Evening Star Newspaper, May 8, 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. Closina-N. Y. Markets—Sales, Page 18. ¢ Foeni WITH SUNDAY MORNING EDITION' g Star 5] 90th YEAR. No. Nazi Offensive From Finland Halted, Reds Say Enemy Losses Heavy On Karelian Front, Russians Declare B the Associated Press. MOSCOW, May 8.—A German spring - offensive intended to smash across the Soviet Kare- | ,801. Idle Because of Hundreds of Houses W. P. B. Blames Hoa By JAMES Y. NEWTON. Despite the clamor for new war housing, there are thousands of completed homes in defense areas throughout the country which are not being used be- cause of inability to get utility connections, particularly electric current hookups, The Star learned today. Washington is among areas in- cluded in this critical, new housing * WASHINGTON, DG FRIDAY, ' MAY 8, 1942 LOCAL—NA' Daily News Foreig UP) Means Washington and Suburbs THREE An Evening Newspaper With the Full Day’s News TIONAL—FOREIGN Associated Press and (#) Wirephotos, North American Newspaper Alliance, Chicago n Service and The Star’s Staff Writers, Reporters and Photographers. Associated P CENTS Elsewhers Five Cents Wire Shortage in D. C. Area Affected; rding of Copper Stock | the situation here may be corrected shortly. ; The acute shortage of copper wire and of substitutes for it is the cause of the latest housing headache. De- scribing the situation as “very. very critical,” a War Production Board official said there is practically no copper wiring obtainable anywhere. The most serious shortage is in heavier wire used for electric lines and connections with houses. There is some supply of the lighter grade for home wiring. | | Thousands of NeW Homes Stand (hinese Rout Japs Invading On Burma Road Column of 1,000 Reported Wiped Out And Another Crushed By the Associated Press CHUNGKING, May 8.—Claim- ing a smashing defeat over two Japanese columns driving into Di BLLeny, NE YORK g ARRESTED oy PERMITING CHiLD To DI THREE INCHS ONT You THINK THATS A LITTLE SEVERE HAROLD? / Henderson Sees 3-Gallon Gas Limit Weekly Workers Are Assured Enough Fuel to Get To and From Jobs By the Associated Press Price Administrator Leon Henderson said today that mo- torists on the Eastern Seaboard, problem, which is a source of grave | lian frontier from Finland at| three points has been repulsed, battle front dispatches reported today. A dispatch to Pravda “from the state border” said the Germans concern to Federal officials and pri- | vate builders. Although war work- ers are hard put to find a place to sleep, there are hundreds of darkened homes about the Capital | The W. P. B. spokesman placed | | most of the blame for the shoruge\ He said dealers and [ on hoarding. many utility companies hold huge stocks of copper wire which the board probably will be forced to China along the Burma road, the Chinese high command de- clared tonight that one force of 1,000 Japanese was “wiped ! out” and that half of another unit 1,000 strong was killed and standing idle. It appeared likely withdrew {rom Russian territory — = with heavy losses. This was the second enemy at- tempt to drive into this sector of Karelia. In the first. near the out- break of the war, a Finnish bat- talion of 1200 men, supported by two German companies, crossed the frontier in the same general region, but were driven back to Finland by a Russian counterattack. Pravda said the sector remained relatively quiet throughout the | winter. The new thrust, Pravda said, apparently was left entirely to | German troops. Specific Location Withheld. The Communist party paper said l':l;t ;;fli;pm"s thelr new assault| \ ociated Press War Correspondent. The specific location of the battle| WELLINGTON, New Zealand, on the long Karelian border was not | May 8.—Vice Admiral Robert Lee disclosed. The terrain was described, | Ghormley of the United States however, as covered with swamps. Navy will have supreme com- lakes and hills, apparently in the | mand over all land, sea and air yell nothesnunas. | forces of four Allies in a vast Three German battalions reported South Pacific area where the to have penetrated across the fron- | u ac - tier were hurled back onto Finnish | Japanese are expected to at-| soil within a short time after they tempt to cut Australian-Ameri- entered Russian territory, the dis- can communication lines. patch to Pravda said: » The Allies are fast completing “Thus, ingloriously, ended this | thejr preparations. | spring visit in which they placed | = Admiral Ghormley’s command, | great hopes,” Pravda’s correspondent which he is expected to assume | wrote. * | shortly, will embrace vital island Russians Move Forward. | bases and outposts belonging to Red Star reported that generally New Zealand, Australia, the Fuee along the Karelian front Russian | French and the United States. In troops were moving forward steadily. | addition, it will include some British Germany is pressing a futile aerial | territory, principally the Fiji Islands, offensive against Russia’s far north- ern rail and water communications | in an attempt to isolate the Soviet Union -from the outside world, Red Star said, and a communique de- clared that 500 Nazis had been | wiped out in the northwest. | For six weeks, the newspaper said, the reinforced German northern squadrons had executed repeated raids, but the effects have been Ghormley Will Head A All Allied Forces On Australia Roufe U. S. Admiral’s Command To Embrace Vital Island Bases and Outposts By CLARK LEE, seize. Millions of feet of wire, he declared, were bought a year ago by dealers who are holding the stock for higher prices. Many elec- tric companies, he added, will not release copper, fearing that replace- ments cannot be obtained. A national builders’ representa- tive estimated that 80,000 badly needed homes are affected by the copper shortage. The homes include those built by the Government as well as private contractors. He said nearly 2,000 of the houses are lo- | cated in the Capital area. Private | builders are particularly hard hit, | | since final payments of construction | loans cannot be obtained until the | housing is ready for occupancy. The builders’ representative said he understood the tieup is-caused by lack of co-ordination in priority | ratings. Builders are able to ge!r materials with their ratings and erect houses, but the ratings of utitily companies are too low to | release materials for hookups. There are 3,000 unused homes in the vital Pittsburgh area, he said, | and nearly 800 in Baltimore, which were built by the Government. Some Pittsburgh houses are occu- | | pied by workers, who use oil lamps | and candles for illumination. Substitutes Suggested. Galvanized steel and silver can be the rest were trapped. The scene of the fierce counter blow delivered by Lt. Gen. Joseph W. Stilwell's Chinese troops was given as the sector near Chefang, 25 miles inside the Yunnan frontier from Burma. (The communique might indi- cate the destruction and pocket- ing of the invasion spearheads which the Japanese claimed had penetrated past Chefang to Lung- ling, 25 miles deeper into China.) Split Into Two Units. The high command said the battle occurred yesterday afternoon when the Japanese, moving up the Burma | road from the border town of Want- ing with truckloads of reinforce- ments, split into two units and at- tacked the Chinese on both flanks, in some cases penetrating to the rear of the Chinese line. The ensuing struggle was de- scribed as “most ferocious.” The high command said that the rem- nant of the attacking force—dwin- dled to 400 to 500 men—itself was being cut off. “‘One thousand Japanese have been | killed to the northeast of Chefang, | where Japanese columns were routed in a Chinese counterattack,” the communique said. Vigorous Counterattacks. |used as substitutes for copper in | “The Japanese columns, attempt- wiring, the W. P. B. official said. ing to outflank the Chinese wings, The supply of galvanized steel, how- | Mmét vigorous Chinese counterat- ever, is nearly as short as copper. | tacks in which one Japanese column > | @1 using their cars for non-essential driving, could expect no more than three gallons of gasoline a week under a Government ra- tioning system. “I am going to say two. with no Baffle Now Raging Crucial, Australian Premier Declares Sterner Ordeal Is Seen If Allies Fail to Achieve Victory By the Associated Press. CANBERRA, Australia, May 8. —Prime Minister John W. Cur- tin told the House of Represent- atives today the great naval battle in the Southwest Pacific comprising a thousand men was, Was of crucial importance to the | With respect to silver, the Govern- | ment, he said, has earmarked some§ Wiped out. The other Japanese col- t slight, 64 enemy planes have been déstroyed or damaged over Murmansk alone. The Russian air force is striking back heavily and has forced .the Germans to shift their northern air | bases to more .remote regions in Norway and Finland, Red Star said. Passengers Arrive From Murmansk. Failure .of the German offensive was evidenced by the arrival this week in Moscow of several passen- | gers from the ice-free Arctic port | of Murmansk. (The German communique said Nazi and PFinnish troops had annihilated an encircled enemy unit in Lapland after several days of bitten fighting, killing 1,400. Other Russian forces were reported smashed on the Mur- mansk front, the official German account said.) | | i | VICE ADMIRAL ROBERT LEE GHORMLEY. | for whose defense New Zealand as- sumed responsibility more than two years ago by London's request. Red Star said 14 raids were car- In general, Admiral Ghormley’s ried out against five German air- 8uthority will correspond with that ports in the north last month and O0f Gen. Douglas MacArthur in the that the bombings were continuing. A Southwest Pacific area. Staff offi- In the last two days 43 German cers will maintain a close liaison. planes were estimated as destroyed _ The South Pacific commander will in the northern fighting alone. be responsible to Admiral Chester United States and British supplies W. Nimitz, commander in chief of have been flowing in increasing the United States Pacific Fleet, who quantity into Murmansk in recent Will keen the Pacific War Council weeks. in Washington informed of develop- German air squadrons are com- ments through the Navy Depart- manded by Col. Gen. Hans Juergen Stumpff, who most recently was re- ported in charge of Air Fleet No. 5 ment. The interested nations agreed to an American naval command be- stationed in Norway, the Nether-!cause the defense problem is pri- lands and Denmark. marily naval in an area of great Concentrating on Rail Lines. sea distances with relatively few The Nazi fiyers were reported Isiands. 0 concentrating on railway lines, | Strategists here recognize that it bridges, stations and trains. They Would be impossible to mass suffi- usually fly in groups of 20 bombers | Clent land and air forces at any protected by low-flying fighters op- | erating at between 600 and 1,200 feet. The bombers fly at between Might be sent against them. 3,000 and 9.000 feet, dropping 1,000- _ Therefore. holding the islands pound bombs, many of them de- Which safeguard the communica- layed-action types. tion lines is up to the United States Navy. It is expected at least to Red Army units operating on & e northwestern front sectors have g;m\p]\v any, approaching Japanese wiped out 500 Germans in two days' COPYOY- B fighting and captured booty such New Zealand 0. K.'s Strategy. as 7 fleld guns, 24 mortars and 52 New Zealand has accepted this machine guns, the Soviet Informa- concept of general Pacific strategy tion Bureau said and is nard at work to fulfill her A Nazi counterattack on the ad- role, despite initial disappointment jacent Kalinin front was repulsed at being separated from the Mac- and the enemy “left more than 100 Arthur command based in Aus- bogies on the battlefield.” the mid- tralia il day communique reported This country has close historical, Pollowing up an announcement commercial and racial ties with vesterday that a wedge had been Australia and their present interests driven between two invasion armies coincide, especially as regards mu- before long-besieged Leningrad. the tual reinforcement and mutual de- Moscow radio said the winter cam- fense measures. paign had enabled the Russian Army However, New Zealand leaders “to make dizposition for full devel- opment of its own offensive.” “Spring is more likely to witness a general offensive by the United Etates, Britain and the Soviet Un- ion on all fronts rather than any particular German offensive,” it said. Nazis Report Repulsing Attacks in Donets Area realize that a line dividing com- mands had to be drawn somewhere and accept the immediate task of anchoring the chain of Allied supply routes running from the United States and South Africa to Aus- tralia. No Thought on Division. Prime Minister Peter Fraser told Red Army reports 500 Nazis wiped g, me today that the New Zealand BERLIN (From German Broad- | thought to the division. He said casts), May 8 () —Fairly strong Red | the dominion was co-operating to Army units were repelled in attacks the utmost in common arrange- vesterday on German lines in the | ments for immediate defense and Donets region, the area southeast Wse future offensive. of Lake Ilmen and on the Volkhov River front, the high command said The enemy lost 11 tanks in this fizhting,” it sald. Big fires were declared to have been started in Leningrad by aerial bombing. ‘In Lapland. German-Finnish troops annihilated an enemy unit in several days, reported. It sail been killed. e high command 5 encircled itter fighting lasting | point added: The Prime Minister praised the work of Brig. Gen. Patrick J. Hur- ley, United States Minister, in co- ordinating American and New Zea- land war efforts. “No visitor from abroad ever was more cordially and heartily wel- | comed in New Zealand than Hur- ley.” Mr. Praser said. Mr. Praser's secretary at that “Hurley's a great scout. too.” This appears to be the 400 Russians had | impression among most New Zea. ! landers. | for production of fuses, but has made no allocations of the metal for | wiring. Some basis for allocating copper probably will be worked out by the W. P, B. to solve the housing prob- | lem, the official said. He suggested a hasis whereby the Army, Navy and others more directly engaged in the war effort would -get 90 per cent of copper produced, with the | remaining 10 per cent earmarked for housing. In the event of stock seizures, | electric companies will be allowed to retain enough for repairs and emergency use. A considerable part of the stocks will be ordered to im- mediate housing use. | Discussing the Washington situ- | ation, James H. Ferry, general man- ager of Potomac Electric Power Co., said there are a number of new copper and approximately 700 cases where occupancy is delayed be- cause of a shortage of galvanized | | steel. He said the firm has no | stocks of heavy copper and has on {order two carloads of steel wire. | The situation here should be cleared up shortly, Mr. Ferry said, adding that most of the trouble is in suburban sections. Code Change Needed. Washington may expect, he said, that most new installations of elec- | tric conduit and house connections ' | will be of the galvanized material. Before that can be done in the | District, the building code, which | now prohibits use of galvanized, Bhamo said that in this drive the Tifice of peacetime | Japanese captured 32 boats loaded Went on: | must be changed. umn was crushingly defeated and has only half its original strength left.” The invading force apparently was that which a Chinese Army spokes- man described yesterday as a mechanized spearhead with war- plane support which had reached Chefang, 25 miles inside China's Yunnan Province on the famed Burma road. Last night's Chungking commu- | whole conduct of the war in this theater. “I have no information how the engagement is developing,” he stated, “but I would like the nation to be assured there will be on the part of our forces and on the part of | the American_forces that devotion to duty characteristic of the naval | and air power of the United States, | Great Britain and the Common- wealth. Salvage Men Collect Ashes, Believed Those Of Human Being The Children's Aid Society today asked newspapers to help locate the donor of an ap- parently accidental “salvage” campaign gift—a small wooden box labeled “The Ashes of Mackie Perry.” The box, containing ashes which the society believes to be those of a human being, is being held at the society's head- quarters at 466 H street S.W. Mrs. Fay Vawter, director, said the box was found in sort- ing out discarded material picked up by the society's salvage truck. U. 5. Bombers Again Raid Rangoon From India By the Associated Press. NEW DELHI, May 8-—Long- range United States bombers, op- erating from bases in India, made another attack this morning on| | | | U. S. Troops Reported Among Units Pouring Into Madagascar Repatriation Is Offered French; Restoration of Island Is Promised By the Associated Press. LONDON, May 8.—The Daily Mail published today a dispatch from Madrid which said that “according to reports from Vichy,” the source of which was undisclosed, United States and prospects of getting it above three,” Mr. Henderson told newsmen just before going before the House Inter- state Commerce Committee to testify on the gasoline and tire situ- ation. He said that this would apply to approximately one-third of the cars—"the cars not used for work purposes.” He said that he had been over the situation earlier this morning with the Petroleum Co-ordinator’s Office and added, “I don't see how I can avoid making public the basie rationing per unit today.” Increase Still Sought. “With a 50 per cent cut (in the supply of gasoline) it is going to fall between two and three gallons a week, probably nearer two,” Mr. Henderson continued. “We're still working to see if it can be increased, but I see no prospect of getting it above three.” Mr. Henderson told the commit- tee that the rationing program for use between May 15 and July 1 | involved four groups—A, B1, B2 and | B3—with the basic group (A) get- | ting an amount of about two gal- lons a week, although he said the exact amount had not been deter- mined. Mr. Henderson asserted that it would affect about one-third of all passenger cars in the rationing area. He said it would apply only to those cars that are not used “for vocas ican troops “are pour- G L D po tional or necessary purposes” and ing into Diego Suarez,” the Madagascar base just taken over by the British. Several hours after this report was published there was no confirmation from any source. A Foreign Office commentator an- nounced that the British had offered to repatriate any Prenchmen on Madagascar who “did not wish to co-operate with the United Nations” estimated that about 12 per cent of all available gasoline would go to. that classification. Under questioning by committee | members as to the need for cutting | “non-essential” motorists to 2 gale | lons a week, Mr. Henderson sudden- ly exploded with: “He's getting a damn sight more | than he’s entitled to in view of the “Nobody can tell;what the result | Japanese-held Rangoon, it was an- situation. On the basis of 15 miles | nique said the Japanese had brought of this engagement will be at the moment. If it sHould o advan- tageously we will have cause for | great gratitude. Our position “will | | be a little cleared, but if we should | 7 » ndt have the advantages from this | Of 50 Miles Into China | pattie for which we hope that one TOKIO (From Japanese broad- | confronting us will be a sterner and casts), May 8 (#) —Imperial head- greater responsibility. ! quarters announced today the oc-| “This battle will not decide the cupation of Lungling, 50 miles be-l war. It will determine immediate up artijlerv in an attempt to blast their way deeper into Yunnan. Japs Claim Advance houses without current for lack of |yond Wanting, where the Burma |tactics which will be pursued by |Storms and was a great success road crosses the Chinese frontier ourselves and the common enemy.” into Yunnan Province. The Prime Minister later declared Japanese forces took over the in a national broadcast that “in- town Tuesday, it said. vasion is a menace capable hourly An official announcement said of becoming an actielity.” Japanese forces occupied Bhamo, “I tell you bluntly,” he said, “that head of the Irrawaddy River navi- the whole world may well shake gation in Burma, Sunday. within the next few weeks under the (Bhamo is the Burma terminus blows which full-scale warfare will of a northerly by-pass road link- strike.” ing up with the Burma road in China above Lashio. It is 40 miles west of the Burma-China frontier and 180 miles airline northeast of Mandalay.) 32 Loaded Boats Seized. A Domei dispatch datelined Mr. Curtis said, “We face vital, | perilous weeks, fraught with ex-| | ceedingly important happenings for Australia.” Sacrifices Ordered. The Prime Minister declared, “This nation has made no real sac- things” and Mr. Ferry said steel is not nearly A With munitions, airplane and motor | “The government now tells you the as satisfactory as copper for wir- |Car repair stations with a large time has come when we can no ing. He described it as “like a clock | quantity of automobile parts, and longer avoid sacrifice and that you spring” to handle. There are likely | to be serious accidents in installing the wire, he added. Steel has a voltage drop nine times that of cop- | per, and persons near the ends of | lines are apt to get a very low volt- | age. This, he said. might cause ! appliances to burn out. The electric company, Mr. Ferry said, has cut tremendously into its plies have forced the company to halt that practice. The War Pro- duction Board now specifies the gal- vanized steel for wiring, he added. Mr. Ferry told of a number of hardships imposed by the wire short- age on residents of the area. A new home owner in nearby Maryland has been trying for a month to get service. Another man spent $15,000 on a chicken hatchery and has been unable to get current to hatch the eggs. Johnson Ordered to Rest NEW DELHI, India, May 8 (&) .— Louis Johnson, President Roosevelt's envoy to India, has been advised to rest for two or three days to re- cover from strain resulting from overwork Summary of Foreign Ghormley to head all Allied forces on route to Australia. Page A-1 out on northwest front. Page A-1 | government was giving no further Battle now raging crucial, Australian | Congress may take vacati premier declares. Page A-1 Repatriation offered French on' Madagascar. Page A-1 Japs claim advance of 25 miles more into China. Page A-2 Japs execute scores after Chinese guerrilla attacks. Page A-3 Battle of Australia now begun, Lon- don experts believe. Page A-6 British lose cruiser in Arctic, but Russia gets supplies. Page B-2 National Senate committee backs Women's Army Auxiliary Corps. Page A-2 Wickard urges extension of grain a cohol rubber program. Page | Treasury asks cut in personal in-| come tax exemptions. Page A-5! " other booty. The newspaper Ashai said the fall of Corregidor, giving Japan use must and will sacrifice those peace- time things. Restrictions on cloth- ing sales are part of the govern- of Manila Bay, would strengthen Ments plan to assure a continuous her greatly for further operations SUPPIY of clothing for everybody. in the Bay of Bengal and Indian . Ocean. 28 War Prime Minister of Australia and | “The double ail f . | now deputy leader of the opposition, | tions.~ Ahel continued i OPeI- | declared that upon the results of | celerate the breakdown of the Biit. | the battle depended the immediate one isolate¢ base to stand off the emergency stock of copper to meet ish Empire and help India in her |futuré of Australia and that Aus- maximum number of Japanese who new building needs. Dwindling sup- | efforts for independence. | tralians were hoping and praying “The next task will be occupation | hat victory might crown the Allied of Ceylon, the naval port of which, | {Orces. Trincomalee, already has been ex- | 10 the ramparts then, Austra- posed to intensified raids |lians, and brace yourselves for the great struggle that looms darkly Akyab Probably Taken ahead,” he solemnly called. By Japs, British Say Lonpon, May 8 m—srusn Brifish Reinforce Ceylon military quarters conceded today a - With Troops From Africa that Japanese forces probably had occupied Akyab, important sea and air base on the west coast of Burma By the Associated Press. LONDON, May 8.—British rein- forcements from Kenya, Uganda, 360 miles from Calcutta Tanganyika, Nyasaland, Zanzibar (The Japanese announced two days ago they had taken Akvab air field.) They declared, however, they had no information to confirm reports that the Japanese had pushed on ! across the Kaladan River and en- tered India west of Paletwa. | on the Island of Ceylon, it was an- nounced today. A military commentator said the | troops were “seasoned fighters who | took part in the Ethiopian cam- Today’s Star Norris may be “unwilling candidate” again this year. Page A-14 Strike negotiations at Williamsport plant fail. Page B-7 eneral Motors capitulates on con- tract terms extension. Page B-12 paigns of 1940-41" and represented all arms of the service. Cripps’ Aide Arrives Here Graham Spry, personal assistant to Sir Stafford Cripps, who accom- | | panied Sir Stafford on his mission to India, has arrived in Washington | on a special mission, it was learned | | today. | on during Page B-14 July and August. Washington and Vicinity. Federation asks bus service hearing in Hyattsville. Page A-2 Yacht Racing Starts Sunday | | Ewing lawyer again asks for new trial. Page B-1 Sugar applications total 731,969. Page B-1 Woman automobile victim identified by son. Page B-1 No further sugar registration for 2 or 3 weeks. Page B-1 No further sugar registration for two or three weeks. Page B-1 Replacement of Air Raid Warden Murphy postponed. Page B-1 Expansion of District’s Draft Appeal Board is announced. Page B-1 card The first wartime racing on the Potomac will be inaugu- rated Sunday, marking the | opening of the ninth season of competition of small sailing craft under the auspices of the Potomac River Sailing Association. Full details about boating and fishing will be found today on Page C-3. i | | nounced today. Many fires were started in the| target area, said a communique from the headquarters of Maj. Gen.| Lewis H. Brereton, Unitei States commander. i The bulletin declared the raid was carried out in adverse weather conditions marked by thunder- despite fighters. All the United States aircraft re-| turned safely to their bases, the communique added. opposition by Japanese A. V. G. Announces 2 Deaths. CHUNGKING, China, May 8 (.| —The American Volunteer Group announced today that Pilot Ben C. Foshee of Red Level, Ala, was killed May 4 in action over Pao- shan, and that Pilot J. E. Black- burn was killed accidentally in a| training flight over Kunming April 28. Army Bomber Carrying 10 Missing on Training Trip B the- Associated Press. TAMPA, Fla,, May 8.—A MacDill Field heavy bomber with 10 Army men aboard, two of them passengers, William Morris Hughes, World | was listed as missing today by Mac- | Dill Field officials. The plane left MacDill Wednesday morning on a routine training flight. When no word was heard from the plane, due back at the field at 7 p.m. Wednesday, searching planes were sent out. So far no trace has been found of the bomber. Eight members of the crew were: Second Lt. Hugh W. Millis, 23, pilot, Houston, Tex.. Second Lt. Charles E. Thomas III, 23, co-pilot, Macon, Ga.; Staff Sergt. Wilbert M. George, 21, Tampa; Pvt. Robert R. Pigman, 22, Berea, Ky.; Pvt. Ray- mond S. Lynch, 20, Lumpkin, Va.; Pvt. Nelton L. Teal, 21, Bunkie, La.; Pvt. Elmer E. Mathauser, 23, Bur- well, Nebr, and Pvt. Charles R. Phillips, 20, Waukesha, Wis. Two passengers were: Pvt. Gordon Sergt. Chicago. Eugene L. Kasmer, 23, Snake in Plane, British Flyers Land Quickly By the Associated Press. MACON, Ga., May 8—A British | trainee who has been suckml\“,xgnw, strictly to tea was absolutely cer- | tain of the sight he encountered in midair aboard plane 250. Cochran Field's control operator was quickly informed: “Cochran Tower from 250. Coming in for emergency landing. Snake in plane. That is all.” R. A. F. Pilot Officers A. A. Cross | and Peter Allan Morgan had just | taken off when Pilot Cross heard | Pilot Morgan's plea over the inter- | phone: “Cross, for Heaven's sake do some- thing. There's a snake a yard long in back here with me.” Back on the field a ground crew | found the reptile curled behind the instrument panel. A soldier author- ity identified it as s ‘bull snake, a | ! harmless variety feeding on rodents. ' was made to these proposals. and pledged restoration of the is- the first landing on Madagascar Tuesday. Further Landings Necessary. The first British landing resulted in capture of the strategic Diego Suarez naval base yesterday morn- said further base if French resistence continued. to the French was made to “avoid bloodshed” and was contingent on | Prench co-operation with the British occupation forces. He said, however, there was no confirmation of reports that the surrender terms at Diego Suarez in- square miles in area. Casualties Less Than 1,000. It was reported that more than one-half of the French troops on the island were involved in the de- fense of the Diego Suarez naval base, which would mean that the sur- render there minimized the French chances of real resistance elsewhere. Prior to the British attack, the | French declared they were able to land to France simultaneously with | @ gallon, he can drive 30 miles.” | He later hinted that the regula= {non planned after July 1 would be | even more stringent. ‘Workers Assured Supply. “Of greater significance is_this,” ing, but a military commentator Mr. Henderson said. “In the Bl, B2 landings would be|and B3 classes they will be fur- necessary to obtain such vital | nished enough gasoline to get the strategic points as the Tulear air | worker to and from his job. They | will be issued gas on the basis of The commentator said the offer | representations of the worker’s own need.” He said that the allotments for the latter groups for the entire seven-week program, to be used as | the motorists desire, and not divided | on a weekly basis, would be about as- | follows: B1, 11 units or 22 gallons; . cluded a “cease fire” order for all B2, 15 units or 30 gallons; B3, 19 French forces on the island, 28,500 | units or 38 gallons. Meanwhile, the Office of Petrol- | eum Co-ordinator Ickes reported that rail movement of oil to the East set a new record last week, | with 45,000 tank cars being used to deliver 640,478 barrels a day. This was 134 per cent over the 564.750 barrels delivered daily in the previous seven-day period Total Deliveries 840,000. Pipelines, barges and production * within the area added about 200,000 mobilize 15,000 soldiers on the island. | barrels daily to petroleum uvailable * A Vichy news broadcast, however, | I the East, bringing the total to estimated the total French defense force as 7,000 men. This version said only 1300 French troops had been engaged in the fight in the Diego Suarez area, presumably leav- | ing more than 5,000 holding positions to the south. British casualties in the conquest of the Diego Suarez Bay area may be considerably less than 1,000, it was stated authoritatively Prime Minister Churchill had told the House of Commons yesterday the casualties may exceed the 1,000 figure. A military commentator said in- fantry units which advanced in the | | first attack on Antsirana and had been reported missing now were known to have established them- selves in independent positions near | the town. They held on under Prench attack | until the British assault captured the town and rescued them from and Northern Rhodesia have landed | J: Howard, 29, Green Bay, Wis,, and | encirclement. These forces took a number of French prisoners in the first land- | ing at Courrier Bay, followed by a | headlong assault on French coastal batteries overlooking the bay, the approximately 840,000 barrels, with- out consideration of any deliveries | by ship tankers. The esiimated de~ mand in the populous area now is 1,265,000 barrels daily. Representative Holmes, Repub- lican, of Massachusetts quoted to Mr. Henderson a statement of Sec~ | retary Ickes Monday that whoever was responsible for a previous esti- mate of 2! gallons “preferred to remain anonymous.” Mr. Henderson declared that Mr. . | Ickes probably was referring “to what the average would e for zll | cars during the May 15-July 1 pe- | riod.” He pointed out that it would “be higher than 6 gallons” even | without including the vehicles which will be given unlimited use. As he testified, the Bureau of Mines estimated that total demand for motor fuel in May would be 56.700.000 barrels, 4.200,000 barrels, or 7 per cent, less than the actual demand in May last year. The estimated decrease, the bureau said, reflected the restricted - use of motor vehicles to conserve tires, and also anticipated the effect of restricted deliveries of gasoline to distributors in the East and Pacific Northwest. | Plan Is Explained. Mr. Henderson explained that he had arranged a basic ration pro- gram and pointed out that unlike sugar rationing, where tickets are |good only for a given period, “it | will be possible to save units for a “They further stated that if mem- |1ater period and get them all at bers of civil and military organiza- | ©nce” prior to July 1. commentator said. The Foreign Office commentator, in explaining the British offer to the French, declared: “They informed authorities that the territory of Madagascar would remain French and after the war would be restored to French sov- | tions declared their intention to co- | their salaries and pensions would be | provided from funds to be made | | available for that specific purpose. “ | “A guarantee of repatriation was “In these States under ration, the tower | operate with the United Nations|Whole direction is toward providing ]Lhe gas mecessary for the operation of commercial buses, trucks, taxi- cabs and things like that which are on an unlimited basis,” Mr. Hender- given civil and military personnel Son said. : who did not wish to co-operate with | He remarked that these gasoline the United Nations and could claim | Users also would be on an “honor, the right to reside in metropolitan |Pasis” and expressed the hope France. Repatriation would take | that the Government would not place when ships were available, | Dave to ask local boards “to take “The condition laid down by the | On, the policing of gas to users. force commanders was that no de-| “Experience with tire rationing struction of civil or military instal- | Amply justified our reliance on local lations, war stores, armament or | boards” Mr. Henderson said, and sther supplies must be carried out by | added that no “paid servants” could the French on the island.” have done a better job than “thess - Presumably, he added, no reply | committees of neighbors on the - (See GASOLINE, Page A-6) A