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THE DAILY ALASKA VOL. LVIIL, NO. 8961. “ALL THE NEWS ALL THE TIME” JUNEAU, ALASKA, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 1942 MEMBER ASSOCIATED PRESS PRICE TEN CENTY FLIERS OF U.S. CARRY FIGHT TO JAPS China Sending More Units To Burma Area FORCES ARE DISPATCHED 10 FRONTIER Chiang Kai Shek’s Vefer- ans Cross Mountain- ous Sections TERRIFIC FIGHTING REPORTED IN SOUTH Civilians Bemg Evacuated | from Rangoon-Thous- ands Are in Trek RANGOON, Feb. 18 — Chlang Kai-shek's veterans have crossed | the mountainous Thailand frontier| in the rorth from Burma, accord- | ing to reports received here, | strengthening forces in the sectors, | but on the southern-front heavy| .y on passengers and freight | is allowed to continue. Mr. Roden | fighting is raging. The gravity of the situation is hourly becoming manifest as the Japanese, following hand-to-hand combat with British Indian troops, forced a night crossing of the shal- low Bilin River. The communique said the British front is vaguely described as somewhere between Matshy and Sittang on the Salween River. Chinese forces are massing in an attempt to halt the Japanese ad- vance by which the British have been forced steadily bagk. A ter- rific battle is expected on the southern front. CIVILIANS EVACUATED RANGOON, Feb. ian Evacuation Department estab- lished by the government in Burma to assist in clearing civilians from| (Conimu;ed' ;x;"i"nvge 8ix) WASHINGTON — It's a Justice Department secret, but the tip-off that led to the apprehension of the three Americans who will soon stand trial as Jap propagandists| originally came from such widely separated points as Manchuria and Costa Rica. Last fall U. 8. officials in these two countries informed the Justice Department that Nazi agents were distributing pro-Japanese pamph- lets, printed in English as well as the native language. It was be- lieved they had been written by an American. A quiet check-up disclosed, it is charged, that the writer was Ralph Townsend, an editor of Scribner's Commentator. Further inquiry also revealed that the pamphlets were being widely distributed in the United States. At this point Albert E Arent and Arthur B. Caldwell, abl¢ young attorneys of the Criminal Division of the Justice Depart. ment who had dug up the facts in the Auhagen and Transocean Nazi propaganda cases, were called in. Arent, and Caldwell made two trips—one to San Francisco and one to Lake Geneva, Wis., where Schribner’s Commentator was pub- lished. Aided by a staff of crack G-men, Arent and Caldwell un- covered some startling information from the books of Jap firms and individual business men. One of the most significant| discoveries was that the Japs were following the Nazi technique of using newspaper men and writers as propaganda agents. According to (Continued on Page Four) . 18—The Civil-| RODEN MAKES NEW ALASKA \RMES PLEA Attorney General May Ask Government fo Take Over Shipping SEATTLE, I'eb. 18 — Attorney General Henry Roden of Alaska | has threatened to petition the Gov- | ,emmem to operate all ships to Alaska if the new 45 percent sur- appeared at the concluding session of hearings opened by the Office of Price Administration. earlier hearing, approved the rale increases on the grounds that the higher rates were attributed to war conditions. Mr. Reden argued that the bur- den should be borne by the nation |as a whole, not by residents of Al-' aska. He said the increased rates threatened to depopulate Alaska. Albert E. Stephens, special coun- sel for the steamship companies, argued that the water carriers were entitled to the increased revenue because of rising costs of war risk insurance and to provide bonuses for crews. Stephens said that there is an unpredictable year and that “any methods formulated | to absorb the additional -costs are acceptable to us.” - ' MEHERIN RETURNS T0 JUNEAU; SAFEST States, J. J. Meherin, representa- tive of Hills Brothers Coffee and other nationally advertised pro- ducts, as well .as President of the Baranof Hotel Corporation, re- turned to Juneau today by steam- er. Mrs. Meherin, who accompanied her husband south last November, is remaining for a short time long- |er in Seattle and will return to Juneau on the Princess Norah's next sailing. Mr. and Mrs. Meherin had planned an extensive vacation trip this year, but due to the declara- tion of war, which occurred soon after their arrival in the States, they confined their travelling to brief visits in Palm Springs, Los Angeles, Reno, San Prancisco and Seattle. At the latter two cities, Mr. Meherin spent his time visit-; ing the companies which he repre- sents in Alaska. For the last ten days he has been in Seattle wait-) ing transportation north. “Everyone along the Coast'seemed upset and jittery and as far as safety is concerned I still think and believe that Juneau is one of the safest places on the Pacific Cnast,” Mr, Meherin said. SIS LARGE CITIES DRAFT TOTAL REACHES 4,400 A total of 3,440 Aiaskans regist- ered under the Selective Service Act on Monday at larger cities in the Territory, Seleclive Service Director John McCormick an- nounced today. The men registering were those | between the ages of 20 and 44 who |had not registered previously. Jun- eau’s total Monday was 455. creased considerably, McCormick explained, when reports from smaller towns and villages have been received, The Maritime Commission, at an | ahead | PLACE ON COAST After an absence of two and a| half months, spent in the Western details of Pan American's appli-| The Territorial total will be in-| Enemy Could ShellN. Y., Drop Bombs on Defroit Or Make Atfack, Alaska ACTION DUE WASHINGTON, Feb. 18 yesterday afternoon, President Roo» sevelt grimly told the newsmen at| | a conference, that under certain conditions, the enemy could shell New York tomorrow, or drop bombs on Detroit tonight. The President made his declara- tion in response to questions frem the newsmen, Reporters told the President there was some concern as to the possibility of an attack on Alaska | this year and he was asked if he thought this was possible. A thing like that is pcrfecl.ly possible, President Roosevelt re- plied. JAPS LAUNCH NEW THRUSTS Heavy Attack ack Starfed by | Enemy on Batan - Peninsula WASHINGTON, Feb. 18 — The start of the long expected attack, in force, against Gen. Douglas | | i | sula, is indicated in today's War Department communique. The communique reports enemy | air activity is much heavier. The communique also reports | | that under artillery fire, the Japa- inese are landing reinforcements in Subic Bay, just north of Batan Peninsula. DELEBECOUE BACK AFTER VISIT T0 | | I After working out preliminary cation to use Annette Island Army | Air Field for operations this sum- | mer, Louis Delebecque, Pan Ameri- | |can district sales manager here, {returned from Ketchikan today. The international airline request- ed permission to use the Army fa-| cilities at the island southwest ul | Ketchikan several weeks ago. the program is instituted, coastal | flights will be made during the | summer months, thus extending di- | Irect Pan American services to the southern part of the Panhandle area. STOCK QUOTATIONS quotation of Alaska Juneau mine stock today is 2, American Can 59, Anaconda 26%, Bethlehem Steel 59%, Commonwealth and Southern 19730, Curtiss Wright 7¢, Interna- tional Harvester 49'%, Kennecott \34, New York Central 9, Northern | Pacific 6%, United States Steel 51, |Pound $4.04. DOW, JONES AVERAGES The following are today’s Dow, Jones averages: industrials 105.35, rafls 27.50, utilities 13.53. BROWN IS (ONFIRMED AS| ANCHORAGE POSTMASTER, WASHINGTON, Feb. 18 — The | Senate has confirmed the appoint- ment of Herbert Brown as Post- master at Anchorage, Alaska. - CHAMBER TO MEET Internal business® will be dis- jcussed at the weekly meeting of |the Juneau Chamber of Commerce tomorrow noon, Wilbur Wester, secretary, said today, The meeting will be held in the Gold Room at the Baranof Hotel, — Late; INISLANDS; MacArthur's lines on Batan Penin- 1 FIRST CITY FIELD NEW YORK, Feb. 18 — Closing | FDR HINTS ALASKA ROAD Mr. Roose;eIT Says War War Department Is Completing Plans WASHINGTON, Feb. 18—Reply- ]mg to inquiries concerning a road |from the States to Alaska, Presi- dent Roosevelt yesterday said that he thought the War Department had about completed working plans | for some sort of highway or road |to Alaska, but that various routes |had been suggested and various proposals made. The President admitted that if} there was going to be anything done on such a road by January 11, 1943, some action would be need- ed promptly. Mr. Roosevelt safd that he thought it important to do some- thing to obtain better communica- | tions to the Territory and that nu- merous suggestions have been made for meeting the immediate war needs. Some thought it most prac- ticable, he asserted, to build a light, one-track railroad which | would be easier to ‘keep open in | winter than a highway. The Presi- |dent referred to a suggestion for usmg ships through flw l.llsld(,l passage and cmxskrucuna a nigh- Two lines of Japanese light tanks shertly after the city had fallen to ceived in San Francisco by teleph from a German magazine. Americans evacuated Manila after AmemanF way to serve from there on. Still wothers, Mr. Roosevelt said, t.ht)ught‘v ! transport planes would be the be';t methed of keeping open Ala.sku life srtery to the States. ——— DIMOND SAYS i FDR WRONG ABOUTROUTE | | | | | Delegate Iflares Infer-| national Highway Only Present Solution WASHINGTON, Feb. 18—Deie- gate Anthony J. Dimond today as- |serted in a statement that consid- |eration of President Roosevelt's | substitutes for the proposed $50,- | 000,000 highway to Alaska might |result in disaster. The President told newsmen he ¢|is studying alternative means for |quick communication with the -Termory, listing these as construc-| Ition of a railroad, use of the In- | side Passage by ship and construc- |tion of a highway from there to | the Interior, and the sending o 'supplies by transport planes. Too Much Delay Dimond declared: “To spend time considering these alternatives to the construction of a highway means delay and more delay and {may result in disaster. There is a pressing need for prompt and de- | cistve action.” Rep. Wilburn Cartwright Okla.), chairman of the House Roads Committee, asserted that “there is no doubt the highway will be constructed. In a short time we are going to have a rail- road, too.” Dimond said the suggestions of building a railroad and supplying the Territory by air transport “un- der existing conditions are simply fantastic.” Railroad Construction The Delegate declared that sev- {eral years would be required to build a rhilroad and would entail the expenditure of $200,000,000 and |require materials of which there is a shortage. Use of the Inside Passage and a connecting highway “would result in a botched job,” and would de- feat the purpose of the highway, |“namely, a need for a continuous overland avenue of transport o Alaska which would not be subject to the risks and hazards of sea yoyage,” (D.- | One of the American fighter pl: in Burma is refueled at Rangcon. is becoming increasingly familiar Lo attack Japanese, airmen. Wire-Tapping Bill Comes Up in Congress; Senalors GeI Charge of Smugness By JACK STINNETT WASHINGTON, Feb. 18—As long as I can remember, some adverse critics of the Hill have been in- sisting that Congress in general, and the Senate in particular, is a sort of secret society in which, once you have subscribed to the oath of office, you c#n depend upon your most perverse colleague’'s com ing to-your aid in time of trouble. Now, I've seen enough political hair-pulling in both houses to know that the oratorical saive the mem- bers occasionally rub on each| other’s backs isn’t wholly free of | ground glass. | I know also where those crmcsi get their ammunition. The Senate| frequently piles it up on a silver| platter and hands it over to them. Such was the case the other day when Sen. Harry S. Truman, of Missouri, took the floor and de- fended the Senate Interstate Com- merce Committee, Chairman Bur- ton K. Wheeler, the Senate and Congress against allegations that failure to pass legislation permit- ting wire - tapping in espionage cases-had anything to do with the surprise attack at Pearl Harbor. Tracing the history of wire-tap- ping legislation from 1934, Senmm" First Pholograph oI Fall of Mamla Tokyo o gidor and other forts at the entrance to Manila Bay. anes that have been flown with marked success by volunteer American pilots TWO ENEMY TROOP SHIPS AREBOMBED One Large,‘OFé Small Nip- pon Transport Sent Down by U. §. DAMAGING BLOWS STRUCK ELSEWHERE East Indiesfiense Forces Beat Off Two Waves of Air Attacks WASHINGTON, Feb. 18 — The War Department communique this afternoon says that four-motored Army bombers, attacking Japanese ships off Bangka Island, between Sumatra and Borneo, scored direct hits. Two enemy transports, one large and one small, are both believed to have been sunk and two enemy barges were also destroyed. The communique says no damage was done to any of the American | planes. rumble through the main sguare of Manila, capital of the Philippines, the invading foe. This phoeto, first of the Philippine theatre of war, re- one, was radioed to New York from Lendon, where it had been copied riginally radioed it to Berlin. The photo was taken shortly after the declaring it an open city and teok positions in Batan Peninsula, Corre- |gh|er Relueled in Burma DAMAGING BLOWS STRUCK BATAVIA, Island of Java, Feb. 18—American fighter planes and bombers, aiding in the all impor- {tant battle in the Dutch East In- dies, struck damaging blows at Japanese aircraft and invasion ferces in Southern Sumatra, the Allied Southwest Pacific Command announces. The West Indies defense forces meanwhile brought down five ene- my bombers out of a force of 21 planes, which were attacking the vital United Nation's naval base at Soerabaja, in two waves. The Aneta News Agency report- ed the raid did little damage to the base and caused only a few casualties. The air raid alarm last- ed for one hour and three quar- ters. A squadron of U. S. fighters is credited with downing four Jap- anese planes without a loss of a ship, This attack on the enemy was at an airdrome, presumbaly around the Dutch destroyed ofl center at Pnlembmg DAMAGE T0 TANKER IS ~ ANNOUNCED WASHINGTON, Feb. 18 — The anvy Department today announced {the tanker E. H. Blum was “dam- 'aged” off the Atlantic coast Mon- day. The Navy gave no information as to how the damage was inflict- ed nor as to' its extent. | ——— The Harvard library has doubled in size every 20 years for a cen- tury. S .. Note the shark’s head painted on the nose of the plane—a symbol that Picture ndlaed (rom London to New York. Truman pointed out that when the House in 1941 voted down the wu'c-‘ B”"ShMa.y Be'RelflfOI'(lflg B s hac pama| Armies in Mlddle‘Easl to Combat Nazis over introducing a similar bill (BY ASSOCIATED PRESS) “Reports came to individual Senators (of testimony before the| A hint that Great Britain may need | po heavily reinforcing her armies House committee that reported | |out the bill emphasizing the for care in introducing this kind |, the Middle East possibly to com- of legislation,” said the Senator.| .. the German thrust at Turkey “We heard, for example, that im-|;, spring, was dropped by the Ad- portant witnesses before the HOUSC | \niaity in London in a disclosure committee had testified that wxre-‘“ml “cerfain convoys” had been tapping might endanger national safely escorted through the Medi- | defense, mlgmv hurt” workers' mor-| o manean. The Admiralty said that ale, and thus interfere with maxi- mum production., . . TODAY'S BLOW *fr. LIBERTY, operations, apparently on a big scale, were carried out between “Finally, word came to various February 13 and 16 with a loss of members of our subcommittee only two merchant craft. that many labor organizations had| The communique ‘said “the ene- appeared before the House com-|my made great efforts to inflict mittee in opposition to the wire- | serious losses on convoys and pub-! tapping bill. They asserted thet|lished the wusual exaggerated ' __ such a power would be used more|claims.” The point of reinforcement |~ against labor than against spies.” was not specified. | Italian Claims A year earlier, the House had| An Italiin communique had as- passed a wire-tapping bill, but the serted Monday that one British de- legislative year was almost over, stroyer and seven merchant ships and according to Senator Truman, had been sunk out of a big con- “when many Ssnators were absent, Vvoy enroute from Alexandria (o and when many pressing matters of the bomb-battered island of Mal- Ply hns prom ”y — and as —— ——| cheerfully as possible, | PR AR W L S (Continued on Pugo 'x‘wo) (Continued on Page Two)