Evening star. [volume], January 19, 1942, Image 2

About Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972

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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 16.
An Evening Newspaper
With the full Day's News
LOCAL—NATIONAL—FOREIGN
Associated Press and CP) Wirephotos. North
American Newspaper Alliance, Chicago
Daily News Foreign Service and The Star’s
Staff Writers. Reporters and Photographers.
Wi Mum AaioeiatM Praia.
90th YEAR. No. 35,692.
WASHINGTON, D. C., MONDAY, JANUARY 19, 1942.
THREE CENTS.
Troops 25 Miles From Singapore,
Trap 20,000 British, Japs Claim;
U. S. Tanker Sunk by Sub; 22 Lost
British Retreat
Heightens Crisis
In Malaya Fight
By tbe Associated Press.
SINGAPORE, Jan. 19.—The
battle of Singapore entered a
more critical phase today as the
British acknowledged a further
withdrawal along the west coast
of Johore State and reported
that the Japanese were hammer
ing heavily at their lines near
Segamat, on the Central Malayan
Railroad, 95 miles from Johore
Strait.
The withdrawal of the British left
flank, in the Muar River area, was
carried oin, a communique said,
to meet tne threat of Japanese
troops filtering southward along the
coast.
(Domei News Agency broadcast
a report from Tokio that Jap
anese troops fighting their way
down the west coast of Malaya
were less than 25 miles from Sin
gapore. The broadcast declared
that the Japanese had captured
Pontian Besar, 25 miles west of
Johore Bahru.
(Another Domei dispatch said
20.000 British troops had been
“completely trapped by Japanese
forces which have swept to the
rear of the British position
around Bahru, cutting off rail
and road communications leading
to Singapore.”
(D.NJB., German official news
agency, quoting Japanese sources,
was heard in a broadcast as de
claring that “the battle for the
final possession of Malaya and
of Singapore had begun.” It was
said the decisive clash would
come in the region of Johore
Bahru.l
Japs Believed 90 Miles Away.
The British communique failed to
disclose the extent of the British re
treat, but it appeared that Japa
nese forces on the coast must be
well within 90 miles of Singapore
Itself.
While the communique did not
speak of any withdrawal in the
central sector along the railway to
Singapore, it was the first time that
Segamat had been mentioned in ,
official dispatches. Segamat is about
15 miles southeast of Gemas, which !
fell into Japanese hands last night.
Announcement of the reverses
came in the face of reports from
the front of stiffening British re- j
‘ (See MALAYA. Page A-2.)
Spain Reported Protesting
To British on Harbor Raid
hi the Associated Press.
BERLIN, Jan. 19 < Official Broad
cast).—The Spanish government
sent the British government a note
Saturday protesting against the
British onslaught in the Spanish
harbor on the island of Feritando Po.
Nothing was disclosed as to the
contents of the note. It was learned,
however, that it was sharp and de
manded release of the vessels seized
together with their crews and repa
rations.
The broadcast purported to be
based on information at Madrid. It
was a sequel to the report in the
Spanish Falangist newspaper Arriba
Saturday that a Free French de
stroyer had raided the harbor of
Santa Isabel, on the Spanish island
off the west coast of Africa, and
seized three Axis merchantmen.
A Berlin broadcast yesterday con
tended it was a British raid even
though the destroyer was manned
by a Free French crew.
The Free French headquarters in
London has denied' these Spanish
German reports of such a raid.
Marines Seized by Japs
Reported Put in Camp
By the Associated Press.
CHUNGKING. Jan. 19.—Chinese
reports said today that United
States Marines captured by the
Japanese at Peiping had been put
to hard labor in an internment
camp.
All foreign and Chinese members
of the staff of the Rockefeller-en
dowed Peiping Union Medical Col
lege were said to have beer forced
to continue their work under Jap
anese control.
These reports said Dr. J. Leighton
Stuart, president of Yenching Uni
versity, and other American and
British members of the faculty, had
been confined in Peiping legation
quarters.
Most American and British resi
dents of Peiping were reported still
at large but with their movements
restricted.
Mead and Ramspeck
On Forum Tonight
Senator Mead, Democrat,
of New York, member of the
Senate Civil Service Com
mittee, and Representative
Ramspeck, Democrat, of
Georgia, chairman of the
House Civil Service Com
mittee, will discuss “Our
Civil Service Problems” at 9
o’clock tonight on the Na
tional Radio Forum. The
program is arranged by The
Star and broadcast by Sta
tion WMAL and the coast
to-coast Blue Network.
CHURCHILL PILOTS FLYING BOAT—Wearing siren suit and
earphone and holding an unlighted cigar in his mouth, Prjme
Minister Churchill pilots the big 74-passenger flying boat in
which he returned to England Saturday. Mr. Churchill was
reported to have banked the giant plane through two sweeping
turns after getting the feel of the controls at which he sits.
(Story on Page A-4.)
—A. P. Wirephoto via cable from London today.
I
Desultory Fighting
Goes On in Luzon,
Army Declares
Japanese Patrols Active;
Results Indecisive,
Communique Says
By the Associated Press.
Japanese patrols have been ac
tive against American and Fili
pino forces in the Philippines
during the last 24 hours, but re
sults have been indecisive, the
War Department reported today.
Ground operations have been of
a desultory nature since American
troops smashed a heavy Japanese
attack, the communique said.
Enemy air activities were confined
to frequent reconnaissance flights.
Gen. Douglas Mac Arthur reported
that Filipinos in the occupied areas
had been deprived of their means
of transportation.
He said farmers had been evicted
from their farms and formed into
labor groups and the Invaders had
seized harvested crops and food
stores.
The communique was based on
reports up to 9:30 a.m.
War Department communiques
yesterday told of diminished enemy
pressure, followed by repeated recon
naissance thrusts designed to feel
out the strength of the American
lines.
The defending forces, well
schooled by six weeks of fierce com
bat, seized the opportunity for a
successful series of brisk skirmishes
" (See~PHILIPPINEsTPage A-4.)
Gunner Who Slew Three
Found Mentally Unfit
the Associated Press.
LONDON. Jan. 19—Philip Joseph
Ward. 31-year-old anti-aircraft gun
ner who went on a three-hour homi
cidal shooting rampage through sub
urban streets last November 11. was
found unfit today to plead to a
triple murder charge.
President Requests
War Appropriations
Ot $28,500,767,495
Supplemental Funds
Sought for Fiscal Years
1942 and 1943
By the Associated Press.
President Roosevelt asked Con
gress today for $28,500,767,495 in
supplemental appropriations and
contract authorizations for the
1942 and 1943 fiscal years for the
War and Navy Departments and
two other defense activities.
He estimated the supplemental
appropriation needed for the Navy
Department and naval services for
1942 fiscal year at $8,768,783,500, in
cluding $4,598,783,500 in cash and
$4,170,000,000 contract authoriza
tions.
The President also asked $7,193,
861,521 net additional for the Navy
program in the fiscal year begin
ning next July 1, raising the 1943
fiscal year program to $13,124,056,
589.
For the Army, he asked an emer
gency appropriation totaling $12,
525,872,474 for the 1942 fiscal year,
including more than $9,000,000,000
for the Air Corps.
For the Inter-American Highway,
he requested $7,000,000 and for the
Federal Bureau of Investigation $5,
950,000.
New Axis Military Pact
Is Reported Signed
By the Associated Press.
LONDON, Jin. 19.—A D. N. B.
broadcast from Berlin, heard today
by Reuters, said a military conven
tion signed yesterday by Germany,
Italy and Japan was designed to
safeguard "proper and appropriate
distribution of military forces in
preparation for operations of great
striking power which will be of out
standing significance.”
Seeds Scarce*'Green' Urbanites
Told to Shelve Garden Plans
City dwellers planning to con
, vert flower gardens to vegetable
| plots were advised today by the
Agriculture Department to stick to
the flowers, as officials sought to
conserve existing stocks of seeds.
This country’s supply of seeds
from Europe has been cut off by
the war, the department pointed
out, and farm experts want to save
surpluses for more experienced
gardeners than are usually found
in cities.
Victory gardens might be satis
factory in rural and suburban areas
if planted by people who know about
seeds, fertilizer and spray material,
the Department said, but it is a
different story when city folks take
to their back yards.
City Farmers Usually “Green.”
City soil is usually unproductive
of good crpps, according to depart*
ment officials, and the would-be
farmers lack experience in caring
for seedlings.
Secretary of Agriculture Wickard
has pointed out that our domestic
seed industry has expanded to make
up for the European loss so that we
won’t suffer from lack of vegetables.
But we don’t have such large sur
pluses that we can be wasteful of
seeds, fertilizer or spray materials.
The department makes these
points to city gardeners:
City, town and suburban people
who normally do not grow vege
tables should not do so now, be
cause of any fear of a shortage of
vegetables, fresh or canned, or be
cause of a belief that their con
tributions will, in any large measure,
add to war food supplies.
Protection of Parks Urged.
Park and playgrounds or other
public spaces should not be tom up
for the sake of community or in
dividual gardening based on a fear
of a shortage of supplies.
In the last war, home gardens
were cultivated in all parts of the
(See GARDENS, Page A-8.)
Rescue Ship Lands
13 Survivors
At Norfolk
Br the Associated Press.
The battle of the Atlantic, a
phase of the European war
which has reached out toward
the shores of the United States,
brought over the week end the
U-boat sinking of the Standard
Oil tanker Allan Jackson, the
third such victim in less than a
week.
Thirteen survivors of the 6,635
ton tanker’s 35-man crew were
landed at Norfolk, Va., yesterday
afternoon; six of them were hospital
cases, J,he others uninjured. The
rescu# vessel also brought in four
bodies. The other 22 crew members
are presumably lost.
The Public Relations Office of the
Fifth Naval District at Norfolk an
nounced that the Allan Jackson was
en route to New York and was un
armed when she was torpedoed,
but further details were withheld
for reasons of security. The attack
occurred yesterday off the North
Carolina coast.
The first two ships in the cur
rent wave of U-boat activity along
the American coast also were tank
ers, the first sunk last Wednesday,
the second on Thursday.
Great Search by Sea and Sky.
The Axis raiders appeared to have
reached coastal waters in consider
able force and their scattered as
saults have touched off a great
search by sea and sky. but Ameri
can authorities are not likely to
announce the results of the U-boat
hunt until well after any successes.
That 's part of the technique of
striking at the morale of other
Axis U-boat men.
The uninjured survivors, who were
questioned by naval intelligence of
ficers at the naval operating base,
are Rolf Clausen, boatswain; R06S
F. Terrell, able seaman; Onis M.
May, able seaman; Teague F Burke,
storekeeper; Aracelio Lopez, mess
man; Elmo E. Burden, oiler, and
Jeremiah A. Donovan.
The injured at the Marine Hos
pital in Norfolk are Capt. F. W.
Kritchmer. master of the Jackson;
Melvin A. Rand, second mate; Boris
A. Varneoff. third mate; Thomas B.
Hutchins, chief engineer; Steaphen
Verbonich, radio operator, and Ran
dolph H. Larso, able seaman.
Dead Identified.
The dead were identified as W. A.
Hoerle, third engineer; Hamon
Brown, seaman; Dimingo Pinerio,
fireman, and Carl 2. Webb, oiler.
No home addresses of any of the
survivors were given.
Every licensed officer on the ship
was either injured or lost. The
tanker was not armed and no at
tempt was made by the submarine
crew to board the craft or take pris
oners.
According to the stories told by
survivors, an officer on the bridge
sighted the first torpedo when it
broke water about 150 yards from
the tanker. A desperate effort was
made to avoid the torpedo but it
crashed into the vessel about amid
ship. No one saw the second tor
pedo but a second terrific explosion
was heard within a couple of
minutes after the first crash.
The tanker apparently gave way
in the center, with the bow listing
to starboard and the stern to port.
Only one lifeboat managed to get
away as the ship caught fire im
mediately and the flames enveloped
the entire deck and rapidly spread
into the oil slick on the water.
Several Narrow Escapes.
The seven uninjured survivors
were in the lifeboat and they had
several narrow escapes before get
ting clear of the ship. The pro
peller was still turning as the
tanker settled and it set up a suc
tion that threatened to pull the
boat to destruction despite the
efforts of the occupants.
After a struggle of minutes which
seemed like hours, the lifeboat got
clear and a short time later it
picked up the radio operator.
Once clear of the tanker, the
boat crew faced another peril in
the burning oil slick which ap
peared to be closing in an them.
Some of the survivors reported
hearing cries from within the sheet
of flame on the water, but they
could not take the boat in for
fear it would catch Are. They also
reported seeing a light, presumably
on the submarine, off in the dis
tance, but they could not see any
thing of her superstructure.
After about an hour in the boat,
they were all clear of the Are and
rigged their sail. Some three hours
(See SINKINGS, Page A-3.)
BUREAU
OF THE
BUDGET
—
D. C. May Have 500
Or 1,000 Paid Civilian
Police, Young Asserts
Sees Need of Volunteers;
Opposes Pay Raises
For Regular Force
*By JAMES E. CHINN.
Commissioner Young revealed
today it may become necessary to j
augment Washington’s regular |
police force with 500 or 1,000 ci- '
vilian defense volunteers and to
pay them salaries.
Warning that the District “doesn’t j
know what might happen,” the |
Commissioner, who is also the city’s
defense co-ordinator, declared that
steps already had been taken to
add another 150 men to the regular
police force through a deficiency
appropriation.
Mr. Young made his statements
before a sub-committee of the House
District Committee, where he testi- j
fied in opposition to a bill it is con
sidering to raise the pay of police
men and firemen up to and includ
ing the rank of captain a maximum
of $300 a year.
"Frankly and bluntly,” he de
clared, “the District can’t afford to
pay ‘higher salaries to policemen
and firemen.”
Despite Mr. Young’s opposition,
the subcommittee ordered the bill
favorably reported to the full House
District Committee. It must be ap
proved by the full committee before
being placed on the House calendar.
Budget Expense Outlined.
District Auditor Arthur Pilkerton
told the subcommittee enactment
of the pay raise bill would add $717,
609 to the budget the first year and
that the figure would rise there
after as a reserve of retirements.
The retirement pay of police and
firemen is one-half their basic sal
| ary.
The bill, a substitute for one
killed by the House a week ago,
which would have raised the pay
of all policemen and firemen, in
: eluding those above the rank of cap
j tain, a maximum of $600 a year,
j is sponsored by Representative
, Schulte, Democrat, of Indiana. He
also is chairman of the subcommit
i tee holding hearings on the meas
I ure.
“D. C. May Have 1,000.”
“I have a high regard for both
the Police and Fire Department,”
Commissioner Young declared at the
outset of his testimony. "We are
commencing now to see daylight on
the Police Department. It is coming
along fine since the reorganization.
But we need more patrolmen who
will make it safe for men, women
and children on the streets. One
hundred and eighty men already
have been added to the force. But
we need 150 more without delay,
and w€ are trying to get them in
a deficiency appropriation bill.”
The bill's preface declared the
salary increases are needed in view
of advanced living costs. Comment
ing on that, Mr. Young said: “As
far as the high cost of living goes
that would hold good for all 17,000
District employes, not the police
and firemen alone.”
Schulte Sees Favored City.
“I don’t know of a city in the
country where profits are as large
and the tax rate is as small,” de
clared Representative Schulte. "The
Federal pay roll alone is $31,000,000
a month.”
Commissioner Young pointed out
that the real estate tax is $1.75 and
(See POLICE, Page A-8.)
Summary of Today's Star
Foreign.
Desultory fighting goes on in Luzon,
Army reports. Page A-l
14,000 Axis prisoners crowd British
camps in North Africa. Page A-3
Debate on reverses in East demand
ed in Parliament. Page A-4
Argentina shying at first test of
Americas’ unity. Page A-4
British arrest Burmese Premier for
plotting with Japs Page A-4
Churchill himself piloted huge flying
boat part of way home. Page A-4
Jap planes attack Borneo oil port
and isle oil Sumatra. Page A-6
Canada puts certain pulpwood prod
ucts on export list. Page B-2
National.
Bodies of Carole Lombard and eight
others recovered. Page A-2
White House program to launch In
fantile Paralysis Week. Page A-3
Freighter crippled in crash reaches
New York. Page A-3
$5,000,000 collected in slot machine
taxes. Page A-6
Lewis proposal tails to bring quick
labor unity move. Pagg A-S
A. P. L. Defense bond quota set at
$1,000,000,000. Page B-9
Washington and Vicinity.
Preliminary motions in Vlereck trial
to be heard today. Page A-2
Retired tailor held in fatal shooting
of wife. Page A-2
Tydings says Army of 8,000,000 is
needed. Page A-12
Attorney General Biddle to visit
Mile o’ Dimes stand. Page B-l
Henry M. Fowler refuses to serve as
Rent Board examiner. Page B-l
Train wreck causing thousands de
lay is investigated. Page B-l
One dead, dozen hurt in traffic in
D. C. area. Page B-l
Home owners swamp defense housing
registry with offers. Page B-l
Increasing interest shown in salvage
campaign here. Page B-7
Knud sen's Offices
Are Shifted to New
War Building
William S. Knudsen, under
going the official change from
director-general of the O. P. M.
to lieutenant general in the
Army, moved his offices today
from the Social Security Build
ing to the new War Department
Building. He took with him his
secretary, William M. Collins.
The quarters he will occupy
are those originally intended for
Secretary of War Stimson, who
later decided not to use them.
Mr. Knudsen's office workers
spent all last night getting his
belongings ready at O. P. M..
and he went to his new War
Department quarters this morn
ing after paying a brief visit
to his former O. P. M. offices.
President Appoints
Patrick J. Hurley
Brigadier General
Knudsen's Nomination
As Lieutenant General *
Also Sent to Senate
Col. Patrick J. Hurley, former
Secretary of War, today was
nominated by the President for
the rank of brigadier general.
Mr. Roosevelt also sent to the
Senate the nomination of William S.
Knudsen as a lieutenant general, a
rank he was given on being chosen
to take charge of the Army's war
production and procurement pro
gram.
Col. Hurley, 59, will be in active
Army service as soon as the Senate
approves his nomination. He is
now an officer in the Reserve.
Stephen Early, White House sec
retary, said Col. Hurley would be
assigned to a special task, but would
not reveal its nature beyond saying
i he would not be a line officer.
Practiced Law Here.
The Oklahoman who practices law
here and lives near Leesburg. Va.,
holds the Distinguished Service
Medal and was cited for gallantry
in action in Prance with the A. E. F.
in 1918. He was a lieutenant colonel
in the World War and took part in
the Aisne-Mame, Meuse-Argonne
and St. Mihiel offensives.
The former Hoover cabinet officer
began his military career 40 years
ago as a private in the Indian Terri
tory Volunteer Militia.
At the request of Senator McNary,
Republican, of Oregon the Presi
dent also nominated William A.
Ekwall, former Representative from
Oregon, as a judge on the United
States Customs Court which sits in
New York.
Officer’s Promotion Asked.
Mr. Ekwall put the name of Sen
ator McNary in nomination as the
Republican candidate for the vice
presidency on the ticket with Wen
dell Willkie at the Philadelphia con
vention in 1940.
At the same time, President
Roosevelt asked the Senate to ad
vance Brig. Gen. Julian F. Barnes,
U. S. A., to the rank of major gen
eral.
—-M
Hong Kong Governor Named
TOKIO, Jan. 19 (Official Broad
cast) OP).—Emperor Hirohito today
appointed Lt. Gen. Rensuke Isogai,
former chief of staff of the Kwan
tung army, governor general of Hong
Kong.
Requirements Unit
To Control Materials
In War Output Setup
Nelson May Be Ready
Wednesday to Reveal
Executive Changes
By THOMAS C. HARDMAN.
Creation of a requirements di
vision to have over-all control of
materials allotted for all war
and civilian purposes was under
stood today to be an integral
part of the administrative reor
ganization being formulated by
Donald M. Nelson, head of the
new War Production Board.
Mr. Nelson spent the entire week
end working on reorganization
plans. Sources close to his office
said he probably would be ready
to announce administrative changes
and outline the physical make-up
of his new organization Wednesday.
The production director was also
reported favoring the designation of
one man to supervise the important
conversion of the automobile indus
try and, subsequently, its all-out
production of war weapons.
Materials Will Be Divided.
The requirements division en
visioned by Mr. Nelson would have
authority to apportion materials to
fill Army, Navy and lease-lend
needs, as well as those of the civil
ian population.
The “overlord" of the automobile
industry would replace the seven
man subcommittee set up January
7 to handle the conversion program
and would be vested with consider
ably more power than the subcom
mittee was given. Identity of this
individual was not Indicated.
Some speculation centered on the
name of Ernest Kanzler, long-time
associate of Henry Ford and presi
dent of the Universal Credit Corp.,
who recently became head of the
automotive branch of the O. P. M.
Quick conversion of the automo
bile industry was understood to be
the principal concern of the new
production chief.
Other Divisions In Offing.
Zt was generally agreed that divi
sions on procurement and produc
tion would be set up immediately
under the director to work through
and in co-operation with the re
quirements division. A revised pri
orities setup also will be developed
under the reorganization. Spokes
men indicated that some organiza
tion similar to the O. P. M. would
be retained under the new program, j
although it was not known whether
this agency would be called by that
name.
In fact, a number of O. P. M.!
division heads are expected to be
given key places in Mr. Nelson's
organization.
Douglas C. MacKeachie, present
director of the O. P. M. Purchasers’
Division, was mentioned as a likely
head of the new Procurement Divi
sion. Mr. Nelson feels that Mr.
MacKeachie has done a good job in
the present agency, it was under-1
stood, and would utilize his talents
(See NELSON, Page A-8.)
I
Pell and Legation Staff
In Spain on Way Home
BJ the Associated Press.
BARCELONA, Spain, Jan. 19.—
Herbert Claiborne Pell, former
United States Minister to Budapest,
and the staff and families of the
American Legation there passed
through here today toward Madrid
en route to Lisbon and home.
Mrs. Roosevelt Is Undecided
About Future Defense Job
If Mayor La Guardia resigns as
director of the Office of Civilian De
fense, the new director will decide
whether or not Mrs. Roosevelt is to
stay on as assistant director, the
President’s wife indicated at a press
conference today.
Mrs. Roosevelt said she did not
know what the Mayor will do, but
said she will remain if she is wanted
She pointed out that she took the
job only because there might be
something useful she could do. She
added, however, that she was not the
judge of her usefulness, that that
was a decision to be made by the
person heading the civilian defense
agency.
Asked about resignations from the
O. C. D. since Dean James M. Lan
dis of Harvard Law School became
executive officer, Mrs. Roosevelt said
the only resignation she knew of was
Miss Eloise Davidson, an assistant
director. Her explanation of Miss
Davidson’s resignation was that
Miss Davidson had been away from
her own job for five months and
felt she had to go back to it. She
added, however, that Miss Davidson
Will work on special assignments in
New York under Mayor La Guardia.
Discussing hoarding, particularly
of sugar, she said people might as
(Bee MRS. ROOSEVELT, Page A-8.)
Russians Start
Drive on Ice of
Lake Ladoga
Aim to Pinch Off
End of Nazi Line
Before Leningrad
Br the Associated Press.
LONDON, Jan. 19—The Rus
sian command apparently has
opened a major assault across
the ice of Lake Ladoga to pinch
off the Schlusselburg end of the
German line fronting Leningrad,
Soviet sources here said today.
Reports from the area of the ice
locked lake fortress of Schlusselburg,
25 miles east of Leningrad, said the
battle was “increasing in intensity,”
and that one particularly sustained
attack had carried the Red Army
past German defenses between
Schlusselburg and the Mo«:ow
Leningrad Railway. However, the
Russians had not yet managed a
break-through in force, it was said.
This attack to break German Field
Marshal Gen. Ritter von Leeb’s
Leningrad front was reported as
other Russian advices said Red
troops were fighting hand-to-hand
in the streets of a burning Mozhaisk,
57 miles west of Moscow, and in Orel,
200 miles south of Moscow.
Exponent of Defense.
London observers pointed out that
Gen. von Leeb was known as the
Nazis’ best exponent of defensive
warfare, and said that when the
Russians developed their assault
around Leningrad he will have his
mettle tested to the fullest.
The Russians are expert at war
fare over broad ice stretches such
as those on Ladoga. Over the ice
of this same lake they carried out
attacks against the Finns in the
■ winter of 1939-40 to take islands
which flanked defense positions,
! and their thrust across the ice of
| the Gulf of Finland in the same war
proved decisive in the capture of
Viipuri.
It was believed here that Premier
Joseph Stalin was personally inter
ested in the Leningrad assault. He
is said to realize that a break in the
German chain around Leningrad
would be recognized in Germany,
as well as in Russia, as a major
Soviet victory.
Feodosiya, Crimea Port,
Retaken, Nazis Claim
<Thi5 dispatch was wnt from an en
emy country, whose motive in releasini
news is apt to be propaaanda Axis
claims should be credited only when
confirmed by American or Allied
sources. >
BERLIN, Jan. 19 (Official Broad
cast! (A*).—The German high com
mand announced today that Nazi
and Rumanian troops had recap
tured the port of Feodosiya, on the
southeast coast of the Crimean
Peninsula, stepping stone to the
Caucasus.
At the same time the high com
mand reported that Russian forces
had launched heavy attacks along
the entire Donets River front and
said that fighting still was in prog
ress without indicating the direc
tion it was taking.
4,600 Declared Taken.
The fall of Feodosiya, a commu
nique said, resulted in the capture
of more than 4,600 Russians and
large quantities of equipment, in
cluding 73 tanks and 77 guns.
German forces in the action were
commanded by Infantry Gen. von
Manstein and Air Chief Marshal
von Grein, the bulletin added.
(It was the first time that the
names of these officers had been
mentioned in German commu
niques dealing with operations in
the Crimea. Appearance of the
unfamiliar names may be sig
nificant in view of recurring re
ports from many foreign quar
ters of shakeups in the German
military command since Adolf
Hitler took over the supreme
command from Field Marshal
Gen. Walther von Brauchitsch
several weeks ago.)
In the central and northern sec
tors of the eastern front, the Rus
sians continued their attacks but
suffered heavy losses, the high com
mand said.
430 Reds Declared Killed.
It reported that German infantry
and mechanized forces, in a two-day
counter-attack in one unspecified
sector, had captured 35 guns. 23
grenade throwers, 45 machineguns
and "countless other material."
In this engagement, the com
munique said, 430 Russians were
killed and 140 were taken prisoners.
In addition to participating in op
erations on the land front tne Ger
man air force was credited officially
with damaging a large merchant
ship off the Arctic port of Mur
mansk.
Feodosiya, on the southeast coast
of the Crimea, was captured by Ger
man troops early in November as
they stormed across the peninsula
toward Kerch strait, apparently in
an attempt to drive into the oil
rich Caucasus.
Counterattacking Russian forces
drove the Germans out of the port
on December 31 after a fierce two
day fight. The Red Army forces,
presumably aided by reinforcements
moved across Kerch strait, were as
sisted by the Black Sea fleet.
Hand-to-Hand Fighting
In Mozhaisk Reported
MOSCOW, Jan. 19 UP). — Grim
Russian soldiers and Nazi troops
comprising the "cream of the Ger
man forces” are fighting a desperate
hand-to-hand battle in the blazing
key city of Mozhaisk, the Russian
army newspaper Red Star declared
today.
As Russia's great winter offensive
gained momentum along the entire
front from the Arctic to the Black
Sea, Red Star also reported that
(See RUSSIA, Page A-fl.) ^