Evening Star Newspaper, February 2, 1942, Page 8

6 s 1 TINPRARS THE EVENING STAR, 'WASHINGTON, Profit May Be Made On Mails Next Year, Walker Declares Increase in Volume of Busipess Felt Already, * House Committee Told B7 the Associated Press. . Bome time next year Uncle Sam' Postal Service, a billion-dollar- year business, may be operating at ‘l‘d profit after years of being in the . The estimated $17414220 op- erating deficit for the current fiscal year which ended June 30 may be replaced in the next fiscal year by a profit of $848000, if no hitches develop, Postmaster General Walker told the House Appropriations Com- mittee in hearings reported today. -Last fiscal year the deficit was $26,963681 and in the preceding year it reached the high of $41,- ,783. . Mr. Walker told the committee the general increase in business vol- ume due to the defense activities slready has been felt by the Post Office Department, which, through its 50,500 main offices and branches, handled 28,000,000,000 pleces of mail Bst year, First-Class Mail Pays Way. First-class mail has been hand- somely paying its way for years, yielding a profit of $146,815,578 last fiscal year, but other types of service have more than offset the gain. The largest losing item last year was second-class mall, which cost $83519,756 more than the revenue it brought in. ©Of the three types of first-class mail, only air mail now operates in the red, and the $6,961,373 deficit shown in that item last year is expected by postal authorities to be overcome completely by the end of this year due to a steady growth {n air mail use. , The hearings showed one of the Post Office Department’s biggest current headaches is the increasing use of the mails for operation of endless-chain schemes. Chain Letters Revived. Chain letters cemtering around Defense bond sales are the latest development, postal officials dis- closed. - “They hold out to the persons Joining the chain that individually they will receive about 10 or 20 times what they contribute to the chain,” Assistant Solicitor Walter E. Kelly explained. “It ultimately results in a fraud because when the chain spreads it comes to the point where the later participants have no chance of getting theirs because there are no other avail- able customers.” Singapore (Continued From First Page.) preparations for & last-ditch stand. It was presumed the Japanese ‘would a few days to reorgan- ize after their long push down the Malay Peninsuls, but Singapore was g on the theory the invad- ers might launch their attack at any hour. Keep Up Sporadic Fire. Along the 35-mile front formed by the mile-wide strait which lies like s moat between the mainland and 8ingapore Island, the British artil- lery kept up a sporadic fire designed to break the Japanese assault prep- arations. From trenches, foxholes and more permanent fortifications machine- guns were trained on the narrow strip of water, ready to loose a withering crossfire. Special pre- cautions were taken to guard against surprise attack by Japanese para- chutists. All civilians were withdrawn from the northern part of the island to clear the way for the movements of defense forces; and in Singapore itself military authorities enforced s 9 pm. curfew. The welcome news that reinforce- ments had arrived was disclosed by Sir Shenton Thomas, governor of Singdpore, in a broadcast yesterday. “We have been told by Mr. Church- 11l and others that help is being sent as quickly as possible,” he said. “T can tell you now that in the last few days substantial reinforcements have been received.” E: Confidence. Sir Shenton did not disclose the nature of the reinforcements. He expressed coonfidence in the ability of the people of Singapore to “stand up to total war” as have the peoples of Britain, Russia and China. His confidence was echoed by King George VI, who sent a mes- sage of sympathy and good cheer to 8ir Shenton and his people. “While the forces of the empire are fighting so valiantly against an enemy greatly superior in numbers, I know all on the island will acquit themselves with the same resolu- tion,” the manarch said. “I wish good luck to you all.” A tour of the island yesterday dis- closed no signs of panic or despair among the populace, despite the loes of the entire Malay Peninsula to the invaders. On the contrary, morale appeared to be high, and propaganda leaflets dropped by Japanese airmen sug- gesting that resistance was useless were greeted with contemptuous smiles. Late Dispatches Quoted. !'oflowing the German pattern, these propaganda leaflets quoted faked news dispatches from neutral sources designed to mislead Singa- pore residents on war developments elsewhere. One yellow sheet head- ed “extra” gave purported highlights of a dispatch dated Lisbon, January 14, asserting: “Yankees tender olive branch— Roosevelt wants Singapore Ueclared neutral zone.” The withdrawal of civilians from 2 mile-wide strip on the north shore of Singapore was accom- plished during the week end with little commotion. Driving their livestock before them and carrying their household goods, Chinese and Malay residents of the area moved quietly to districts far- ther south. Some civilians alreaay have left the island, which has a peacetime population of about 750,000 scattered over its 220 square miles. Gov. ‘Thomas said yesterday that as many ‘women and children as desired to go would be removed regardless of race, as Jong as transportation facilities Adequate Water Supplies. ‘Water supplies in Singapore were said to be adequate to resist a long siege, despite the loss of reservoirs on the mainland. Although mg;my s g JAPS CLAIM CAPTURE OF BORNEO PORT — The important shipping port of Pontianak in lower Netherlands Borneo has been occupied by Japaness forces, the Dutch indicated today. Pontianak, 440 miles north of Batavia, is of strategic importance. Citation Requested for Soldier Who Gave Warning in Hawaii By the Associated Press. Pvt. Joseph L. Lockard, 20, of Willlamsport, Pa., was the soldier who detected Japanese planes ap- proaching Pearl Harbor while prac- ticing at the listening device the morning of December 7 only to have his warning disregarded, Represent- ative Harness, Republican, of In- diana, reported yesterday. Mr. Harness sald the information was furnished to him by the War Department, at his request, and that he had written President Roosevelt urging a citation for Pvt. Lockard. “If his warning had been heeded,” Mr. Harness declared, “the tragedy might have been averted.” The report of the commission headed by Justice Owen J. Roberts of the Supreme Court, which dis- closed the incident, identified the listener, without mentioning his name, as “a non-commissioned offi- cer who had been receiving training” Ocean City Expects Big Season With Submarines as Attraction By the Associated Press. OCEAN CITY, Md, Feb. 2— Mayor Clifford P. Cropper yesterday predicted a banner season for this Maryland seashore resort and sald submarine activity off the Atlantic seaboard would be one of the great- est tourist attractions. Mayor Oropper emphatically de- nied that the r that the property of non-resi- ents living in Baltimore, Washing- ton, Wilmington, Del, and Phila- delphia was to be confiscated by the Government. Such reports, he said, had been spread in a number of nearby cities and property owners and investors had become alarmed. The ban on new car sales and the sale of new tires and tubes should resort. was to bej: evacuated as a military precaution, at the detection device and asked to be permitted to remain at the sta- tion after it closed at 7 am. Mr. Harness said that the War Department identified Lockard as & private, however, and that the de- partment believed that the commis- slon’s identification of him as a non- commissioned officer was an error. At Willlamsport, Mrs. George Lockard, the youth’s mother, heard the report of his exploit quietly, but with pride. “Joe was always like that—serious | about everything he did,” she said. Pvt. Lockard quit Williamsport High School two years ago to en- list. His mother said that at school “he was always so serious about his studies—too serious for our comfort.” In two letters he has sent home since the Japanese attack, Joe gave no hint of his role. “Don’t worry about me,” was all he said. “I may be very busy.” have no effect on tourist travel, the Mayor said. However, the Mayor said he had reopened negotiations with the Penn- sylvania Railroad for resumption of passenger train service during the vacation season. ‘The city has been without pas- senger train service since 1933, when & ‘storm. washed out the rallroad bridge. The sald the new $1,000,000 : recently completed across Sinepuxent Bay and connect- ing the city with the mainland, wotld be opened about June 15. Mr. Cropper said that contrary to previous reports the ocean front mh';{nbfl'm Qcean City and Rehoi Beach, Del,, would be kept. open for motor travel during the summer. Earlier it had been reported that travel on the highway might be banned as a military measure, end which raised the water level in already well-filled reservoirs’ and wells. (The Japanese sald yesterday the loss of mainland water sources had sealed the fate of Singapore, contending there were not sufficient .supplies on the island to withstand a siege.) The German radio said Japanese bombers had sunk a floating dock at the Singapore naval base. Japs Reported Expecting Singapore Fall by Feb. 11 BERLIN (From German Broad- casts), Feb. 2 (#).—The Japanese public is counting on the fall of Singapore before February 11, which is Japan's chief patriotic holiday, a German correspondent telegraphed from Tokio today. The Japanese celebrate February 11 as Kigenetsu, the anniversary of the legendary foundation of their empire in 660 B.C. The correspondent added that official Japanese quarters, however, are very reserved concerning Singa- pore’s fate and decline to make predictions. Japs Bringing Up Men And Guns for Assault BERLIN (From German Broad- casts), Feb. 2 (#).—Dispatches from Malaya, via Tokio, said today the banner of the Rising Sun had been hoisted at Johore Bahru within sight of the defenders of Singapore across the mile-wide strait and re- ported that the Japanese were bring- ing up troops and heavy artillery for the assault of the island. Johore Bahru was in flames, the dispatch said, and Japanese troops were moving the native population out of & 30-mile-wide operations| zone north of the strait. Some big guns already have started shelling British positions on the island and other are being moved up from the East Malayan port of Endau where they were landed several days ago, the Japa- nese report said. It added that Japanese recon- naissance flights over Singapore dis- closed that the British had been at work day and night strengthening their defenses against attack from the north. Civilian Defense Is Duty |Of All, 0'Conor Declares B3 the Associated Press. CAMBRIDGE, Md., Feb. 2—“No one is or can be exempt from the necessities of this civillan defenses movement,” Gov. O'Conor told Dorchester County citizens after a parade of 3,000 persons representing all units of the county organization. Speaking to an overflow crowd in the armory yesterday, Gov. O'Con- or said, “Never was a more direct obligation laid upon the conscience of any American citizen than the duty now upon our people with re- gard to this vital need of civilian defense.” He said the Nation was “only be- ginning” to feel the impact of the war, and asserted that anyone who even attempted to obtain tires that he was not entitled to by defense necessity, anyone who hoarded food- stuffs or who spread rumors was not being a loyal American. Gov. O’'Conor’s visit to Dorches- ter was the first step in an an- nounced plan to inspect the civilian defense programs in the counties, i D. O, MONDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 1542, A British radio broadcast yesterday asserted that Dutch troops had destroyed all installations in the area three days ago. Shown | conquest of the peninsula had been are Malayan dwellings in Pontianak. Western High School Gives 7,000 Books To Victory Drive Section 101 Repeats Its. World War Achievement, Leading Other Rooms With a rivalry between sections which was based on the records of each classroom in the first World War book drive, Western High School students this morning con- tributed nearly 7,000 books, the larg- est gift made to the District Victory Book Campaign. In one week the 1200 pupils col- lected 6,892 volumes. Section 101, with 34 students, collected nearly 1,100 books after Principal Elmer 8. Newton spurred on the campaign Jast week by recalling that two decades ago section 101 had led the school in the campaign. At an assembly last week Dr. Newton showed pictures taken at Western High School during the ‘World War and saved by Miss Mar- garet R. Wallace, physics teacher. One photograph showed students standing on the lawn with piles of books for soldiers in their arms. When members of section 101 heard that their class had won the campaign in 1918, they resorted to strategy to keep the rest of the school from knowing they intended to win again. Day after day a small number of books was credited to 101's record on the huge score sheet kept in the school office. Meanwhile boxes, bar- rels, even ‘a wheelbarrow were used to smuggle 101's books into the base- ment. When the hundreds of books they had collected in secret were piled by rip§ members of sec- tion 101 on the stage this morning, the average for esch of the 34 pupils ‘was 32 books. All of the books could not be placed on the stage. : ‘The nearest section in achievement to 101 had amassed 23 books per student. About 30 of the books brought by students bore “War Bervice” stickers fnside, indicating that they had been given to soldiers of the Pirst World War also. As s00n as the assembly was over. books were piled into trucks and taken to the Southwest Public Li- brary branch, Eighth and I streets S.W. There they will be sorted and then shipped to Baltimore for dis- tribution to soldiers, sailors and marines through the 3d Corps Area headquarters there. In most of Western's books was placed a sticker, announcing that the volume was given with the love and loyalty of Western High School. Only 5500 stickers were printed, | however. The rest of the books will be marked when the office staff gets more stickers, it was indicated. Sitting amazed as for one half hour students laden with books marched in a steady stream to the stage, Mrs. Philip Sidney Smith, drive chairman, later told the pupils she was too surprised and proud to say anuch. “I am so thrilled and grateful I hardly know what to say,” she de- clared, “except thank you so much.” Ten students from Sidwell Friend’s School descended on George Wash- ington University Librarian John Russell Mason this morning, bring- ing 160 books as their contribution to the campaign here. The District total is now nearly 41,000 boeks, Virginia Socialists Elect By the Associated Press. ROANOKE, Va., Feb. 2—Clement Dalton of Roanoke was re-elected State chairman of the Socialist party at the annual reorganization meeting here yesterday. 8. A. Moore, also of Roanoke, was elected vice-chairman and Lawrence S. Wilkes of this city, was chosen secretary-treasurer. WESTERN HIGH BREAKS VICTORY BOOK GIFT RECORD—Helping to pile plrt of the nearly 7,000 books contributed to the Victory Book Campaign on the stage of Western High 8chool this morning are (left to right) Leonard Abel, Lane, Richard Stenger, jr.; Antonine Miller and Martha J 5 Blough, Margaret Monteith, J —A. P. Wirephoto. Russians Reporfed Knifing On Through Ukraine Minefields 60-Mile Wedge Being Driven Southwest of Kharkov, Moscow Says By the Associated Press. MOSCOW, Feb. 2—Marshal Semeon Timoshenko's southern- front army was reported today | geid, knifing on through heavy mine flelds and beating down German counterattacks in an onslaught back into the Ukraine in a 60- mile-wide wedge southwest of Kharkov. _ “We haven't stopped for a single hour,” said a dispatch from this area where the Russians already had thrust 55 miles over fields of Nazl dead. . Names of towns recaptured were kept secret, as was the fate of Ger- man units hemmed in behind the Russian drive, but dispatches sald that on one battlefield 1200 Ger- mans were wiped out and 800 others were killed by bombing, ma- chine gunning Russian planes. Aim to Deal Crippling Blow. The Russians kept grimly to the advance, spurred by belief that they must not only regain lost ground, but must deal the German Army a blow that will sap the power of the Nazi spring offensive which the high command regards as sure to come. Using only initials to represent towns, Russian dispatches said the village of “K” had been won back under the Red flag on the Kalinin front and a village of “N” in an- other sector of the northwestern front had been recaptured in a| drive by infantrv and tanks. Near Leningrad the Germans were said to have lost 1,700 more men in operations over an unspecified | Place names generally were omit- | ted from the reports. “We are not announcing the cap- | ture of a single village, town or | city until after we are sure the | Germans know of its fall” one| Russian authority explained. “In this way their surrounded, cut-up, outflanked regiments are suffering from even more confusion.” Advance Continues. ‘The midnight communique, con- forming with that policy, merely said the Russian troops yesterday “destroyed enemy centers of resist- ance and continued their advance.” The communique, however, did tell of a fight Saturday in which Russian infantry and tenks “anni- Japanese Occupation 0f Key Borneo Port Indicated by Dulch Seizure of Pontianak, Main City on West Coast, Reported By the Associated Press. BATAVIA, Netherlands Indies, Feb. 2—The Netherlands Indies high command said today that “unconfirmed reports” indicated Japanese forces had occupled Pontianak, main city on the west coast of Dutch Borneo. Japanese landings at Pemangkat, 85 miles north 3 The communique said Du‘ch guerrillas on Minahassa, narrow. northern peninsuls of Celebes Island, east of Borneo, still were of- fering flerce resistance {o Japanese forces, despite Tokio claims that completed. Neo More News From Amboina. No further news has been received, however, from Kendari, on the southeastern shore of Celebes, where the Japanese algo have established & toehold, or from Amboins Island, site of a big Dutch naval base be- tween Celebes and New Guines, the communique declared. The Tokio radio reported yester- day that Japanese landing forces on Amboina were approaching the big military airdrome there. Increased Japanese air activity was reported over Bangka, an is- land off the SBumatra coast about 225 miles southeast of Singapore. Bangka 1s noted for its rich tin de- posits. Moderate enemy aerial operations were noted over various other parts of the Indies, the communcation | Airdromes Machinegunned. “Some airdromes and small places were machinegunned,” it added. “In a Kampong (native section) on one of the small islands four per- sons were killed and several wounded.” One person was reported killed and four slightly wounded in an attack on Poso, in Central Celebes. During these air operations a| Netherlands flying boat engaged a | Japanese fighter plane and shot it | down, emerging from the fray only slightly damaged, the high com- | mand said. Japs Fight Way Close To Amboina Airport MELBOURNE, Australia, Feb. 2| (#)—It was announced here yes- terday that Japanese who landed Baturday on Amboina island, site of an important Dutch naval base some 635 miles north of the tip of Australia, had fought their way close to the Amboina airport. A Dutch communique from Ba- tavia yesterday made no specific mention of the situation on Am- boina, but reported hard fighting at the various scattered points in the Netherlands Indies where the g-p-nm previously had won foot- olds. These included—in addition to| Amboina—the east and west coasts of Borneo and the island of Celebes. The Dutch said there had been a lessening of Japanese &ir activity during the week end in the Indles, although attacks were reported at scattered points, l Ohio U. Alumni to Lunch The Ohio University Alumni Club | of Washington will hold a luncheon at the Neptune Room from 11:30 am. to 1 pm. tomorrow in honor of Sammy Kaye and members of his orchestra. Representative Baumhart, of Ohio, a graduate of | Ohio University with Mr., Kaye, will | be present. hilated the 3d Infantry Battalion of the 4th 8S (Elite Guard) Regi- | ment. Many prisoners were taken.” | The midday communique said of- | fensive operations against the Ger- | mans continued throughout the night and that one Red Army unit on the Kalinin front, northwest of | Moscow, killed 350 German officers | and men in capturing a village. | It also reported the slaying of | more than 100 German soldiers when s platoon of Russian skiers | ambushed & supply column. Nazis Report Fighting Is Heavy in South BERLIN (from German broad- | casts), Feb. 2 (#).—Heavy fighting | is under way in the Southern sector of the German-Russian front in spite of strong blizzards, the German high command reported today. German artillery shelled industrial targets in Leningrad “with good effect,” the command’s communique added, while numerous Russian at- tacks in the central and northern sectors were reported repulsed. Soviet Troops Reported On Rzhev-Vyazma Line NEW YORK, Feb. 2—The British radio reported today that Russian troops increasing their pressure in the central sector of the German- Russian front had reached the Rzhev-Vyazma railroad line. The broadcast was heard by C. B. 8. Vyazms is about 65 miles south of Rzhev. Both cities are about 140 miles west and northwest of Mos- cow. The British radio sald yesterday Moscow broadcasts claimed Six Persons Are Buried In Alps Avalanches By the Associated Press. VICHY, Unoccupied Prance, Feb. YOUR ADVERTISING point of the buyer. » ~ Tell him what he wants to know that you want him to know. s Tell him something that concerns kimin your headline. s » Make the first twenty, thirty words exciting, make them the mostimportant and imberesting words in your ads. « » Don’t stretch a point. s » Lean over backwards to tell only the ruths. > ~ Write to make buyers pictare what you sell a8 they would nee it. * » Keep,in mind that the ple, prospects, how they can make fheir lives easier, surer, longer, richer, better . .. o happier . . . . . when they use or eat or drink or wear..... those things that YOU sell. GETS HIS WINGS — d Benjamin Nichols, son of Mr., and Mrs. H. G. Nichols, 4636 ' Hawthorne Lane, graduates today from the Advanced Cadet’ 8chool ai Kelly Field, Tex., and will be commissioned a second lieutenant in the Army Alr Corps. A native of Washington, Lt. Nichols was graduated from 8t. Alban's School here and attended Washington and Lee Uni- versity. Macassar (Continued From First Page.) the large warship amidships. “There was a tremendous explosion and & thick cloud of black smoke rose fhto the air. Didn't Have a Chance. “When our aircraft shot out of | the clouds the Jap destroyers began | to scuttle about their charges like frightened water beetles. But we| came so fast and so unexpectedly that they didn't have a chance to escape.” ‘The Japanese fire was very poor at first, but improved later, the offi- cers said. On the second day, the officers | related, they had no difficulty Ini‘ locating the armada and they sank | a large transport, left a troop ship | with a bad list, hit a destroyer and | shot four Nipponese planes out of the air. The third day the convoy had reached Balik Papan and had landed troops, and the only anti-aircraft | fire to greet the airmen was from a | few shore batteries which had been set up. Spirited Air Fight. President Orders Central Information Bureau Established Mellett Told to Expand Office of Government Reports to Aid Visitors President Roosevelt today di- rected Lowell Mellett, director of the Office of Government Re- ports, to expand his office into & central information bureau to answer ‘the thousands of ques- tions submitted dally by the countless visitors to wartime ‘Washington. In & letter from the President to Mr. Mellett made public by Stephen Early, White House secretary, Mr, Roosevelt called for two adminis- trative moves: The expansion of the United States Information Bervice in the Office of Government Reports to operate as s central source of in- formation for visitors. Assignmen! informaticn heads of Pederal agen- cles to duty in the Information Service, in order to enable that agency to carry out its new task efficiently. “It has become more and more difficult for those coming to Wash- ington on specific business to lo- cate the Government official who can give authoritative answers to their questions” President Roose- velt told Mr. Mellett. The full text of the letter follows: “Citizens are coming to Wash- ington in increasing numbers seek- ing information and the assistance of their Government. Many busi- nessmen are attempting to obtain advice and direction for the utiliza- tion of their facilities in the war effort. “It has become more and mors difficult for those coming to Wash- ington on specific business to locate the Government official who ean give authoritative answers to their questions. “As a result many of the depart- ments and agencies have expanded their information divisions. It is now necessary that there be an inte- gration of the various offices having direct contact with the public and that their activities be co-ordinated under the direction of a central office. Expansion Directed. “As President of the United States and commander in chief of the armed forces, I therefore direct you as director of the Office of Govern= A Japanese aircraft carrier had | arrived on the scene, however, and | it put 20 of its Zero fighters 1nm1 the air. In a spirited fight four of | them were shot down and another spotted was sent crashing with the loss of & single Dutch bomber. Despite the interference the air- men said they hit and probably sank s cruiser and fired a transport. “The next day American planes and warships and a Dutch sub- marine joined in the attack,” one of | the officers said, “with the result that after four successive days & total of 32 Japanese ships were sunk, fired or heavily damaged, no less than 16 enemy planes downed, while the Allies lost only one plane.” ment Reports to “l1. Expand the facilities of the United States Information Bervice 80 that visitors shall have one cen- tral place to which they can go for direction and information. “2. Inform department and agency heads of my desire that they each assign such of their personnel to duty in this central office as may be necessary to carry out this general purpose.” “I further direct that you transmit 8 copy of this letter to the heads of all Federal agencies.” Twenty-five young policemen of Cardiff, Wales, are to be sent to university to study law. pLw-CO ncw ENTV WASWINGTO RE S‘“E\“\\\\ER W o Qéservation-Loange Car, with easy chairs, Radio and Cockiail Bor Featuring SUFFET-LOUNGE + OBSERVATION-COCKTAIL-LOUNGE RADIOS « INDIVIDUAL RECLINING SEAT COACHES SPACIOUS WOMAN'S LOUNGE * ULTRA-MODERN DINER STEWARDESS-NURSE « PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEM On this fine, new, fast train you’ll find many extra com- are yours at the regular <coach fare. Relax in the roomy, restful seats—reserved without Lounge, with easy chairs, ras dio and modern Cocktail Bar. Call on the Stewardess-Nurse for friendly help, information or suggestions —a service appreciated by elderly folks and by women traveling alone or with children. Try the Streamiined Colum. bian on your next trip to Pittsbutgh or Chi SCHEDULE Lv. Washi ington Lv. Silver Sv:;u