The Daily Alaska empire Newspaper, April 6, 1943, Page 1

THE DAILY ALASKA EMPIRE “ALL THE NEWS ALL THE TIME” VOL. LX., NO. 9310. — — ] 'MEMBER ASSOCIAT[-D PRESS PRICE TEN CENTS JUNEAU, ALASKA, TUESDAY, APRIL 6, 1943 — — e 31 ENEMY PLANE Hint U.S. Now Extending Bases In Aleutians Nine Decorafed KNOX WON'T CONFIRM ANY SUCH REPORT Says "Thet—We Are Not Telling Anybody " as an Answer WASHINGTON, April 6.—Secre- tary of the Navy Frank Knox said today that the Japs on Kiska are being hammered “pretty regular- ly” but whether they were in bad shape on the Aleutian island was something he didn't know. In a press conference, one re- porter suggested that the much heavier bombing offensive against Kiska seemed to indicate our posi- | tions in the Andreanof Islands were being extended or advanced toward Kiska. Asked if this was true, Knox replied that “we aren’t telling any- | body.” Asked whether the Navy is hold- ing back good news about the war in the Pacific, Knox said that was “somebody’s pipe dream.” Questioned specifically about de- velopments in the North Pacific, the Secretary of the Navy said the situation is “about status quo.” Turning to the Atlantic, Knox said Allied ship losses were consid- erably worse in March than in February due to intensified opera- tions by German submarines. Feb- ruary was one of the best months of the war. Knox's comment was not regard- ed as indicating a new peak in sinkings but simply that the bat- tle in the Atlantic has taken a turn for the worse. REPORT ON SHIPWRECKS OFF ALASKA Navy FinaTIy_ReIeases News of Accident in December (By Associated Press) Three merchant ships have run aground off the North Pacific coast, the Navy disclosed today, but cas- ualties were few because of coura- geous rescue operations. From Washington, the Navy an- nounced that two small Russian merchant vessels were run aground in the North Pacific. The announce- ment said heavy seas made rescue operations difficult, and added, re- ports indicated there “may have been some casualties.” In Seattle, survivors of one Rus- sian ship said it was wrecked in a 60-mile gale last Thursday night with one woman 'crew member drowned when she was swept from the ship in a heavy sea. The other ship mentioned in the Navy announcement was not fur- ther identified. The third ship involved was wrecked last December and had been on the rocks for 38 days when the salvage ship arrived. Survivors at Seattle disclosed that under the direction of Capt. W. J Maloney, veteran Seattle ship and salvage expert, a breeches buoy was ribbed in a terrific storm and all crewmen except the captain were rescued from the freighter. The third mate of the salvage ship also lost his life. The nation- ality of the third ship was not dis- closed. - e — CHUNGKING, April 6—The fa- mine in Honan Province has .be- come the greatest natural disaster of the Chinese since the start of the Japanese war six years ago, the Government states. It is estimated that 5,000,000 Chi- nese are affected, U.S. PLANES BOMB JAP'S AMERICAN FOOTHOLDS' {SHIPPING OFF sl FRENCH COAST OPACHARGES PACKERS IN | INDICTMENT | Seven Companies, Eleven Persons Face Black Market Raps NEWARK, New Jersey April 6.— New Jersey headquarters of the {OPA announced that seven corpor- jations and 11 individuals have been indicted on charges of conspiracy to violate on a nation-wide scale regulations governing meat prices and quotas. The Government, in an indict- ment returned by a Federal grand jury, charges the defendants are responsible in bringing into New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania ! and Connecticut more than 10,000,- | 000 pounds of “black market beef | and veal” between December 16 and | January 31. The defendants are the Enkay Packing Company and Nathan, Krupnick and George Moran of Patterson, N. J.; the Superb Pack- | ing Co., the State Packing Co., and Peter Golas, Morris Freund of| Chicago; Sam and Albert Olson and Jackob Schmidt of the U. S.| Packing Co. of Kansas City; the| Dressed Beef Co. and Leo Waxen-| burg Samuel Jacobs and Jacob Cohn; the Nebraska Beef Co., and the Herbert Liebmen Packing Co. of Green Bay Wisconsin. The OPA described the indict- ments as the “biggest hammer blow‘ we have dealt yet at the black | markets,” in the words of Admin-| istrator Prentiss Brown. | | i 10 ENEMY | BASES ARE BOMBARDED Allied Planes Make New Atfacks on Concentra- tions in Solomons ALLIED HEADQUARTERS IN AUSTRALIA," April 6. — Allied planes carried new assaults on Jap concentrations in the southwest | Pacific yesterday with blows at 10 enemy bases. The attacks included a | three-hour raid on Buka Island ; |at the northern tip of the Solomons while bombers continued blasting many bases daily as possible. ‘The High Command announces reconnaissance revealed the Japs still had shipping, including war- ships at Kavieng, New Ireland, de- spite terrific blows there last week which cost heavily in warships and merchantmen. ‘The Allied planes spotted a 4,000 Jap merchantman off Dutch New Guinea and pounded it until it went down. - The passenger pigeon, great auk, heath hen, paroquet and Labrador duck have .been exterminated in America, | STRETCHING THROUGH THE WATERS of the northern Pacific, the fog-ridden chain of the Aleutians repre- sents to the Japs a back door to American continental penetration. Jap occupation of the desolate islands at the outermost reaches of the chain is being blasted by Army airmen whenever dismal weather condi= tions permit. In a recent operation, Yank. unleuhed 47 tons of bombs on Kiska. (International) | superiority over Burma, |to raid and bomb Jap supply lines |the bases from which the opera- Nurse Receives Air Medal | | Second Lt. Elsie S. Ott of St. James, Long Island, N. Y., 29-year-old air evacuation nurse, received the Air Medal from Brig. Gen. Fred S. Bordm at Louisville, Ky., for services rendered in the evacuation of five patients from India to the United States by plane. It was the first Air Medal to be awarded a woman. War Is Playing Havoc WithHighway Syslems; Revenues Are Reduced JAPBASESIN BURMAWAR Oil Refinery Near Rangoon | Blasted by Amer- ot s j Rationing, says Mr. Bailey, has| |(an P|I0ts |cut 40 per cent or approximately| 3 1 | 15,000,000 off highway revenues NEW DELHI, India, April 6.— | This decline includes taxes on fuel and taxes on cars (both licenses| The British and American Air : Forces, exhibiting inereased aerial 34’“" sales). continued | WASHINGTON, April 6, The war is absolutely playing havoc| ‘with the state highway system. So far as I know, one of the| | few state highway commissioners to reduce the national situation to ;‘ 48-state average is Ernest L. Bailey |of West Virginia. Mr. Bailey calls his “average \star,e the highway commission now | has about $3500,000 for new con- | struction, maintenance and admin- lstrauon, against a pre-war total of $16,000,000. In addition, there is no federal in this area today, particularly aid this year, which ‘'means the/ along the railway from Rangoon 49th state will lose $3,000,000 more. on the southern coast to Mandalay.| War or no war, he says, the $7,000.- The RAF raided the railroad sta- | 000 service on debts (payment of; tion at Rangoon, dropping thou- interest and retirement of bonds) sand-ton bombs and lighter ex-'will have to be paid. So also will plosives, leaving fires blazing that the average $4,300,000 taken out of were visible 60 miles away. highway funds every year for non- This raid came 24 hours after highway purposes. Incidental and Liberators manned by U. S. pilots fixed charges bring this outgo up, blasted the Thilawa Oil Refining to something like $18,000,000. That Works just south of Rangoon. accounts (with rationing revenue Neither of the Allies announced losses) for $33,000,000. Pre-war revenues for this av- tions began, but the raids probably erage state from all .sources were involved round trip flights of a $38.000,000. That leaves $5,000,000 thousand miles or more. for construction, maintenance, etc.,| A communique from U. S, head- that formerly absorbed more than quarters said photographs of the three times that much. But the raid showed -heavy destruction on pre-war highway dollar (because the oil refinery below Rangoon, Of rising costs) is worth now only with the powerhouse, distillation about 75 cents. That reduces $5.000,- building and oil tanks hit. 000 on a pre-war basis to $3,500,000. - >-eo— That certainly is an eyeful of figures and, there's nothing duller, In Revolutionary times Ameri- put it's proof positive that if Mr. can Marines were called “gentle- men sailors,” “(Continued on Page Five) ! their | the 49th state. In this iypothetical ' UNDERATTACK RAFand RoYaI Navy Planes Swoop Over Craft Dur- ing nghl Raid LONDON, A])rfl 6-—RAF fighters ind Royal Navy planes attacked snemy ‘shipping off the French cast last night, damaging three arge merchant vessels and two mall escorting craft, the Air Min- istry announced this afternoon, but Germany and occupied Europe ap- parently were given a respite after 72 hours of terrific pounding by Allied airmen. One N plane last night swooped low and bombed one me- dium and two small ships about 10 miles north of Dieppe and hit targets, one of the bombs setting the leading craft afire. RAF fighter planes returned over Be channel in the direction of france early today, indicating néw attacks on the German occupied continent U. S. Army Headquarters an- nounced today that photographs showed Fortresses and Liberators made many direct hits on the Erla piane engine works during the raid on Antwerp yesterday resulting in fires ‘that burned out the main buildings and also Gervaert Pro- ducts plant in the northwest su- burbs, D U.5. AIRMEN ARE RAIDERS | Nine officers and men of a submarine were assembled on the undersea craft’s wood, Jr., at Pearl Harbor, T. H. actual presentation. lingame, Vallejo, Cal R. K. R. Worthington, P! Seattle, Wash. . T D, Left !n right (front rew) Lt. Comdr, Keegan, Staten Island, N. Y.; Lt. .ldl-lplua, and Chief Radioman A. R. Stegall, (Rear row, men in whites) Ensign D. E. Finch, Everett, Wash.; Lt. J. P. Bienia, New Bedford, Mass.; Lt. K. G. deck for presentation of medals by Rear Admiral C. A. Lock- This was the scene just before the C. C. Bur- Nichols, San Diego, Calif., and Chief Motor Machinist’s Mate Theodore Duncan, San Francisco. Duncan and all in front row received Silver Star, others Navy and Marine Corps Medals. J. 8. Navy photo. IN DAYLIGHT War Labor Board Will Attack Antwerp, Score Di-f rect Hits on Airplane Repalr Works LONDON, April 6. — American | | fliers, participating in the raid yesterday on Antwerp, declared on return that the skies were clear over their target and they saw hits register squarely on the Erla airplane repairs works, two und one-half miles south of Ant-| werp, as well as the city itself. Anti-aircraft fire was nol Lou pad,” the raiders said. The Spitfire escort beat off Ger- qan fighter opposition. B NAPLES HiT BLOWS TWO TIMES, 1 DAY Harbor at Pamero Also Is Attacked by Combin- ed Air Forces CAIRO, April 6. — Liberator Bombers of the Ninth United States Air Force, striking from the Mid- dle East, struck Naples at dusk last Sunday in the wake of a 100-plane |assault earlier in the day by U. S. Flying Fortresses based in French |North Africa. Hits were observed on oil storage facilities. The Ninth Air Force Liberators also teamed with RAF aircraft at dusk yesterday on an attack on the harbor at Palmero, Sicily, and “hits were observed on the quays, followed by a large fire and at least one explosion.” All attacking aircraft safely to bases. returned Set Alaska Fishermen's Pay in Seattle Confab MONTGOMERY DEALSK. 0. IN 4TH ROUND PHILADELPHIA, April 6. — Bob | Montgomery. of Philadelphia, the {No. 1 lightweight, tuned up for |the Beau Jack fight next month |by knocking out Roman Alvarez of |New York after 27 seconds of the Fourth Round before 10,000 spec- |tators. Alvarez collapsed under a left hook followed by a right to the jaw and never stirred Montgomery weighed in at 137 pounds and Alvarez at 135 1/2. HOUSE OKEHS RAISES FOR GOVT. LABOR WASHINGTON, April 6. — The |House has passed by a vote of 234 to 107 legislation to extend until lJune 30, 1945, wartime overtime pay schedules for approximately 1,- 500,000 Federal employees, and to raise salaries from 10 to 15 percent for persons working on other than an hourly basis. The cost of the move is estimat- ed at $560,000,000 annually. The bill ||mw goes to the Senate for consid> eration, SEATTLE, April 6.—The 12-man Little War Labor Board for Wash- ington, Oregon and Alaska today was given the assignment National War Labor Board of set- ting the pay for 27900 hardy men who will brave the perils of the | North Pacific as far up as the Aleutians' submarine infested wat- ers to reap a $25,000,000 harvest |from the sea in Washington, Ore- |gon and Alaska, it was announced by Dr. George Bernard Noble, chairman. The regional War Labor Board, holding its third meeting since its formation as a tribunal to handle all labor disputes arising in the Pacific Northwest, will have be- fore it the naming of a five-man panel to rush immediate hearing on the pay of northwest fishermen and cannery workers, Dr. Noble said Approve Wages The hearings will be held in Se- ittle. The regional War Labor Board, Dr. Noble explained, must approve all wage increases sought by either employees or employers before they can go into effect un- der orders of congressional enact- ment and President Roosevelt’s di- vective on wage stabilization, almed at preventing ‘inflation Mgmbers of the regional War Labor Board who will meet Mon- duy at the WLB'S headquarters in Seattle are Dr. Noble, chairman, Dr. Clark Kerr, Seattle, vice-chair- man, John B. McCourt, Portland, the Rev. Franeis E. Corkery, Se- attle, Keith J. Middlaon and Eirzil Hailey, Seattle, Hal Dixon, Spo- kane, Harry L. Corbett, Portland, Leo Flynn and Capt. John Fox, Se- E. Benedict and Dell E. Portland. The five-man panel to be named by the regional War Labor Board will pass on the pay of 12,000 Alas- (Continued on Page Pive) by the| BIG JUNKERS GOCRASHING IN BATTLE American lightnings Spot Supply Aircraft and Bomb Them Down AXIS CONVOY ALSO SMASHED IN ATTACK One Deslrofi?Blown Up- Other Ships Hit and Set Afire ALLIED HEADQUARTERS IN NORTH AFRICA, April 6.—Thirty- one enemy planes, 18 of them big Junker transports, believed bearing gasoline supplies to Rommel's Tuni- sian Army, were sent crashing in- to the sea by American Lightnings vesterday during one of the great- est air fights in this theatre of the war and in the course of a battle | which began by an Allied attack on ‘a sea convoy in which an enemy destroyer was blown up and several other ships hit and set ablaze. A communique from Eisenhower’s Headquarters announced that while |land activities consisted of intense natrol operations, no major engage- ments are developing but the aihr war continues with a fiery pace and has resulled in the shooting down of 48 German and Italian planes, in air battles over land, the biggest bag the Allies have scored (C(}fifinu}d on Page A"’l’wn) i REDS START 'NEW ACTION SOUTHFRONT Growing Offensive Report- ed on Kuban Delfa, ‘ Caucasus Sector MOSCOw, Aprfl 6.—The Red Army's growing offensive on the Kuban delta, southern Russia, to- day continued new successes against the Germans who are fighting back stubbornly in an attempt to hold the bridgehead along the Black Sea coast, The North Caucasus midday com= munique said that the Russians have shelled large German defense | positions, while the Russians’ big Soviet guns were destroying more than 60 enemy firing poin An earlier dispatch said that the Red Army had fought its way “in- to a strip of territory strongly for< tified by the enemy.” Another reference regarding the major objective is that the Ger= mans now hold no more than 7,500 square miles of the Kuban and are daily losing more, shown by a So- viet map of the entire front pub- lished last week, which showed the Russian line beginning at Novors ossisk. ‘This, fi, ‘eurrent dispatches, show it is, pessible that the Red Army might already be giving the Nazis ut the Black Sea port added worrles. A German commuhique discounted the Russians’ attacks on the Kuban bridgehead, saying, “con- sequent losses'suffered the day be- fore during fighting activity are of local importance only, as reported on the remaining front sectors.” DIMOUT TIMES . . g L Dimout begins tonight ® at sunset at 7:49 o'clock. . Dimout ends tomorrow e at sunrise at 6:10 am. @ Dimout begins Wednesday at ® sunset at 7:52 p.m. . e 90000099