April 8 (U. P).—U. 8S. bombers, continuing raids on axis Tunisian supply bases, raided the harbor of Palermo, Sicily, by daylight yesterday, following up Tuesday’s heavy British attacks on Naples and Messina, it was announced today. A communique of the 9th U. S. air force said Liberators scored hits on the Palermo quays and in the vicinity of a seaplane base. All planes returned safely. . The previous day, British heavy bombers had spread fire and destruction through Naples. That night the British also raided Messina, Sicily.

BULLETIN

ALLIED HEADQUARTERS, North Africa, April 8 (U. P.).—The British 8th army has advanced northward about 15 miles from Wadi Akarit, it was reported late today. Maj. Gen. James H. Doolittle’s northwest African air force has scored bomb hits on 62 axis ships in the last week. Nine ships were seen to sink immediately and many others were ‘left in sinking condition. :

CHEESE, LUNCH MEAT SALES DIP

Dealers Facing Heavy Spoilage Demand OPA

Cut Ration Points.

By ROSEMARY REDDING

American housewives are not spending their meat ration points for cheese and luncheon meats and Indianapolis foad dealers, like those all over the nation, are faced with

A movement is under way today to have OPA divorce meat and dairy products in point rationing and to reduce the point values on perishable luncheon meats. Already in Chicago, retail meatdealers and industry spokesmen have made their appeal to the government. George Ries of the Kroger stores here said today that ‘luncheon meat items are being held up quite a lot” and that women are not buying cheese or butter in "normal quantities. He said that sausage was .good anywhere “from a few days to a week” and then would spoil. Cheese, he added, begins to lose its flavor and starts to dry out within a couple of weeks. Another executive of a large chain agreed that sausage was “one of the worst items” to handle at the moment and concurred in the statement that luncheon meats were remaining on meat counters. “Luncheon meats, frankfurters, etc,” he said, “do not have the (Continued on Page Four)

Scrap Salvage Gets Attention

TWO INDIANAPOLIS governmerit offices issued statements on salvage today. 1. From Frank G. Thompson, executive secretary of the war production board: “I have been disturbed by the apparent complacency of some of our salvage committees and the public in general over the scrap iron and steel situation.” : 2] From the OWI, branch office, WPB, saying Hamilton W, Wright, chief of the industrial salvage branch, Washington, had “praised Hoosier plants that have been cooperating in the industrial salvage operations” and quoting Mr. Wright as saying to them: “Your own services in getting scrap material back into the Big Scrap deserve our thanks.”

JAP ATTACKS HALTED

CHUNGKING, April 8 (U. P.)— Japanese attacks across the border

m—

DRIVE ROMMEL INTO A CORNER, CONTINUE PUSH

German Generals Rumored Under Command of

Italian Now.

By VIRGIL PINKLEY United Press Staff Correspondent

ALLIED HEADQUARTERS, North Africa, April 8 (U. P.).—Allied armies smashed at cornered axis forces in Tunisia from the south, west and north and from the air today, reporting slow but steady

gains on almost every sector. Following junction of the British 8th army with American forces east of El Guettar and about 40 miles west of Gabes, the two forces joined in relentless pursuit of Marshal Erwin Rommel’s Afrika Korps, while in the far north the British 1st army gained four or five miles on the Medjez El Bab sector in their drive to turn the axis’ northern flank. Allied columns on the central “front ‘continued their pressure toward ‘the coast, now only 40 miles distant at some points. (The Londen radio said today that the Italian: Gen. Messe had ‘been put in command of Tunisia, according fo Berlin reports, which added that Rommel and Nazi Gen. Jurgen von Arnim were under Messe’s command. If correct, this apparently would be an effort to put the responsibility for the final defense of Tunisia on Italian shoulders.)

Dispatches More Optimistic

The axis forces in Tunisia now were squeezed into a trap about 200 miles long and averaging about 50 miles wide, bounded by allied guns and. the sea. Front line dispatches were ‘more optimistic than at any time since the real battle for Tunisia began and allied sources described the enemy as a battered and bleeding boxer driven to the ropes—but still able to throw a number of hard punches. Gen. . Dwight D. Eisenhower's communique today disclosed that the 1st army had swung over to the attack along an eight to 10-mile front in the Medjez El Bab area in an attempt fo turn the enemy’s northern flank as part of the allied nutcracker offensive to squeeze the axis into the sea. A terrific artillery barrage, simi-

(Continued on Page Five)

SUGGESTS WAY OUT OF TAX DILEMMA

Martin Says House Could

Pass Bill in Day.

WASHINGTON, April 8 (U. P.)— House Republican Leader Joseph W.

J Martin Jr. of Massachusetts today

suggested a plan whereby the house could pass a pay-as-you-go tax plan in one day before the projected Easter recess, fixed tentatively for April 17, Asserting that 44,000,000 taxpayers “can’t be wrong,” Martin told the house: “My advice is for us to get the ways and means committee to report out a tax bill; let it be open for amendments, provide two hours for general debate and two hours’ debate for amendments. Then let

of Yunnan province in southern China have been frustrated.

(Continued on Page Five)

Indiana in Tunisia

BILERTE -t ec z,

This map of Indiana superimposéd on a map of Tunisia shows the comparative size of the two areas. Although Tunisia is much larger, most of the difference is the desert area south of Gabes.

DENIES LABOR HOARDING HERE

WMC Says ‘Vast Majority’ Of Rumors Prove to Be False.

By ROBERT W. BLOEM

The Indidnapolis war manpower commission today denied rumors of labor hoarding and payroll padding in war industries ‘here, but there were indications from other quarters that the WMC denial might not be the last word on the subject. Two principal factors—Ilegitimate training of employees to be used in future plant expansions, and a certain amount of idleness resulting from delays in delivery of materials —were blamed by the WMC for giving the “appearance” of labor hoarding or inefficient use of manpower in certain industries. In a lengthy statement which evolved from a meeting of the commission last night, it was stated that the “vast majority” of such rumors were false. The plants in-

volved in the rumors are not op-

erating on a “cost plus” basis anyway, the statement said, and therefore no increase in profits could result from padding up this element in the cost of production.

Takes Exception

Certain officials in another war agency, who did not wish to be quoted directly for publication, took exception to the WMC statements, however. One such official said there were a number of instances where industries rumored to be paying more men than they could use’ efficiently in living up to their war contracts, actually were on a “cost plus” basis and that every time the payroll went up, profits went up accordingly. In its statement, which spokesmen said was based on investiga tion of certain specific complaints, the manpower commission said: “While members of the commission have not had an opportunity to investigate all these ‘ reports, enough instahces have been in-

(Continued on Page Four)

Americans and 8th Army Unite—as Simple as a Handshake

By PHIL AULT

of shouts from dust-parched throats and the

NO ENEMY opposition marred the final

Defeat in Attack on Solomons Ships.

were announced = The army air force announc that American flying fortress

bombing attacks on the Rena factory outside Paris and on Ante

werp. The navy revealed that Americaw © fiers have defeated one of the greats est Japanese aerial armadas tha$ ever struck in the Solomons. ican fliers there shot down 3 98 enemy planes which a U, 8. ships concentrated ‘Guadalcanal. American losses were eight bor ers in the two European raids a seven fighter planes in the 8¢ ‘mons battle. " . Goering’s. Squadron Punched Forty-seven German pl mostly yellow-nosed Focke-Wul fighters from the Goering ran, were shot down during the on the Renault tank and au plant Sunday. In Monday's raid on the - Aero-engine works at Antwerp, enemy fighters, both Focke-Wu 190’s and Messerschmitt 109's shot down. Ten additional German crafy were shot down by the R. A. . HB dominion and allied fighter ‘planes which accompanied the four-mo: tored American planes on the ¢ raids. Four U, 8. planes were mi ing on each of these sweeps. G man fighters met the bombers they approached the European co and followed them to the then they trailed the forts and erators back to the coast, !

Shows Jap Power Rising

In the Guadalcanal battle, Americans destroyed 21 zeros, five Japanese dive bombers and 11 othep enemy planes whose types were n reported, zs The navy did not report’ whel hi the attacking armada—which & on Wednesday (island time)--sue ceeded in scoring any hits on American shipping. But the one-sidedness of furious air combat, observers hers believed, made it appear doubtfs that the Japanese were able to out their objective with any nota success, The size of the Japanese fore 50 bombers escorted by 48 zerg underscored recent reports that, enemy has been increasing aerial strength in the South Pacific. One Pilot Saved Earlier, a four-engined seap was destroyed, making enemy lo for the day ‘38 and bringing to § the total number of Japanese plan destroyed ‘in the Solomong campaign. ar U. 8. losses were one Bell cobra and six Grumman di fighters. One American pilot rescued. The battle climaxed two days © intensified aerial activity in (Continued on Page Five)

ed |

Secretary of War Stimson said # day that the plan for comm r ing Mayor Fiorello H. LaG New York in the army had

Amere

OF U. S. BOMBINGS

By UNITED PRESS

Japanese military leaders are issuing continual warnings to their people that the United States is getting ready to bomb their land, OWI said today. ~The warnings are being broadcast with increasing frequency .as the Apgil 17 anniversary of the bombing raid on Japan led by Maj. Gen. Janes H. Dobiittie 1 nears.

. United Press Staff Correspondent abandoned, at least for the p WITH UNITED STATES ARMY, EAST OF EL GUETTAR, Tunisia, April 7 (Delayed). —Six American jeeps creeping cautiously along a black macadam road this afternoon met three British 8th army armored cars, stained with the dust of an historic 2000-mile offensive across North Africa. : There, was 3 moment’s pause ‘by both the Americans and ° the ‘British ® beside the 67kilometer (42-mile) “road marker on ‘the read

junction. The Germans who had been holding the area only a few hours before now were in flight to the north under a constant rain of ‘bombs and bullets from allied planes. ~ The Americans played a part in the 8th army’s victory at Wadi Akarit by tying down much of German Marshal Erwin Rommel’s armor in the El Guettar and Maknassy areas. Right up until the hour of the 8th arrmy’s It was as simple, as. that—that historic final breakthrough the Germans were using junction of the 2d U. S.army corps and the Brit- . some of their most experienced panzer units and 1 ish 8th 15 miles east of nh fufantry forces in an attantpt'to. halt und fovoy.

Jane Jordan . 21} Kidney ...... 18 Leckrone ,... 18 In Service .. 11 Millett ...... 18 Movies ...... 14 Obituaries ... 8 Radio ....... 27} Mrs. Roosevelt 17 | Side Glances. 18 Simms ...... 17 Society ...20, 21 Gardens 3| Sports ....22, 2 Hold Eviihing 17| State” Deaths. 64 Homethaking. ‘21 | Steele ....... P ; 3| Voice ‘Bal.

Amuse. ...14, 15 Ash ....e000s 22 Clapper ..... 17 Comics ...o.. 27 Crossword... 27 | Editorials ... 18 Edson ....... 18 Fashions .... 21 Mrs. Ferguson 20 Cit ib Forum id 18 Freckles oo... o-

allied soldiers who had come from opposite shores of Africa leaped from their vehicles. Hands scarred by the hard sands of Tripo--litania clasped hands that were grimy with the red dirt of the Tunisian hills. Then the Americans and Britons grabbed each other, pounded each other on the back and shouted congratulations.