The Daily Alaska empire Newspaper, February 17, 1943, Page 1

VOL. LX., NO. 9269. HE DAILY ALASKA EMPIRE “ALL THE NEWS ALL THE TIME” JUNEAU, ALASKA, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 1943 B MEMBER ASSOCIATED PRESS PRICE TEN CENTY — | AMERICANS ARE DRIVEN BACK INAFRICA Red Army Captures Great Nazi-Held B KHARKOV IS NOW TAKEN BY SOVIETS| Largest FortiTied Base inl Southern Russia s Stormed, Seized MOSCOW, Feb. 17. — Red Army | troops poured into Kharkov today | after a vicious assault which wrest- ed the skyscraper city of the| Ukraine from the Germans, taking | away from the enemy the greatest fortified base in Southern Russia. | ‘The Kharkov bastion was more | valuable to the Nazis than any other city that has been captured The capture of Kharkov is the greatest victory for the Russians | : since the triumph at Stalingrad. | The invaders had held the city | since December 24, 1941. Founded in 1650, the city's re- capture was a moral as well as| military victory for the Russians. It was an outpost of Moscow in the great struggle with the Tar- tars, standing off all onslaughts of | the barbarian race. In the civil| war of 1917-20, Kharkov was suc- | cessively occupied by the German! troops, the Ukrainian Nationalists, the Red Army, and. was finally | captured by the Red Army in 1920 | and declared the capital of Lhel Ukrainian 8.8 R. | Bix rallways radiate from the | city. The Washmgion Merry-Go-Round By DREW PEARSON Major Robert S. Allen on active duty.) WASHINGTON.—The shipowners’ lobby to increase war profits fired its first shot behind closed doors the other day in the Senate Com- merce Committee. It resulted in a duel between Senator Bennett Clark | of Missouri, outspoken foe of the shipping lobby, and Senator George | Radclifte of Maryland, who ran interference for the shipowners. Radcliffe announced that he was | planning to offer a bill to nullify | Section 902, the so-called “enhance- ! ment clause” of the Maritime Act | of 1936. This provides that when ships are seized by the government, shipowners shall be paid pre-war | prices, not prices enhanced by the emergency. Comptroller General Lindsay’ Warren since has ruled that all ship prices must be governed by | the market value of ships on Sep- | tember 8, 1939—the date of an| emergency proclamation 'by the| President. Biit the shipping lobby is demanding that the “enhance-‘ ment clause” be amended to make it ‘possible for them to receive the | 1943 “going market” price, not the 1939, price, for ships seized by the government or sunk. | Benator Radcliffe didn’t go this far, but he favored legislation per- | mitting shipowners to sue the gov- ernment, in the Court of Claims for | the difference between the Sep- tember 8, 1939, price and the 1943 estimated price. CLARK SHOOTS AT PROFITS However, the Marylander’s efforts to' sell the committee on the “compromise” ran into a rough stiff-arm from Clark of Missouri. “Your proposal, if enacted, would open the door to the collection of millions of dollars of unearned | profits from the government,” Clark told Radcliffe. “A great | number of the ships were built! before the emergency, when labor and material costs were low, yet you would make it possible for the owners to collect the full 1943 mar- ket value for them. “Purthermore, your propesal! would mean that the government ! would, in effect, be buying back what the taxpayers’ money helped [ (Continued on Page Four) Russians Sweep Ahead MAIKOP& : ' MOZDOK German-held railroads carrying vital supplies to hard-pressed Nazi armies in Russia have been cut in several places, Soviet authorities announced. These rail lines have been made useless for German trans- portation: Moscow-Crimea, cut above Kursk cut at Krasny Liman (2); Rostov-Tikhoretsk, cut below Rostov (3); and Tikhoretsk-Sea of Azov, cut near Krasnodar (4). | is possible German route of evacuation of the Caucasus. ‘ map was received, Rostov has been take nby the Red Army, and now | | Kharkov. RAF RAIDERS “ AGAIN STRIKE! U-BOAT BASE Ions of Bombs Dropped During Atfack on Lor- ient, French Coast LONDON, Fcb 1'1 RAF bombers | returned to the German submarine |base at Lorient last night for an- ‘o(hvr concentrated attack im which ‘onl_\ two bombers were lost, the‘ | British Air Ministry announces. | The bombers unloaded more tons of bombs on the much bumercd: | base than previously. -~ | The night attack followed the one of last Saturday night when the dock area was blasted and build- | ings set afire. | Lorient is the most impartant submarine base on France's Atlan- tic coast. The heavily fortitfied pens, containing at least 30 boats, have already been the target for more than 60 aen.\l attacks. FORTY JAP \ RUSSIA 200 STATUTE MILES ! STALINGRAD MHORETSK sNogAl (1); Kharkov-Rostov, Broken arrow Since this Yank Bombers German U- InBroad Daylight Raid The Suit, Boys! Terr-r-r-iffi-ic! You said it, keed. The gal is Manjorie Woodworth, actress. The suit, latest in beach wear shown at a Los Angelcs fashion display, is of jersey print Wwith matching cape and slippers. At the beginning of 1941 there were 44,333 locomotives in the Unit- ed States, of which 42410 were op- erated Pv steam, 967 by oil, 900 by lelectricfty and 56 by gasolne. {Sky Fight Takes Place in Pound | | Southwest Pacific-Lae, Boal Base | Salamaua Raided ALLIED HEADQUARTERS IN AUSTRALIA, Feb. 17—Lae and Sal- ameaua, Jap-held bases on New |Guinea on the Huon Gudf, have AMERICAN BOMBER STA- | taken a new aerial pasting from the TION IN ENGLAND, Feb. 17—Am- Allies without the slightest bit of | erican Flying Fortresses and Liber- cpposition from Jap fighters. |ators pounded the German U-Boat|{ Four planes, Allied medium bomb- |base at St. Nazaire in broad day- ers, were able to drop their bombs light in the face of heavy ground at low altitude in the absence of and aerial defenses which brought Jap aircraft, sharp contrasts m down six 4-motored bombers. |the aerial action in January, This was the second European'miles to the southwest where more assault in two days for the Yanks than 40 Jap planes were shot down jand the “third Allied attack within cr damaged in one of the biggest four days against St. Nazaire. (St. tky fights of the Southwest Pacific Nazaire is a Frenc¢h port, 75 miles| Minor skirmishing continued in southeast of Lorient, where the the Wad and Dobo area. A com- Loire River empties into the Bayjmunique issued by Gen. Douglas First Bombmg of Year on’ jof Biscay.) {MacArthur reported the killing of daredevil German flying circus and| At the same time, a strong air ia thick curtain of anti-aircraft fire, 'raid was carried out on Portuguese the American bombers are report- | Timor jed as dropping their explosives deud‘which did not lose a plane Planes returning from St. Nazatre bore an assortment of holes noses; wings, fuselages, and pro-\ fighting. Individual casualties were light, however. \ I l E German bullets set fire to the, wing of one Flying Fortress. As the flames spread quickly, the crew‘ IS BOMBE safety. All crew members had ex-| citing and thrilling stories of Lhelr | experiences. | { chs. | WASHINGTON, Feb. 17 — Two v !the Shortland area of the Solomons is reporl.ed‘ inh commuique this af- | ternoon. Two American planes failed to South Coast Reporied WASHINGTON, Feb. 17 Secre- tary of Treasury Henry Morgen- — |Reserve Board officials on plans LONDON, Feb. 17 — German!for a $13,000,000,000 victory loan planes last night raided the coast'drive for April, of south Wales for the first time| e and also causing some casualties BARNEY LIND IN TOWN including a number of persons | Barney Lind, well known m Ju- killed. |neau's printing busix in Three enemy planes were shot town from Ketchikan where he is Although they bumped into a 17 Japs. on the target. pellers as a result of the henvy parachuted one after the other Lo‘ |rombing raids on Jap positions in wAlES HIT ‘Ic"urh ~Some Casualties [thau today conferred with Federal this year, inflicting some damage! down. connected with the OPA there. | PLANES ARE SHOTDOWN Showdown Is Reached | In Fight Between WPB And Armed Servitesf by two waves of bombers | |seph S astion As F. D. R. Dined With Liberian President | l N PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT is at a U. S. air field located near public is seated next to Mr. Roosevelt. Whlt.e House resident, seen left, arrow. U. LABOR DEPT. FUNDS HELD UP IN HOUSE Ways and Means Commit- feemen Change Votes on Floor A rcbellion of four members of the Wa and Means Committee was seen in the House this morn- as a motion by Rep. Jesse Lan- to pigeon-hole the appropria- tion bill for the flat-broke Depart- ment of Labor until March 1 was carried by a 9-7 vote According to Chairman Leo Rogge of the Ways and Means Committee, the bill calling for a $47,650 appropriation in advance |of other departmental ticns was Department of Labor has no funds with which to operate. It is now drawing on small emergency fund. der a House Rebukes Self The House rebuked itself in tucking the bill away until March 1 First the Representatives adopt- 'ed an amendment raising the Com- missioner of Labor’s salary to $5,- | 000 per year to conform with sal- aries paid other department: heads. amendment offered by Rep. Jo- W. Kehoe to kill the emer- sency clause. Then, the House, etfect, cancelled the effectiveness of the emergency clause by adopt- ing Lander’s motion to hold the bill in second reading until March Although the bill was sponored by the Ways and Means Commit- ce with all members apparently backing it in committee, Represen- tatives William Egan, Frank Wha- 'y, Crystal Snow Jenne and John J. O'Shea broke away on the floor by voting to pigeon-hole the mea- ure. The Representatives apparently Lb;nl.;n\;led on Page Two) appropria- | introduced because the ' Then the House voted down [ !ind Means Committee in| shown dining with President Edwin Barclay of Liberia in the mess ns,ll Monrovia, Liberia’s capital city. The Negro chief of the African Re- Among others at the table are Harry Hopkins, close friend 8. Navy phow from Office of War Information. ~ INELSON MAY "RESIGN HIS ~ WPB OFFICE ‘Friends and i’[)és Give Him . Suggestions-IlI Health | WASHINGTON, Feb. 17—Donald M. Nelson, Chairman of the War Production Board, has asked Ferd- inand Eberstadt, Program Vice- Chairman of the War Production Board, for his resignation, and im- | Is Reported mediately named Charles Wilson,| Exeutive Vice-Chairman to be| WASHINGTON, Feb. 17,—Donald “in charge of all the WM Pro- M. Nelson, Chairman of the War duction Board's programs.” PlOduLllOn Board, today pondered Neiton said he made the change | suggestions of both friends and to “end jurisdictional questions foes, that he follow retirement of which if paqrmitted to continue, |Ferdinand Eberstadt, Program would only hamper the war ef-|vVice Chairman of the WPB, whom fort.” he has dismissed. The action after| Nelson told friends today he ex- informed sources reported a newlpeets to take a week or two on howdown was near in the long yacation and rest and to think end continued struggle between the ahout the possibility of retiring. He War Production Board and the pag also given complete freedom Armed Services over pmdu('tiun“u Charles Wilson and his new Ex- Joraed, {ecutive Vice Chairman who has Eberstadt, it is reported, has been (owen over all WPB activities. :upported By high Army and Nevy Among Nelson’s friends, the ma- oFe n e 2! i rity seem to have the opinion N !that he should not resign although |some of them have asked him to quit because of ill health. Specia! War | A |he would favor his successor to be | Wilson, a self-made man who rose ur ax rge {to head the General Electric. B R I'Ven to have asked the White House Opponents of Nelson are report- for Nelson's scalp and they said WASHINGTON. F‘th 17 | they favor Ber d Baruch, who lhvld a similar post in the First dent Roosevelt today urged eress to leyy a special war surtax ‘Wnlh] ‘War. payment of the regular income tax- es limits a gingle person to $25000 a year and married couples to $50,- 000. If such taxes ave levied, the President wrote the House Ways LONDON, Feb. 17 -Ht'm’y destruc- tion of Axis shipping is announced by the British. Admiralty which I will in claims that Allied submarines have mediately rescind” the Executi Order by which he has limited sunk six and perhaps seven ships and damaged at least seven more ime ries to 825,000 after taxes The- proposed surtax will apply to recently. LB b L LN came * shortly Presi- > Con- | income from any source including the present tax exempt securities The President expressed himself fter the Ways and Means - mittee voted 15 to 10 to repeal his alary limitation order. - DR. GEORGE HAYS RETURNS TO JUNEAU FROM SOUTH Dr. George Hays, Liaison Officer for the Territorial Department of Health, Alaska Defense Command and Northwest Service Command, returned to Juneau this week from e an extensive trip to the States. o While . ivum officials at Washington, D. C. ® ® 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 WEATHER REPORT (U. 8. Bureau) Temp. Tuesday, Feb. 16. Maximum 48, minimum 36 Precipitation .77. Snow depth 1 in. ® 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 on, however, | he was away he conferred . 5. FORCES IN RETREAT, ONE SECTOR large Germwéhi Tank Units Punch Through Lines -Make Gains BULLETIN — ALLIED HEADQUARTERS IN NORTH AFRICA, Feb. 17—~The United States Twelfth Air Force an- nounced tonight it has evacuat- ed three of its airfields, one at Sbeitla and two others at Thelpte, near Feriana, close to the Tunisian-African border. ALLIED HEADQUARTERS IN NORTH AFRICA, Feb. 17—Marsh- al Erwin Rommel's veteran tank forces have smashed through to the outskirts of Sbeitla, 256 miles north- west of Sidi Bougld, and advanced toward Feriana in a renewal of his powerful offensive in southern Tu- nisia. It is also announced that the American counter-attack, which shoved Rommel’s armored units back six miles on Monday, faded yesterday under heavy losses of both men and armored vehicles, col X 3 The n Twenty-First and Tenth armored divisions, using a |number of Germany's new mark “sixth tanks" as well as old mod- els salvaged from Libya, punched through the American lines to gain nearly 18 miles. Furious fighting raged idawn to dusk yesterday. ON AXIS LEFT FRONT CAIRO, Feb. 17 — The British Eighth Army, is reported today as strongly pushing through the Ger- man and Italian right flank in the Mareth line. The communique also says Gen. Montgomery’s forces are now on the Axis left flank and heading toward Medinine in the Mareth line, 65 miles inside the Tunisian frontier. Other forces are now a “good 20 miles” west of Ben Gardane, 25 miles inside the Tunisian border. French radio broadcasts picked up in Cairo, said the American forces to the south of the Sidi Fpuzid sector, continued to re- treat from the Gafsa area, with- drawing in the direction of Tozeur on the northbank of the Chott Djerid. MANY YANKS ARE KILLED I§ - NAZI CLAIM | i | LONDON, Feb. 17—Reuters, late yesterday, sald the German radio |announces that the Axis offensive |'n southern Tunisia had “tempor- (arily ended.” i | The Berlin report said the troops {were éngaged In mopping up the |extensive battlefield between Faid 'nd Ga ‘The broadcast said “set- ‘wm ks suffered by the Second Am- n Tank Corps, according to mdv)v,n direct from the front, were far heavier than assumed.” ; The German report said the to- ‘al of American losses, included killed, wounded and captured “must be at Jeast 8000 or 10000" and claimed that it was known that 3000 Americans were killed in the engagement and 731 prisoners counted. from DIMOUT TIMES Dimout begine tonight at sunset at 5:58 o'clock. Dimout ends tomorrow at sunrise at 8:25 am. ® Dimout begins Thursday at © sunset at 6:01 pm |®o o000 0000000 . . . Bl . L] °