Evening star. [volume], February 04, 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.
Closino N. Y. Markets—Sales, Page 18.
An Evening Newspaper
With the Full Day's News
LOCAL—NATIONALr-FOREIGN
Associated Press and UP) Wirephotos, North
American Newspaper Alliance, Chicago
Daily News Foreign Service and The Star's
Staff Writers, Reporters and Photographers.
(A*) Means Associated Press.
90th YEAR. No. 35,708.
WASHINGTON, D. C., WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 1942
THREE CENTS.
Great Help onWay,Wavell Says,
In Rallying Singapore Defenders;
Dutch Still Battling in Amboina
Calls on Troops
Not to Retreat
Another Step
Bj the Associited Pres*.
SINGAPORE, Feb. 4. —Allied
Generalissimo Sir Archibald P.
Wavell declared today that
Britain and the United States
are sending “great reinforce
ments” to the Southwest Pacific
battle area and called on his
fighting men not to retreat
another step before the Japanese
onslaught.
He declared that the defense of
Singapore must be made “as mem
orable and successful” as the defense
of Tobruk.”
Meanwhile, artillery batteries on
Singapore Island pared into action
again, blasting away at Jap
anese troop, movements on the Ma
layan mainland as enemy air raiders
unleashed new attacks on this island
fortress.
Job to Fight for Some Time.
Gen. Wavell linked the present
fighting forces of the United Na
tions in the Southwest Pacific to
the original British World War bat
tle force at Ypres and said their
job was to fight for time until rein
forcements arrived.
This was the text of his special
order of the day:
“The Japanese are straining every
nerve to keep the advantage gained
by their initial surprise and to gain
a quick success.
"Once their impetus is thwarted
they will soon be discouraged. Our
part is to stop them to gain time
for the great reinforcements which
we and our American allies are send
ing to the eastern theater.
“We are in a similar position to
the original British Expeditionary
Force which stopped the Germans
and saved Europe in the first bat
tle of Ypres.
“We must be worthy successors
of them and save Asia by fighting
these Japanese.
Japs Can’t Exploit Mobility.
“They have now reached an area
where we cannot be constantly out
flanked. and where the enemy can
not exploit superior mobility.
“You must yield no strip of ground
without fighting hard, and must
leave nothing behind undestroyed
that would be of the least service
to the enemy.
“Our friends and allies, the Dutch,
are carrying out this policy in every
part of the N. E. I. with sacrifice
and resolution.
“I look to you all to fight this bat
tle without further thought of re
treat and to make the defense of
Singapore as memorable and suc
cessful as the defense of Tobruk
which British, Australian and In
dian troops held so long and so gal
lantly."
Situation Unchanged.
Despite the sudden flurry of artil
lery and air activity, there was no
sign that the Japanese were about
to begin their expected attempt to
cross Johore Strait, and a com
munique described the general sit
uation as unchanged.
The announcement said the new
Japanese air assaults had caused
some damage but few military
casualties. Bombs dropped in the
second raid on the island this
morning fell on the residential
areas of the city itself and in the
countryside.
It was acknowledged officially that
22 persons were killed and 90 in
jured by air raiders yesterday. At
the same time it was disclosed that
anti-aircraft guns had shot down
two, and probably three, Japanese
planes over the island Sunday and
Monday.
Taking advantage of each passing
hour free from attack soldiers and
civilians labored shoulder to shoul
der to strengthen Singapore's de
fenses, while anti-aircraft crews
(See SINGAPORETPage A-4.)
Reading At Home
It is the habit of Washing
ton people to read The Star
in their homes every evening
and Sunday morning to get
all of the news of the day.
The Evening Star has more
than double the afternoon
circulation (not including
noon editions), of any other
Washington newspaper. The
circulation of The Sunday
Star is far greater in Wash
ington and its suburbs than
that of any other Sunday
newspaper.
Yesterday’s Advertising
(Local Display)
LINES.
The Evening Star_28,811
?.d Newspaper_14,976
Sd Newspaper _13,631
4th Newspaper_10,822
Yesterday’s Circulation
(The Evening Star)
Tues., Feb. 3, 1942 ...*185,718
Tues., Feb. 4, 1941._*167,320
Increase _18,398
•Return* from newsstands not de
ducted and no samples Included.
Telephone National 5000 and
have The Evening and Sun
day Star delivered to your
home.
«
1/
JAPANESE MOVE NEW CONVOY TOWARD BATTLE ZONES—
Chinese report a 69-ship Japanese troop convoy off Amoy (1)
moving south. The United States Navy has a land battalion in
the Philippines (2).* Artillery batteries on Singapore Island
blasted at Jap troops in Johore Province (3). Dutch claimed a
massive Japanese bombing fleet attempt failed to smash Soera
baja (4), apparently from bases on Borneo, fell short of the
mark, but inflicted severe losses. Dutch asserted fighting con
tinued on Ambolna Island (5). —A. P. Wirephoto.
British Rear Guard
Withdraws From
Derna Positions
Strong German Forces
Defeated in Attempt
To Cut Off Escape
Bj the Associated Press.
CAIRO, Feb. 4.—The British
high command announced today
that rear guard forces had
“completed their movement from
their last covering positions
about Derna” and rejoined the
main British column.
(In London a British military
commentator interpreted the
Cairo announcement as meaning
the British had withdrawn from
Derna. The retreat from Derna
meant the British had fallen back
50 miles in two days' on their
coastal flank in Libya.
(The Germans and Italians re
ported that their forces were
pushing on to Derna. 160 miles
northeast of Bengasi and 95 miles
from Tobruk, after inflicting a
heavy defeat on Indian troops
covering the British withdrawal !
The British communique said the
rear guard force—the 4th Indian
Division—beat off strong German
detachments which had attempted
to cut off their withdrawal.
British mobile columns, supported
by planes, continued offensive opera
tions against the flank of the Axis
drive east and northeast of Msus in
the desert area southeast of Bengasi,
the war bulletin said.
Axis Continues Advance
On Derna, Italians Say
ROME (from Italian broadcasts),
Feb. 4 (JP).—Axis forces in Libya are
continuing their advance toward
Derna after inflicting a heavy defeat
on Indian troops thrown into action
to cover the British retreat, the
Italian high command said today.
The advancing Axis columns are
receiving strong support from the
German and Italian air forces, the
high command added.
(The German communique,
which also reported the defeat of
Indian troops fighting a rear
guard action in Libya, said Nazi
aircraft had bombed British
forces in the Tobruk area and
supply dumps near Matruh,
Egypt.)
The daily war bulletin also de
clared that German air formations
were continuing their daily assaults
on the British Mediterranean base
at Malta, causing fires and explo
(See LIBYA, Page A-4.)
80 Americans Arrive
In Java From Singapore
By the Associated Press.
BATAVIA, Netherlands Indies,
Feb. 3 (Delayed).—Eighty Ameri
cans, including part of the United
States consular staff, arrived in
Batavia today from Singapore.
MacArthur's Forces
'Sharply Repulse'
Jap Attack on Flank
Third Transport
Believed Sunk by
Flying Fortresses
Gen. Douglas MacArthur’s
forces sharply repulsed a Jap
anese attack on their left flank
In Batan made by elements of
the 16th (Kimura) division last
night as his troops continued to
mop up remnants of the enemy
invaders who had succeeded in
Altering through the American
lines on the west coast of the
peninsula, a war communique re
ported today.
In a delayed report of an air
action on Japanese shipping at
Balik Papan. Borneo, the communi
que disclosed that seven American
Flying Fortresses sank two enemy
transports and repeatedly bombed
a third, which was probably sunk.
AU the American planes returned
to their base undamaged.
This attack was believed to be the
one mentioned in yesterday’s report
from Sir Gen. Archibald Wavell, |
supreme commander of Allied Paci
fic forces.
I
Jap Supplies Fall to Americans.
The Japanese troops who survived
the smashing of the two invasion
attempts yesterday to penetrate the
American lines were found isolated
in small pockets back of the coast.
No reinforcements were able to
reach them, and the Japanese had
attempted to supply them with food
and ammunition dropped by para
chute. Most of these supplies, how
ever, fell into the hands of Gen.
MacArthur’s men.
On the right of the American line
in Batan little activity was re
ported in the last 24 hours. Enemy
air activity over the defense lines
was limited to a few sporadic bomb
ing attacks which did no damage.
Japanese prisoners, forming groups
of Tatori fighters, expressed sur
prise at the humane treatment re
ceived at the hands of their captors.
They said they had been told Ameri
cans would execute all prisoners.
A battalion of marines and blue
jackets is fighting with Gen. Mac
Arthur’s hard-pressed men, the
Navy announced last night, and an
(See PHILIPPINESrPafee” A^B J^
Farouk Asks Backing
For Coalition Regime
By the Assoeltted Pres*.
CAIRO, Feb. 4.—King Farouk
called on the Egyptian people yes
terday to support his efforts to- j
ward forming a government of na
tional union. The government of
Husein Sirry Pasha resigned Mon
day as a result of internal diffi
culties.
Summary of Today's Star
Foreign.
Vichy government will return to
Paris. Page A-3
National.
Martin charges Flynn is trying to
liquidate G. O. P. Page A-l
Stamps will be issued for sugar
rationing. Page A-l
Naval officers report 1,292 men miss
ing. Page A-l
Free insurance for service men
broached. Page A-l
U. S. aid urged for educating col
lege youths. Page A-2
Restricted area designated in Cali
fornia. Page A-2
President invites Labor Board to
conference. Page A-2
House leaders ask action on China
loan. Page A-3
Inventory of women for war produc
tion planned. Page A-4
Spy ring toured plane plants, court
told. Page A-6
Washington and Vicinity.
$50,000,000 housing bill approved by
House unit. Page A-l
Token sales decision postponed for
month. Page A-2
Inquiry into war-worker influx
urged in House. Page B-l
One dead, three seriously injured in
early morning fire. Page B-l
Large defense housing project
planned for Hillcrest. Page B-l
D. C. Ad Club opposes bill to ban
liquor prices. Page B-l
Parley called tomorrow on "share
your car move." Page- B-l
Miscellany.
| Vital Statistics. Page A-2
L Nature’s Children. Page B-8
► -—
Foe's Big Attack
On Soerabaja
Falls Far Short
By the Associated Press.
BATAVIA, Netherlands Indies,
Feb. 4. —A massive Japanese
bombing fleet attempting to
smash Soerabaja, the United Na
tions’ chief base of operations In
the Netherlands Indies, fell far
short of its mark, the Indies high
command announced today,
while on the secondary naval
base of Amboina Dutch troops
still are battling a Japanese
landing force.
(The Tokio radio as heard in
Berlin today claimed that Jap
anese occupation of Amboina,
635 miles north of Australia and
flanking the Allied seaborne
route, had been completed.*
The attack on Soerabaja was car
ried out yesterday by 70 to 80 Jap
anese bombers with heavy fighters,
the Indies command reported, and
the raiders Inflicted "very consider
able” losses on the Dutch interceptor
squadrons which took to the air to i
meet them.
Damage Is “Negligible."
But the raid caused only "negli- ;
gible" damage to Soerabaja’s mili
tary objectives, according to a com
munique released through the news
agency Aneta. while the defending
planes and anti-aircraft batteries
took a toll of "presumably” eight,
Japanese fighters and two bombers.
Dutch losses in planes were offset
to some extent by the fact that
some pilots w’ere able to parachute
to safety.
The alarm at Soerabaja was said
to have lasted from 10:10 a.m. to
12:30 p.m., during which many
bombs fell on the center of the town
itself—an Important trading city
and second largest in the Indies.'
as well as on the naval and air
bases.
Aneta said a naval base workshop
was slightly damaged, two naval
employes killed and two injured.
Bombs demolished 25 houses in the
city, it said, killed 31 persons and
injured 139.
Within the 125-mile-arc bound
ing the raided area, it added, the
Japanese struck also at the island
of Madura, just off Soerabaja: the
small Soerabaja suburb of Grissee
and at Tuban. a city of 25.000 popu
lation 60 miles from Soerabaja,
where 18 persons were killed.
Amboina Fighting Seesaws.
The high command reported that
in addition to continuing resistance
at Amboina. where there still was
no apparent decision in the heavy
fighting, the Dutch were putting up
a battle in the vicinity of Balik
Papan. east Boreno oil center, whose
Installations were wrecked well in
advance of the Japanese landing.
“Reports from the vicinity of Am- I
boina prove bitter fighting con
tinues there, with the tide of battle
turning from one side to the other,” j
the communique said. "Also in the
immediate vicinity of Balik Papan
fighting continues.”
Amboina is second in importance
and strategic situation in the Indies
only to Soerabaja. which, since Sing
apore became unavailable, has be
come the United Nations' chief base
in the South Seas.
Dutch Still Have 50 Airfields.
The Dutch still hold some 50
jungle-hidden airfields on the Is
land of Borneo which the Japanese
"haven’t even spotted," a high mili
tary official declared today in coun
tering what he said were broadcast
Tokio claims that the entire island
is under Japanese control.
“The Japanese may control Tara
kan and Balik Papan (east coast
oil ports* and perhaps even Pontia
nak (chief west coast port), but
they still have quite a way to go
before (hey can make good their
ridiculous claims,” this source told
the news agency Aneta.
From the airfields in the impene
trable Borneo jungle, he said, “we
can keep up a spirited guerrilla
warfare which will cost the enemy
dear.”
Big City Still Held by Dutch.
The officer said the important
south coast city of Bandjermasin
(320 miles across the Java Sea
from Soerabaja) and its airport
also still are in Dutch possession
despite repeated enemy attacks, but
(See INDIES, Page A^6.)
Australian Flyers Score
Hit on Large Jap Vessel
By the Associated Press.
CANBERRA. Australia, Feb. 4.—
Australian flyers scored a direct hit
on a large Japanese vessel in a raid
last night on the occupied New
Britain harbor of Rabaul, an air
communique indicated today.
One stick of bombs was said also
to have scored a near miss on an
other vessel.
The communique said all the R.
A. A. F. planes returned safely after
driving off enemy fighters which
tried to intercept them.
Weddell Will Return
To See Roosevelt
By the Associated Press.
MADRID, Feb. 4.—The United
States Embassy announced today
that Ambassador Alexander W.
Weddell would return to the United
States soon to confer with Presi
dent Roosevelt. Mrs. Weddell will
accompany him.
GONE AND RUN AWAY^iii
/WITH THE HIRED MAN.SHE’LL If
^DARKEN this door| j
1,292 Men Missing
Or Prisoners, Senate
Told by Navy Officers
825 Are Marines;
Bill Seeks Allowances
For Their Dependents
B) the Associated Press
The Senate Naval Affairs Commit
tee heard testimony today that 1.292
officers and men of the Navy and
Marine Corps are known to be pris
oners of war or missing In action.
This information was submitted
by naval and marine officers at a
committee hearing on legislation
which would enable the Government
to make allowances out of the pay
of men in enemy hands to depend
ents or for payment of insurance
premiums.
The measure would cover men in
the ranks of the Army. Navy and
Marine Corps and civilian employes
of the War and Navy Departments
who were captured or missing in
action.
The officials said they had no In
formation on the number of civilian
employes who have fallen Into
enemy hands in the Western Pa
cific. but that the number was rel
atively small.
A Bureau of Navigation officer
said that 56 naval officers were "sup
posed to be prisoners of war" while
five others were missing in action,
their status undetermined. About
30 men of the Navy were missing in
action, he said, 75 were “probably
prisoners" and “about 300 others we
suspect are prisoners."
A Marine officer testified that 44
officers and 716 men of the Marines
were “in the hands of the enemy,"
while one officer and 65 enlisted
men were rated as missing.
More definite figures, the officers ;
said, are expected to be'available
when negotiations through the Red
Cross and the Swiss government
have been completed with Japan for
exchange of information.
Admiral Leo Otis Colebert. direc
tor of the Coast and Geodetic
Survey, told the committee that
Comdr. George D. Cowie, senior
officer of the survey, was killed In
the first Japanese bomb raid on
Manila.
Argentina Takes Special
Coast Detense Measures
By the Associated Press.
BUENOS AIRES, Feb. 4.—Acting
President Ramon Castillo an- |
nounced today that Argentina was
taking extraordinary measures to
defend her Atlantic coast.
Castillo said the army class of
1920, which normally would have
completed its service the first of the
year, would be kept under arms
throughout 1942 and in addition two
classes of reserve officers and auxil
iary services would be recalled to
service.
That would give Argentina, one
of the two American republics which
have not severed relations with the
Axis, an army of. approximately
100.000 men
Castillo, who nevertheless has
pledged his government to solidarity
in American defense, said details of
the measures to guard the coast
would be disclosed through the
Ministry of War.
R. A. F. Raids Naples
And Palermo Heavily
By the Associated Press.
CAIRO, Feb. 4.—R. A. F. raiders,
in an attack on the Italian harbor
of Naples Monday night, hit docks,
freight yards and a repair base,
the R. A. F. Near East communique
said today.
Palermo also was bombed the
same night, a direct hit being scored
on the quays there, the communique
said, and a "large enemy merchant
vessel in the Central Mediterranean”
was torpedoed by British night flyers
and forced aground.
Backing up the ground forces in
North Africa, the R. A. F. reported
inflicting casualties on Axis forces
and destroying vehicles in air sweeps
against enemy motorized units in
the Dema region.
.-,
Retired Actor Dies at 86
AMITYVILLE, N. Y„ Feb. 4 (JP).—
Harry J. Holliday, 86, retired actor,
died yesterday. He appeared in New
York theaters during the 80s and
90s, playing with such stars as
Richard Mansfield, K. S. Willard,
E. H. Sothem and Olga Nethersole.
Nazis Discover
Japs' God Also
Is 'Pure Aryan'
By thr Associated Press.
NEW YORK. Feb 4—A Berlin
radio broadcast beamed for East
Asia declared today that "the Jap
anese and German pagan gods are
symbols of the same pure Aryanlsm."
The broadcast, heard by N. B C.,
identified Wotan, old god of German
mythology, with the Japanese “god
of the sun and the winds,” and said
the two were “similar in character
and meaning" and were an actual
bond between the countries.
“Both gods.” the broadcast said,
“are watching over their people
to keen them in military and pa
triotic spirit.”
Wotan, known to the early Scan
dinavians as Odin and the Anglo
Saxons as Woden, was the chief
deity of the Teutonic pantheon and
also was sometimes represented as a
dealer in magic and dispenser of
victory.
The Japanese “god of the sun and
the winds” presumably is the Ger
man prooagandists’ identification of
the ranking deity of the Shinto pan
theon. the sun goddess Amaterasu,
whom the Japanese consider the di
vine ancestress of their race.
Petroleum Prices Frozen
At Level ot October t
B> the Associated Pre**.
The Government yesterday fixed
prices on petroleum and petroleum
products, including gasoline, for all |
transactions except retail sales.
Effective immediately, prices were 1
frozen at levels posted for crude
petroleum and the lowest quoted for
petroleum products on October 1.
1941. These levels already prevailed
generally as a result of O. P. A.
requests and voluntary agreements
with the industry.
Price Administrator Leon Hender
son said formal price fixing was
necessary in the petroleum industry
because of the increasing scope of
control and the ‘‘growing multiplic
ity of Informal agreements and un
derstandings.” He said the price
schedule would clarify O. P. A. price
policies and ‘‘protect the industry
and the public from the effects of
unwarranted price increases.”
Exempted from the schedule were
asphalt, industrial lubricating oils,
industrial naphthas and solvents,
greases and specialty products such
as household oils and spot removers.
Goering's Visit to Rome
Seen Auguring Attack
Bj the Associated Press.
BERN, Switzerland, Feb. 4.—The
presence of Reichsmarshal Hermann
Goering in Rome was interpreted in
Italian political circles as a sign of j
"new developments very soon in the j
Mediterranean.” the correspondent j
of Zurich's Die Tat wrote last night
from the Italian capital.
He said few believed the report
that Marshal Goering was on vaca
tion. Political circles in Rome, he
said, regarded the marshal's Italian
journey in the present phase of the
war as “certainly of great impor
tance.”
Marshal Goering went to Italy
January 27, saw Mussolini the fol
lowing day, made a trip to Sicily for
an inspection of German air units
January 29 and returned to Rome
Monday.
House Accepts Boosts
In Navy Fund Bill,
Largest in History
G. 0. P.'s Part Stressed
In Passage of Measure
Carrying 26Vi Billions
B> the Associated Press.
The House agreed today to
accept Senate increases in the
Navy appropriations bill, boost
ing the total to $26,495,265,474,
largest In history.
The conference report then went
to the Senate for approval.
House action, on voice vote, came
only a few minutes after Repre
sentative Ditter, Republican, of
Pennsylvania, took the floor to assert
that the Republican minority had
contributed wholeheartedly in steer
ing the big measure through Con
gress.
He made that statement, he said,
because of a charge "made within
the past few days” that the minority
was not co-operating—apparently a
reference to a radio address by Ed
ward Flynn, chairman of the Dem
ocratic National Committee, in
which Mr, Flynn advised against
election this fall of a Congress hos
tile to President Roosevelt.
House Minority Leader Martin,
chairman of the Republican Na
tional Committee, had declared yes
terday that Mr. Flynn sought "to
liquidate the Republican party and
squelch all criticism."
That. Mr. Martin said, was “the
only possible explanation" of Mr.
Flynn's speech Monday night in
which the Democratic National
Committee chairman asserted that
the Republican party was “not as
much interested in winning the war
as it is interested In controlling the
House of Representatives.”
Bombs Are Norse Answer
To Quislings Elevation
Bt the Associated Press.
STOCKHOLM. Feb. 4 —A vPave of
fires and bombings in German
occupied Norway, attributed to Nor
wegian resentment over Sunday's
Installation of Maj. Vidkun Quisling
as puppet premier, were reported to
day in Swedish newspaper advices
from Oslo.
A rubber factory in Askim, de
scribed as one of Norway’s largest,
was said to have burned down yes
terday. A factory in Drammen also
was reported destroyed.
Fire broke out in the Nasjonal
Teatret (national theater' in Oslo,
but was extinguished quickly.
A bomb was thrown at the Stortin
get. or Parliament House, but no
damage was reported. A bomb also
exploded at the university.
Fires were reported to have broken
out in two railway stations Just when
extra trains were ready to leave.
In incidents in other parts of
Norway a motor factory at Bergen,
on the west coast, and a wharf at
Laksevaag burned yesterday, the
advices said.
Harsh Measures in Amsterdam.
LONDON. Feb. 4 (/Pi—A Reuters
dispatch from Stockholm said to
day measures approaching a state
of siege had been imposed by Nazi
authorities pn Amsterdam as a re
sult of demonstrations and sabotage.
0. P. A. to Issue Sugar Stamps
As Part of Rationing Program
BT the Associated Press.
Special "sugar stamps'^to be is
sued by the Government to regis
tered consumers will be required be
fore purchases can be made under
the pending sugar rationing pro
gram, It was learned today.
Each stamp will permit an indi
vidual to buy 12 ounces of sugar—
the weekly ration.
A spokesman for the Office of
Price Administration disclosed that
booklets containing enough stamps
to last three months or more would
be printed and that the time re
quired for the printing would delay
operation of the rationing machin
ery for at least another month.
It was reported that the plan con
templates registration of consumers
by families, with stamp booklets
to be issued to each member of the
family, regardless of age. However,
no more than one stamp per person
may be used each week. This would
allow" a family of three, for example.
a weekly ration of 36 ounces of
suear.
The O. P. A. spokesman said de
tails of the registration requirements
had not yet been worked out, but
that the registration would not be
handled by local post offices. Stamp
books will be Issued at the time of
registration.
O. P. A. said the rationing would
be supervised by local boards, prob
ably the same boards now handling
tire rationing, but augmented by a
member or members drawn from
the food Industry.
It was understood that retailers
accepting the sugar stamps would
paste them on “sugar cards.” When
a card is filled, the retailer then can
present it to his wholesaler as au
thority to purchase the exact
amount of sugar represented by the
stamps on the card.
Details of the rationing are being
perfected Jointly by the O. P. A. and
the War Production Board.
50 Million Fund
For D.C. Housing
Wins Approval
Committee Speeds
Emergency Bill to
House Calendar
LARGE-SCALE Defense Housing
Projects Planned in Hillcrest
Section of Southeast. Page B-l
By JAMES E. CHINN.
A bill authorizing an appropri
ation of $50,000,000 to construct
homes for Federal workers In the
District and surrounding areas
of Maryland and Virginia and to
expand existing public works to
serve the inflated war-time pop
ulation, was unanimously ap
proved today by the House Pub
lic Buildings and Grounds Com
mittee.
Action was taken in executive
session following a series of public
hearings on the legislation during
which both Federal and District
officials showed that Washington’s
housing shortage had reached the
’’danger” point and that there is an
acute need for extension of such
vital facilities as public schools, hos
pitals, water supply and garbage
and refuse disposal plants.
The committee had under consid
eration two bills designed to accom
plish the same purpose. One was
prepared by Defense Housing Co
ordinator Charles F. Palmer. The
other was sponsored by conferees on
the so-called Lanham Act which au
thorized appropriations of $600,000.
000 for housing construction in de
fense areas throughout the country.
The latter was the one approved by
the committee.
Early Action to Be Sought.
The committee's action advanced
the bill to the House calendar.
Chairman Lanham said he would
seek its early approval by the House
because of the seriousness of the
housing situation in the Washington
area
Information given the committee
indicated that at least $40,000,000
of the recommended $50,000,000 ap
propriation would be used by the
Federal Works Agency to build about
10,000 housing units in the District
area for Government war workers in
the low-income brackets. It is plan
ned to advance the remaining $10 -
000.000 to the District Commissioners
for construction of vitally needed
public works.
Representative Lanham explained
that all of the money advanced to
the District for public works would
not have to be repaid: that a ma.lor
portion of it would be in the form
of outright grants. The District, he
said, might have to repay a part of
the funds used for extension of the
water supply and distribution sys
tems. since the Water Department
is self-sustaining and the munici
pality receives revenue from water
users.
To Relieve Shortage.
The approved bill specifically stip
ulates that the $50,000,000 shall be
used to "relieve an acute shortage
of housing, public works and equip
ment therefor presently existing and
impending in and near the District
of Columbia and impending war ac
tivities.”
It further declares the Commis
sioners are author.zed to "accept"
for the District from the administra
tor of Federal works such "advance
ments” as may be necessary to carry
out a public works program.
Chairman Lanham said several
committee members at the closed
meeting had "resented" criticism
that the committee had not acted
with dispatch on the legislation. He
pointed out the Budget Bureau did
not reveal until late last Tuesday
the $50,000,000 estimate for housing
and public works needs. The fol
lowing day. he explained, he in
troduced the two bills calling for
(See HOUSING, Page A-4J
Five Killed, 111njured
As Fire Sweeps City Jail
By the Associated Press.
SAN DIEGO, Feb. 4—Five pris
oners burned to death today by fire
which raged through cork-lined
padded cells in San Diego's City
Jail.
“It was like an oven," Battalion
Fire Chief Edward F. McLarney
said, describing the Intense heat
in the concrete block.
Eleven other prisoners were taken
to hospitals suffering from bums
and the choking smoke.
Police Chief Clifford Peterson and
fire officials were questioning a sus
pect, one of two prisoners who es
caped unhurt.
Police Sergt, Mike Shea said the
fire broke out about 4:30 a m., and
that when he was attracted to the
block by screams, he found the two
cork-lined cells ablaze, with smoke
pouring through the rest of the
block of 26 cells—only 17 of which
were occupied.
Can the Russian
War News Be Trusted?
Has the Nazi retreat been
turned into a rout? . . . What
about the Nazi spring offen
sive? ... Are the Soviets plan
ning to interfere with the
internal affairs of other na
tions?
The answers are given by
Sir Stafford Cripps, former
British Ambassador to Mos
cow. He knows Russia as few
other men and the Russians
trust him. Read his authori
tative articles tomorrow and
Friday in
Jfuenmg Jfctaf