The Waterbury Democrat. [volume], January 20, 1945, Image 1

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The Weather
Fair
M e Macwklbmy Demokrat
(Pulilnniert Byory KTanln* at II Oraad ItrMt Watarbary Entcrad aa It*o' d Claaa Manor at Poat Otflca at Watarbury. Conn. Cndtr tha Aft or March ». U7»)
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ESTABLISHED 1881
VOL LXIII, NO. 17
WATERBURY, CONNECTICUT, SATURDAY, JANUARY 20, 1945
TEN PAGES
PRICE 4 CENTS
NAZI RETREAT BECOMES CHAOTIC ROUT
OPPOSITION ON
WORKORELSE
BILL CERTAIN
BY DEAN W. DITTMEB
Washington, January 20.
— (UP) — House Military
Affairs Committee members
predicted today that they
would finish writing Monday
a work-or-else bill that is
almost certain to meet strong
opposition on the floor.
At least one committee
member premised to oppose
the measure when it comes
before the House.
The bill dropped its “work
or-fight” tag late yesterday
when the committee voted 15
to 2 to accept an amendment
by Rep. Paul Kilday, D.,
Texas, substituting civil pen
alties for the Army work
battalion draft proposed in
the original measure.
The work penalties In the Kilday
amendment would make violators
refusing to work at essential jobs
liable to fines up to $10,000 and im
prisonment for not more than five
years or both.
The committee also approved an
amendment by Representative John
J. Sparkman, D., Ala., to give War
Mobilization Director James E.
Byrnes authority to designate es
sential industries for deferred men,
striking out the provision giving this
authority to Selective Service Direc
tor Major General Lewis B. Hershey.
Meanwhile Representative Wil
liam Lemke, R.. N. D„ claiming the
support of 225 house members, said
he would introduce a resolution
Monday to compel local draft boards
to defer irreplaceable farm workers.
Lemke said Hershey's latest direc
tive had been taken by local draft
boards to mean that all deferred
farm workers aged 18 to 25 mast be
drafted into the armed forces re
gardles of essentiality, thus abro
gating the Tydings amendment
which defers them. Lemke invited
Byrnes, Hershey and War Food Ad
ministrator Marvin Jones to a clos
ed meeting Monday to discuss the
farm labor problem.
If Lemke fails to get house action
on his rcslution by the time the
work-or-else bill gets to the floor, he
may attempt a farm bloc fight
against the measure although Jones
testified it would not affect the Tyd
ings amendment.
Representatives Paul Stewart, D.,
Okla., and Arthur Winstead, D.,
Miss., both said they would offer
amendments Monday to prohibit
any man assigned to a specific in
dustry to be required to Join a
union against his will.
Winstead’s amendment also would
"fix a penalty of fine or imprison
ment for any person who interferes
with such a worker."
Some committee members said
they hoped to be able to approve a
measure that would not go into the
complications of union membership,
but virtually all of them admitted
thta the proposal would have to be
fought out on the floor if It were
not ironed out in committee.
$500,000 Fire
Sweeps Maine
Presque Isle, Me., Jan. 20— (UP)
—The biggest business building in
this down-east metropolis was
swept by a general alarm fire early
today, and a radio station, a the
ater, a bank and several stores and
apartments were destroyed.
Loss was estimated at $500,000.
Apparently starting from an ex
plosion on the upper floor of the
three story brick building, the blaze
raged for a half hour before being
discovered.
About a dozen persons sleeping in
apartments on the second and third
floors fled for their lives as the
flames spouted from windows and
the roof.
With 27 inches of snow on the
ground and the temperature at 10
above zero, firemen battled for
more than four hours before the
blaze was controled. Aid was sum
moned from Caribou and Fort Fair
field and the apparatus from these
communities was forced to battle
over snowclogged roads to reach
the scene.
At the height of the blaze, the
two upper floors of the northern
National Bank building collapsed
and sent tons of water, plaster and
other debris roaring down on bank
offices and stores on the ground
floor.
Radio Station WGAM, whose
broadcasting facilities occupied the
upper floor, was virtually a total
loss with the transmitter and a
United Press news teletype being
destroyed.
Blaze Destroys
Hartford Plant
East Hanford, Conn., Jan. 20 —
(U.P.) — A general alarm Are of
uncertain origin reduced the four
story plant oi tne Universal Manu
facturing Company to a mass of
smouldering ruins early today.
Believed to have started in an air
shaft the Are defied efforts of East
Hartford and Hartford firemen, bat
tling In ner-zero weather, to bring It
under control. Sparks spouted from
the top of the air shaft end spread
over the collapse onto oil-soaked
floors below. A new and used mach
inery firm occupying a portion of
the building also was wiped out.
Navy's Pre-Invasion Bombardment
mm- %'
( NEA Telephoto)
San Francisco, Caif.—This is all that remained of the Uniayen, Luzon, capitol building after U. S. Navy
guns were through with it during pre-invasion bombardment. Japs had sought to use it as a fortress. (Photo
by Stanley Troutman. Arme-NEA staff photographer, for the War Pirtbre Pool.)
Roosevelt Going Overseas
To Meet Churchill, Stalin
Birth, Death
Totals Lower
Here In 1944
More than half of the 49,518 per
sons employer! In Waterbury during
1944 were registered as employees
of the eight largest manufacturing
concerns here with 30,066 on the
latters’ employment rolls. A total
of 29,819 were employed with these
eight concerns during December, an
increase of 208 over the previous
month, it has been disclosed by the
1944 annual report of the Chamber
of Commerce, issued today by Prank
Green, executive secretary.
Some decrease in the Industrial
activities of the city during 1944 is
indicated by the statistics compiled
relative to freight tonnage carrleu
to and from the city during the
year. Incoming freight totaled
847,351 tons- of carload cars received
during 1944 which is revealed as a
decrease of 73,443 as of 1943. L. C. L.
cars received here in total tonnage
during last year totaled 41,763 tons
a decrease of 12,054 as compared
with the year previous. Carload
cars forwarded from this city dur
ing last year totaled 251,627 tons a
decrease of 39,843 while L. C. L. cars
forwarded was in amount of 58,395
or a decrease from 1943 of 9,939.
This lessening of activity ties lr.
somewhat with the overall employ
ment decrease of 2,283 for 1944 as
compared with 1943.
A total of 338 new families moved
to this city last year (an increase
of 35) while 1,843 births were reg
istered here amounting to a de
crease of 363 over the year previoas.
Deaths, however totaled 908 which
constituted a decrease of 203. Other
vital statistics reveal that 701 new
marriages took place during 1944, a
total of 132 less than the previous
year. A total of 909 communicable
diseases were listed or a decrease of
524 over the year previous.
Bank savings for 1944 totaled
$71,038,779 which proved to be an
Increase of $9,550,709 in this phase
of the city's activities. Bank clear
ings and bank debits both showed
decreases with the former amount
ing to over $90 million and the lat
ter over $670 million; respectively,
thev constituted a decrease of $1,
538,000 and $41,103,752. Postal re
ceipts for last year totaled $758,
974 an increase of $70,123.
Mr. Green's report, relative to
statistics on utility and service ac
tivities for the city reveals that
during 1944 a total of 28,896 tele
phones were in use here an increase
of 28 over the year previous; elec
(Continued on Page 2)
By ERNEST BARCEl.LA
Washington, Jan. 20—(UP) — If
Sen. Tom Connahy, D., Tex., didn't
mean to say it, it's too late now.
velt’s next meeting with Prime Min
ister Winston Churchill and Prem
ister lWnston Churcnill and Prem
ier Josef Stalin will take him
"across the seas” and “soon".
For some time there liar! been
hush-hush speculation - that the
forthcoming big three parley would
involve a trans-oceanic journey by
Mr. Roosevelt. But it remained for
the chairman of the Senate Foreign
Relations committee to give authen
ticity to what previously had been
merely rumors, guarded ones at
that. And some 1,500 persons heard
Connally say it.
The setting was last night’s
Presidential inaugural dinner—a
sumptuous feast given by members
of the electoral college in honor of
Mr. Roosevelt and Vice-Prcsident
elect Harry S. Truman
Connally was delivering the
principal speech of the evening.
With great eloquence he pleaded
for early action on a world security
organization to assure future peace.
His voice boomed through the ball
room of the Mayflower hotel.
He frowned on the idea of settling
boundary questions now by unilat
eral or bilateral treaties and said
such things should be left for all
the United Nations to settle later.
So far he was proceeding accord
ing to text. But toward the end, lie
strayed.
“President Roosevelt soon is to
go across the seas to confer witli
Mr. Churchill and Mr. Stalin,” he
said—and the secret was out.
If Connally was aware that lie
was revealing something supposed
to be closely guarded information,
he made no atempt to cover up his
tracks, for in the next breath he
wished Mr. Roosevelt a "safe voy
age . . into foreign lands.”
(Reports from abroad have spec
ulated that the big three will meet
(Continued on Page 2)
British Get More
War News Than Us
Washington, January 20. — (UP)
— Vice Chairman Maury Maverick
of the War Production Board, just
returned fro ma four week Army
tour in Europe, believes there should
be a gerater flow of war news into
tills country.
He said British newspapers get
considerably more news on the
course of battles than American
papers and "frequently before our
people get it."
"I don't think we’re getting
enough information to our peo
ple." Maverick told a press confer
ence.
Baldwin, Pallotti Plan
Special Election Parley
Hartford, Conn., Jan. 20.—(UP) —
Gov. Baldwin arranged today for a
conference with Atty. Gen. Francis
A. Pallottl concerning the calling
of a special election to elect a
successor to the late Democratic U.
S. Sen. Francis T. Maloney.
While a state law requires a
special election, the General Assem
bly is empowered under the federal
constitution to authorize the gover
nor to fill the vacancy by appoint
ment.
Some political leaders were ad
vocating such a procedure which
would necessarily require agreement
of both Republicans and Democrats
on n compromise candidate inas
much as the Democrats control the
Senate and the Republicans the
House.
An ideal candidate, it was re
ported. would be one who had no
political ambitions after completing
the Interim term. Former four
term Democratic Gov. Wilbur L.
Cross, who will be 83 in Aprlu, was
regarded ns such a prospect, ac
ceptable to both factions.
Appointment has been urged in
some quarters in view of the lengthy
process of election and the need
of having a full representation In
Congress from Connecticut during
this hlghly-lmportant session.
Rain Or Snow
Forecast For
Inauguration
By LYLE C. WILSON
Washington, Jan. 20—CUP)—
Franklin Delano Roosevelt—perhaps
the most powerful man in the world
—will be inaugurated president of
the United States for the fourth
time shortly after noon iEWT) to
day at a semi-private ceremony on
tlw' south porch of the White House.
That ceremony will formalize the
1944 American referendum which
sustained his foreign and domestic
policies. Then he has a date soon
to represent our people, our wealth
and our fighting men in a momen
tous conference with Prime Minister
Winston Churchill and Marshal
Josef V. Stalin.
Vice President-elect Harry S.
Truman of Missouri will be sworn
by Ills predecessor, Henry A. Wal
lace, a few moments before Chief
Jutice Harlan F. Stone administers
the oath to Mr. Roosevelt.
Some 7,000 Invited guests will wit
ness the breaking of the tradition
that presidents take their oath of
office on the steps of the Capitol.
Mr. Roosevelt, Truman, members of
their families and the very top
layer of guests will be up there on
the south portico, a roof over their
heads and facing Washington Mon
ument beyond the ellipse.
The next most important layer of
guests, diplomats and such, will be
in the front row down below on the
lawn. Beyond them other card
holders of several categories will
stand in their apjjointed places. The
public will be outside the White
House fence, a few hundred yards
away, looking in with binoculars
if they expect to see anything.
It looks like rain or snow here in
Washington. The forecast for the
lucky cardholders is anything from
sniffles to he ’flu. They have been
forbidden to bring their umbrellas.
Overshoes and raincoats are okay.
There were family prayers in the
White House east room this morn
ing in observance of Mr. Roosevelt's
(Continued on Page 2.)
FDR Grayer
And Thinner
BY MERRIMAN SMITH
Washington, Jan. 20.—(UP)—
President Roosevelt starts his fourth
term today much grayer and
somewhat thinner than when he
first took office, but his doctor at
tests that he is "in fine shape”
and "really feeling very good."
The President has had to contend
with three years of war, on top of
years of recurrent domestic prob
lems. He will be 63 years old in
10 days but instead of slowing up,
his puce has Increased during the
war years. He has traveled thou
sands of miles to meet Allied war
leaders and soon will leave on an
other similar Journey.
Vice Admiral Ross T. Mclntire,
the President's physician and su
rcou general of the Navy, said there
was nothing in Mr. Roosevelt s pres
ent physical condition that gave
him anything to criticize from the
medical viewpoint.
"He came through the election
campaign in excellent condition, and
he has remained in fine shape since
then even though his work has
Increased to quite some extent."
His weight Is somewhere between
(Continued on Page 3.)
GERMANS POUR
NEW RESERVES
ACROSS RHINE
BY BOYD LEWIS
Paris, January 20. — (UP)
— American Seventh Army
troops hurled back a savage
attack on their Maginot Line
defenses in the Alsace corner
of northeastern France to
day but field dispatches said
the Germans were pouring
reserves across the Rhine in
a developing offensive rival
ling their drive into the
Ardennes.
Driving snowstorms blan
keted the entire western
front this morning, shack
ling the Allied Air Fbrces
and slowing down the Anglo
American counter - drives
aaginst the enemy’s Arden
nes and Roer river salients.
Under cover of the miserable
weather, the Nazis were reported
massing strong armored forces in
their bridgehead north of Strasbourg,
which now had been linked up to
their main frnot facing the Maginot
line along the northern edge of the
Hagenau Forest.
American First and Third army
troops retained the initiative all
around the shrinking Ardennes
pocket, where there were increasing
indications that the Germans were
pulling their remaining Panzer di
visions back into the Siegfried line.
Similarly, the British Second army
drive northwest of Aachen was push
ing teadily forward within a half
dozen of the Roer at some points in
spite of the snow and sub-freezing
temperatures.
But at the southern end of the
battle line the Germans were liittnig
back hard and with mounting weight
in what appeared to be the second
blow of a one-two winter campaign
launched with the battle of the Ar
dennes
At least three German divisions
were reported battering into the
Seventh army lines around Hatten
and Just west of the Rhine above
Strasbourg, with seven to nine more
divisions wheeling into attack posi
tions on a 50-mile front running
north from the Alsatian capital to
Hatten and thence west of Bitche.
Massed German tanks and infan
trymen charged head-on into the
Maginot line bunkers at Hatten
(Continued on Page 2.)
Zukauskas
Trial Set
The trial of Francis Zukauskas,
34, of 174 Alder street, will start
at 10 o'clock Wednesday morning
before Judge Frank P. McEvoy of
Waterbury, Judge John H. King of
Willimantic, and Judge Howard W.
Alcorn of Suffield. It will mark the
first time in the history of the city
that three judges will decide the
fate of an accused.
Regular Friday short calendar
sessions of superior court will he
abolished during the murder trial,
it was reported today, and indica
tions were the case will be heard
on a four-day a week basis.
It Is believed the jurists will spe
cify at the start of the trial the
hours during which the court will
sit, with a Tuesday through Friday
session, from 10 a. m. to 5 p. m.,
anticipated.
Zukauskas will be charged with
first degree murder in the slaying
of Mrs. Stephanie Plungis, 25, of
111 Draher avenue, Nov. 1. A
finding of guilt on the charge car
ries a death i>enalty.
Farm Use For
Jeeps Likely
Toledo, O., Jan. 20 — (U.P.) —
The Jeep, which has been riding
rough-shod over the Axis during
this war, may be turned into a
mechanical cowboy to herd cattle
when the shooting is over, it was
ai-.tuosed today.
The disclosure was made at a
special clinic at the Willys-Over
land Motors. Inc., plant here at
which agricultural experts of the
United States and Canada are
studying farm use of the standard
army Jeep.
Among the farm functions plan
ned fo rthe Jeep by the U. S. De
partment of Agriculture are herd
lgn cattle, manure spreading, plow
ing, removing tree stumps, harrow
ing and running lire lines.
Charles E. Sorenson, Willys pres
ident, said that as farm vehicle the
Jep will not be designed to "be com
petitive with other such vehicles or
farm implements but will supple
ment and increase their usefulness
on the nation's farms."
Holliston Fears
Aridity Threat
Holliston, Mass., Jan. 20 — (.U.P.*
—A new pumping engine was ex
pected from Boston today to rescue
this town from a threat of aridity.
The town went on short rations
when:
A diesel engine pumping water
from its artesian well broke down.
An auxiliary gasoline pumping en
gine blew up—taking off the pump
house roof.
A Are truck, pressed Into service
as a pumper, could develop only
enough pressure to bring a tantaliz
ing trickle from faucets.
Mac Arthur Wading Ashore
(NEA Telephoto)
San Francisco, C'alif.—Wading ashore in ankle-deep water, General
Douglas MacArthur (right) is shown as he returned to Luzon over
much the same route he followed when he left three years ago. With
him (left) is Lt. Gen. Richard K. Sutherland, who went from Bataan
to Australia with MacArthur.
Cigarette Ration
Card Plan Opposed
—
Americans
Closing In -
On Tarlac
BY WILLIAM B. DISKINSON
General MacArthur's Headquar
ters, Luzon, Jan. 20.—(UP)—Ameri
can armored columns liave driven
50 miles inland along the road to
Manila and are only 25 miles from
the great Clark Field Constellation
day.
Sixth Army forces in “Fair
strength" were within a few miles
of the road hub and provincial
capital of Tarlac, 65 air miles north
of Manila, dispatches said. Patrols
were even farther south.
( A Japanese Domei dispatch re
ported by the FCC said American
reconnaissance operations in south
ern Luzon indicated that a new
landing may be planned south of
Manila.)
Construction of a heavy duty
brdige across the Agno river some
22 miles inland eased the trans
port problem and enabled the
Americans to resume their south
ward march after halting several
days to bring up supplies and rein
forcements.
On tile western flank. American
ptarols reached the crest of the Zam
bales mountains and reconnoitcred
Dasol Bay on the west coast of Lu
zon against negligible resistance.
These forces were expected to strike
down the coast toward Bataan,
where Americans and Filipinos
made a bloody last stand in early
1942.
Though tlie forces advancing
across the central Luzon pl/tins
were approximately 50 miles inland
by road, the straight-line air dis
(Continued on Page 2 )
'Bunny' Meroff's
Father Succumbs
New York. January 20. — HJPi —
Isidor Kohon. 71, Russian-born vio
linist. former concert master for the
Dancer Pavlova, died Thursday
night at his home (60 Cooper street)
in the Bronx after a long illness.
One time conductor of the old
Manhattan Opera Company and
first violinist in the old Philhar
monic Symphoney Orchestra. Kohon
was survived by two sons, Harold
Kohon. a violinist, Benny Meroff,
band leader now on USO-Camp
shows tour In India; a daughter,
Sonia Meroff, actress, and his
widow.
Though retail tobacco dealers here
are willing to "try almost anything"
to promote a fair distribution of
cigarettes, the majority do not fa
vor the proposal of the National
association-of Tobacco Distributors.
Inc. for a voluntary punch-card
system of rationing cigarettes to th«
consumer.
The ration proposal, as announced
by Joseph Kolodny. executive secre
tary of the distributors' association
involves the issuance by retailers
of a punch-type ration card to reg
ular customers only, the card to be
punched by the dealer when the
customer receives his ration allot
ment of cigarettes.
The merchants, upon whose shoul
ders would rest the burden of mak
ing the plan work, in most In
stances. felt the proposal would not
only aggravate the present melee
but would aid the hoarders who
manage to get around town. As
one merchant put it an individual
may be a regular patron to his
neighborhood grocer, the restaura
teur near his place of business, his
druggist, and a downtown tobaccon
ist.
Restaurateurs, druggists, grocers,
and operators of paper stands re
port being allotted during the past
few weeks about 20 to 30 per cent
of the supply received during normal
times. Cigar stores are faring a
little better, reporting a 30 to 40
per cent allotment.
Retailers voiced the following ob
jections to the punch-card plan:
Domcnic A. DeBonis .manager of
the United Cigar store, Bank street:
“Persistent shoppers would obtain
several '■ards Just as they manage
i Continued on Page 2.1
III Brother Turns
Out To Be Corpse
Chicago, Jan. 20 ~ (ir.P.i — Rase
Krenek, 34. told police today that
she kept the body of her brother,
Prank, 55, in a bed at her home for
three months and tried to feed him
in an attempt to "nurse him back
to health."
Miss Krenek. who wax held for
mental examination, was taken into
custody after police had leceivud
an anonymous tip. Clad in burlap
bags, she greeted the police with
the explanation that she thought
her brother was ill.
Police found the body in a bed
covered with burlap bags. They said
Miss Krenek was in the process of
feeding him coffee.
“I feed him every day," said Miss
Krenek, who was her brother's con
stant companion.
Police said Krenek had been dead
for three months.
Jap Sub Sinks Liberty
Ship, Shells Survivors
Sun Francisco, Jan. 20. iUP'—A
Japanese submarine in a renewal of
undersea warfare against Pacific
coast shipping torpedoed and sank
the Liberty ship John A. Johnson
on a moonlit night last November
and thne rammed, shelled and
machine-gunned survivors in life
boats. the Navy disclosed last night.
Survivors of the Johnson, sunk
between San Francisco and Hawaii,
related in Navy-sponsored inter
views that the submarine criss
crossed the oil-smeared sea spraying
the lifeboat* with all its deck guns
and shouting “bansal” with each
hit.
The helpless members ol the Navy
and Merchant Marins crew of 70
were killed and six wounded after
they had escaped unharmed from
the sinking ship which la,ter was
finished off with shellfire from the
submarine.
'Torpedoing of the Johnson was
believed to have been the first of
ficially confirmed enemy submarine
operation near the Pacific coast
since an attack on a tanker 25 miles
off Oregon on Oct. 4, 1942
iToqyo radio twice announced
Japanese submarines were operating
o fit he U. S. West Coast last fall.'
Merchant Marine Lt. Peter Shele
medos. 22, of San Francisco, first
mate of the Johnson and survivor
of seven previous torpedoing*, said
he was in his bunk when the ship
was struck.
I
BERLIN-BOUND
RUSSIANS RIP
GERMAN LINES
BY BRUCE W. MUNN
London, January 20. —■
(UP) — The Red Army has
invaded East Prussia from
the south and rammed an
other spearhead into the
Prussian fortress town of
Gumbinnen, only 16 miles
from Insterburg, Berlin re
ported today as the Nazi re
treat became a chaotic rout
along a front stretching 600
miles south to the Car
pathians.
Moscow dispatches said
five Soviet armies, striking
progressively stronger blows,
had set their sights on Dan
zig, Poznan and Breslau as
the next major objectives in
their “winter victory” of
fensive, now in its eighth
day.
The Russians had reached the
German frontier at Praszka, 60
miles east of Breslau and 228 mil s
southeast of Berlin, in the area
where they were reported without
confirmation to have pushed on into
Silesia.
Ernst Von Hammer, military com
mentator for tlie official German.
DNB agency, acknowledged that the
Russian tanks had penetrated East
Prussia from the south as far as
Gilgenburg. just inside the border
at a point 90 miles south of Konigs
berg and 8f> miles southeast of Dan
zig.
The thrust represented a 14-mile
advance north from the Polish town
of Dziadowo, captured only yester
day by the Soviets. Von Hammer
claimed the Russians had been halt
ed at least temporarily in fierce
lighting at Gilgenburg.
He also conceded that Soviet
forces pushing eastward along the
Konigsberg-Kaunas railway had
battled into the eastern outskirts of
Gumbinnen. 20 miles inside the
eastern borders of East Prussia and
! 74 miles east of Kouigsberg, capi
tal of Germany’s easternmost prov
ince.
Two-thirds of Poland already lias
been liberated, Moscow dispatches
| jubilantly reported.
; The German Transocean Agency
j also acknowledged the fall of Xassa
j i Kosice i. 13 miles Inside the s'outh
; ern borders of Czechoslovakia and
130 miles northeast of Budapest.
The entire 600-mile front winding
| up from the Carpathians was fast
i becoming a great heath chamber for
the pick of Germany’s eastern
armies as Soviet flying columns
i slashed across their lines of retreat
and low-flying planes raked them
, with bombs and gunfire from dawn
' lo dark.
At least 10,000 Nazis were killed
and 3.100 captured in the past 24
hours alone and the enemy's loss
i es in men and material were mount
| ing at a staggering rate.
Alarmed German leaders strug
I gled to rally their people against
' the oncoming Red Army tide which
i already had overrun the northeast
ern corner of East Prussia and more
[ than half of Poland and was threat
| enlng momentarily to spill over into
Eilesia. Berlin accounts said the So
| vlets had broken across the Silesian
i Continued on Page 2.)
315 Factory
Hits Scored
By LISLE SHOEMAKER
Headquarters 21st Bomber Com
mand. Guam, Jail. 20.—(UP' —
American Superfortresses raiding
the Important Kawasaki Aircraft
plant in the Osaka-Kobe industrial
area yesterday scored at least 31S
direct bomb hits in a 4,000-toot
radius of the factory, all but ob
literating the engine plant, photo
graphs revealed today.
Hundreds of bombs cascading
down from the giant B-29s hit the
huge plant ‘right on the nose,"
indicating that the raid was the
most successful ever undertaken by
Marianas-based superforts on a
Japanese aircraft factory.
It was the first, time the Kawa
saki plant, situated near Kobe on
Japun's main island of Honshu,
had been attacked and photographs
revealed that two-thirds of the
south and west, portions of the
engine plant were completely gutted
by fire and blast damage
In addition, a concentration ot
bomb bursts was reported in the
engine assembly plant, warehouse
area and dispersal area, which ij
the large airfield adjacent to the
factory.