The Daily Alaska empire Newspaper, December 12, 1940, Page 1

THE DAILY ALASKA EMPIRE “ALL THE NEWS ALL THE TIME” VOL. LVIL, NO. 8592. JUNEAU, ALASKA, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 12, 1940. PRICE TEN CENTS " MEMBER ASSOCIATED PRESS JUNEAU TO HAVE BIG AIRPORT 20,000 ITALIANS CAPTURED BY BRITISH THOUSANDS OF OTHERS IN DANGER Desert Blif;l{fieg Troops Keep Advancing on Egyptian Battlefront POPULAR DISCORD IS EVIDENT, FASCIST LAND Royal Navy Rains Shells on Objective Points—Gen- eral Refreat Seen (By Associated Press) The British Desert Blitzkrieg troops have seized 20,000 Italian prisoners in the four-day battle in Egypt it is officially reported. Between 8,000 and 14,000 other| Ttalians are imminently threatened with capture, the reports adds, in the “Libyan Noose” in western | | | | | Prime Minister Churchil read the report to a cheering membership, of the House of Commons th forenoon and also said that it wil be surprising if a report will soon be received that the best part of three Italian battalions, of between 42,000 and 51,000 men will be caught in the British trap. Discord Reported Simultaneously, with the Brit- ish announcement, comes authori- tative reports from Rome that. givei recognition to the possibility of; dar discord over the repeated!| ian reverses among Mussolini® not (Continued on Page Five) WASHINGTON—The future of the| Willkie Clubs will be decided at 2‘ pow-wow of state leaders which| generalissimo Oren Root has called | for the middle of this month. Only Club chiefs, in addition Loi Russell Davenport and a few oth-, er party leaders are being invit- ed, and even Willkie himself does| not expect to be present, although | he may change his mind. H Young Root's private plan is to form the clubs into a nation-wide organization around Willkie, ab- solutely independent of the Re- publican Party. Root has never been on good terms with GOP leaders, many of .whom consider him a meddling amateur with se- cret designs on the party organi- zation. During the campaign, Willkie was bombarded with irate GOP com- plaints against Root. At one _nme he found it necessary to circu- Jate among all National Gommit- teemen a letter from Root disavow- ing any intention to distribute pat- ronage or intrude in party affairs. While Willkie received thou- sands of letters acclaiming his post- election “loyal opposition” broad- cast, and while many Willkie club enthusiasts desire to continue the organization, privately Root and Davenport are uncertain about the prospects. Some local Clubmen have expressed doubts over the possi- bility of keeping their groups to- gether in the face of Republican party hostility and without a “cru- sade” atmosphere. Meanwhile, Willkie has had a few brushes with Repyblican Na- tional Committeemen, who resent- ed “orders” from Him.- There has been no real row, but the politicos —_— e e (Continued on Page Four) .vot London But Philadelphia | TA l I A N |in attempted desperate counter at-| | ‘This looks like a London street corner after an air raid, but actually ’txl‘n .scena occurred in Philadelphia when a trolley and truck collided. | ix persons, including four passengers on the trolley, were injured. The | 2 van, knorked off the truck chassis, is at lower left. ’L'.he trolley, its | front bashed in, is at upper right. 7~ Dufch N'avy Is Operating 0ff Western Hemisphere; German Ship Is Capfured AIR RAIDERS BEATEN OFF OVER LONDON German Planes Make Two | Attempts fo Penefrafe Capital City Defense LONDON, Dec. 12—German air raiders stabbed twice today at Lon- | don without penetrating the defens- | es of the Capital City, after pound- | ing industrial Birmingham and sur- rounding Midland towns during the night with both incendiary anA explosive bombs. London was under an alarm for 14 hours, beginning late yesterday | afternoon and ending shortly be-| fore dawn this morning. Only one| bomb was dropped in the London| area, however. Sirens sounded almost all lasl: night. | Today several alarms were sound- | ed shortly before the noon hour but the ale‘rt antiaircraft gunners beat off all’ attacks. German raiders are reported over Midland towns late this afternoon. Superintendent Phillips Runs Up Against Tough School Board Apologizing “for all the lies I! had to tell before I went away,” A. B. Phillips today confessed to Juneau . Chamber of Commerce members the real purpose of his visit to the Staies was to get mar- ried. Phillips, Superintendent of Schools, said he found that the Tacoma School Board was much harder to get along with than the local Board. At Tacoma his bride- to-be, Miss Myrtle Moe, was ex- pected " to keep on. teaching up to the day of the wedding. WASHINGTON, Deec. 12. — The Navy Department announces the German freighter Rhein, 6,000 tons, is now “in pessession” of the Dutch destrcyer Vankinsbergen off the coast of Cuba. *Further information said the Nazi crew attempted to scuttle the| ship. The Rhein left Tampico, Mexico, on November 29 with the German freighter Idarwald, which the Brit-| ish cruiser Diomede caught last| Sunday. Today's announcement is the first| indicaticn the Dutch navy is oper- ating off the coast of the Western Hemisphere. - ENGINEERS TAKE OVER FIELD JOBS Congress Sh_if_l; Wark Re-| sponsibility Ouf of Quartermaster Corps WASHINGTON, Dec. 12— The War Department has ordered part of the burden of defense construc- tion be transferred from the Quar- termaster’s Department to the Army Engineers. Army engineers will hereafter direct all work pertaining to con- struction of Air Corps stations except in Panama. Congress has authorized the shift for the Alaska air stations of Elm- endorf and Ladd Fields. Jurisdiction in the Seattle dis- trict has also been shifted to the Engineers office. ——e—————— €CC AT YAKUTAT A new CCC camp with 20 native enrollees has been established at Yakutat to build a school light plant, install a sewer system for the hospital, build an addition for the school house and improve Monti Avenue, District Ranger W. A. Chip- perfield announced today. A | Admiralty REPULSED Counter Assaults Are Beat- | en Off by Greek Forces | in Northern Sector FASCIST TROOPS IN SNOW IN MOUNTAINS Prisoners Tell of Abardon- ing Airdromes Under Terrific Bombings (By ASSOCIATED PRESS) Official advices from the Balkan war front indicate that several Italian forces are snow blanketed in the northern mountain sections tacks against the Greek forces. | At two points the Italians have been driven back by the Greeks| with heavy losses. | Ttalian prisoners captured make | the assertion “saying that the Brit- | sh and Greek air attacks on the airdromes of the Italians at Dur- azzo and Tirana, Capital of Al- bania, caused such havoc that the Italians have bandoned them, d- mitting heavy losses of airplanes.” ROYALNAVY GUNS SMASH RETREATERS Sidi Barrani Is Reduced fo. Rubble Before Army Moves_lnlo Place LONDON, Dec. 12.—The British said today the Royal|-——————— is constantly harassing the| Navy vital communication lines of Fas- cist Marghal Graziani’s retreating armies on the North African sea-| coast. Sidi Barrani itself was described as reduced to rubble by the ound- ing of British naval guns and air bombs before British troops moved | in to take possession. Mussolini’s command omitted | mention of the fall of Sidi Bar-| rani in the daily war bulletin to- day and declared “Operations are, still under way in North Africa. | By JACK STENNETY “Again yesterday, fierce fighting| WASHINGTON, Dec. 12, — —For took place west of Sidi Barrani in| anyone wno cares two whoops what the Bugbuq zone. Losses of men ;. panpening to United States farms end equlpment‘lnclicted a.n the em?- and farmers, a fascinating piece of my Were eonsidergble as ate al‘bo‘governmom: literature recently ours.” |rolled off the federal presses. It is called by the unappetizing title of “Technology on the Farm” ys ery |—but it is just about as full a survey of farm improvements and| |lack of improvements as the nu- | merous bureaus of the Depart- as es' | ment of Agriculture could put to-| | gether. F s | city folk (and T'm just like the ron'ler‘next fellow who doesn’t know a |harrow from a combine) have }ranen into the habit of saying that Pere jme rar:mr of today, with his elec- _ ! tric lights, his radio, his telephone, Red Army Guards Encount- i ", P ion: L eeeners er Armed For(e of In_ | chines, hot and cold running water, " .y fruders”-Fafaliies |indoor plumbing and a generous icheck from the government every |year is sitting. pretty on top of (By ASSOCIATED PRESS) | A report from Moscow says a mys‘| | the haymow. | Now this is like a' lot of state-| terious “frontier clash” has taken 5 place between Red Army Guards know what he’s ments that somebody who doesn't talking about and an armed force of “intruders.” Picks up and passes along to other| The report says one of the “jn- | non-knowers until it gets to be| truders” was killed, two wounded |sort of universal It's about half| and 23 captured. truth and half breeze. At least! The nationality of the “intrud-|that’s the conclusion yowll have ers” or ‘raiders” is not lnnonnced.llo come to if the agriculture de-i President Roosevelt is on a cruise in the Caribbean sea aboard this U. 8. cruiser, the Tuscaloosa. The ! Enjoys Navy Victory ‘lOTHMN ess as they watch Navy defeat Army 14-0 in the annual service football ame in Philadelphia, The contest was attended by a record crowd of; : Emeury of the Navy Frank Knox and Mrs. Knox are a picture of happi- 102,000 spectators, FARM CONDITION 50 HOT; SOIL TILLERS ARE NOT IN MONEY YET |ern farm conveniences and (Continued on Page Six) President Sails in Caribbean Aboard This Cruiser U. 8. cruiser Tuscaloosa president was to the area. | SNOT e tech- partment survey on farm nology is all facts. MUCH TO BE DONE | The farmer has come a long way from the ox-drawn wooden plow and harvesting sickle and flail, but what got me in this department report is how many of these “mod-| luxu-| ries seem to be potentialities| rather than realities so far as the modern farm home is concerned. When the last general survey of farm income was made in 1935-35 (and no more accurate figure will| be available until the Census Bu- reau comes through with its break- down on farm population figures) about one-fourth of the farm fam-| ilies received direct relief or had incomes under $500; a little fewer| than a fourth had incomes of $1,- 500 or more; and the remainder, slightly more than a half, had in- comes from $500 to $1,500. | With an average of 45 persons to the family (one more than av-| erage in cities of more than 100,-| 000), you can start your budget- ting. Take out for stuff you have to have to be a “modern” farmer| —a tractor, other -improved tools and machinery, better seed, fer- tilizer, ete.~and see what's left | will triumph, if given American aid. |aid to Great Britain. inspect island defense bases in ( DIES IN CAPITAL British Ambassador Taken Il Sunday-Had Re- lapse Esi Night WASHINGTON, Dec. 12.—Lord Lothian, 58, British Ambassador to the United States, died of uremic peiscning at 2 a. m, today, Eastern | Standard Time. The Embassy said he was taken ill Sunday night and although he continued to improve Monday and Tuesday, be suffered a relapse last night and cancelled his appearance before the American Arms Bureau Federation in Baltimore. The speech he had prepared for delivery was read for him. In this speech, he reiterated the stand he had taken on the increasing ser- iousness in recent weeks of Eng- land’s plight, and declared England Meanwhile, the death of Lord| Lothiary interrupted conversations between British representatives and the United States for further U. S. Sir Frederick Phillips, Under- Secretary of the British Treasury, has been in Washington several days presenting the British case, How long before conversations would be | resumed, he was unable to say. i Lord Lothian, returning recently from an official visit to London, raised publigly the question of fi- nancial aid to Great Britain by de- claring his country rieeded “planes, munitions, ships and finances.” Bachelor Ambassador Neville But- ler, Counselor at the Embassy, will be in charge until a new Ambassador | is named. Authoritative sources in London said Lothian’s success will be named soon by War Secretary Hore Belisha. Among those mentioned for the post is Anthony Eden, British For- eign Minister. President Roosevelt sent a radio message to King George declaring on news of the death: “I am shock- (Continued on Page Six) Government Bond Sale Only 3% Percent The Treasury Department's $500,000,000 issue of “National Defense” notes, placed on sale yesterday, carries only 3/4 percent, not 3 3/4 percent. The low percentage paid on the notes, which mature in five years, is the reason why the bonds are subject to a Federal tax, for the first time in his- | quotation tory. HALF MILLION DOLLARS FOR LOCAL FIELD Other AIasktTSEdions Des- ignated for Improve- ments for Aviafion PLANS ANNOUNCED FOR FACILITIES, THIS PORT {Development of Menden- hall Flats Indicated- Previous Program WASHINGTON, Dec. 12. — Forty million dollars for an air- port construction and improve- ment program was made public in an announcement today to cencentrate actual takeoff and landing facilities at 200 sites throughout cotinental United States, Alaska and Hawali. The werk will be tonducted by ‘the Civil Aeronautics Admin- istration under .an appropria- Uion from Congress made in October termed by Secretaries of War, Navy and Commerce, making up a priority board, as “necessary for national de- fense™ Alaska gets $3,000,000 of the sum for northern airfield devel- opments, previding necessary clearing and grading of landing strips. Juneau, Nome, Ruby, Big Del- ta and Boundary will each get a half million dollars. Kotze- bue will get $100,000, and Cor- dova, $400,000. FIRST CLASS AIRPORT Extent of work to be done with the $500,000 appropriation for Ju- |neau’s long awaited airport devel- cpment program is unknown here, but in the opinion of PAA pilots, “A lot can be done with that much money and it will certainly give Juneau a first class airport.” Original plans for enlargement of the existing Mendenhall Flats field under the CAA called for two or three additional runways of at least 5,000 feet in length and extension of the present runway. The field will be built up with gravel, if original plans have not been changed; and will give long hard surface runways that, when well settled, will be able to accom- modate almost any piece of heavy flying equipment that will be brought north. e NEW YORK, Dec. 12, — Closing of Alaska Juneau mine stock today is 5%, American Can 87%, Anaconda 27%, Bethlehem , Steel 88%, Commonwealth and Southern 3/4, Curtiss Wright 8%, General Motors 50%, International Harvester 54 3/4, ‘Kennecott 35, New York Central 14, Northern Pacific 6%, United States Steel 70 17/8, Pound $4.04. DOW, JONES AVERAGES ‘The following are today's Dow, Jones averages: industrials 132.14, rails 27.74, utilities 19.98. ., The Indian population of Ari- zona is 51,800, the 1940 census showed. SHOPPIN( TILL CHR DAYS