The Daily Alaska empire Newspaper, July 12, 1944, Page 1

THE DAILY ALASKA EMPIRE “ALL THE NEWS ALL 7THE TIME” SERIAL RECORD AUG 12 1944 (- .Glfl’v = VOL. XLIL, NO. 9701. JUNEAU, ALASKA, WEDNE: SDAY, JULY 12, 1944 MHVIBLR ASSO( lAThl) PRESS PRICE TEN, CENTS —— YANKS CLOSING IN ON VITAL ST. LO TOWN State of Panic Now Reigns in East Prussia RED ARMIESf Dewey WelcomedaIAlbany 'ARTILLERY NOW NEARING GERMAN SOIL | Fighting May Be in Reich, Iself by End of Week at Present Pace MOSCOW, July 12. — The Red Army, knocking new large holes in the already sagging German lines, surged westward from a point less | than 40 miles from East Prussia at a pace, which, if continued, will carry the fighting to German soil by the end of the week. A German communique placed the “advancing Soviets” west of Alytus, Lithuania, 51 miles from East Prussia, 33 miles south of Kaunas, and within 27 miles of the strategic East Prussia to Riga railway over which the two Nazi armies in the Baltic must be supplied in part. Retreats along the whole central front are reported from Berlin, and the surrounded Wilno garrison is (Continued on Page Two) . two miles along the Italian west | coast yesterday in the face of bitter | German llines between Poggibonsi OPENS FIRE ON ANCONA Steady Gains Are Made| Against Fierce Nazi Re- sistance in Italy ROME, July 12—American light | armored elements pushed forward istance and captured | the town of Castiglioncello, thus | bringing the Fifth Army to within | eight airline miles of Livorno. Some eight miles inland, however, American infantry ran into stiff opposition while advancing from Casale toward Pastina, where the Germans showed the utmost determ- ination to delay their progress. | The German radio said the Nazi and the west coast were withdrawn two miles northward after particularly violent fighting in which 25 United States r | tanks were wiped out. THE WABRARBIIN | e T 5 memir waves se skt S e ¢ 25 | Capitol at Albany, N. Y., after his return from the convention at Chicago where he was nominated as GOP presidential candidate. Merry - Go-Round By DREW PEARSON (Lt. Col. Roben S. Allen now on active service with the Army.) WASHINGTON—Inside the Cab- inet, they are facetiously saying that, for FDR, July is “Jesse Jones Month.” Exactly one year ago, the President was confronted with an open, vitriolic row between his Vice President and his Secretary of Commerce which he solved in favor of Jones. Today he has a Southern revolt on his hands which he has told insiders he blames partly on Jesse Jones. So the question is: What is he going to do about it? If the President lets a mel of his own Cabinet get away with what looks like open rebellion, it is a tip-off to other rebels, and revolt spreads. Already the un- happy whisper is going round that! “Jesse has something on the Presi-| dent” and that the President | doesn’t dare fire him. The whisperers—and some aren’t too far from the White House— | point out that Jesse got away with | the delays on 'synthetic rubber| which set ‘back ‘the entire nation, and that he even had the nerve to| make a public statement shifting| the blame to the President. also point out that the Senate| Banking and Currency Committee, which privately went into the Jones-Wallace dispute over the Board of Economic Warfare, sided with Wallace and were shocked| over some of Jones' delays, espec- jally on quinine. They also point out that, private- ly, the President obviously doesn't like him, and yet, despite Jones’ 70| years and the effective manner in| which Governor Dewey has rid culed Roosevelt’s “tired old men,” Roosevelt keeps him in the Cabinet. JONES’ POWER ON CAPITOL HILL The answer probably is that Jones has more power on Capitol Hill than any other Cabinet mem- ber—especially among Southern re- calcitrants with whom the President needs to get along. Jones has loaned money to the constituents of more Congressmen than anyone in history. Just as the one banker in any small town is a potent per- son, so Jesse Jones, backed by RFC millions, is all-powerful in the little group of men and politicians who control legislation. For under fire from Senator Clyde Reed, Republican of Kansas, in re- gard to claims that he was con-| trolling the Chicago and Eastern Illinois Railroad by not permitting | one group of stockholders to pay up their RFC loan and thus get free of Jones' domination. The Senate probe of the situation was squashed largely by Senator Ed (Continued on Page Four) ‘They | instance, Jones recently was| (AP Wirephoto) Convention Leader " GOP GRABS VYOTERS IN - WASHINGTON A.Trend fo Republican Party | mber | @ SEN. SAMUEL D. JACKSON of Indi- ana, a candidate for Governor of that state, has been chosen perma- nent chairman of the Democratic ! National Convention which apens | in Chicago, July 19. (International) 12 KILLED ~IN CRASH, - U.S.PLANE I 1 Craft Comes Down in Trail- er Colony, Spewing Flaming Gasoline | | SOUTH PORTLAND, Maine, July | 12.—A light Army plane crashed and | exploded in the 100-unit Govern- ment Trailer Colony spewing flam- |ing oil and gasoline over the homes of war workers, resulting in the| | death of 12 and injury to scores | of others in the worst airplane ac- | cident in Maine’s history. Four children and eight adults, including two Army men were Killed. The plane struck an embankment | at the edge of the camp, then leaped on into the trailers, enveloping the settlement in flames and smoke as | it exploded. | RESISTANCE BEING CLEARED INBURMA CHUNGKING, July 12.—Organ- | ized enemy resistance has been cleared from the Kamaing-Mogaung |Road in Burma, the Chinese High Command announced, and the Allied \forces are now moving on. Sharply Nofed in | Primary | i |Langlie won the Republican nom- |ination for a second term with more votes than all other candi- dates on either party ticket, early returns from yesterday's primary |indicate. The Democrats have nominated | |Rep. Warren G. Magnuson, and | {the Republicans have named Ta- | lcoma’s Mayor Harry Cain, Army | major on military leave, to compete | for Senator Homer Bone's Senate |seat next November. | | A close race is seen between |Robert Harlin and Fred Wettrick {for the Republican nomination for First District Congressman. Hugh DeLacy, Washington Com- |monwealth Federation President, is fleadmg his nearest competitor, |Howard Costigan, by 2,000 votes for the Democratic nomination for the | House of Representatives. Senator Mon C. Wallgren is un- opposed, seeking re-election on the ! Democratic ticket to the Senate. | Unofficial tabulations give the| ‘Republican gubernatorial candidatesa lan aggregate of 119,000 votes com- | ‘pared to the small 47,000 for the| | Democrats. | Aggregate Senatorial votes Lotal more than 89,000 for the Republi- cans and 68,000 for the Democrats seeking nomination. The trend to the GOP ranks| Estartod four years ago when Wash- lingtonians elected Republican Lang- lie to office. It continued two yearsl ago with Republican victories in| three out of six congressional dis-| | tricts. | State Republican Chairman Wi |der Jones said the “results of yes- {terday’'s primary simply bear out‘ }an unguestionable swing to the Re~ |publican cause, of which there has 'been so much evidence throughout the Nation since 1938.” Democratic Chairman Coleman iwas not immediately available for comment. | . HERE FROM SITKA Mr. and Mrs. C. Williams have arrived here from Sitka and are guests at the Baranof. SEATTLE, July 12.—Gov. Arthur |feated State Treasurer | term, has | Democratic ticket. Heavy fighting is reported on both i Strong British launched a large scale nd formations attempt to break through he: American troops farther east g encountered tough going northeast of Lajatico, where the Nazis count- erattacked fiercely, but they were repelled and Lajatico itself was brought under attack. In the upper Tiber Valley Eighth | Army troops occupied the villages of Meone, Morra and Mucignani, and \cleflled the 3,000-foot-high Mount | Civitella of the enemy. Meanwhile on the Adriatic coast Italian troops are credited with a slight advance in the vicinity of the Musone River. The city of An- cona was brought under artillery | fire by the Allies who are now only | eight miles way IN(OMPLETE RETURNS IN SIX STATES (By Associated Press) Incomplete returns from primary elections in six States yesterd: brought out the following indica- tions: In New Hampshire, Senator Tobey won the Republican renomination for a second term, defeating Rep Foster. Repubican Gov. Robert Blood was defeated in his bid for a third term. In Massachusetts, Gov. Saltonstall won the Republican nomination for the U, S. Senate. Mayor John Cor- coran, of Cambridge, is leading on the Democratic ticket. Mayor Tobin |of Boston, endorsed by the CIO Political Action Committee, has de- Hurley Lieut. Gov. Horace Cahill is un- opposed for the Repubilcan nomina- tion. In Michigan, Vernon Brown, State Auditor General, has been nomin- ated for Lieutenant Governor by the Republicans. In Utah, Adam Bennion, power company executive, held a wide lead over three opponents for the Re- publican Senatorial nomination Senator Thomas, seeking a third no opposition on the Goy. Maw, na- tional administration supporter, is far ahead of J. Backen Lee, his probable opponent, a Republican 'LORD HALIFAX IS NOW TITLED EARL LONDON, July 11.—Lord Halifax British Ambassador to the United States, and member of the British War Cabinet, has been granted the title of Earl of Halifax. He was re- cently raised to the earldom, but the | title was not designated. bl L e e BUY WAR BONDS CANNON ROLLS FORWARD_Part of the continuous stream of supplies that Is going to Allied invasion forces in France, this rubber-tired cannon rolls ashore. THIRTY SECONDS—THREE .IAPS LT. COMDR. ROERT A. WINSTON, U. §. N., shown in the cockpit of his fighter plane, becare kills already to his credit, he led his a division of Jap dive-bombers scpanlcd from their main formation off Palau Jsland in the far Pacific, and in thirty seconds got three of the enemy with three bursts from his own guns. a five-kills ace in a matter of seconds. With two “Meat Axe” squadxon in attacking (International) Shorthand Reporfer Has Fast Time When FDR Talks fo Newsmen NETT WASHINGTON, July 12 More | Roosevelt conversation goes unm Jack Romagna's notes than you ever | heard about. He’s got it all for everything from Mr casional Wi acks solemn public words Romagna is the White House shorthand reporter, a job he’s held | since early 1941. Quiet and deliber- | ately inconspicuous, he sits on the left of Mr. Roosevelt at all news conferences and takes in lightning- quick shorthand notes on the Presi- dent’s ever-changing moods. “For the record” conferences begin when Romagna opens his notebook. Then he takes down everything, including the few Presidential slips in grammar, omit- ting only occasional whispers which | the record Roosevelt's oc- to his most and other bits of byplay which can- not be disregarded, It's a tough job, even though you group is said to have been rushed of St. Lo, near Pont Hebert, | wouldn’t think so by listening to the deliberate, carefully - chosen | words that come out of your radio | dent’s during a fireside chat. The adio speeches go along at a | comfortable 100 words per minute or | half-phrased Presidential news | | times obviously are not intended for the | record. The story Romagna pours onto the pages of his notebook is anything but dull. He colors his notes by indicating laughter, gestures, asides | the first time. so—a breeze for any shorthand re- porter. But in news conferences the pace is bewildering. Mr. Roosevelt steps up a 90-word per-minute pace to 200 words of better a ady stream of questions and half- phrased replies. Sometimes the President dismisses a question with a gesture. Some- he literally talks into his famous cigarette holder. Frequently the reporters fill the room with laughter. Romagna’s job is to get it all, including the laughter—and get it He's never asked the (Con nued on P;g; Two) NAZIS FALL BACK BEFORE YANK TROOPS Drive Cause Some of Bitterest Fighting By EDWARD BALL WITH THE UNITED STATES| ;FORCLS BEFORE MOBECQ, France, July 12.—American artillery | ,and dive bombers are leveling the | h]lltop town of Mobecq foot by foot | to wipe out German sucide squads ‘blnckhm the drive southward the direction of Lessay, eastern lanchor of the new defense line |the enemy is throwing up {the River Orne. { The heavy demolition crews were lcalled after American infantry and {tanks ran into some of the bitter- {est fighting in the Normandy cam- | paign, as hand to hand. fighting ispn‘ml through the junglelike foil- {age and thickly studded hedgerows. | The Germans are strongly dug in land apparently are covering prep- |arations for a general NaZzi retreat lalong the front in this sector, fol- lowing the loss 'of La Haye du Puits and the Yank advance of three miles in the vicinity of Mobecq. | Indications are the enemy is pull- ling out in a hurry as resistance is ‘mmcwh‘\t slackened overnight and! fewer mines and booby traps were lencountered in Tuesday's fighting. However, the going is still tough, jon an every-man-Tor-himself basis. Prisoners taken were mostly in their teens, boys who fought their ammunition ran out. One from less than a week| ago. Germany - PARKING LAWS - TOBEENFORCED DECLARES CHIEF Parking ans dunm, business hours on Juneau's streets are going to be enforced, Chief of Police John Monagle declared today, rests will follow for violation Autos may be parked in business sections for only 30 min- utes and in front and Territorial building on Fourth Street for only 10 minutes. Many autoists have been over- riding this time from one half to one hour over the limit, Monagle Jsaid. Presi- | Along with that is | interruptions, Suicide Squads Blocking | bchludl until and ar-| the | of the Federal| AMERICANS DRIVINGON IN FRANCE Germans l&sQ_ZO Tanks in Futile Counterblows on Central Front SUPREME HEADQUARTERS OF THE ALLIED EXPEDITIONARY FORCE, July 12.—American iroops destroyed more than 20 Nazi tanks today, smashing back heavy German counterblows in the center of their lines which swept forward on both wings of the 48-mile front, and are slugging within two miles of the western anchor town of Lessay and even closer to St. Lo. The fierce' repulse to the German armor raised to 144 the total of enemy tanks (aken in France in the past few days. In violent fighting, the Americans closed on St. Lo, the German's cen- tral bastion in Normandy, from two directions. The Germans counter- attacked to cover the German with- drawal to the west. The doughboys tonight are less than two miles of St. Lo. Heavy Assault On the east end of the front a dis- patch declared the Germans threw | their heaviest assault toward Le Desert, six miles northwest of St. Lo, where Nazi tanks and troops charged headon into the American lines. More than 20 enemy tanks | went up in flames before the Nazis retreated from Le Desert, which is west of St. Jean de Haye and left No Man’s Land to the doughboys who are a couple of hundred yards from that village. Despite heavy German armed loss- | es, Gen. Montgomery's headquarters | warned that “enemy armor is still strong, and he is fighting back vig- orously, but is being worn down and |1s given no rest.” On the west wing the American | attack advanced nearly a mile, seiz- \mg the villages of Angoville sur Lay and La Bourdonnerie, carrying to within two miles of the hinge | town of Lcssay in Bretton woods, TANKATTACK REPULSED IN ST.10 AREA Rommel Throwing Para- chute Troops Into Sector Against Doughboys By DON WHITEHEAD WITH AMERICAN TROOPS IN |FRANCE, July 12—8mashing along lon a 48-mile front, Bradley's dough- <boys drove the Germans back to positions within three and one- ‘halx miles of Lessay on the west ‘caast while east of their front, |advance elements are about two miles from St. Lo, where Rommel put parachute troops into his line. Fifteen tanks filtered into our advanced positions last night north Later 20 more attempted to join the push. Captured orders showed they |were instructed to drive through |the American lines to Isigny and {to cut the bridgehead in two. | “That just gave us a laugh a Istaff officer said. | Dive bombers attacked a pocket \ol 15 tanks and at least seven were (lesuoyed ERIC JOHNSTON IS BACK FROM RUSSIAN TRIP NEW YORK, July 12.—Eric John- Ston, President of the United States | Chamber of Commerce, returned to- | day aboard an Army transport plane after a visit of eight weeks in Russia. He left immediately for | Washington.