The Daily Alaska empire Newspaper, May 18, 1943, Page 1

THE DAILY ALASKA EMPIRE “ALL THE NEWS ALL THE TIME” VOL. LXI., NO. 9346. J \H\b. ALASKA, TUE l).‘\Y. MAY 18, 1943 MFMBFR A%OCIATI D _PRESS PRICE TEN CENT$ — YANKS FACE MACHINE GUN FIRE ON ATTU MANY PERISH WHEN MERCY | VESSEL SUNK Two Hundred and Eighty1 Persons Believed to Have Lost Lives ONLY ONE WOMAN | rpedo, Sink Australian Hospita Wrecked Waterfront af Tunis ¥ AMONG SURVIVORS: i Craft Travelmg at Night, Fully llluminated-Goes Down in 3 Minutes ALLIED HEADQUARTERS IN AUSTRALIA, May 18—Two hun- dred and eighty-eight Australian and English medical personnel, in- cluding eleven women nurses, per- ished when a Jap submarine tor- pedoed and sank the Australian hospital ship Centaur a few miles off the Queensland coast in the darkness of last Friday morning. Sixty-five of the ship’s comple- ment and 364 others aboard were rescued. The others are . missing and are believed to have perished Only one woman is a survivor and she was one of the dozen nurses aboard. There were no Americans on the ship. The Hospital \hlp was enroute to (Continued on Page Six) The Washmgion Merry - Go - Round By DREW PEARSON (Major Robert 8. Allen on active duty.) WASHINGTON U. 8. experts accompanying the President on his historic trip to Mexico found a new type of problem confronting the two nations—far different from those of several years ago. | Not many people are worrying much about oil, though that ques- | tion still remains unsettled. Nor, is anyone bothering about the fam- | ous tract of no-man’s-land, Chami- | zal, which Mexico and El Paso| both have bitterly claimed for half | a century and which was a con-| troversial haven for bootleggers | back in prohibition days. Instead, one of the most diffi- cult among our problems is trying to persuade Mexico to ration tire Most Americans can sympathize with Mexico in this. She raises her own rubber, refines her own gaso- line—and plenty of it—also has her| own tire factories. So it is awfully difficult for the Mexican automobile owner, far re- moved from the war, to wax en thusiastic over putting his car in the garage part of the week to pro- | vide more rubber for his Gringo neighbor to the North. Neverthe-! less, the optimistic state depart- ment is plugging this. TECHNICAL PROBLEMS Most present U.S.-Mexican prob-| lems now arise out of the war— such as getting more railroad cars for Mexico, getting strategic ma- terials to erect a high octane gaso- line refinery, whether Mexican oil tankers shall operate with the U.S. Fleet, getting Mexican workers for U.S. harvest fields. Some of these; are technically difficult, but do not arouse antagonism. So, on the whole, U.S.-Mexican relations never were better. Under- lying them, however, has been a growing Mexican fear that with our big Navy, our tremendous Army, we might develop the dictator-im-| perialist complex after the war and" go berserk with our once “good | neighbors.” This under-current has been fanned by our policy of Vichy- Franco cooperation, and by our treatment of Spanish republican refugees in North Africa to which (Continued on Page Four) U Cenguering Allied forces taking the city of Tunis in Laeir smashing of shattered installations and a baticred ship. L".II Corps, radiocd from Algiers Photo from U. S. No Walkouf of Miners; Work Wil a the sea lUlU\l‘Ill‘l‘\(l this view framewerk ruins of a warchouse. drive In ihe ound i May RUHR VALLEY Continue TODAY SCENE Uniil Midnight, May31 OF DISASTER JAPANESE U.S. BORN, CITIZENS Supreme Court Refuses fo Review Previous De- cision. Made 18, the United review the WASHINGTON, 'May Supreme Court States has refused decision holding that Japanese born in this country are American citizens and are entitled to vote The ruling was challenged John T. Regan, resident of San Francisco, who contended that “dis- honesty, deceit, hyprocrisy and ra- cial characteristics of the Japanese “make them unfit for citizenship. R BLOCKADE RUNNERS SCUTTLED Two Craft Infercepted Bu Prefer Sinking-Had Valuable Cargoes LONDON, May 18 Two Axis vessels attempting to break the Allied blockade of the continent were scuttled after interception of warships. Qne blockade 4,700-ton “Silva bound from the Far valuable cargo of rubber The other ship was the Regensburg, also heavily-laden bound from the Far FEast, of to by runner was the Plana,” inward East with a and tin 8,000-ton in- " curtly ~ The ¥ YORE. My g sre: Relensed Waters of Bomb- Workers announces that no “will ed Dam Spreadlng~ Death List Mounis ccmply with the Government's re- quest for the soft coal miners to continue work after the deadline at midnight pending further nego- (By ing trial Dul where flooded waters from the bombed Mohne tiations Lewis Board his telegram Dam has reached the city Harold Ickes, who earlier had One broadcast picked up b assurance there € Reuters said the city is being in- after the 15- undated by the flood water are stricken and wired Lewis asking will be walkout people panic vainly to higher grounds Associated Press) has broken out in indus- jgnored the War Labor Ki° the statement and sent Fuel Coordinator burg the to no and day truce Lewis’ the telegram to Ickes rushing Miners will continue the existing retro: until midnight tive inundation Ma The number of dead and in the Ruhr Valley work under ment of home- ess is growin - was bombed in t by the British force millions of tons of water released, plunging down the trial valley Hydro-electric power stations out of commission and the district is in darkness, according to radio broadcasts picked up in London There is no estimate of the fa- talities DAY RAIDS OF ALLIES CONTINUE LONDON, May 18.—The British announced today that Axis radios on the Continent going on the air this morning indicated that Allied air raiders were continuing to’ blast European strongholds in daylight First to go silent was the station at Calais, which shut down during the night. big dam attack werr SAYS ALASKA MINERALS TO HELP NATION Large Sou}(;of Supply Will Come from North- land, Says Smith WASHINGTO: May 18.—Alas- ka bulks large as the source of the future supply of minerals needed by the United States. This is the statement made by Philip S. Smith Chief Alaskan Geologist of the United States Geological Survey made to the House Appropriations sub-committee on Territories, He testified at the hearings on the Interior Department’s appropria- tion bill “There every reason the ernment can count on the assur- ance of Alaska to supply many needed mineral commodities,” Smith declared. Although the greater part of the value of past mineral production of the Territory has been derived from gold, about $275,000,000 came from other products, said Smith. f products included copper, platinum, lead, indus- e Gov- - ROD DARNELLS RETURN Mr. .and Mrs. Rod Darnell re- turned last night from a month business and pleasure trip to the states. Some time was spent both Seattle and Portland, w short ts with relatives in Kla- math Falls, Ore., and Gerber, Calif nese coal silver, tin (Continued on Page Three) Dortmund is also threatened with ¢ FINAL BATILE, TAX PLAN, IS UPINHOUSE |Speaker Rayburn's Third Fight Will Be Made on Senate's Proposal WASHINGTON 18 Rayburn Democratic third and the modified the House votes today r to accept the Senate bill ing the skip-a-ygar income proposal May said Speak- last night leaders will final battle Ruml plan (3! that make Sam the a against whe FDR SHINGTON, May Roosevelt, hinting strongly will veto legislation of -a-year taxes, addressed h hour message to Congres- 1 leaders, 'declaring he acquiesce “in elimination whole year’s tax burden for clas groups during H Presi- he an cannot of a upper income the war period.” House GOP leader Joseph Martin, Jr, said the warning not change legislative plans Chairman Walter F. George of the Senate Finance Committee up- held the action in giving Congress a chance to know the Chief’s views in advance. President sage of a w wiil Roosevelt urged bill that I can sign - pas- KUBAN FRONT ACTIVITY NOW IS REPORTED Germans Attempt fo Make Surprise Attacks fo Re- gain Lost Positions May 18.—The Kuban into action again to- stole through at the Rus- to regain MOSCOW, front flared ay as German troops forested hill and sprar sians in a violent effort important positions lost weeks ago The afternoon reports from the front said the German infantry at- tacked several times, supported by tanks, planes and artillery hut were hrown back each time with heavy The German counter - attacks werz aimed at driving the Russians backto the inner positions of the Black Sea port of Novorossisk. SOUTHERN GERMANY ATTACKED Convoys Also Attacked-, Many Ships Sunk or Left Sinking LONDON, May 18 ers returning British bomb- again on a night offensive over Europe, attacked t gets in southern Germany a: fighters swept. over northern France and Belgium. Coastal aircraft damaged ships in an enemy coostal planes attacked off the Dutch coast Initially attacked by Bea fighters yesterday, two supply ships in a convoy of eight merchantmen and three escort vessels were left sinking and were seen being aban- doned by their crews. five convoy 2 a convoy u $250 a [ Ship Senator Chandier Wanls U.S.TROOPS War Carried fo Japanat RESISTED BY Present Ilme Says Why ENEMYFORCE An ap of May n diver y that war Senate the if England 18 on ght knock “al WASHINGTON prompt declared that our partner, Chandler Russia is been no showing JJight peal for the wtor American milit Japan out Navy Issues First Com- munique Regarding W. Alaska Operations JAPANESE ENTRENCHED ALONG ROCKY RIDGES Two American Units Re- ported Now Closing in from Two Areas BULLETIN Washington, May 18.—The American forces have captured a ridge, appar- ently in the main Japanese defense position on Attu, Sec- retary of Navy Frank Knox an nounced late this afternoon, and the U. troops are ad- vancing from north and south across the eastern neck of the island. The two forces are now brought very close together and by this victory apparently eli- maxes the first phase of the campaign. Knox told the newsmen that “our casualties are much light- er than expected” and added full support of warships, stand- ing off, and seaplanes, are aid- ing the land forces. Knox made his statements several hours after the Navy issued the first communique. He added that it is not estab- lished whether Japs on the ridge were killed or retreated to less important positions, but the two U. S. forces are begin- ning a pincer move. wugh so far the there he is Jap: brought th has that Unit any of the prediction in the ever going to after Germany ed States help is beaten, expect, little Russia and “We partial de- Chandler added at least ma itor from against the Japanese. United States Senator Albert Happy) Chandler made the ion in the Senate that F threat of a “major disaster immediately a British Germany may expect mobiliz of the Army the ation B. | atter defeat of and we have a right to ask ourselves what help can we expect from is carried BRING ON THE DIVE BOMBERS the war Britain? WASHINGTON, May 18-—United States troops have established po- sitions on Attu Island but the Jap- anese are entrenched along the rocky ridge and stubbornly oppos- FIRING 4,000 SHELLS A MINUTE in simultaneous bursts from the four |ing the two pronged Amm»xca:p\::j_ guns, an anti raft unit like the one above helped an American | i especially with machine battleship to shoot down 32 Jap dive bombers and torpedo planes in a b i recent Pacific battle. The gun weighs 14,000 pounds. (International) Some White Light On Black Markef; What Is Congress Going fo Do! WAURAIDED BY PACK OF JAP PLAKES Allied Base Aflacked but High Command Says Damage Is Slight PESEs vance, guns. In issuing the first communique on troop landings on Attu and giv- ing details of the campaign, the Navy discloses that the original landings were made a week ago on opposite ends of the island and the (Continued on Page Three), - JACK STINNETT SHINGTON, Ma 18 Con- en and government officials re convinced that the lid will blow off the black market story any minute now. It probably will come as Congress is comfortably after the “vacation” and has had an opportunity to commune with itself on whether conditions are as bad throughout the rest of the United States as they are in Wash- ington. Meatleggers, javaleggers, gers, spudleggers and the rest are almost as common here as boot- leggers were im any metropolitan center in the prohibition era My own simple inyestigations here have disclosed (1) A congressman proached by a’furtive stranger in the halls of his apartment build- ing and offered one pound of cof- fee for $1.25. T could use names and places except that the Con- gressman bought it, established connections with this javalegger and has turned in his name to OPA investigators (2) A former well- men keeping office hours only in the mornings and driving a taxi in the afternoons and evenings (Out of the latter he makes about month). “It was either get into the black market game or get|tion or garage where it is sold out of business,” he said, “and I| (5) That the black market in have two boys in the army.” He|meat, for a time the most flourish- told of one of his customers, own- er of three groceries, who was| screaming for white potatoes. When the produce dealer told him he couldn't get potatoes at any price, the groceryman said, all right, he would go to the black market. “I can get all T want there and I've got hundreds of customers who will buy them at five pounds for $14' (For a month Washington received only one fifth its normal needs of white potatoes, receipts averaging only one car a day) (3) That the liquor black ket has become so serious that Andrew J. May, of Kentucky. manded the OPA crack down. The OPA has promis to do so, but off the record, some officials assert there isn't manpower enough in the investigation division to. pay atten- tion to the small-time black mark- et operators. Because that condi- tion exists in other products, as well as in liquor, the small-time black market is flourishing unpun- ished throughout the country as well as in the District of Columbia (4) That one out of every five W2 as soon settled mar- Rep. gasleg- b ALLIED HEADQUARTERS IN AUSTRALIA, May 18. — Forty- three Jap planes attacked the Al- lied base at Wau Monday but with slight damage done, the High Com- mand announces. The attacking force included 22 bombers with an escort of 21 fight- ers. Allied airmen attacked the Jap airdrome at Gasmata, New Britain, destroying an enemy bomber caught on the ground 1t is officially announced that the auto drivers has little black mar- enemy dropped 200 bombs on the ket books with the names and tel- Wau airdrome area. ephone numbers of . gasleggers, The - - telephone numbers are not used & for deliverie s in the days of bootlegging, but to find out if the dealers have any gas on hand be- fore wasting what is in the tank by making the run to the filling sta- was ap- to-do produce T DIMOUT TIMES Dimout begins tonight at sunset at 9:23 o'clock. Dimout ends tomorrow sunrise at 4:25 am Dimout begins Wednesday at 9:25 p.m. e e e e e e e is at . . . B . . . ° . . (Continued on Page Two)