Evening Star Newspaper, February 5, 1942, Page 2

Two Extra Pages In This Edition Late news and sports are covered on Pages 1-X and 2-X of this edition of ‘The Star, supplementing the news of the regular home delivered edition. Closing N. Y. Markets—Sales. Page 20. 90th YEAR. No. 35,709. Singapore's Guns Pound Enemy/| oty WASHINGTON, D. C, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 1942 Moving Up for Island Invasion; U.S.| Pa’nes Fight Japs Ove Observation Posts And Batteries Are Blasted By the Associated Press. SINGAPORE, Feb. 5.—Despite continuous bombing and strafing by Japanese airmen, Singapore’s artillery has blasted enemy ob- servation posts, knocked out op- posing batteries and spread de- struction in the transport of Japanese troops into jump-off points for invasion of this island | stronghold. That the Japanese st{ll have not won compiete control of the air was demonstrated this morning by Hur- ricane fignters of the R. A, F. which intercepted a large formation over Singapore, shot down one Japanese plane, probably another znd dam- aged a third. Civilian casualties from the last two days of blasting and machine- gun strafing by the Japanese alr force neared the 300 mark—228 in- Jured and’ 63 killed. Casualties Called Light. The people had virtually no safe places of refuge from bombs. Of- cially, however, these casualties were called comparatively light. (The Japanese reported that their-guns had been thundering across the mile-wide Johore Strait since 6 pm. yesterday, Singapore time. A Tokio broad- cast said the siege guns were pouring a steady stream of fire into the British forces and their positions in a grove of rubber trees near the head of the breached causeway leading from the Malayan mainland. (Flames burst in the greenery as the Japanese shells found their mark, the broadcast de- clared, “indicating that another enemy oil tank had been sent up in flames.” The broadcast added: “As evening deepened, the thun- der of guns grew in intensity.”) Large Troop Movements. Large movements of Japanese troops through Johore state toward the shore facing Singapore Island ‘were reported by British reconnais- sance planes. Enemy troops have been massing in the area of Johore Bahru since the British Imperials finally withdrew to their island stronghold last Friday night and early Saturday. The Japanese guns emplaced across the strait began shelling the island last night and British guns retaliated with a bombardment of Japanese transports in the Johore Bahru area and of gun positions. Japanese planes kept up their raids on Singapore, making high level and low dive bombing and machine-gun attacks on the island, but the British Far East command said they caused comparatively little damage or casualties. The sirens warning Singapore residents of the approach of Jap- anese planes sounded before dawn and just as day broke the British guns began booming in deep chorus. For a while the duel of cannon raged across the strait. The Japanese planes attacked shipping in Singapore Harbor. Hur- ricane fighters of the R. A. F. inter- cepted a large formation of Jap- anese aircraft over Singapore and destroyed one, probably destroyed another and damaged a third, the British reported. An oil tanker at the naval base, which was set on fire two days ago by Japanese bombing, is still burn- ing, the British headquarters’ com- munique said. Shelters Are Urged. Last night the inhabitants of Singapore heard a straight-from- the-shoulder broadcast by the rank- ing air-raid precautions warden, who urged the authorities to utilize unemployed mining engineers to tunnel hills around the city to pro- vide “shelter for the poorer Asiatic community who have no protection.” The warden bluntly asserted: “It is no use telling the people that Malta has had a thousand raids and they have stuck ii, or that Chungking has had worse than we've had. Those places have ideal shelters and we have nothing ex- cept drains and odd slit trenches.” The provision of deep air-raid shelters for Singapore was the sub- ject of long debates in government councils for months before the out- break of the conflict in Malaya, but referring the problem to commit- tees of experts, the authorities an- nounced abandonment of a scheme for a deep shelter system. They said the terrain was unsuitable and the cost prohibitive. Japanese Shells Roar Over Johore Strait TOKIO (From Japanese Broad- casts), Feb. 5 (#).—Domei news agency in a dispatch datelined Jo- hore Bahru, said the roar of guns reverberated incessantly over Johore Strait when Japanese batteries on the north shore started at 6 p.m. to pour a steady stream of fire into British forces and positions in a grove of rubber trees near the Sin- gapore causeway. The agency said flames broke out in-the wooded ares, indicating that a British oil tank had been set afire. As the night wore on the thunder of guns grew in intensity, it said. 50,000 Indians a Month Joining British Army By the Associated Press. NEW DELHI, India, Feb. 5.—The flow of recruits to the British Indian Army reached its peak in November ‘when almost 60,000 joined the colors, 4t was announced today. The aver- age in previous months was more than 50,000. Of the 1,000,000 Indian troops now 1n service, it is estimated that one- third are overseas. - By the Associated Saturday, The Japanese occupied Paan, 30 miles above Moulmein, several days ago, a British military spokesman said, and the R. A. F. reported it had subjected the town to a heavy bo'mblng attack today. At the same time British patrols were reported to have penetrated the enemy lines on the east bank of the Salween River. « The military spokesman declared the British command intends to hold Rangoon “at all costs, but,” he added, “if Rangoon should go, it would not mean the end of Burma or of the Burma Road.” Rangoon is the chief port for the Burma Lower Salween River in Burma Crossed by Japs, British Admit R.A.F.Makes Heavy Bombing Attack on Paan, Occupied by Enemy Several Days Ago RANGOON, Burma, Feb. 5.—The British officially acknowledged today that Japanese patrols had crossed the lower Salween River at a number of points since the invaders occupied Moulmein lasf e b e e bt st Road, the Allied supply route to China. It is 100 miles northwest of the Salween mouth. Balked at Martaban. Reports from the Salween frant said the Japanese still were balked in their attempts to capture Marta- ban, across the mouth of the river from Moulmein, by the swift-flow- ing Salween River itself and by the heavy British artillery fire from the west bank, Since the first of the week the Jap- anese have been trying by heavy ar- tillery fire and bombing to make Martaban untenable for its British (See BURMA, Page A-6.) Axis Units 50 Miles From Tobruk as Rommel Pushes On R. A. F. Communique Reveals Activity East Of Town of Tmimi B) the Associated Press. CAIRO, Feb. 5.—Advance units of German Field Marshal Erwin Rommel’s African army today were believed to have carried their advance to within 50 miles of Tobruk in a continuing Axis counteroffensive that has cov- ered 180 miles eastward since the capture of Bengasi. ‘This was the general interpreta- tion of an R. A. F. communique reporting that British bombers Had been active both east and west -of Tmimi. The town itself, at the eastern base of the Cirenaican bulge, is 60 miles west of Tobruk and 140 miles from the Libyan-Egyptian border. The British Army command said only that its patrols and mobile col= umns were active “along the whole of our front yesterday,” but gave no details of the fighting. The British added that the R. A. F. carried out continuous fighter sweeps over British forward troops while R. A. F. bombers successfully engaged a number of enemy col- umns and destroyed numerous vehicles. British forces formed a new de- fense line in the Libyan desert yes- terday as the Axis advance notably slowed down, but the new line en- tailed British abandonment of many points, including Derna. In the withdrawal, the British succeeded in carrying back vast stores which had been built up in anticipation of a further westward drive. The counterattack by Marshal Rommel’s forces prevented such & drive, and has regained all but 140 miles of the Libyan coast. But the British got out the sup- plies. One big convoy of 150 trucks, for example, went out and snatched materials almost from in front of the Germans’ eyes. 2 Although they fell back in the coastal regions, Brtish armored col- umns, strongly supported in the air, still were engaged along the inland bypass near Msus, 120 miles south- west of Derna, in what today’s com- munique described as “offensive ac- tivities<” The R. A. F. also announced & new attack on Sicily yesterday, in which a freight train and railway bridge were bombed “with good re- sults.” British fighter planes were credit- ed with damdging several raiders of a strongly-escorted enemy bomber squadron which attacked Malta yes- (See LIBYA, Page A-6.) Russian Guerrillas Create Panic in Rear of Nazi Line Wide-Ranging Raids on Railway Lines Also Reported by Reds By the Associated Press. MOSCOW, Feb. 5. —Soviet guer- rilla detachments today were reported to be creating whole- sale panic behind the German lines as the Nazi armies sought to throw up fortifications and attempted counterattacks in many sectors of the front. Dispatches told of wide-rgnging and damaging Soviet raids on the railway lines essential to the Nazi efforts to bring up reserves. On one sector of the southwestern front the guerrilla bands were said to be marching 35 miles nightly in a systematic plan of destruction of German communications. On the battle front, mean- while, toda$’s Soviet communique announced recapture of five locali- ties in the Kalinin area, with 5300 of the defending Germans slain or wounded, and the seizure of six other pooulated places on the cen- tral front. Push West Toward Smolensk. In this zone the Red Army ap- parently was pushing westward on the road to Smolensk in the teeth of snow and ice and bitter Nazi re- sistance. The operations of the guerrilla bands were seen as ample compen- sation for the time devoted to train- ing these troops, among whom are some of the toughest veterans in the Russian command, sharpshoot- ing marksmen, daring boys of 16 and 17, and even women. Equipped with automatic rifles and bulging pockets full of grenades, they are armed heavily enough to enable them to execute such dam- (See RUSSIAN, Page A-4) Japanese Flying Boats Raid Capital of Papua By the Associated Pr MELBOURNE, Australia, Feb. 5.— Japanese four-engine flying boats attacked Port Moresby on the south coast of New Guinea before dawn today, dropping 30 bombs and blaz- ing away with cannon and machine- gun fire in the second raid there in three days. A communique said some damage was caused but there were no known casualties in the raid on the city, capital of Papua on Southeastern New Guinea, 300 miles northeast of Cape York, Australia. r Java Two of Foes’ Craft Felled; Dutch Base Raided By the Associated Press. United States Army pursuit planes attagked a greatly supe- rior force of Japanese bombers and fighting planes in Java, shooting down one enemy bomb- er and one enemy pursuit ship, the War Department announced today. One American plane is missing. The American planes were P-40 fighters, and this was the first in- dication that planes of this type, piloted by American Army fiyers, had reached the Netherlands Indies. There was a lull in the fighting on Baton Peninsula in the Philip- pines in the last 24 -hours, the de- partment said, with combat limited to minor patrol actions. Jap Bombers Start Fires At Soerabaja Base BATAVIA, Netherlands Igdies, Feb. 5 (#).—Japanese bombers start- ed new fires this morning in their second raid in three days on the big Soerabaja naval base, while official silence suddenly cloaked the fate of Amboina, second most important Dutch naval station, 1,000 miles farther east. An Indies communique reported by Aneta said there was no further news from Amboina, midway be- tween Celebes and New Guinea, since the announcement yesterday that bitter fighting had developed between defense forces and landed Japanese troops with the tide of battle shifting. Neither was there any word to indicate the turn of the fight at Kendari on Southeastern Celebes, where the Japanese drove southward beachhead by beachhead. Some Damage Caused. The official announcement of the second raid on Soerabaja on Eastern Java said some damage was caused. Meanwhile, with the escape of the Dutch commander and part of the garrison of Balik Papan on the east coast of Borneo ‘it was disclosed that destruction of vast oil proper- tles I that area was carried out despite Japanese threats of dire reprisals, Aneta said the Japanese com- mander sent the Dutch garrison a note tkat “all Dutchmen who par- ticipate in the destruction will be executed without exception.” The Dutch announced that the destruction was carried out com- pletely, as planned, and said some fighting continued in the Balik Papan area. Believe Carrier Used. No details on the latest raid on Soerabaja were made public. The fighter-escorted raids on Soerabaja and recent attacks by fighter planes on Dutch Timor, at the southern end of the archipelago, led observers to believe the Japanese planes were based on an aircraft carrier. In support of this view they pointed out that the nearest Jap- anese land base is in the Kendari region, 700 miles from Soerabaja and out of fighter plane range. The Japanese twice have struck in the Timor area—last Friday, when an Australian Airlines flying boat was forced down and 12 of its passengers were killed, and on Tues- day, when four persons were kilied in a machine-gunning raid on the harbor of Koepang. The first raid on Soerabaja was on ‘Tuesday, when 70 to 80 bombers with strong fighter escort raided the base, the city itself, and other towns with= in a 125-mile radius. This attack, the Dutch acknowledged, caused “very considerable” losses to Dutch planes. (The Japanese claimed their raiders had shot down or destroyed on the ground 85 planes, six of them unconfirmed, in Tuesday's attack on the Soerabaja and Malang airports.) The Dutch minelayer Prince of Orange, which was stationed at the islard oil center of Tarakan north of Balik Papan at the time of the Japanese attack “must be assumed not to have succeeded in escaping,” the high command reported. Here you will find the answers io many of the questions you have been asking about Russia, land of mystery, written for Wide World by Sir Stafford Cripps, jor- mer British Ambassador to that country and one of the world’s best-informed authorities on the subject. The second and final article will appear in tomorrow's Star. By SIR STAFFORD CRIPPS. (Copyright, 1942, by Wide World.) LONDON, Feb. 5—In the mass of contradictory propaganda which floods the world in these times of war every one is doubtful as to what to believe and what to discard. Let me, therefore, at the commencement give you my view as to the reliability of Russian news. ‘When fighting 1s going on along & front of 2,000 miles, collection of 100 per cent reliable news is impossible, but it is unimportant whether there is exact accuracy or not. What we want to know is the principle that is adopted in giving the news. It may be the principle of the Nazis to make the news fit the mo- [ SIR STAFFORD CRIPPS. mentary needs of propaganda, re- gardless of the facts—or that of making the news as truthful and unexaggerated as safety of armed forces permits. Cripps Calls on U. S. and British to Help Russians Decisively Beat Nazis This Spring This latter method, which has been adopted by the British govern- ment as its principle, may lead to many omissions, especialy when things are going badly, but it does not %ead to exaggeration of success. It is this latter principle that the Russians have utilized. It has, indeed, been temarkable and noticeable that accounts of Soviet victories have been restrained in many cases and little or no news been given until it was certain that an operation would .be successful or in most cases’ until it had actually resulted in success. Reds Oppose Overconfidence. If you compare the announce- often false, with those of the Rus- sians, you should have no difficulty deciding on the comparative relia- bility of the two. At the present time the Soviet government is most anxious, for ob- vious reasons, not to allow any feel- ing of overconfidence amongst their people to diminish their effort, and for that reason, apart from all others, they do not want to exag- gerate their successes. At my last interview with Kalinin @ee CRIFPS, Page A-5) / P ,NATIONA L'C COMMTTEE 24 Room sure’ $100 DOLLAR PeR Pue DINNERS ARRANGED. THINGS FIXED. HURRY UP, CHARLIE, I OR SOMEBODY WILL SAY WE ARE PARASITES Readers Prefer The Star ‘The Star's afternoon evening eirculation is- more thnn.dnguble that Its total circulation in Wi far exceeds that of any of its contem~ Pporaries in the morning or on Sunday. ‘®) Means Associated Press. Hospital Ship Bombed By Japanese Affer Leaving Philippines Nine Attacks Made in One Day by Swarms Of Warplanes By the Associated Press. MELBOURNE, Australia, Feb. 5.—A hospital ship carrying wounded American soldiers and nurses from the Philippines to an Australian port was attacked nine times in one day by Jap- anese bombers and fighter planes which “came over like swarms of flies,” it was disclosed today. One of the wounded soldiers said the raids took place between mid- day and late afternoon of January 8, but that “all the wounded were cheerful and declared their only wish was to get well and have an- other crack at the Japs.” (The ship apparently was the 2,067-ton Mactan, which the United States Army announced on January 15 had reached Dar- win, Australia, after sailing from Mahila shortly before New Year. ‘This would seem to locate the at- tack as somewhere off the Nether- lands Indies Island of Celebes.) A nurse said the bombing gave her “butterfly stomachitis” and added “we tried to grin and bear it and carried on the best we could but the bomb crashes made our stomachs act as though butterflies were flying about inside.” ‘The hospital ship conveyed wound- ed from Manila where it sailed within 50 hours after being chartered by the American Red Cross. Allied Invasion of Europe Forecast by Canadian By the Associated Press. MONTREAL, Feb. 5—Lt. Gen. A. G. McNaughton, Canadian corps commander, pausing here last night en route from an Eastern Cana- House Is Requested To Change Conduit To MacArthur Road Representative Johnson, Democrat, of Texas today in- troduced a House resolution to change the name of Conduit road to MacArthur road in rec- ognition of his stubborn de- fense of the Philippines. Rail Profits Exceed Half Billion in 1941, First Time Since 1930 Earnings of Class 1 Lines Are More Than Double Figures for 1940 By the Associated Press. The Nation’s class 1 railroads had an estimated net income of $500,545,671 in 1941, which was more than two and a half times the 1940 profit, the Association of American Railroads reported today. This was the first time since 1930 that their income exceeded the half billion dollar mark. In that year, the net was $523.907,472. Operating revenues last year totaled $5346,699,998, an increase of $1,048,700,000 over 1940 and an in- tl:;;om of $66,000,000, compared with Net railway operating income be- fore payment of interest and rentals for the Nation's 135 Class I railroads last year amounted to $999,502930, a return of 3.79 per cent on property investment, compared with a return of 261 per cent in 1940 and 3.36 in 1930. Operating expenses in 1941 amounted to $3,664,175,018, an in- crease of $574,000,000 compared with 1940, but a decrease of $267,000,000 compared with 1930. The railroads which reported to the association’s Bureau of Railway Economics operated 232,192 miles of | dian port to Ottawa, said staff talks | track. among Canadian, British and United States army commands in Britain preparatory to the possibility of an invasion of continental Europe now were “looked upon as a matter of routine.” For a long time now, the general said, high United States staff officers have taken part in discussions bear- ing on plans which might be used if an invasion of the German-held coast ever were attempted by forces of the United Nations. ‘The general did not discuss any details in connection with plans for the invasion, which, he said, “I think must come some day.” He said the liaison between the Cana- dian, British and United States staffs in Britain had been close, that gtneral plans relating to the conduct of the war were freely discussed and that “naturally one of these plans has been that of the possibility of invasion of the German-held coast.” Two Men Get 20 Years For Hyattsville Holdup By the Associated Press. BALTIMORE, Feb. 5—Hilliard Sanders and Willlam Leo Keefe were sentenced today to 20 years each in a Federal penitentiary on charges of participating in a $53,000 holdup of two bank messengers at Hyattsville, Md., last September 25. Federal Court Judge W. Calvin Chesnut also fined the defendants $5,000 each. The fines carry com- mitment in default of payment Sentence was passed after Judge Chesnut overruled a motion for & new trial which had been filed by James J. Laughlin, Washington at- torney, and John J. Henderson, North Carolina lawyer. 1} Mr. Laughlin, in support of his motion, introduced affidavits signed by Sanders, three prisoners at the Florida State Penitentiary and a soldier at a military post near Jack- sonville, Fla.,, that Sanders was in Filorida the day of the holdup. Judge Chesnut ruled the afdavits failed to present newly discovered evidence and were not proper grounds for a new trial. Before sentence was passed, Mr. Laughlin said he would continue his search for sufficlent evidence to prove Sanders did not take part in the daylight holdup. * ) < The assoclation reported that 28 class 1 railroads failed to earn in- terest and rentals in 1941. Estimated net income for December was $55,- 643,010, compared with $51,078,421 in December, 1940. December op- erating revenues totaled $479,560,- 154, an increase of $98,000,000 com- pared with the same month a year before, while operating expenses amounted to $352531,871, an in- crease of $86,000,000 over the 1940 month. The net income for class 1 roads in 1940 was $191,050,215. South;frican Wires Are Cut by Saboteurs By the Associated Press. CAPE TOWN, Union of South Africa, Feb. 5.—Wire-cutting sabo- teurs caused serious disruption of telegraph and telephone communi- cations in South Africa last night. Cape Town was cut off from Johan- nesburg for three and one-half hours and Johannesburg cable tmgffic was delayed. The wires wepe cut in the area south of Johannesburg and in the Kimberly district. The death penalty has recently been decreed for sabotage. Big Increase in Output 0f Ammunition Cited By Remingfon Official House Group Told Demand For Speed Was Cause of Excessive Remuneration By the Associated Press. Donald F. Carpenter, vice pres- ident of the Remington Arms Co., told a congressional com- mittee today that his company, at capacity, would be producing more ammunition in a six-month period than the country’s entire production for the first World War. He conceded that some mistakes had been made and that there had been instances of persons receiving “remuneration out of proportion” as a result of the demand for speed and the difficulty of obtaining tools for expanded ammunition produc- tion. But, he added: “There is one mis- take Remington will not make if it is humanly possible to prevent it. That is to fail for any reason what- soever to make all the small arms and all the ammunition that may be needed by the men in our front lines who are doing the fighting. “They must have millions of guns and billions of cgrtridges. * * * Lag in production means death on the battlefield.” Mr. Carpenter appeared before a House military subcommittee, head- ed by Representative Faddis, which is studying charges of excessive profits in the manufacture of muni- tions. He declared that Remington had utilized every known source of supply for obtaining ammunition tools, and cited as an example the business it bad done with Leon K. Shanack of New York. Witnesses at previous hearings told the committee that Mr. Shan- ack realized profits running up to 100 per cent in handling subcon- tracts for ammunition dies for Remington by spreading the work out to small manufacturers. Mr. Carpenter said that Mr. Shanack had received Remington orders for approximately $107,000 of Government business, but added that he previously had been given $250,000 of orders for commercial and British production “which Remington paid out of its own pocket.” “It should be borne in mind,” Mr. (See WAR PROFITS, Page A-3.) Turks Arrest Two More In Axis Espionage Ring By the Associated Press. ISTANBUL, Turkey, Feb. 5—Two more arrests, bringing the total to 15, were reported yesterday in a Turkish cleanup of a German- dominated Arab espionage ring op- erating from Turkey into Syria, Iraq, Iran and Palestine. One of those held was said to be the nephew of the anti-British grand mufti of Jerusalem, now in Axis territory. An informed source said the Arabs were scheduled to be deported, but that if they went south they faced almost certain imprisonment by the British, while the Germans were threatening to refuse them entry into Europe because they declined to take parachute-trooper training from the Germans in Greece. Summary of Fmigm Patrols, mobile units are actlve in Libya, British report. Page A-1 Philippines must wait under insur- ance plan. Page A-1 U-boat sinks freighter off Maryland coast. Page A-6 British Army organizes tough, hard- hitting scout corps. ' Page A-7 Stock market, schools and courts re- Nazis held feasible. Soviet expert sees United Nations making up losses. Page B-5 2 r National} Remingisn arms production increase for loan to China.; Page A-4 : » Today's Star Tips on New York ship sailings laid to aples. Page A-4 Tuscania survivors to meet 24 years after torpedoing. Page A-6 Railroads lay careful plans for time change Monday. Page A-9 International farm program urged in war crisis. Page A-17 Rayburn orders showdown on com- pensation bill. Page A-17 Washington and Vicinity. D.C.to get 4,500 demountable houses in defense plan. Page A-1 Navy Relief Society to “hold” phan- tem ball here. * Page A-2 Zoning change permits big Hillcrest housing project. Page A-4 Organized groups urged to give up ‘Washington offices. Page B-1 Miscellany. After Dark. Nature's Children. Births and Deaths. Marriage Licenses. Page A-15 Page B-17 Page B-i§ THREE CENTS. D.C. Areato Get 4,500 More Defense Homes 18 Million Allowed For Demountables Adds to Lanham Plan DEFENSE HOMES PROJECT is be- ing planned in Arlington County. Page B-1. Allocation of $18,900,000 for immediate erection of 4,500 de- mountable houses for low-in- come families here was an- nounced today by Defense Housing Co-ordinator Charles F. Palmer in another step to al- leviate Washington'’s serious war housing problem. Financing was supplied by Presi- dent Roosevelt from the special fund of $300,000,000 which Congress made available to him after Pearl Harbor for emergency housing use. A month ago the President allocated from this fund to Federal Works Agency $153,000,000 to build 42,000 demount= ables in other defense areas. Mr. Palmer made clear the new funds are in addition to the $50.- 000,000 to be appropriated for hous- ing and badly-needed public works under the Lanham bill now before Congress. He said the new alloca- tion would partially relieve the housing situation whiie Congress is completing work on the bill. Pointing out that the Lanham bill would provide for about 10,000 permanent-type family units, Mr. Palmer said the new program would “in no wise minimize” the need for the $50,000,000. A. D. A. to Be Manager. The new dwellings are to be built and managed by the District Alley Dwelling Authority, of which John Ihlder is executive officer. They are t0 be of the pre-fabricated, remov- able type which can either remain as permanent structures or moved to other locations after the war. Co-operating in the program, Mr, Palmer said, are the District Com- missioners, the county manager of Arlington, and the planning com- missions of Arlington, Fairfax and Montgomery Counties. Immediate steps will be taken to select and acquire the sites, pref- erably on a leasing basis, the hous- ing co-ordinator stated. An effort will be made to locate the homes within easy access of temporary and permanent Government office build- ings. Rents will be fixed to be within reach of workers earning $2,000 or less. Taxes will be paid on the same basis as the homes provided under the Lanham Hous- ing Act. Mr. Palmer gave assurance that the houses will be attractive in ap- pearance, as complete in equipment and as durable as those of perma- nent construction. Since Washing- ton has no considerable facilities for factory-fabrication of houses, most of the structures will be made at other points and assembled here. This, Mr. Palmer said, will lighten the burden of overtaxed labor sup- plies in this area. ‘Types Are Varied. Mr. Palmer continued that some of the houses will be single struc- tures, others twin dwellings and some of the row type. From 70 to 80 per cent wiM contain two and three bedrooms, with the rest having a single bedroom each. He em- phasized the houses will meet all standards set by the Federal Hous- ing Administration for its 25-year financing plan. Mr. Palmer said his office a year ago foresaw a great demand for houses which could be assembled quickly at points of greatest need, and encouraged great expansion of the prefabricated home industry. He said this industry today is well prepared to take care of all demands, and that improvement of design, in« terior arrangements and modern household conveniences have been made so rapidly that those being manufactured today “will add to the attractiveness of any area. Senate Group Approves Henderson’s Nomination B3 the Associated Press. The Senate Banking Committee today approved President Roosevelt's nomination of Leon Henderson to be price administrator. Chairman Wagner said the vote Was unanimous. 18,417 New Readers The total circulation of The Evening Star yesterday (not deducting unsold copies from newsstands) was 185,733 copies—an increase of 18417 over last year. The total number of regu- lar subscribers in Washington and suburbs is 134,855, an in- crease of 11,119 over corre- sponding day last year. Yesterday’s Circulation (The Evening Star) Wed., Feb. 4, 1942__ Wed., Feb. 5, 1941__ Increase ___ *Returns from newsstands not and no samples included. Today’s Star is the great shopping guide for tomorrow’s *The Star prints no liquor advertising.