Evening Star Newspaper, February 3, 1942, Page 4

POLTESSRRER LR SRR ERE LR DO VT IV IENORAGSNER RS, . S IR O3S e SREPTTPTST R F SR T S DR ANEEVLRSTLTLLRLL To Be Crucial Month In Far East War - Period for Strategic. Withdrawal Has Rug Out, Writer Says By LELAND STOWE, Foreign Correspondent of The Chicago Daily News. RANGOON, Feb. 3—On; three different Oriental fronts, days of the greatest urgency have now come, assuring the fact that in the Philip- pines, at Singapore and in Burmn‘ February will be a crucial month | in the Far Eastern conflict. With Gei. Douglas MacArthur's | midget forces' backs to the wall, on | Batan Peninsula; with Singapore; within range of Jap guns, and with the Nipponese now holding Moul- | mein and the eastern shores of the | Salween River, the Allied troops in all these theaters must hereafter | fight desperately to ward off the | enemy at all costs. The period of strategic withdrawal is now run out and every yard held by our forces | must be clung to grimly to avoid | ‘possible “disastrous consequences. | Since this is clearly realized by | Gen. Sir Archibald P. Wavell, su- preme commander of the United Nations, and the other Allied com- manders in each of the war zones, | the bitterest fighting yet seen in | the Far East seems unquestionably | to lie directly ahead. It will re- quire all that resolution which | Prime Minister Churchill so justly | has repeatedly warned must be | tested to the utmost, before the tide can be definitely turned in the | Allies’ favor. As a result of the latest Jap ad- vances, the battle for Burma— which also could be called the battle for the Burma road, or for Ran- goon—is now beginning in earnest. ‘The Japanese already are bringing exploratory pressure along the lower Salween River line, particularly from Kadu Island, which might be | used as a stepping stone between Moulmein and Martaban, at the Sal- ween's mouth, along the river's banks for 50 miles, north to the neighborhood of Shwegun. Since a ferry is located at Shwegun the Japs may be expected to concentrate heavily thereabouts. The enemy’'s strategy inevitably must be an attempt to force a pas- sage across the Salween well below | the 8han Mountains, where he could strike to cut the Burma road and isolate Rangoon. How soon - this drive will be launched may depend | on Singapore's resistance, or per- | haps the enemy will not need troops | released from that area before thrusting for Burma'’s central artery | which Kipling immortalized as the road to Mandalay. At any rate, the day is now near when the dawn will come up with | Jap thunder from Thailand, across | Martaban Bay, and February 1is| likely to provide the answer to what | the outcome on the Burma front | will be. ; (Copyright, 1942, by Chicage Daily News.) Communiques Two Batan Invasion Attempts Repelled’ Srretent of War Dhmm com- munique No. 90, issued this morning, | follows: ~ . D = 1. Philippine theater: Two Japanese attempts to land troops on the west coast of Batan ‘were broken up during the night of February 2, 1942. The first raid by the Tatori group of special shock troops was made early in the evening. This was frustrated by our artillery fire. A second and more serious at- tempt was made at midngiht. A large number of barges under naval escort approached the coast. The raid was discovered by a few of our night fiying pur- suit planes which immediately attacked the convoy with light bombs and machine-gun fire. As the enemy troops ap- proached the shore, our beach de- fense force attacked with artillery and machine guns. The Japanese force suffered heavy casualties in men and boats. On the following morning a number of disabled barges were found along the beaches. Some of these were burning and others were adrift. None of the invading group reached shore. Ground operations on our left flank were of a minor character. the frontal pressure of the Jap- anese 16th (Kaimura) Division in this sector relaxed. Some en- emy pockets were found where isolated groups of Japanese sol- diers are being mopped up. On our right where Gen. Nara's 65th Division had pre- viously attempted by a frontal attack to drive a wedge between our forces we made a successful counterattack. - Our troops over- ran three miles of enemy trenches, capturing considerable equipment, During the past 24 hours there has been moderate enemy air activity in support of ground action. In the recent fighting in the Philippines Brig. Gen. Clinton A. Pierce, U. S. A, was slightly wounded in action. 2. There is nothing to report from other areas. The text of War Department com- munique No. 89, based on reports re- ceived here until 4 p.m. yesterday, said: 1. Southwest Pacific: : Several air raids on enemy shipping and air fields were car- ried out by small formations of heavy American Army bombers of the Flying Fortress type. Our bombers raided the Japa- nese air fields at Kuala Lumpur and Kuantan in Malaya. On ac- eount of poorwisibility it was im- possible to determine the results of these attacks. Our planes re- turned to their base undarmaged. Enemy fighter planes inter- cepted four of eur bombers which were en route to attack Japanese shipping in the harbor of Balik Papan on the island of Borneo. In the ensufng fight A r and They're Not In, Gamble on an Allied Victory This is the ninth of a series written by an American corre- spondent just returned from Europe. By DAVID M. NICHOL, Correspondent of The Star and Chicago Daily News. The story is well documented that the German Kaiser paid a visit to Switzerland shortly before the out- break of the first World War. After the parade in his honor was finished, the Kaiser complimented his Swiss officer escort on the training and equipment of the troops he had seen. “But,” asked the Kaiser, “what would you do if an army of twice as many soldiers were to come to Switzerland?” K “We'd shoot twice as often,” re- plied the Swiss without hesitation or embarrassment. The incident is said, in Switzerland at least, to have played a part in the Kaiser's de- cision to attack France through the Low Countries. Something of the same spirit has preserved that tiny nation’s neutral- | ity in Hitler's Europe in which only four countries have escaped fnvolve- ment in the war. Relatively, its sacrifices are far greater than any the United States has made so far, its awareness of the ultimate mean- ing of a Nazi victory far keener. Miracle Nations of Europe. Switzerland most of all and Swe- den, secondly, share this positive neutrality. They are the miracle na- tions of Europe. The attack on them has been oblique, an eco- nomic assault, but they are fight- ing for their existence almost as desperately as any of the others. Portugal and Turkey are less con- sciously neutral. Both have treaties of alliance with Great Britain. War Board Studies Machine Tool and Copper Problems Comprehensive Surveys Prepared by Nelson For Meeting Today Machine tools and copper, which | represent the two most pressing| problems in the war production pic- ture, were to be the principal items for discussion at a meeting of the | War Production Board this after- noon. The board was expected to explore the machine-tool industry to | determine the following: Whether all facilities are being worked on an around-the-clock | basis. What improvements may be ex- pected as a result of the industry conversion program. To what extent future war produc- | tion must depend on new facilities. THE EVENING STAR, WASHINGTON, D. C, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 1942. February Is Expecled |Neutral Swiss, Paying Heavy Price for a War Geography and the Germans’ need for some window to the outside world probably have removed for the time being the danger of military invasion so far as Switzerland and Sweden are concerned. These two countries remain, however, the un- finished business of the Axis. With their democratic parlia- ments, their rejatively free press, and the sturdy convictions of the bulk of their citizenry, they repre- sent the perpetual, living negation of all that the new order stands for. They face certain extinction unless Hitler is defeated. Ready for Destruction. Switzerland serves as the chief link between the Nazis and their Italian “allies.” Day after day long trains of coal and scrap climb to the St. Gotthard Tunnel and over the backbone of the Alps into Italy, or make their way along the equally famous LoetschbergsSimplon route. Probably no area in the world, in- cluding the Panama Canal, is as heavily fortified”as the approaches to the Gotthard, and the tunnels themselves are mined and guarded constantly by soldiers with instruc- tions to destroy them ‘‘under cer- tain conditions” regardless of any countermanding orders. A brief acquaintance with the Swiss is enough to convince one that there would be no mistakes, no confusion, and that . the tunnels actually would be blown up. If Hitler takes one step over the bor- der, the jugular vein of the Axis would be cut. The direct route through the Brenner Pass could not | possibly handle the traffic. Hitler instead has applied an eco- | nomic weapon, a powerful one ruth- |lessly used. It is his control of | every exit and entrance to Switzer- land, of every avenue of import or export, Four Million Prisoners. “Why should we invade them? We now have 4,000,000 prisoners there,” a high Nazi official is quoted as saying. There is no coal, iron, steel or ofl | except what the Axis allows. ‘The Swiss are a people of 4.200.- | 000, about the size of the city of | Chjcago. What can they do against{ the might of the Axis? The answer 1s that they can do and have done a good deal. In the first place, Switzerland supports an army whose exact num- ber is as closely kept a secret as that of the Nazis, but it exceeds 500,000. It is as well equipped as any on the continent, considering its size, and it is specially designed for mountain warfare. Every man in Switzerland must serve some time each year with the army. He owns his own gun and uniform. If he is in a mobile unit, he owns his motorcycle or bicycle. Active service merely in- volves going home, changing one's clothes and unhooking the rifie from the wall. About half of this organization is kept constantly in active duty at great sacrifice, for Switzerland sore- ly needs the labor it represents. The It was understood that exhaustive studies have been undertaken in the | financial burden has been tremen- | dous, special war costs totaling | land will be self-sustaining. And the Swiss are suffering no delu- sions. They count on a long war. “It won't be a very rich diet.” says the soft-spoken man in charge of the program, “but we can live if we have to.” Living conditions, complicated in the first two years of the war by a price increase of about 40 per cent, have plunged rapidly down in the last six months. They are still the best in Europe, for when one buys meat, one gets good meat in large _helpings, but it can be obtained only four days a week. Coffee, tea, sugar, butter, cheese, milk, grains of all kinds are closely rationed. Leather and textiles can -be pur- chased only, against coupons, a year's allotment of which is about sufficient for a suit and a pair ot shoes, Supplies of coal have been cut more than 50 per cent. To conserve the precious stocks of gasoline, less than one-tenth of Switzerland's au- tomobiles are permitted to operate at all. Most of ghem have been con- verted to various substitute fuels. Gasoline rations for those with spe- cial permits are about 3 gallons a month. Swiss Dilemma. Swiss industry, distorted as all economies have been distorted by the strains of war, is operating at full blast, mostly for the Germans, because it. can operate for no one else. This has caused the British to tighten further the blockade pro- visions. The Swiss face this di- lemma: unable to export to any one but the Axis without German per- mits, they must produce for the Axis or shut down-their factories. Widespread unemployment, they fear, might produce fertile ground for fifth column activities, for the average Swiss already has drawn heavily on his savings to meet the increased living costs. Using this economic weapon, the Nazis were able to compel the Swisg to sign a trade agreement last sum- mer which is little more than black- mail. Among its provisions, the Swiss government agreed after weeks of negotiations to finance ex- ports to Germany, in return for the vital iron and coal, to the extent of almost $100,000.000 annually. This equals about half of all Swiss ex- ports to the Axis In the face of all this, the average | Swiss are pro-Ally. Considerable criticism is heard of the government | because its policies are so carefully | neutral. The government, in its| turn, has pointed to a three-century tradition and insisted this will be maintained, agreeing at the same time that the Swiss citizen is en- titled to think what he pleases pri- vately. The Nazis continue to rage and froth about almost every aspect of Swiss activity. The handful of Swiss correspondents in Berlin is scolded and threatened as no others except the Americans were before their arrest. The Nazis are furious because the Swiss buy tiny R. A. F. emblems as contributions and wear them proud- ly; because they show a preference | | yesterday in giving it & unanimous | District rent administrator control | gress complain that storage charges machine-tool industry, and Chair-|about $1,140,000. Of this, despite man Donald M. Nelsoirwas pre ta lay -before.ihe -baard.a col red{ a'“10' pertent federal income tax only pre ape@l . war profi { hensive picture of this phase of m;mwvmn will hhfigg red. : production program. Copper Problems Reviewed. The board was scheduled to devots considerable attention>also to,a It ~view of:the- eopper ,situation; wit! particular stress being placed of means of increasing domestic pro- duction and accelerating imports from South America. Problems in the copper field were explored at some length by Mr. Nelson in a re- port to the Senate yesterday. At that time he warned the Sen- ate that “any concessions” now to relieve civilian hardships and dis- comforts caused by the belt-tighten- ing war program may have to be paid for later by “intensified” suf- fering and loss of life. Detailed Report Submitted. Mr. Nelson sent to the Senate a detailed report prepared by the Office of Production Management before it was supplanted by the War Production Board, to show facts regarding war materials short- ages, general priority and allocation policies, administrative plans and future steps to minimize economic dislocation resulting from the war. Although the report dealt gener- ally with O. P. M. policies as of De- cember 15, the primary aim reflected in its pages is identical with that Mr. Nelson will follow in his new organization. This aim was ex- pressed as follows: “Until final victory is achieved, all of this Nation’s vast resources of men, materials and machines must be directed to the production of an ever increasing quantity of war materials at an ever increasing speed. There can be no compromise with the achievement of this ob- jective. Everything else is sec- ondary to the achievement of this purpose.” __ Shortage of Copper. Using copper as a material with which to illustrate the outlook from | military and civilian standpoints, Mr. Nelson pointed out that during this year copper available after war requirements are met will fall short of the 1940 consumption by more than 95 per cent, even on the basis of November, 1941, defense alloca- tions. | The country consumed 1.002.000‘ short tons of copper in 1940, whereas the 1942 supply should total 1,752, 000 short tons. Yet, if copper al- locations during the current year follow merely at the rate prevailing in November—before this country’s entry in the war—it will be neces- sary to allocate 1,708,000 tons for | War purposes. Although details of the war pro- gram had not been settled when the report was written, Mr. Nelson said that preliminary estimates indicated a situation “much graver from the civilian viewpoint than that indi- cated previously.” Missing Persons Those having information concerning : persons reported missing should . communicate with the Public Relations Squad of the Police Department, Na- tional 4000. Elmer R. Sullivan, 35, missing to- day from 4502 North Sixteenth street, Arlington, Va., 5 feet 8 inches tall, 155 pounds, auburn hair and & nine enemy planes were shot ]a:;tvn. One of our bombers was 2. There is nothing ® report from other areas. . Switzerland is the center of stamp sales in Europe where the philateiic hobby is booming, according tq, the Commerce Department. A scar behind left ear. Wearing gray suit, green.overcoat, brown shoes, no hat; operating a two-door Stude- baker sedan. _Henry Jack Richmond, 15, missi from 4308 Alabama avenue 8.E. since Friday, § feet 5 inches, 115 pounds, cov- Swiss Reorganize Agriculture. To_break the strangle hold that foed sgives e the Abhs:sthe Swiss hO® @idérthken the thihplete re- organization - of their -agriculture which formerly centered around its dairy industry. By 1943, if the | plans can be completed, Switzer- | (Copyrisht. 1841, by Chicago Daily News.) for American movies; because they | won't speak German—which every one of.them knaws—if they. can’ avoid #t but '0se their pecuMar dia- | lect; because Swiss gunners never seem to hit the British bombers on | their way to Italy, but show an {amazing accuracy if a German plane infringes the border "a' yard—in| {shert because the Swiss are Swiss, | and there is no room féor them or | democracy in the new order. 'New Chilean President Lauds Unity, Wants U. S. Capital Rios Promises ‘No Political Chicanery’ While He Remains in Office By PAUL JONES, Foreign Correspondent of The Star and North American Newspaper Alliance. VALPARAISO, Chile, Feb. 3— Just before his overwhelming victory in Chile’s presidential election, I talked with Juan Antonio Rios, triumphant candidate of elements corresponding to the New Dealers in the United States. He received me in his home in Los Leones, a modern Santiago sub- urb. It is a smallish white villa in modern style, the sort of home any successful lawyer of moderate income might have in any American suburb. Across the tree-lined street a single dismounted carabinero was on post. He arose from behind his desk to shake hands. Tall and lean, he was wearing a double-breasted white suit, & striped shirt, a regimental tie. He seemed surprisingly fit after a strenuous campaign. < His campaign pictures show a rather sad face and haunted eyes, but the actual impression is one of vigorous good health. His skin is tanned and clear. He has thick, iron- gray hair. He wears heavy.tortoise- shell glasses over a long Yankee nose. Not Too Friendly at First. Altogether, it is an interesting and mobile face, but not entirely friendly at first. Looking me straight in the eye, he said: “I'm not sure that I want to talk to any more North American newspapermen. They mis- quote me.” He handed me a clipping describ- ing him as against a break in re- lations with the Axis or granting the United States bases in Chile. “That does not represent my real attitude,” he said. * He explained his entire sympathy with the aims envisaged by both measures and with hemisphere soli- darity, but thought just as much could be accomplished, he said, by safer means. It is only a question of diplomats finding a formula with- out being led astray by points of per- sonal prestige or momentary advan- tages, he said. I have talked with enough Chileans to realize that Rios ex- presses the probable sentiments of a very large majerity of his country- men. That the good will is there, there can be no possible doubt, but one also has to consider that Chile has 2,600 miles of virtually unpro- tected coastline. The Chilean Navy for its size is one of the best in the world, but it is very small. *Work His Favorite Subject. I said I was no diplomat, but a newspaperman anxious to learn more about Chile and her future position in the world. His program is one of work, and this is his favorite subject. slender. . Wearing blue-checked mackinaw, reported to frequent movies-on Ninth street. “That’s it,” he sald. “And what we need is capital. Chile is an im- ' poverished country. We have no | money to develop our national re- | sources on a large scale and to cre- | ate new real wealth.” I said that should not be too| | difficult, providing foreigners were assured a footing of equality and indications of security; the war was | an obstacle, but on the other hand war required vast amounts of raw materials, which the development of Chilean resources might supply. No Political Chicanery. “Absolutely,” he said. “And as for the security of foreign capital under my administration, let me say that this whole campaign has been based on the slogans: Order, discipline and, above all, honest dealing. “I meant every word of them, and intend to carry them out. There will be no political chicanery while | I am President. “American capital would be espe- in Chile. housing, recreation facilities, medi- | cal care and hospitalization and fair wages. “Even more important is the fact that they have never in the slight- est degree tried to interfere with or influence the course of Chilean poli- tics. Nothing like that would be tolerated, of course, nor would we expect it from good neighbors.” ‘Rios May Take Presidency Of Chile Immediately SANTIAGO, Chile, Feb. 3 (#).— President-elect Juan Antonio Rios may take office immediately because of the world crisis rather than wait until April 2, the constitutional date for his inauguration, informed politi- ical circles said yesterday. Rios, the pro-Democratic candidate who advocates full co-operation with the United States, was elected by 56,000 votes over Gen. Carlos Ibanez del Campo Sunday. Z Well-informed sources said Vice President Geronimo Mendez, acting | President since the death of Pedro | Aguirre Cerda November 25, might | appoint Rios minister of interior, and then resign in favor of the Rresident-elect. Rios would then assume the presi- dency provisionally as the ranking government official. Chile and Argentina are the only ‘Western Hemisphere nations which have not brokén relations with or declared war on the Axis. Many Rios supporters expect him to force & rupture of relations. G Seen by Randolph Approval Would Send Bill to President; Garage Rates Hit Chairman Randolph of the House District Committee today predicted early House action on a Senate- approved bill authorizing the Com- missioners to establish municipally- owned automobile parking lots on the fringe of Washington’s con- gested business section. The legislation has been placed on the House calendar as a result of action of the District Committee indorsement. Only House approval is now needed to complete legislative action on the bill and send it to President Roosevelt for signature. May Act This Week. Instead of waiting until Monday, the next scheduled day for considera- tion of District legislation, Rep- resentative Randolph said he would attempt to have the measure con- sidered this week under a unani nous’ consent arrangement because or the urgency of additional parking space. Meantime, the House referred to Mr. Randolph's committee a bill in- troduced late yesterday by Rep- resentative Forand, Democrat, of Rhode Island, designed to give the over rates charged for rentals of both public-and private garages. The committee now has before it a meas- ure sponsored by Representative Dirksen, Republican, of Illinois, giving the Public Utilities Commis- sion control over rates charged by operators of public garages and parking lots. Rate Increases Charged. ‘The proposed legislation is the re- sult of charges by House members that some parking lot and garage owners in the District have taken advantage of the shortage of parking accommodations by “jacking up rates.” Representative Thomas F. Ford, | Democrat, of California complained | before the committee yesterday the garage in which he stores his car | increased his monthly rates from | $12.50 to $17.50 on the ground labor | costs had risen. He further declared | he had heard other members of Con- had risen 50 per cent. | Representative Dirksen said his | bill to place control of commercial | parking fees in the P. U. C. would end “profiteering.” U. S. Aide Puts His Life Savings Into War Bonds A 52-year-old blueprint and pho- tostat operator in the Maritime A marine private of the last, World War—Nathan Weltz, 43—to- | day is back in the service as the new law permitting veterans to re- | duty and clerical work. M. C. R, saw action in Belleau | same time as Mr. Welez. Mr. Weltz came here from his home in Miami, Fla, to re-enlist four weeks ago when he read of | the impending passage of the bill. He patiently waited and yesterday received final word that he had be- come qualified. He declared that he was willing ' to do anything and go anywhere the marines would send him in the hope of again seeing action against America’s enemies. He added that | he was going into the marines once again as a private, first class, just as he did in 1917, FIRST WAR VET RE-ENLISTS—Nathan Weltz, 43, of Miami, Fla., is shown being sworn in yesterday by Lt. Col. Wethered Wood- worth, U. 8. M. C. R,, at the local recruiting headquarters, 949 Ninth street N.W., as the first World War veteran to rejoin the service here under the new law permitting the old-timers to take duties which will relieve younger men for combat work. | may volunteer for —Star Staff Photo. “I will do anything they give me. | They can drop me on the Philip- pines or Singapore or any other | | first to volunteer here under the | place there's a chance to get into | picture prepared in England show- turn so that younger men may be Mr. Weltz said he was on the ; ing scenes of actual raids, air fights released for more rigorous assign- | first boat to land marines at San |and rescue work and adding views of ments than such tasks as guard | Nazaire, France, in June, 1917. He | practice work by the various emer- | had only been in the service 16 days, | gency agencies. The recruiting station head, Lt.| he recalled, and that he felt lucky ! pictures issued by the British Min- Col. Wethered Woodworth, U. S. to be among the first to sail for istry of Information demonstrating action,” he declared. “the action.” He served abroad | service. A former salesman and book | dealer, Mr. Weltz came in for some kidding at the recruiting station | here when it developed he had to| get his wife’s permission to rejoin. | According to the law, war veterans limited shore duty to serve as guards at various home posts or in other capapcities which may permit vounger men to serve elsewhere. Provisions of the law state that the new men must be between 30 and 50 years and | “have serviceable feet, legs and heart.” Knabenshue, U. S. Envoy To lraq, Is Buried By the Associated Press. BAGHDAD, Iraq, Feb. 3—Paul Knabenshu, United States Minister to Iraq, was buried in the British | cemetery yesterday with state cere- monies. Commission believes in makin, every minute count. Bernard J. Levey of 1303 Mary- land avenue N.E. took - his-lunch hour yesterday to withdraw his life savings of $2,000 from a loca) build- ing association and to reinvest the money in foyr $500 Defense bonds. Mf. Levey told ‘his sufprised fel- low employes ‘that hé had been { Mr. Knabenshue, Minister here € | since 1932, died Sunday of tetanus | after a minor operation. He was 59. “The body ‘was escorted by a de- | tachment ‘of the Royal guard, | and the route to the cemetery was | lined with Iragi troops. , | . Mourners in the crowded cemetery dnicludetl the ~Iyag) ~Prdmiekt and other inet’ members, all wémbers | planning to buy the bonds for about | ©f the diplomatic corps and the a week, and “this looked like the only chance I'd have.” A native Washingtonian, Mr. Levey had the bonds issued jointly in the names of himself and his wife, Lillian. (Purnished by the United | commander of British troops in Iraq and Iran. | A Peruvian company has agreed to ship 5,000,000 barrels of petro- | leum to Brazil. ‘Weather Report States Weather Bureau.) District ef Columbia—Continued cold with lowest temperature be- tween 10 and 15 degrees tonight; diminishing winds. Virginia—Not quite so cold in | tinued cold tonight. | Maryland—Continued cold this afternoon and ,tonight with di-' minishing winds. Repert for Last 24 Hours. | Temperature. IS¢ | at Geat Palls today. Yesterday— 4pm. Mebamient nigl Today— Record for Last 24 (Prom noon yesterday to noon today.) Highest, 28, at 2 D.m. yesterday. Year *fYowest, 12, at 7:15 am. today. Year Record Temperatures This Year. Highest, 65, on January 18. Lowest, 6, on January 11. Humidity for Last 24 Hours. (Prom noon yesterday to moon t0aay.) Highest, 63 per cent, at 7:30 a.m. today. Lowest, 37 per cent. at 1:30 am. today. Precipitati Monthly precipitation in inches in the Capital (current month to date): cially welcomed in Chile, because | American capital has a good record | Mareh ‘The great copper and ni- | Mi trate plants have done much for |y their men in the way of decent | Our made up stocks Overcoats are also av inspection. extreme southwest; otherwise con- River Report. Potomac and Shenandoah Rivers clear at Harpers Perry: Potomac slightly muddy Tide Tables. (Purnished by United Seat es and eodetic Survey.) ‘oday. Coast High Low High Low 8un. today Temperatures in Various Cities. Tempera- Precivi ture. - tion Jighest Towest 24 24 hrs. 12 hrs. hrs.pei Albuquerque. N. Mex. 57 28 it i S 38 2 Buffalo Chicago. Iil Gleveland, Ohio Louisville, Ky. | Memphis. Tenn. _ | Miami. Fla. New York. Philadelphia, | Pittsburgh, | 8t. Louts, Mo ington. Hiokey“Froeman CUSTOMIZED CLOTHES of fine Hickory-Free- man clothes were purchased months ago and offer \.vide selections. Suits, Topcoats, Overcoats, Sports Jackets and Slacks. Army Officers’ Uniforms and Three-piece ailable for immediate delivery. May we suggest an immediate Suits, $60 to $105 Coats, $65 to $150 GOLDHEIM'S 1409 H STREET Congress in Brief TODAY. Senate: Considers war insurance bill. Appropriations Subcommittee con- siders independent offices appropria- tion bill. House: Continues consideration of Treas- ury-Post Office supply bill. Foreign Affairs Committee studies $500,000,000 loan to China proposal. ~ Judiciary Committee considers war powers legislation. Defense Migration Committee hears Draft Director Hershey. Bahking Committee resumes study insurance bill. Is Promised in Wrapping Confest Defense Bond and Stamp Prizes Are Ofefred in Three General Classes Competition promises to be keen in the bundle-wrapping contest to be held under auspices of The Eve- ning Star in co-operation with the Merchants and Manufacturers’ As- sociation at 8 p.m. Thursday evening in the auditorium of the United" States Chamber of Commerce. The leading department stores are sending outstandingly skillful em- ployes to demonstrate what can be done in the conservation of wrap- ping materials and at the same time to compete for the $145 in Defense bonds and savings stamps which are being offered as prizes. There will be three general classes of wrapping, the so-called clerk- wrap in which a clerk wraps a num- ber of small purchases to be carried away, the wrap-and-carry type in which the goods selected are gath- ered at a wrapping counter and pre- pared for the waiting customer and the pack-and-ship type, which is intended for delivery to the home. To the winner in each of these classes, The Evening Star will pre- sent a $25 Defense bond, to the sec- ond place $10 in savings stamps and to third place, $5 in stamps. Mur- ray & Heister, dealers in paper boxes, will present a $25 Defense bond to the packer or wrapper considered to be best of all classes. In addition to the wrapping con- test and demonstrations, there will be an entertainment program in- cluding a moving piciure show fea- turing “The Warning,” an air-raid There will also be the proper methods of handling in- Wood and was wounded about the | 19 of the 22 months he was in the |cendiary bombs. The auditorium will be open to the public during the course of the con- test and the subsequent entertain- ment program. Australia o Draft Aliens For Non-Military Work By the Associated Press. MELBOURNE, Feb. 3.—War Min- ister Prancis Forde announced to- day that plans were being prepared | to draft certain classes of aliens for work on non-military projects. Mr. Forde said the aliens would be given two weeks to volunteer before being drafted. At the same time it was disclosed that the government had decided to spread munitions production to many inland ecenters by utilizing small factories, workshops and garages to make certain types of equipment. The Australian press, meanwhile, acclaimed news of the United States Navy's assault on Japanese | bases in the Gilbert and Marshall |Islands as the first indication of | the readiness and ability of Ameri- can forces to take the offensive. The , Unit States Coast Guard nmrmm‘fitflm the ages of 18 and 31 PERPETUAL BUILDING ASSOCIATION " Fleventh and E Sts. N.W. ¥ N S ; A