The Daily Alaska empire Newspaper, November 30, 1942, Page 1

'ALLIES PUSH T0 12 THE DAILY ALASKA EMPIRE “ALL THE NEWS VOL. L ., NO. 9202. LL THE TIME” JUNEAU, ALASKA, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 1942 MEMBER ASSOCIATED PRESS PRICE TEN CENTS MILES FROM TUNI \ ‘Jap Vessel Bombed, Set Afire Off Attu Isle TURIN AIR * FORTRESSES Elks Lodge, Recreational OFU.S.GET BuildingsaiSkagwayAre Destroyed, Saturday Fire GOOD ATTACK Fighter Planes Strafe En- emy Anti-Aircraft Installations WASHINGTON, Nov. 30.—A Navy Department communique issued Sunday said that on “No- vember 26, Army flying fortress- es attacked a small enemy cargo vessel off Attu Island, Aleutian group. Three bombs hit and set the vessel on fire. When last seen, the vessel appeared to be sinking. “Fighters accompanying the fortresses strafed enemy anti- aireraft installations on the island. No United States planes were lost.” - - TWONIPPON v . . SHIPS SUNK, AUSTRALIA German Au_x—llfary Craft Is Also Trapped to West -18 Nazis Taken ALLIED HEADQUARTERS, AUS- TRALIA, Nov. 30.—The Allied High Command announces that two de- stroyers attempting to reinforce the trapped Japanese at Buna are be- lieved to have been sunk by Allied bombers yesterday. Another Allied gain was reported far to the west where an 8,000-ton German auxiliary ship was trapped and 78 Germans captured. | SKAGWAY, Alaska, Nov. 30.— | (Special Correspondence) — Fire of | unknown origin completely destroy- | ed the Elks Lodge Building, home 1 of No. 431, and the Elks’ Recrea- tional Building, both two story struc- | tures, Saturday afternoon. The loss | is estimated at $25,000 with insur- ance of only $5,000. | The Elks Lodge Building was one | of the landmarks of Skagway and | was’ one of the big entertainment | places, the first of ‘the kind, in | Skagway, erected soon after the rush | to the Klondike, in 1900. The build- | ing included a large auditorium cap- | able of seating 450 persons with large | balcony seating 150 persons. The | auditorium had a hardwood dance floor. There was a large up-to-date theatrical stage, with all kinds of scenery and electrical equipment In the front of the building was a large room used in the early days as | the secretary’s office and reception room. In the early days, in fact up to the present time, the auditorium was the dancing pavilion of the itown and many a full-dress affair | took place in the auditorium. The |auditorium was also used as the early day lodge room. In the early days practically every show company traveling to and from the interior gave productions in the | Elks' Hall and always drew crowd- ed houses. The Skagway Stock Company pre- sented plays from drama to musical comedy every two weeks and every “'show" called for special trains to ITALIANS ARE URGED, SEEK PEACE ‘British Printe Minister Says| Break with Mussolini, | His Nazi Partners SHATTERING ATTACKS BY AIR TO HIT ITALY Churchill Predicts Early, Ending European War- | Then Fight in Asia LONDON, Nov. 30.—British Prime Minister Winston Churchill advised the Italian people to break with Premier Benito Mussolini and his German partners and sue for peace ! before the Italian nation is brought “under a prolonged and scientific shattering air attack” from the Al- lied North African bases. Broadcasting Sunday on the eve of his 68th birthday, Churchill de- clared that “now, at this moment, the First British Army is striking hard on the last remaining footholds of .the Germans and Italians in Tunisia and before long will be ex- pelled and the war will be carried ito Ttaly in a manner not hitherto dreamed of by the guilty leaders. It is for the Italian people, forty million of them, to say whether they want this terrible thing to happen | to them or not.” run from Whitehorse and along the White Pass and Yukon Route load- ed with those who patronized the productions. Elmer A. Friend, now | with The Empire in Juneau, and | then agent for the Alaska Steam- ' ship Company, was the “show man” of Skagway and had full charge of the theatrical productions, both local | and of traveling organizations. The | stage was so equipped it could handle any “road show.” Recreation Building The Recreational Building adjoin- ing the Elks Lodge Building, was | erected several years ago. This con- | tained the bowling alleys, cocktail | lounge and the second floor was used as the lodge room. A large tennis court, maintained by the Elks, was on the grounds adjoining the building. The destruction of the two build- ings by fire leaves Skagway without any large ballroom or recreation place as the White Pass Club long ago was discarded and dismantling had begun when it was suddenly turned into a vast warehouse and is now packed from foundation to roof with materials of all kinds. The Skagway Elks Lodge has members scattered all over the world and hundreds of oldtimers still retain their membership, never demitting. Pormer officers of “tihe lodge in various capacities, now residents of Juneau, include M. S. Whittier, V. W. Mulvihill and Elmer A. Friend. One of the life members, residing in Juneau, is John Morrison. First Wounded from African Fronf Arrive, Washinglonr floSpi!al BEACH AREA IS CAPTURED, GONA REGION Auslralians—id;ke Decided Advance Following Air Attack-Trap Japs SOMEWHERE IN NEW GUINEA, LAUNCHNEW DRIVE ON OPA HEAD fort to Block Gas Rafion- ing - After Henderson WASHINGTON, Nov. 30.—Aban- Nov. 30.—Australian ground troops, doning the effort to block nation- i | Congressmen Abandon Ef- BIO(k AXiS ‘ supported by plane sand artillery, | wide gas rationing, a growing group . have captured a beach area about|of Congressmen launched a new 900 yards east of Gona and pushed |fight Saturday against Price Ad- on toward Sananda, it is disclosed | ministrator Leon Henderson. this afternoon. | Their announced aim is to force ‘The Australian attack was launch- his removal from the Federal serv- | ed after well coordinated all-day air ‘ ice through the medium of appro- ' attacks over the Buna-Gona area. !priations. Some of the beleaguered Jap posi- | The futility of carrying on the tions are believed tto be cut off 'fight against rationing is conceded and this pocket at Gona is holding |y the group. Rep. Lyle H. Boren, | While declaring the war will not last much longer, Churchill said the war in Europe will come to an end before the war in Asia and in that |event “we should come to the aid of the United States and our peo- ple in Australia and New Zealand |in the struggle against Japan.” | - e, — RED DRIVE | | WASHINGTON, Nov. 30. — The | first wounded American soldiers to ! [l return from North Africa arrived | at the Walter Reid Hospital here | Saturday, the War Department an- nounced late Saturday. | Most of the men were walking and in good spirits. | The names of the eight officers | and lo’llc:llmt:g nt\:ln :;_hol rct:rncd} Russians wreS| AflO'hET were nof mmedial y disclosed. . —e—— Don River Stronghold from Nazis MOSCOW, Nov. 30—Soviet shock troops today wrested another Don River stronghold from the frantic German invaders wnder clearing skies on the Stalingrad front and In Gelfing several hundred Nippons. AMERICAN LEGION TONIGHT WILL HAVE CHILI CON CARNE The American Legion meeting to be held tonight at 7:30 o'clock in the Dugout will feature E. L. Kei- on o ot e urious ana mier- SEASON STILL OP! esting finds now on view in the Territorial Museum. At 9:30 sharp, land pictures will be shown by Capt. L. C. McMillin, Fisheries Agent. A chili con carne feed will round [Only hunting row available will be | out the evening for the Legion- naires. 3 P HERE FROM GUSTAVUS Leslie F. Parker, well known resi- dent of Gustavus, is in Juneau and is staying at the Bargnof Hotel, of Oklahoma, said that any legisla- Aid, Africa Nine More Supply Ships| Sent Down by British | in Mediterranean LONDON, Nov. 30.—British sub- marines have sunk nine more Axis are pressing westward through a blizzard in a parallel offensive west of Moscow. The Russians declared that the Germans are dying at the rate of 10,000 daily as the Red Army di- visions push across the snow, utiliz- ing tactics perfected in the 1941- 42 winter drive. Clouds vanished today and cold prevailed in the Stalingrad area The wind-driven snow cut down RAIDED ON ' TWO NIGHTS Halian Arsenal Cify Is Left| Seething as Though Struck by 1ava FIRES ARE STILL RAGING 24 HOURS AFTER ATTACK One Broadtist Claims Over Half of Popfllation of City Fleeing (By Associated Press) Home-based British - bombers at- tacked Turin last night for the sec- ond night in succession and found fires started 24 hours earlier still raging in the arsenal city. The British Air Ministry said the Sunday night attack was made des- pite bad weather. The raiding force is reported small i comparison to the strong forma- | tion that previously made the 1,500- mile round trip swing across the Alps and cut the foundations of Mussolini’s war economy. “Other bombers attacked railway Pommunications in - Belglum,” the | Air Ministry also announced. “Damage Not Heavy” The Italian Command acknow- ledged in a communique that was| broadcast from Rome that Turin was the target of a British air raid | but said the “damage was not| heavy.” Another radio broadcast from the Italian frontier reported that 300,000 of Turin's 626,000 pop- ulation had fled the city under re- peated air attacks. The British Air Ministry said that 100,000 incendaries, in addition to 8,000 “block busters,” were dropped on Turin Saturday night and ac- cording to a Canadian pilot who! took part in the raid, “Turin was| left seething as though bubbling with lava from a volcano.” e e—— JAPS SINK OURSHIPS ON PAPER Give Out Andiher Version BULLETIN — BOSTON, 30.—The death toll in the Coco: nut Grove Night Club holocaust | reached 479 this afternoon, ac- cording to an official announce- ment, nearly half of those in the merrymaking place at the time. It is also announced that Ellen McCormack, niece of House Majority Leader John W. Mc- Cormack, is a victim of the fire and her name has been removed from those “missing.” V. BOSTON, Mass., Nov. 30.—Early Sunday morning the police esti- mated that over 400 were dead lafter a fire, at first believed to have started in the ‘basement Kkit- chen, swept Cocoanut Grove, night club, which was jammed by more than 1,000 merrymakers. The ori- gin of the fire was later attributed as being started by a boy in the Melody Room. All the bodies were believed to have been removed three hours after the alarm had been sounded |and the flames extinguished. Injured Jam Hospitals All available hospitals in the Bos- ton Bay area were jammed with the injured, estimated at upwards of 300. Soldiers, sailors and coast guards- men rushed to aid the police and club building. All possible vehicles were quickly converted into ambulances, taking he injured to hospitals. Most of the dead are believed to have died from smoke suffoca- tion or in jumping off the roof, some with their clothes afire. The majority of bodies recovered were Irightfully burned. Prominent Victims Grace McDermott, entertainer at {the club and known on the stage -Eilfih &);ns Over Mine, Houses Twisted, Scores Of Families Evacuated NEW VICTORY of Third Battle in Solomons | NEW YORK, Nov. 30.—The Japs have changed their story of the third battle of the Solomons, adding | only to the confusion of this mid- | November sea battle into which the | enemy apparently threw all of their sea strength available in an attempt to reinforce their forces on Guad- alcanal. The Japs suffered a loss of 28 ships sunk, including the battleship which Japan admitted was lost, in the greatest naval battle since the !tion to stop it would draw certain supply ships and damaged three | veto and thus waste time. lothers attempting to -cross the | But Boren and others who have|pfediterranean from Italy to rein-| |joined him in the fight rallied ! force and provision Germans and| {around with a new bam(;x cry which | 1a)ians in Tripolitania and Tuni- | | sounded Friday in the House. 'sia, the Admiralty announced late | The cry, coined by the belligerents \ A & Saturday night. {Oklahoman, is “Trilllons for De-| ™, “yia)ian destroyer, of the fense, but 15 cents for Leon Hender- | e, the Pribilof Is-| 3 | 855~ ri 5 3 |son—15 cents too much. 855-ton Orine class, was déma,ed and got away in the submarine at- tack, as attention was paid to the| EN, PTARMIGAN, GROUSE With the closing yesterday of (the season on ducks and geese, the for grouse and ptarmigan, the sea- son_on the latter remaining open until January 31, 1943. Limit on grouse and ptarmigan is 10 in the aggregate, the Alaska |Game Commission announces. e BUY DEFENSE BONDS |large troop and supply ships, the! British Admiralty announced. .- TIRE CERTIFICATES | ISSUED LAST WEEK Certificates for tires and tubes were issued to the following dur- ing the last week in November: William V. Graves, 2 tires; Earl Wendling, 2 tires; Yellow Cab Co., 1 tire; Royal Blue Cab Co, 1 tire. visibility, however. Moscow observers claim that the present joint operations are the greatest in the 17 months the Rus- sians have been at war - WORK STOPPED ON BIG PLANT FOR MUNITIONS WASHINGTON, Nov. 30. — The War Production Board has ordered immediate stoppage of all work on ithe $35,000000 expansion of the, giant Midwest munitions plant in line with its policy of curtailing the use of materials on construction projects. . Work was started in August and the WPB estimates the value of the construction already done is about ,31,000,000' Jutland. As broadcast from the Berlin radio, the latest paper broadside (from Tokyo sank one United States | battleship and three cruisers not | previously reported, and said that another battleship was so crippled | that her loss was a certainty. | The new announcement gave back | 'DRIVE UNDER WAYIN U. S. Biggest W; Financing Campaign in History Opens Today WASHINGTON, Nov. 30. With the theme song changed from de- fense to victory, Uncle Sam opens fire on the home front today in the biggest war financing campaign in the history of the world to rheet the steadily increasing costs of the war. The Treasury Department will borrew $9,000,000,000 a month, get- ting a large portion of it with the issuance of three new type Treasury securities which Secretary Henry | Hundreds Die in Early Sunday Fire When Big | Boston Nighl ClubBurns firemen in pulling bodies from lh(',: |to the United States a destroyer Morgenthau termed as ‘“adaptable | !under the name of Vaughn; Kath- | erine Woods, daughter .of a pro- minent Boston manufacturer and Mary Ellen McCormack, niece of Representative John W. McCor- mack, House majority leader, are missing The death list grew slowly, name by name, as grim-visaged fire of- ficials offened an inquest. Inquest Started The inquest is attended by rep- resentatives of the United States |Army and Navy and many service men are among the dead, and by two representatives of the FBI District Fire Chief Mahoney said he found bodies tangled and in piles of four or five deep, most| frightfully burned. | Clawing Panic i There is definite evidence the |crowd was thrown into a fight- ing, clawing panic. Chairs and | tables were scattered and tipped among the bodies. A youngster, who is reported to have started the fire in the Melody Room of the Cocoanut Club, a new | addition opened recently, has been identified as Stanley F. Tomaszew- | ski. \ | APPALLING HOLOCAST; “FLASH FIRE” STARTER BOSTON, Nov. 30.—The terrific “flash fire” that caused more than | 400 casualties among the 1,000 suddenly panic-stricken merry- makers in Boston's Cocoanut Grove in the Nation’s worst night club holocast was traced last night to| a tiny match flame in the hands| of a 16-year-old bus boy while Deputy Police Superintendent |James R. Claffin quoted the | | youngster as saying he accidentally | V(Cbnnnued on Page Three) PITTSON, Pa., Nov. 30. — The earth split open, houses crackefl, | pavements buckled and scores of families quickly evacuated from a disastrous mine subsidence here, the worst in the eastern Pennsylvania hard coal fields in several years. The subsidence was gradual, a settling of the surface of the earth over a mine that spread ruin through the residential section cov- ering half a square mile. Yawning cracks appeared in the streets and lawns, the largest five feet wide and 150 feet long and so deep the bottom was not visible. Two hundreds homes were twisted, cracked or sprung from theiir foun- dations. Sidewalks were torn up, gas and water mains snapped in several places. e i ALBERT WILE 1§ OPERATED UPON; C(ONDITION GOOD Postmaster Albert Wile under- went a major operation in St. Ann’s today and hi§ condition Hospital previously announced as sunk, per- |haps to add a touch of credibility on the home front. {YOUTH 'N HOSPITAL - WITH FRACTURED LEG | One Juneau youth is in the hos- pital with a fractured leg as the vesult of a sliding accident. Author- |ities give a warning that children sliding on the' two streets set aside should be careful and especially should keep a clear track. for every type of investor.” President Roosevelt started the drive by purchasing the first $1,000 | bond, and called today on Americans | to support the campaign, saying, “it | is one of our jobs here at home to provide untold billions of dollars needed to help in this war.” | e — | AMERICAN LEGION AUXILIARY MEETIN | Iis reported as excellent. { eI | REP. HARVEY J. SMITH HERE ON WAY SOUTH Harvey J. Smith, who was re-| |elected to the House of Represen- G | tatives of the Territorial Legisla- | P |ture from the Third Division this| The American Legion Auxiliary |Y&a%: passed through Juneau Sat- will hold a business meeting tomor- |urday on his way to California row night at 8 o'clock in the Dugout Mr. Smith will remain south un DRIVEWEDGE SEPARATING AXIS BASES Brilish-Améfi;n Air Pow- « er Keeps Up Africa Attacks OUR FORCES AIMING TOWARD NORTH COAST Enemy Strongholds Now Are Isolated by Lat- est Campaign LONDON, Nov. 30—British and American forces, supported by a rising tide of aerial blows at the enemy on both sides of the boiling Mediterranean battle area, stormed forward today to within 12 miles of Tunis. The slashing drive all but iso- lated that city and left Bizerte as the main Axis-held strong point in Tunisia, and Bizerte is another goal of the Allied advance. A communique said that fighting is progressing east of Djedeida, less than 12 miles north of Tunis on the Tunis-Bizerte railroad. , This indicated that the Allies are driving a wedge straight toward the coast to separate the Axis strongholds. At the same time, however, Bi- zerte was & target of an attack by Allied planes which scored direct hits on the naval base. Allied fighter pilots also were credited today with the destruction of four more enemy planes in op- :rations over the forward areas. S e JAP CAMPS DESTROYED, SOLOMONS WASHINGTON, Nov. 30.--Amer- ican ground patrols on Guadal- canal still are raiding Jap camps and have destroyed a considerable amount of enemy arms and ammu-' nition in a recent raid, the Navy reported today. At the same time, Army bombers, anging north of the island, dam- aged a Jap cargo ship and shot down three Jap Zero fighters. The Navy said that both the land iction and the aerial attack were carried out Saturday. ‘The land patrols scored their suc- cesses in the upper Lunga River region on the island. The Lunga uns through American-held terri- ory around the airfield at the rorthern edge of the island, so the iamage apparently was inflicted n the enemy south of the Ameri- an flank in the Guadalcanal hill sountry. The enemy cargo ship was hit )y five bombs dropped from our huge Flying Fortresses which at- tacked a convoy, part of which :onsisted of two cargo vessels and three destroyers. Ten Jap Zero fighters tried to protect the convoy from attack, ind in destroying three of them, the Navy said, the American bomb- rs “received no serious damage.” D Armistice Gang 0f Germans Are ‘U. S. War I{risoneu WITH THE U. S§. ARMY IN FEDHALA, French Morocco, Nov. 24.—(Delayed) — German members of an Axis Armistice Commission have been captured by the United States Army in Morocco and are now en their way to the United States as and all members are requested to til January when he will, return tc attend. Juneau to attend the session here. prisoners of war. —