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

VOL. XLIL, NO..9527. “ALL THE NEWS ALL THE TIME” JUNEAU, ALASKA, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 18, 1943 THE DAILY ALASKA EMPIRE MI- MBhR ASSOC lATk D PRESS PRICE TEN CENTS AMERICANS MAKE GAIN IN SOLOMONS FIFTH ARMY | (LOSING ON SAN PIETRO Heavily Fortified Village! Near Capture-Eighth Army Battles Tanks ALLIED HEADQUARTERS IN| ALGIERS, Dec. 18. — The Fifth Army pincers movement closed in on the heavily fortified village of San Pietro, seven miles southeast of Cassino, as the Eighth Army is re- ported capturing or destroying 15 German tanks in a series of armored | battles on the other side of the peninsula. American troops have reached the | outskirts of San Pietro where hand- to-hand fighting continued for the seocnd straight day, as the dough- boys dug the Germans out of pill-| boxes one by one. The Americans now hold the heights northeast, south and southwest of the village, a military commentator said, leaving thé Germans only one road of es- cape. (Continued on Page Three) The Washington| = i Merry -Go-Round By DREW PEABSON | (Msfor Robert 8. Allen on setive duty.) | WASHINGTON—Secretary of the, Navy Knox heard some blistering | comments on the Navy's handling of war news at a closed-door pow- pow with the House Appropriations Committee recently. Plain-talking Representative Harry Sheppard of California, who presided at the meeting, raised Cain about the suppression of legitimate war stor- ies as well as unwarranted delays in the clearance of news releases. Sheppard asserted that the best |, way to make sure the public did not believe the lies of Axis prop- agandists was for the government to give them more facts about com- bat developments. The American public can take it, Sheppard said— the bad news with the good. He also sharply criticized the withhold- ing of stories from the battlefronts for long periods before their release is efficially approved by Navy cen- sors. It was brought out that some news dispatches had been held up for six months and more before being released. “The public is entitled to know what's going on, both on the battle and the production front,” said Sheppard. “For that matter, the Navy itself stands to benefit by a more liberal and intelligent public- relations policy. I have no doubt) that many stories have been cery sored which would reflect great!| credit on the splendid job the Navy is doing in this war.” KNOX DISLIKES CENSORSHIP Knox didn't attempt to defend Navy censorship. He readily ad- mitted that there was ‘“plenty of room for improvement,” but said he had argued with Navy brass hats until he was blue in the face about the suppression of war news, with} little success. “I'm a newspaper man,” he said, “and therefore am a firm believer in giving the public the facts.” He also agreed that the Navy! would profit by a more above-board news policy, citing as an example the insignificant notices the Navy had received in reports of the {ighting on New Guinea. Admiral Halsey had shone brilliantly in these operations, Knox declared, but was barely mentioned in Army dis- patches from General Douglas Mac- Arthur’s headquarters. The Navy Secretary didn’t direct- ly charge that MacArthur was try- ing to hog the credit for victories in the South Pacific, but he left little doubt in the minds of the committee that this was what he meant. His branch of the service was perhaps “too modest,” Knox re- (Continued on Page Four) ROOSEVELT jand Churchill. been a pretty good haul for any INazi terrorist, the President ob- served. XMAS TALK ON FRIDAY Chief Executive fo Address Armed Forces—Hints of Deep Plot WASHINGTON, Dec. 18.—Peace, at least for this generation, may evolve from the Cairo and Teheran conferences, says President Frank- lin D. Roosevelt, back at his White House desk after a 36-day, 5,000- |mile trip, spiced, to say the least, by a threat to his personal safety. President Roosevelt gave the re- porters a sketchy glimpse of his epochal meeting with Prime Min- ister Churchill, Premier Stalin and Generalissimio Chiang Kai-shek, and promised to give more details in a world broadcast at noon Pa- cific war time next Friday. What he doesn't say is that the speech will be contained in a report to Congress. Warned Of Plot Later the President revealed why he moved to the Russian Emba.xsy‘ at Teheran for his talks with Stalin Stalin, ‘he said, warned him of a Nazi plot afoot against all three Allied leaders. By moving, Roosevelt explained; it was possible for them to communicate without walking the streets because the British Embassy was next door to the Russian headquarters. Stalin, {Churchill and Roosevelt would have He brushed aside any elaboration on the Cairo and Teheran an- nouncements except to say the talks were a success in every way, and he hopes they laid the foun- dation for a postwar era of peace that will last through the lives of this generation. The other leaders feel this way, too, he said, and more ! meetings might be held, Roosevelt implied. The way he put.it is “All the leaders are on call.” Talk Enjoyed The President obviously enjoyed the first press conference since his latest trip abroad. It was given a family flavor by the presence of Mrs. Roosevelt, his daughter, Mrs. John Boettiger, and Lt. and Mrs. Franklin D. Roosevelt, Jr. Roosevelt quipped that he didn't want any trouble with the Army and Navy, therefore he would say only of his mode of travel abroad that he went to Teharan to meet Stalin by plane. The President emphasized that his Friday broadcast will be ad- dressed primarily to the armed forces deployed throughout the world, Pleased with Stalin Asked about his personal impres- sions of Stalin, the President said that in actual fact the meeting with him lived up to the highest expec- tations, referring with warm phrases also to Chiang Kai-Shek. He added that although an interpreter was required for all the respetcive meet- ings with these two, everyone got along all right. FILIPINO YOUTH MISSING SINCE DEC. 9 IS FOUND Amado Rayes, 18-year-old Filipino youth reported missing since De-! cember 9, has been located accord- ing to the U. S. Marshal’s Office today. The young man is at Whitehorse! and is employed by a construction company at that place, having left Juneau December 13. Reason for| his sudden departure is not made| public. —————— THREE INITIATED LAST NIGHT IN MOOSE ORDER Three new members were initiated last night a tthe regular meeting of the Loyal Order of Moose. They are Mike Korhonen, Robert Martin | and Al Rhodes. Following the meeting, refresh- ments were served. Ithe church. The breakfast will be Tell of Middle East Con RADIO STATIONKFAR| IS NOW INCREASING POWER, FREOUEN(Y |Dedicatory Program Goes‘ on Air Sunday Affer- | noon at 2 o'Clock FAIRBANKS, Alaska, Dec. 18.— The elaborate dedicatory program | on Station KFAR will take place to- morrow (Sunday) December 19, in- | augurating the 10,000-watt service on 660 kilocycles. The station calls attention to this | expansion and stresses the increase‘ in power and also the change of frequency from 610 to 660 kflocycles | Commencing next Monday, cember 20, KFAR will be on the air at 7 o'clock in the morning unnl midnight each week day and on | Sundays from 2 p. m until midnight. The change in power now maks‘s KFAR the most powerful broad- | casting station in the North. l - COLLEEN HELLAN ANNOUNCESHER WEDDING PLANS' The wedding of Miss Colleen | Hellan, daughter of Mr. and Mrs, Walter Hellan of this city, will be an event-of Monday morning, De: cember 27, when she will become the bride of Sergeant Norman R. Bucy, son of Mr. and Mrs. Frank T.! Bucy of Seattle, The nuptial mass will be said by the Rev. W. G. Le- Vasseur at 8 o'clock in the Catholic Church of the Nativity. Miss Hellan will be given in manr. riage by her father. Her sister, Mi: Eileen Hellan, will be maid of hon-| or and bridesmaids will include the | Misses Irene Willlams, Beverly| Leivers and Esther George. Little Kathleen Hudson, ter of Mr. and Mrs. Lou Hudson,| will be the ring-bearer, and George | and Albert Shaw will act as altar boys for the service. Sergeant Dean Williams will be best man for the bridegroom and! the ushers will be Sergeant John Hazen, Private Arie VanderHoek, and the bride-elect’s brother, Mr.| Thomas Hellan, who is coming here ! from Tacoma for the wedding. Mrs, Lillian Uggen will be or- ganist for the ceremony and th, mass will be sung by the Church| Christmas choir. Mrs. Henry Har- mon, soloist for the choir, will sing| “Ave Maria” and Mrs. Mary Hoff-| man will sing two selections bofme, the nuptial mass. A wedding breakfast, at the Disfi tin Avenue home of Miss Hellnn'»" parents, will follow the service a!l | for members of the wedding party | and a reception in the evening will} be held between 8 and 10 o'clock. All friends of the young couple are extended an invitation to both the; wedding and the reception in the evening. President Talks With Democrals ference fo Leaders in Private” Chat WASHINGTO;._‘—I-)ec, 18—Presi- | dent Rosevelt today gave Demo-| |cratic Congressional leaders a pri- vate talk on his Middle East con- ferences, Senator Alben W. Bark- ley told reporters. “It was all confidential,” Barkley| said. He stated they didn’t discuss the legislative program or adjourn- ment plans, but said Congres would recess Tuesday or Wednesday pro- bably until January 10. {concert are the Girls’ Temperature Of Churchill Is Subndmg LONDON, Dec. 18.-British Prime | Minister Winston Churchill's pulse is today reported irregular but his | temperature is subsiding according to a bulletin isued from No. 10 | Downing Street. Churchill, now in the Middle East | somewhere suffering from an at- tack of pneumonia insisted upon continuing his direction of Britain’s war effort despne his illne (HINESE ARE MOPPING UP TRAPPED JAPS ‘May Soon Have Nippons Cleaned Qut of Two Areas CHUNGKING, Dec. 17.—Relent- less Chinees troops may soon have _ | the Japanese swept out of a pocket formed at the meandering Lin River and Tungting Lake in Central China, the High Command indicated today in announcing new successes against fleeing enemy troop remnants. Large regions in the east and north of Linl already are entirely cleared. Chinese units have reached Sin- cow, south of Tsingshik, Maj. Gen. |c. C. Tseng, American-trained Chi- nese Army leader and spokesman, | said. He claims the Japanees are re- treating at the rate of nine and daugh- |one-half miles a day and within a | short time will be cleaned out of | the whole area south of the river. Most of the survivors of the bloody, | unsuccessul attack at Changteh are trying to make their way back to the Japanese base at Lihsien, across | the river. The communique disclosed the en- emy garrison in that city tried to counterattack to relieve pressure on unts trapped in the southwest The Chinese said the atwmpv, failed ANNUAL (ON(ERT JUNEAU SCHOOLS ON DECEMBER 21 Under the direction of Mrs. For- rest N. Pitts, the annual school concert will be presented by the students of the Juneau High School on Tuesday, December 21, at 8:00 o'clock in the High School Gym- nasium. “Christmas Around the World” is the theme of the concert, and 40 grade school children will repre- |sent the nationalities of the Allied For the last number of “Silent countries. the program they will sing {Night” with the high school group. Soloists for the evening will be Mary Hoffmann, Margaret Femmer, Thelma McCorkle, Pat Fleek, Loise Standafer, Linn Forrest, Leslie Hogins and John Dapcevich. Nathylie Bailey will give a read- ing entitled “The Bells.” Rosie Meier will play the bells and Pat Shafer, Margaret Femmer, Harriet Stonehouse and Connie Davis will accompany her. The groups taking part in the Glee Club, the Mixed Chorus, the Singing Debs and the choxmers STOCK QUOTATIONS NEW YORK, Dec. 18.—Closing quotation of Alaska Juneau mine stock at today's short session is 6, American Can 84, Anaconda 24%, Bethlehem Steel 57, Curtiss Wright| 5%, International Harvester 73, Kennecott 30%, New York Central 16%, Northern Pacific 14!, United States Steel 51%. Dow, Jones averages today are as follows: industrials 13589, rails 33.30, utilities 21.97. IREDS, NAIZIS ARE LOCKED, BIG BATTLE New Sovief ISr[ve in White Russia May Be Start { of Winter Offensive | (By Associated Press) Russian forces locked in a sway-| ing battle in the Ukrainian indus- trial town of Kirovograd have gained ground in one sector and absorbed one strong German attack after another, Moscow announced.| ‘German reports told of a Soviet agsault in White Russia which im- periled the German hold on the rail junction of Zhlobin and gained | ground in the Nevel area. Moscow said the Germans at- | tacked one area in Kirovograd with two regiments of infantry and 70 dent Roosevelt for a fourth term, endorsed the principles of govern- ment as demonstrated by Gov Ernest Gruening of Alaska, en dorsed Alaska Delegate Anthony J Dimond, statehood, low Alaskans to elect their own; governor and deplored the ency on the part of Federal and Territorial officials to make ap- pointments without reference to the Democratic Party. The meeting was attended by only a few of the elected delegates for the division, about 20 being present but holding enough proxies for 65 votes. Fred Hanford ol Wrangell pre- sided as chairman, and Roy Pera- First Division Democrats in con-, vention in Juneau yesterday after- noon and evening endorsed Presi-| {ing bills; the liberation of the un-| employment compensation laws x\nd‘ the bill to nl-l tend- | | " Military Highway as soon as pos- sible; planning for pest-war pro- jects; endorsement of soldiers’ vot- a broader Workmen's Comperisa- tion Act; continued appropriations for the University of Alaska and improvement in juvenile and child | | welfare legislation. Resolutions deplored the appoint- ments made by Federal and Terri~ torial officials without reference to the Democratic Party ; attacked the neglect of the bill to allow Alas- | kans the right to elect their gov-! ernor while such a measure for | Puerto Rico receives approval Washington; urged that if the gov- ernorship continues to be appoin- tive that the appointment be made from the ranks of Alaskans resi- in| Yanks Using Pincer Movement on Germans Democrafs of First Division for Fourth Term for Roosevell, CAPEMERKUS OCCUPIED BY U. 5. FORCES :Complete Control of Three- Mile Strip Attained- Jap Affacks Fail HEADQUARTERS OF GEN. Mac- ARTHUR, NEW GUINEA, Dec. 18. —Troops of the United States Sixth ‘Army occupied entire Cape Merkus \m the Arawe Peninsula sector of | New Britain Island and are contin- uing to advance, MacArthur’s head- 'qum ters announced today. This gives the invasion forces complete control of a three-mile ineck of land, flanking the Arawe Harbor on the southwest coast of the big island, leading toward a site |at present unserviceable by air. | The strip of the peninsula, to- gether with the ., off-lying Pllelo trovich as secretary. Delegates elected to represent the First Division at the Territorial Convention next month are as fol- tanks. Fifteen tanks were lost but the Germans broke through the {Russian lines. In the depth of the |Russian defenses they were at- dent in Alaska for three years and | Island, was overrun the first day of who have not received a Feleral|the attack and was described as the appointment for three years; urges Prime initial objective of the sea- restoration of land reserves to Al-(borne strike against the Japanese tacked by Russian tankmen from ambush and thrown back with the| further loss of 12 tanks, six self- propelled guns, and 60 men. Other| {Russian units improved their posi- tions and took prisoners and war materials in another sector, the ra- l&i@ ceommunigue said. Soviet planes were active despite the poor weather, damaging 10| }Lnnks and 150 trucks. 1 | Berlin reported terrific battles in\ White Russia, which, if on a scale! described by the Germans, are usl important as any the Russian front | has seen in months, and may be| the beginning of the Russian winter | offensive. { In the Zhlobin area the Russians ‘have penetrated the German front| to “a relatively great depth, cn-m-! ing a rather critical situation,” a| German commentator said. He add-| led that the countel .|t'.:ll.kh warned of danger to the German lines east of Zhlobin. T0Y (ENTER 5 OPEN FOR THREE MORE DAYS ONLY, In order that every child in Ju- | neau may be remembered at Christ- mas, the public is reminded that| the Toy Center, situated next to the | Truesdell Gun Shop, is equipped to | double for Santa Claus. Anyone| knowing of a child apt to be for-| gotten at Christmas is urged to ap- Iply to the local Welfare Depart- | {ment in the City, Hall, where they | will receive a card which will entitfe | selection of a gift at the center. |Also ,anyone having toys not being | {used are invited to leave them at the Toy Center. In addition to the toys donated, many cash gifts have been received by Mrs. John McCormick, treasurer of the project, in behalf of the Toy Center, and these funds have been used to repair and dress up the toys. To date more than 170 children of | the community have been benefitted. | The Toy Center will be open for | three days next week, and the time is growing short, therefore, everyone | is requested to select their gifts soon. The Juneau and Douglas Island | Women's clubs are sponsoring the project. COMMUNITY XMAS TREE SING SUNDAY | The community Christmas tree and carol songfest are scheduled for tomorrow afternoon and the public is invited to participate in the an- nual affair, sponsored by the Juneau Woman's Club. Singing will begin | at 4 p. m. under the general charge of Mrs. Ray Nevins. The beautiful decorated tree is| situated at Front and Seward streets, and was put there earlier in the week by Bert Lybeck and his crew. | herd X N | Conway, |aska, vocational education, of military buildings not in use for| lows: Delegates John Walmer, Curtis Shattuck, M. E. Monagle, Crystal Snow Jenne and Walter Sharpe from Juneau, with Mrs. G. E. Krause as alter- nate for Mrs. Jenne. +Nan A. Fiske and Mrs, Lew Wil- liams from Wrangell. George Gunderson from Stikine. Wilfred Stump, R. E. Hardcastle, Andy Gundersen, Pat Gilmore, Sr, Dr. R. M. McKenzie from Ketchi- kan. Erick Ness and from Petersburg. Charles Wortman Carol Claussen and Martha | Kostrometinoff from Sitka. Roy Peratrovich from Klawak. Mrs. Mary McCann and Archie | Betts for Skagway. Walmer Named John Walmer was elected Divi- sional Committee Chairman, and imembers are as follows: Wilfred Stump, Dr. R. M. Mc- Kenzie, Mrs. J. Valentine, Mrs. Ed Reid, M. E. Monagle, Mrs. Helen Monsen, Phyllis Maynard, Gertrude Charles Wortman, Mrs. Mary McCann, Archie Betts, Fan- nie King, Erick Ness, John Smith, Mrs. L. Williams, Van H. Fiske and Kathleen Andrews, Following are the committees { which served during the convention: Credentials Committee: Mrs. E. L. Bartlett, chairman, Charles M ler, Mrs. Louis Lemieux, M. Monagle, John Walmer. Resolutions Committee: ty McCormick, chairman, E. Mrs, Bet- Esther | Metzgar, H. R. VanderLeest, Minard Mill, Walter. Sharpe. Nominating Committee Nominating Committee: Crystal |Snow Jenne, chairman, Mrs. Louis | Lemieux, John Walmer, M. E. Monagle, Allen Shattuck. Platform Committee: Mrs. E. L. Bartlett, chairman, Mrs. Crystal |Snow Jenne, Garland Boggan, Roy Peratrovich. A motion to strike from the plat- | form the endorsement of Rooseveit for a fourth term was lost after |argument. The plank to back the lelection of Alaska’s governor was adopted without opposition. The delegates voted to endorse state- {hood for Alaska and pledge party support therefore, killing an amend- ment to qualify the statement with| the word: soon as economically | feasible.” Delegate Dimond was endorsed without reservation. A motion to strike the plank en- dorsing Gov. Gruening’s principles {of government was lost after a brief battle. Other Planks Other planks approved included: Equality of expression among all | people without regard to race, creed, |ete.; more money for schools of Al- the use hospitals, the establishment of a Territorial T. B. hospital, ferry service from Prince Rupert and Southeast Alaska cities to ———e—— — BUY WAR BONDS 4 Haines and Skagway and necessary ’hlghway connections to the Alaska | a car| aska, urged statehood, asked the setting up of a fisheries commis- sion made up of Alaskans, similar to the Alaska Game Commission; | and a resolution opposing the unit vote of delegates to the national jconvention, proposing that delemms be uninstructed, ‘The convention was rapped to or- der shortly after noon yesterday and closed at 9:40 o'clock last night, | ENLIGHTENED ORDER OF POPS 1S ORGANIZED Another society has been organ- ized in Juneau, adding to the large |number of clubs and lodges already | well established in the city. The new ordér is known as the “Ancient Order of Enlightened Pa- ternity.” There are eight charter members, all prospective fathers. The men met in the Health Cen- ter of the Territorial Building re- cently for a series of three meet- ings. More properly speaking the lodge sessions should be called classes, because the meetings were held for instruction purposes. Although there was a touch of! gaity and humor attached to gath- erings, the meetings were’ actually formed for a serious purpose. Be- cause of the manpower shortages and womanpower shortages in Ju-! neau, it is almost impossible {o new parents to secure domestic help in their homes after the birth of in- fants. These prospective fathers' asked for the course in instruction jaid at home. Berneta Block and Miss Hclen | Johnson, both with the Territorial | | Department of Health. At the con- |clusion of the course, each member |of the class was issued a certifi- | cate, appropriate for framing, | which says in part, that the owner is “eligible to become a member {of the Ancient Order of Enlighten- ed Paternity.” The certificate is signed with ths instructors’ names and the official | seal on the document is, appropri- ately, a stork, carrying a baby. | Pink and blue satin ribbons under| | the seal give it a finishing touch. This class, recently completed, is the first of it's kind to be given in Alaska, although such projects have been presented in most of the larger cities in the states for the past ten yrurs DISTRICT (OURT MEETS ON MONDAY ‘The United States District Court for the First Division, Judge George | F. Alexander, will sit in session Mon- day afternoon at 2 o'clock to take | up various pending cases. The court party returned two days ago after holding court at Ketchikan for the past two months. so that they might be of valuable, The classes were taught by Dr.| occupation of New Britain. | A headquarters’ spokesman said no distinct battleline has been es- tablished but Americans, engaged in intermittent combat, have elimin- ated scattered enemy resistance as it was encountered. The Japanese are re| ud to have continted ate a¢tivity w. ln an effort to hnmper Al iy gains, but there was no indication ,of any damage caused. On the second Southwest Pacific land front, across Vitiaz Straits, Australians pressed farther north- ward along the shore of Huon Pen- insula, New Guinea, and maintained contact with the enemy north of the Sanga River. The Fifth Air Force of P-38s and P-40s downed 14 Jap bombers. and fighters which were seeking vainly to attack the beachhead and patrol- led the skies above Arawe, Stepping up the amazing record of Amerwan planes the day after the invasion, they emerged without a loss in the series of battles and nine Jap bombers and five fighters jwere downed. The Japs were intercepted on all their rcuulnwry misslum § DIMOND ASI(S REPEAL OF LAND LAWS Delegate Beheves Presi- dent's Right fo Set Aside Areas Unconstitutional WASHINGTON, Dec. 17.— | Alaska’s Delegate to Congress, An- »nmny J. Dimond has introduced a bill in Congress to repeal the law which permits the President to set ‘d.‘iide public lands for national | monuments. : “I never helieved the law was | constitutional” Dimond said. “Under’ |its authority the Executive' right {to set aside national monuments {has been abused in Alaska. I'be- lieve the Jackson Hole Monument in Wyoming is an example of such abuse. Repeal would make it necessary |for Congressional econsent to beé igiven to set aside such monuments. 1 l