The Daily Alaska empire Newspaper, October 31, 1942, Page 1

VOL. LIX., NO. 9178. HE DAILY ALASKA EMPIRE “ALL THE NEWS ALL THE TIME” JUNEAU, ALASKA, SATURDAY, OCTOBER 31, 1942 : MEMBER ASSOCIATED PRESS PRICE TEN CENTS APS LEAVE SCENE OF SOLOMON BATTLE L4 (4 (4 Marin ALLIES IN BIG EGYPT OFFENSIVE Carry War fo Axis on Air, Sea Fronts—Ready to Strike Main Force CAIRO, Oct. 31.—The coordinated mass of British in the desert is reported dealing methodically with German guns, which in some cases have slowed down the six-day Allied advance in the desert. The British slowly are getting into position to strike the enemy’s main force. United Nations air forces are car- rying the war in every direction in the Mediterranean field. In five days they sank two merchant ships and three tankers which were trying to bring supplies into the Axis port of ‘Tobruk. Reliable informants said that Marshal Erwin Rommel obviously is in sore need of fuel and supplies to take such long risks with his ships, United States pilots got four Mes- | serschmitts Wednesday in dogfights. United States medium bombers scored direct hits and started many fires among enemy positions and motor transport concentrations. Nine enemy fighters were destroy- ed and four Allied aircraft lost™” ) ;I'fie Washington Merry - Go-Round| By DREW PEARSON (Major Koben S. Allen on active duty.) WASHINGTON—One war plant in which the President was par- ticularly interested on his recent | tour of the country was the Higgins | shipyard in New Orleans, which | turns out the famous landing boats used by the U. 8. Marines in the| Solomon Islands. Higgins' proposed yard for building | big freigliters was stopped by the Maritime Commission. But his yard for building small boats has con- tinued in full swing, and the Presi- | dent expressed amazement and pleasure as he drove between rows; of machines. Beside him sat famous Andrew Jackson Higgins, pioneer small boat | builder. On the other side sat Rear Admiral Frank T. Leighton, com- mander of the 8th Naval District. As they drove through the yard, a superintendent handed Higgins a strange tube made of wood, & yard | long and six inches in diameter. Handing it to Roosevelt, Higgins said: “This is what the airplanes of the future will be made of, Mr. Presi- dent.” Roosevelt examined it curiously. It was made of thin strips.of wood, almost reeds, woven together and covered with a plastic substance which give it extraordinary strength “It’s much stronger than alum- inum,” Higgins explained, “but doesn’t weigh as much.” The -President expressed amaze- ment, handed the tube over to Ad- miral Leighton, who examined it skeptically. “Humph!” he grunted, “I don’t think much of it.” “You wouldn't,” jibed the Presi- dent, “you’re the Navy.” PLASTIC PLANES Since then Higgins has explained to the Army Air Corps how giant airplanes can be made of this new substance, part wood, part plastic. With this new plastic, developed by Harry Atwood, it is possible to turn excelsior, shavings or seaweed into a hard, firm, but lightweight, sub- stance. Higgins contends that even ' if there were no scareity of aluminum, this wood-plastic is better for cargo planes. “Two hundred women could weave a plane together in a couple of months,” Higgins has told Army (Continued on PII;! Four) Russia developed the oil output of Baku, Caspian seaport, from 9 mil- , lion tons in 1920 to 30 million tons in 1940. |al “High Command” committee to| {“Econiomie Genere! Staff.” (4 L4 SIMPLIFY WAR, SAYS CONGRESS Measures fo Combine Forces, Revamp Wartime Agencies, Discussed WASHINGTON, Oct. 31.—Against a background of momentous re- ports from the Solomon Islands, the attention of Capitol Hill is focused on propositions to revamp |the fighting services and Wash- ington wartime agencies. Congressional procedure is all aimed at greater military striking power. Overshadowing all other propo- sals is that to combine Army and Navy and Marine corps men into a single coordinated fighting force wearing one type of uniform and directed by one commander. Other propositions engaging the attention of Congress included: 1. The creation of a Congression- coordinate and expedite wartime legislation. | 2. Sweeping reorganization of Federal agencies through the es- tablishment of an overall Office of War Mobilization, guided by an FRANK DUFRESNE | BACK FROM TRIP Reports Deer Hunting! Should Be Good Next Three Weeks Executive Officer Frank Dufresne \ lof the Alaska Game Commission [ returned to Juneau last night with Wwildlife Agent Rod Darnell after a trip to Petersburg and Wrangell | where he talked over plans with| Barl Ohmer for the forthcoming| annual meeting of the Alaska Game Commission. | The 18th annual session will be held in Juneau and is expected to commence January 20. It is the policy of the commission to meet on even years at Juneau, concur- rent with the Territorial Legisla- ture. In odd years, meetings are held in various other places in the| Territory. Dufresne reported that deer are coming in very slow in the Pet- ersburg, Wrangell and Juneau areas and that hunters still report bucks are high in the hills. Re- cent snows, however, have started them down to the low timber and muskeg and the next three weeks should provide excellent deer hunt- | ing in all areas. | Flights of migratory waterfowl, | ducks and geese, Dufresne said, are heavier than last year. The increase has been steady since 1935. The increase in Alaska reflects that of the continent as a whole. In 1935 an all-time low of 35 mil- lion was hit, but a steady increase since then has brought the pres-| ent estimated flock to 100 million. | Dufresne said the snow goose flight on the Stikine River ar- rived on' schedule October 25 and nearly 50,000 birds are now on the flats. SECRETARY MAKES | TRIP 10 INTERIOR Secretary of Alaska E. L. Bartlett has left Juneau by plane for a brief official business trip to Fairbanks. He expects to return in a few days. - ee J. J. MEHERIN BACK | FROM KETCHIKAN J. J. Meherin, merchandise broker and well known business man, re- turned to his Juneau headquarters this week with Alaska Coastal Air- lines from a business trip to Ket-i ‘ lat 9 oclock and will bowl (4 (4 VOTE TUESDAY IS PRESIDENT'S PLEA | TO ENTIRE NATION WASHINGTON, Oct. 31.—Declar- ing the United States is now en- |gaged in an “all-out war to keep idvmocmcy alive,” President Roose- | velt today urged all citizens to vote next Tuesday. The President has asked employ- ers to arrange their work schedules so they and their employees may cast their ballots without loss of pay | to the workers and give a reasonable time off to vote. "HIGHHEELS" BOWL FRIDAY AT ELKS' CLUB Four bowling teams, forming the ‘Highheel' League, began a tour- nament at the Elks alleys last night each succeeding Friday. The teams and members follow 1—Dolls: B. Sharpe, E: Terhune, Patty Dooley, Jane Winthers. 2—Baranof: B. Haviland Mack, B. Garrett, A. Lefebvre. 3—Federals: K. Kennedy, M. J McNaughton, Jean Taylor, E. Mc- Laughlin. 4 —Teachers: A. Johnson, I Jones, M. Monsen, Jerry Ringstad i Schedule for the team is i November 6—Teams 3 alleys 1 and 2; teams 4 alleys 3 and 4. November 13—Teams alleys 1 and 2; teams alleys 3 and 4. November 20—Teams 3 alleys 1 and 2; teams 2 alleys 3 and 4. November 27—Teams 4 alleys 1 and 2; teams 1 alleys 3 and 4. December 4 — teams 1 alleys 1 and 2; teams 3 alleys 3 and 4. December 11 — Teams 2 alleys 1 and 2; teams 4 alleys 3 and 4. December 18 — Teams alleys 1 and 2; teams alleys 3 and 4. January 8 alleys 1 and 2; alleys 3 and 4. January 15 — alleys 1 and 2; alleys 3 and 4. January 22 — alleys 1 and 2; alleys 3 and 4. January 29 — alleys 1 and 2; alleys 3 and 4. e HIGHHEELS WILL BOWL ON FRIDAYS ON ELKS ALLEYS Teams of the “Highheel” League began their bowling tourney at the Elks' Club last night and will con- tinue each Friday night at 9 o’'clock. Results of last night's tournament | play follows: K and and ) 1 and and and and and and and and and and and and 1 2 and and Teams teams and and Teams teams Teams teams and and and and Teams teams Dolls | 139 86 102 82 409 Baranof 147 159 121 127 554 Federal K. Kennedy 97 M.J McNaughton 145 Jean Taylor 159 McLaughlin 8 479 420 Teachers 150 117 101 94 11 18 95 Totals 224 4071288 ——————— BUY DEFENSE STAMPS P. Dooley E. Terhune B. Sharpe B. Dooley 100 80 93 93 366 107— 346 12— 278 153— 348 68— 243 Totals 440—1215 | 117— 392 111 388 114— 351 131— 376 A. Lefebvre L. Adams K. Mack B. Havilland Totals 473—1507 | 87 129 115 89 135— 319 124— 398 | 103— 377 94— 261 | Totals 456—1355 118— 385 79— 274 113— 342 97— 287 A. Johnson L. Sturgis J. VanderLeest. 1. Jones I 4 es Have Not Lost An Inch In NAZIS CLAIM Legislation U, S. FORCES EDMONTONON. B1G CONVOY OnManpower & & NAZI LOSSES AREBIG IN STALINGRAD 1,500 Killed in Assault on Northern Factory Region MOSCOW, Oct. 31.—The Germans hurled an entire infantry division 4 4 GRUENING IN WAY OUTSIDE §1nspeds Alaska Highway- i Urges Extension to Bering Sea 31.—Gov. here Er- last EDMONTON, Oct 'nest Gruening arrived & 4 4 man radio has broadcast a announcement without any Allied confirmation that a great convoy battle is raging in the Atlantic The broadcast claimed that U- special ®e Forthcoming from Administration Atta boats have sunk 18 Allied mer-) WASHINGTON, Oct. 31. — The chant ships in one attack yester-| Administration, it is reported re- (4 cks WINNERS OF BATTLEON Is Shelved FIRSTROUND NEw YoRk, oct. 31—mhe cer- NO Recommendations Are iAII Ground a(;uadalcanal Still Occupied by Defenders NIPPON HELD BASE and dozens of tanks against Rmsmn‘mm after an inspection of the lines in the factory district in north- | Alaskan highway and said that ern Stalingrad to gain another 50 t0 |jt was a superb job of construction. 100 yards at a cost of 1500 dead | He urged extension of the road and 11 tanks and 23 planes de- | peyond Fairbanks to the Bering stroyed. Se: The Soviet communique indicated i a. i As a guest of Brig. Gen. James that most Red Army positions have F. O'Connor, head of the North- been held fast despite attacks from several directions. READING MATTER FOR NAVY T0 BE COLLECTED HERE Residents Asked To Donate Up-to-Date Material To Send To Ships Because some of the Coast Guard and Na: ships operating in waters to the west of Juneau are often| without reading matter, the AWVS| under Mrs. Ernest Gruening, is| planning to sponsor the collection of up-to-date reading material for distribution to the men of the boats. Port Captain Lieut. Warren Caro has told the AWVS that he will| see that any such material is picked up each day and distribut-| ed in the mail sacks to be sent to| these ships The AWVS is now setting up a box, marked with the designation magazines for navy men. The box is placed near the writing desk for service men in the Federal Build- ing on the main floor, at the op- posite end from the Signal Corps office. | Juneau residents who have fin- ished late issues of popular maga- zines are urged to place them in| this box. Small, paper-bound books | also would be appreciated by the boys on the boats. : These men can not use radios| while they are on active duty at| sea and have little recreation avail- able on the ship. Newspapers of various towns also will be appre- ciated by the men. Mrs. Gruening announced this| afternoon that an extra box was placed on the Post Office floor of the Federal Building to accommo-| date donors from up on the hill BARANOF GIRLS T0 CELEBRATE HALLOWS' EVE Baranof Hotel Coffee Shop em- ployees will see that the doors are closed promptly tonight at 10 o’clock if possible, because the girls are planning to celebrate Hallowe'en for themselves. As soon as their work is finished at 10, the girls plan to leave for Douglas to enjoy a late and leisurely dinner, and to make it more Hal- lowe'en-like, they’ll bedeck them- selves in costumes. ‘The affair also will be a farewell for Ida Belle Hanford and Elsie Smith, who are planning to go south this weekend. Among those planning to attend are Aurora Lefebvre, Judy Eans Freda O'Brian, Ann Oney, Annie Cook, Nellda Higby, Belle Campbell, Irene Stigenwalt, Ida Belle Hanford Elsie Smith, Leola Ellingen, Jimmy Peterson and Eily Kuriger. ——————— Mrs. Raymond Wiseman became | west Service Command, the Gov- ernor drove over long stretches of the new road and inspected other sections from the air. Gov. Gruening is enroute to Washington to confer with Presi- dent Roosevelt and other officlals. He said that great strides have been made in the defense of Al- aska since December 7. NATIVE SHOT, - SITKA FIGHT Military Policeman Kills Joe James in Self- Defense Joe James, a native, was shot and killed in Sitka Thursday night by Corp. R. T. Barber, US. Ma- rine, as the climax of a brawl be- tween James and another Marine, A. D. Saxon, in front of the Pio- neers’ Home. Barber, a military policemen, saw the two men fighting and at- tempted to break the brawl up. James resisted Barber and tried to grab his night stick. In the en- suing struggle, James was shot through the ' chest by Barber's pistol. Coroner W. W. Knight ordered an inquest yesterday and the jury reached a verdict that Barber had shot James in self-defense DOUGLAS PATCHWORK QUILTS ARE COMPLETED, SEWING GROUP As evidence of the excellent work being done by Douglas women for | benefit of the Red Cross and sup- sly chest for local needs in cases of emergency, two fine patchwork quilts that were made by the sew- ing group meeting weekly at Mrs. Felix Gray’s home were deposited in the City Hall during the week Practically every woman on the Island is contributing in one way or another to the war effort. Where leisure time permits they are sew- ing and assembling supplies such as clothing and first aid materials or if they have no time for that, ippropriate donations are forth- coming from them. — e — CELEBRATE HALLOWE'E! Douglas grade pupils held parties in their rooms at school yesterday afternoon in observance of Hallo- we'en. Surrounded by appropriate decorations they enjoyed games and refreshments. S e e SCHOOL ACTIVITIES First six weeks' period report cards were distributed at school during this week and report of honor roll students is expected shortly., ‘Work on the first issue of the sehool paper, Gastineau Breeze, the mother of a son at 8:30 o'-|was underway all week and ads clock last night in St. Ann's Hos- pital. are being solicited by members of the business staff. day near the Canary Islands. route to a South African port from Britain. CAIRO — The British Eighth Army maintains gains made yesterday and have beaten off a number of Axis counter-attacks with heavy losses to the enemy. GEN. MacARTHUR’'S HEAD- QUARTERS—Australian troops have occupied Alola, seven miles south of the Jap held village of Kokoda, New Guinea. CAIRO—Col. Edwards Backus, 36, of Vernon, Texas, Command- er of one unit of U. S. bombers, said today while the men are getting plenty of opportunties “they scrap like Hell for assign- ments in bombing raids.” MOSCOW - Reformed Red Army lines on Nalchik Plateau are repelling all fierce Nazi at- tacks in the Caucasus cam- paign. 'DENNIS FUNERAL " SET FOR SUNDAY IN ELKS' HALL Funeral services for James F. Dennis, Territorial Liquor En- forcement Officer and well known | Juneau resident, who met his| death by drowning last Tuesday | during a hunting trip. will be held | tomorrow at 2 p.m. in the Elks Hall, using the Elks Ritual. The casket will not be opened at the Hall, but friends who wish may call this evening between 7; and 9 o'clock in the Charles W.| Carter Mortuary. | Burial will be in the Elks Plot of Evergreen Cemetery. Active pallbearers are to be Oscar G. Olson, J. B. Carlisle, G G. Brown, Joe George, James Mc- Naughton and Walter B. Sharpe. > <] > SIX IN FROM NORTH; THIRTY-FIVE, LEAVE Arrivals in Juneau from Skagway this morning were Miss Peggy Betts, F. Ballo, Paul Meylos, John S Nymon, C. W. Calflin, Mrs. R. John- ston, P. Johnston, James Tropea and | A. Van Mavern. Taking passage for the South| were: For Wrangell—Irl A. Thatch- er. For Ketchikan — Don Lozzie, C Ronquist, D. Parker and C. P. John- son. Leaving for Vancouver were Mrs Seybold and Miss V. Lechelt. For Seattle—J. E. Anderson, J. E. | Schupp, E. A. Payton, H. J. Turner, H. P. Oberg, R. M. Eakin, G. S. Peterson, F. Gorman, Mrs. F. Gor- man, Peter Schneider, Axel Nielson, J. A. Laverdiere, Mrs. F. E. Schmidt, Gordon J. Smith, Dean Counter, Mrs. Dean Counter. Miss Nullett, L. F. Hamilton, A.[)f the Guard will meet at Elks |ficially announced E. Hillberg, W. J. Hillberg, R. L. Bailey, Clifford Mason, Mrs. Robert Henning and children, Carl Tveiten, Mrs. Louis Delebecque, Miss Dele- becque and L. W. Munz, R g e e 00 000000 00 FROST WARNING The U.S. Weather Bureau office in Juneau today an- nounced that the temperature is expected to fall below freez- ing tonight. Gardeners are protect vegetation minimum temperature degrees. eecs ee 000 advised to against a of 28 |liably today, has decided to side- The ships apparently were en- | track indefinitely proposals for a| | compulsory mobllization of | power. Congressional man- leaders, who ex | pected shortly after next Tuesday's elections to receive the pattern |for such legislation to fit the na- uon's workers into the war pro- |duction machine, said they have been informed that no House recommendation is coming. In the absence of such a recom- forth- it will be next to impossible to ob- tain action on the half dozen or |more manpower bills pending in congressional committees. PRESIDENT DECLINES T0 COMMENT hower, Troops in Li- beria Unanswered WASHINGTON, Oct. 31.—Presi- dent Roosevelt said today that he | breferred to withhold any comment on the possibility that American troops will be stationed in Liberia. He said that such news came under the classification of troop movements and operational move- ments and that he wouldn't dare to comment without consulting with military authorities. The President also said that the press has put him in an awful hole by asking whether it was correct hat Lieut. Gen. Dwight Eisen- hower had been called home for consultation. Roosevelt said that he didn’t think it was awfully help- ful to print things about the movement of American officers. Eisenhower is in charge of the American forces in Europe: ALASKA GUARDS JOIN ALERT: T0 MEET TUESDAY There was a fine turnout of members of the Alaska Territorial juard Thursday night for partici- »ation In the practice alert held by the Juneau Civillan Defense Council. Following the alert members at- tended a lecture of instruction held in the grade school auditorium At 7:30 o'clock next Tuesday night all newly enlisted members Hall Capt today. to G continue their training, F. Freeburger announced APSBINN & 15 S SIEGE LAURETTA VAVALIS FUNERAL IS MONDAY Funeral services for Lauretta Va- valls, ten-month-old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John Vavalis of Ju- |neau who died yesterday in St. Ann’s Hospital, will be held at 2 p.m. Monday in the Salvation Army chapel. Capt the service for the child and burial will be in Evergreen Cemetery. White mendation, sponsors believe that Questions About Eisen- GIVEN SUDDEN RAID Jap Aircraft Carrier, Also Other Warcraft Re- ported Damaged WASHINGTON, Oct. 31.—Secre- tary of the Navy Frank Knox an- nounced early this morning that “we are still on Guadalcanal Is- land and are occupying every inch of ground that we ever controlled.” Simultaneously, he told a press conference that the Jap fleet has “retired from the scene” in the Solomon battle and some Jap men |0' war are returning to thelr bases. The Secretery declared: “I'd say |as.@. figure of speech that the first round would give the impression round would not give the impression jof optimism, but I do have a great feeling of pride In the way jour men met the onslaught in the | Tulagi and Guadalcanal area and |the skill with which these forces (have been handled. “They have done a superb jeb.” JAPS ARE RAIDED MacARTHUR'S HEADQUAR - TERS IN AUSTRALIA, Oct. 31.— Allied bombers have probably dam- aged a Japanese aipcraft carrier and also scored two hits on a Japanese warship, described as either a cruiser or battleship and probably damaged still another cruiser and also left an unidenti- fied ship in flames in a raid or Buin, It is also announced that reports from medium units, which made up a second wave, have not been re- ceived. The rald was the second in as many days on the Japanese-held harbor on the southern tip of Bougainville Island in the north- ern Solomons and by far is the most damaging aerial blow made recently in attempts to checkmate an all-out attack of the Japanese on Guadaleanal, LIBERIA IS OCCUPIED BY U.5.TROOPS Colored Unifs Have Al- ready Constructed Two Airporis Is Report LONDON, Oct, 31.—A Reuters dis~ |patch from Monrovia says it is of- that American troops, including Negro units, have | been in Liberia since July 2, 4 ‘Two airports have been construct- |ed during this time. | The Parllament of Liberia has lapproved of legislation providing | Liberia’s cooperation with the Unit- | ed State 1 Liberia is on the® west coast of ‘Afnca‘ southwest of the edge of the great hump of the Dark Continent, - | | | |NEW WEATHER OBSERVER | IN JUNEAU OFFICE NOW | Horace Chapman, Senior Observ- ‘er with the U.S. Weather Bureau, T. J. Dyck will conduct has joined the staff of the Ju- Ineau office. He was transferred |trom the Nome office. 3