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Weather Forecast Cloudy; low near 28 tonight. Tomorrow cloudy, rain in afternoon. Temperatures today—Highest, 46, at 1:30 p.m.; lowest, 32, at 4:55 a.m. Yes terday—Highest, 48, at 3:15 p.m.; low est, 34, at 2:10 a.m. Lote New York Markets, Page A-13. f ■ ■ fiff Guide for Readers Page. Amusements _.B-14 Comics.B-14-15 Editorials .A-6 Edlt’l Artucles A-7 Finance .A-13 Lost and Found A-3 Page. Obituary ..A-i Radio .B-15 Society.B-3 Sports .A-10-11 Where to Oo...B-ll Woman’s Page..A-i An Associated Pres* Newspaper 92d YEAR. No. 36,437. _WASHINGTON, D. C., FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 1944—THIRTY PAGES. *** and Suburba THREE CENTS. nSlg*™ Nazis Open Big Drive Near Rome, Claim Nettuno Forces Encircled; Attacks Repulsed, Allies Declare Kommel Keported Back in Italy To Lead Germans (Map on Page A-12.) By the Associated Press. ALLIED HEADQUARTERS IN ITALY, Feb. 4.—Marshal Erwin Rommel, the Germans’ master defense tactician, was reported back in Italy directing Nazi ■strategy today, and Allied head quarters disclosed that the Ger mans have launched their ex pected big offensive against the Anzio-Netturno beachhead below Rome, supporting their assaults with terrific firepower and tank charges. The Germans, reinforced along the perimeter of the bridgehead, struck four times against the Brit ish and Americans, who are reported to have poured more than six divi sions ashore. Attacks Repulsed, Allies Say. In each case. Allied headquar ters said, the Nazis were repulsed with heavy losses, and the Allies improved their positions slightly. (A German high command com munique broadcast by the Berlin radio and heard in London today said Allied forces have been en circled in the Nettuno bridge head. “On the enemy landing beachhead of Nettuno major enemy forces were encircled by counterattacks," the communique said. “Relief attacks were re pulsed.” <On other sectors of the Italian front, the communique said, fluctuating battles were in prog ress with both sides showing “extreme doggedness,”) Meanwhile, to the south, on the Cassino front American troops of the 5th Army were fighting fiercely in the outskirts of the German strong hold. Fighting with tanks against Nazis who had to be cleaned out of rubble-cushioned dugouts and cellars in methodical and bloody fashion. The German Air Force, almost ab sent from Italian skies for several davs, returned to support the thrusts against the Allies below Rome. Three Successive Thrusts. The enemy opened his offensive with three successive attacks north of Padiglione, 8 miles northwest of Anzio. They also lunged out at the Americans in the area west of Cisterna, where the Americans had driven to the outskirts of that Ap pian Way town 14 miles northeast of Anzio. (Padgilione Is about 6 miles below Campoleone. farthest ad vance of the British who had ap proached to within 16 miles of Rome. Allied headquarters an nouncements that the German attacks had been repulsed indi cated. however, that the British had not been thrown back that distance. The German attack may have been aimed at the British flank.) In repulsing the attack the Allies captured 140 prisoners. The offensive aimed at driving the British and Americans back into the sea from their beachhead and the strong house-to-house resistance of fered at Cassino appeared to be the twin parts of a German strategy to fight off the Allied threat aimed at trapping a large part of the German 10th Army. Fierce Fghting at Cassino. Some of the fiercest fighting ever seen in the Mediterranean theater was taking place at Cassino, where the Germans held grimly in the face of the fury of the American attacks and the storm of artillery shells. American patrols once penetrated toward the center of the town, but were forced to fall back to the out skirts when they encountered anti tank guns and strong posts. The Germans also put in two un (See ITALY, Page A-127) ' Two Navy Bombers Hit Paramushiro Believed Feeling Out / Defenses in New Area Flying out from the Aleutian Is lands, two Navy bombers pounded Japanese installations on Paramu shiro in the North Pacific Kuriles, the Navy announced today. The raid on the vicinity of the enemy's largest base in the North Pacific the night of February 2-3 was the tenth since last July 10. Re sults were not observed, possibly due to the heavy weather which ordi narily shrouds that region. The Navy reported that no enemy planes were encountered and both American planes returned safely. The attack was aimed at the southeastern coast of Paramushiro, which is just south of the Russian Kamchatka Peninsula and the northernmost of the chain of Islands in which the Japanese homeland is located. The fact that the attacking force consisted only of two planes indi cated the Navy may have been merely feeling out the enemy in stallations on this part of the island. This is the first time the southeast coast has been under bombardment. Once before, on Jan uary 21, a group of planes attacked the southern coast and all of the other bombings have been on the established naval and air base on the northern coast of Paramushiro. The nearest Aleutian base to Paramushiro is on Attu, which is 725 statute miles away. REPORTED ENCIRCLED—Soldiers of the Allied 5th Army are shown after they had begun digging in along the Nettuno water front following a successful landing. At the time the pic ture was taken they were awaiting further orders. The German high command said today the Germans had encircled Allied forces i* the Nettuno beachhead. —A. P. Wirephoto I-----; Reds Report Killing 10,0 Nazis Trapped In Dnieper Bend Main Soviet Forces Press Westward From Ukraine to Baltic (Map on Page A-5.) By the Associated Press. MOSCOW, Feb. 4.—Systematic extermination by the Red armies of 10 encircled German divisions in the upper Dnieper bend was well under way today, the army newspaper Red Star said, while the main Soviet forces continued to forge westward • from the Ukraine to the Baltic. The midnight communique indi cated nearly 10,000 of the trapped Germans already were killed. The situation west of Cherkasy, where nine infantry and one tank divisions have been trapped by a great five-day offensive, presented “the same picture as Stalingrad,” Maj. Pavel Orender said in a Red Star dispatch. Thousands of German units have become "groups of wanderers" with in the ring which the troops of Gens. Nikolai Vatutin and Ivan S. Konev are tightening around them, Maj. Orende^ asserted. The Germans werfe said to be in an exhausted condition, although dispatches said nothing of their sur rendering in any large numbers. Generally the Nazis were trying to congregate on the banks of swollen streams and in swamps. Reds Surge Forward Along 1,200-Mile Front LONDON, Feb. 4 (/P>.—Russia’s mighty military machine surged for ward with new vigor along a flaming 1,200-mile front today, with new power drives in the Ukraine and (Continued on Page A-4, Column~2) Spain Repeats Intent To Stand by Policy of 'Strict Neutrality' Cabinet's Way Prepared By Editorials Assailing British High Pressure By the Associated press. MADRID, Feb. 4.—The Span ish cabinet, its way prepared by a host of editorials accusing the British of trying to high-pres isure Spain into abandoning her | neutrality, reaffirmed this coun try’s position of “strict neutral ity” last night 'after a special meeting, at which it reviewed the international situation. The cabinet, meeting at the urgent call of Generalissimo Francisco Franco, also announced it had studied means of making this neu trality respected and that it planned to make all foreigners in Spain as well as Spanish nationalists con form. "The government Is prepared to submit to no pressure under any circumstances whatever against its right to maintain firmly such a posi tion of neutrality,” the communique said. “Every country is obliged to respect this attitude as an act of in disputable sovereignty.” (The Spanish reaffirmation of neutrality provoked speculation in London as to whether Franco had made a deal with Germany to obtain oil which the Allies now are withholding. The United States took the lead in this eco nomic move. (Recent British press attacks on Franco were given strength yesterday by Parliamentary Sec retary Dingle M. Foot's disclosure of German penetration in Span ish industry. The Laborite Week ly Tribune hinted that British leaders have further steps in (See"SPAIN, Page"A-4.) ~ Jap Defenders On Kwajalein Weakening Amazingly Light American Toll is Reported By the Associated Press. UNITED STATES PACIFIC FLEET HEADQUARTERS, Pearl Harbor, Feb. 4.—Fighting men, tanks and guns, pouring ashore to annihilate the dwindling forces of Japanese defenders, ap peared today to be on the verge of conquering all Kwajalein, largest atoll in the Marshalls, as Japanese resistance began to crumble on that core of the enemy defense system. As the momentous invasion moved through its fifth day, preliminary reports told of amazingly light American losses during the achieve ment of a strong entering wedge into mid-Pacific positions Japan has held for 25 years. Rear Admiral Richmond K. Turner, commander of the amphibi ous operations—-as he was last No vember during the bloody invest ment of the Gilberts—said losses were far under what had been expected. 1,250 Japs Wiped Out. United States 7th Division rein forcements and mechanized equip ment in great force moved against tottering Japanese resistance at the south end of the atoll where 1,250 of an estimated garrison of 2.000 had been w'iped out by Wednesday ! night. j American casualties were placed j at 27 dead, 8 missing and 190 wounded. The north end of the atoll, with the airdrome at Roi and the adja cent repair and dispersal base of Namur, was entirely in the hands of 4th Division Marines. Roi was quickly overrun Tuesday and the slaughter of bitter-end defenders of Namur was announced yesterday. Preliminary estimates of American losses at Roi and Namur were less than 100 killed and 400 wounded. • On this basis, it seemed un likely that the full report would show marine losses anything Jap Radio Describes Marshalls Invasion As 'a Big Gamble' By the Associated Pres«. NEW YORK. Feb. 4 —Break ing a 24-hour silence with re gard to developments in the Marshall Islands, the Tokio radio today characterized the American invasion as "a big gamble,” but failed to give any details on the progress of the operations. “The Americans have to risk it in order not to nullify the costly adventure in the Gil berts,” said the broadcast, which was recorded by United States Government monitors. comparable with the casualties of approximately 3,000 suffered in capturing the air base of Tarawa in the Gilberts, costliest battle in marine history.) Bulk of Islands Now Held. The bulk of Kwajalein’s more than 32 islets now are in American hands. The only remaining enemy oppo sition of consequence appeared to be on Kwajalein Island, at the northern end of the atoll. There, where an airfield and a deep anchor age are the prizes. Army troops which landed Tuesday pushed the Japanese against the northeastern part of the island. "We have landed (more) troops and mechanized equipment in force and are proceeding with the an nihilation of the enemy,” Admiral Chester W. Nimitz’s communique (See PACIFIC, Page A-12.) U. S. Warships Sink 3 Nazi Blockade-Runners Sneaking Through Atlantic With Jap Goods By the Associat*d Press. Three German blockade run ners laden with war materials from Japanese-held Pacific ports have been sunk by an American cruiser and two destroyers in the South Atlantic, the Navy an nounced today. The Navy said the holds of the enemy ships were filled to capacity with thousands of tons of rubber, tins, fats and strategic ores. Some of those materials, particularly hun dreds of tone of baled rubber, were salvaged and many prisoners were tyken. Seeking to sneak through the American blockade, the three ships— the Burgenland, Rio Grande and Weserland—were sighted and sunk within a 48-hour period “early in January,” the Navy said. The blockade runners were chased down by the cruiser Omaha, which already had one blockade runner to its credit; the destroyer Jouett, which bagged a German submarine in the Atlantic several months ago, and the destroyer Somers. In each case the German crews attempted to scuttle their ships, but the vessels actually werrf sunk by shellfire from the cruiser and de stroyers. First surface contact was made by the Somers, which ran down the 6,528-ton Weserland in the darkness of early morning, identifying the vessel as an enemy. The Somers, skippered by Comdr. William C. Hughes, Oklahoma City, immedi ately opened fire with her main battery of 5-inch guns. The initial salvo battered directly into the German ship and the crew hastened to abandon it, but before they leaped over the side or into their life rafts they made plans to scuttle the ship. Violent internal explosions blasted the Weserland, but she remained afloat. Shells from the Somers’ guns completed the job .of sending the blockade runner to the bottom. Many of her crew were picked up When daylight came. The cruiser Omaha, commanded by Capt. Charles D. Leffler, Miami, Fla., and the destroyer Jouett, skip pered by Comdr. John C. Parham, jr„ Tuscaloosa, Ala., accounted for the second of the three enemy craft. A lookout in the Omaha’s foretop and the pilot of her scouting plane sighted the 6.062-ton Rio Grande almost simultaneously. Racing in, the Omaha and Jouett were drawing near the Rio Grande when she burst into smoke and flames. Demolition charges, the Navy said, had been placed and fired by the ship's crew. Again the American warships turned their 6 lnch and 5-inch guns on the vessel and she soon sank. *-; The Omaha-Jouett team joiped again in sinking the 7,320-ton Bur genland. As they sped in tot at tack, internal explosion of demoli tion charges rocked that enemy ship and again destruction was com pleted by shellfire. It was recalled that the Omaha captured the (german motor • ship (See BLOCKADE RUNNERS, A-3.) Lodge Resigns Seat in Senate; Assigned Overseas by Army Saltonstall Mentioned As Successor for Term Expiring in 1949 By the Associated Press. Henry Cabot Lodge, jr., Repub lican, resigned today as Senator from Massachusetts in order to j return to active service as an | Army officer. In a letter addressed to the Sen jate’s presiding officer and read by a | cleric the 41-year-old Senator, who ; holds a Reserve commission as a major, said he felt that in view of : impending "large-scale ground fight i ing” and his age, he could best serve , his country as "a combat soldier ! overseas.’’ i Accordingly, he wrote: “I hereby ' resign from the United States Sen ate.” Given Overseas Assignment. The War Department said Senator Lodge had been restored to his tem porary rank of major in the Reserves and given an overseas assignment. There was no elaboration. Senator Lodge himself did not ap pear in the Senate and his secretary, Maxwell Rabb, said he had already donned a uniform and would make his resignation effective immedi ately. He will not sit again as Sena tor. Mr. Rabb said. Appointment of a successor rests in the hands of Gov. Leverett Sal tonstall, Republican. Gov. Salton stall himself has been mentioned as a likely appointee to the vacancy. HENRY CABOT LODGE, Jr., As he appeared on maneuvers with the 1st Army at Platts burg, N. Y., in 1939. _ The Boston Post said today it had learned authoritatively that Gov. Saltonstall will resign his post and that Lt. Gov. Horace T. Cahill will succeed him. The Post article added that Mr. <See LODGE,- PageA-12J Steering Committee Names McCarran to Head Judiciary Unit Appointment of Successor On District Board Likely Tomorrow The Democratic Steering Com mittee-today named Senator Mc Carran of Nevada to succeed the late Senator Van Nuys of Indiana as1 chairman of the important Judiciary Committee. The Steering Commit tee probably will meet tomorrow to decide on Senator McCarran’s suc cessor as head of the District Com mittee. Leaders polled the Steering Com mittee today to settle the judiciary post because of the rush of business awaiting in that committee. Earlier, Senator Reynolds, Demo crat, of North Carolina, took the floor in the Senate to praise the service rendered to Washington by Senator McCarran. Pointing out that Senator McCar ren succeeded him as chairman of the District Committee, Senator Reynolds declared the Nevadan “ac quitted himself with such satisfac tion to the people of the District” that when they learned he was in line for another assignment "many of them protested and wanted him to continue as District chairman.” Senator Reynolds said he could understand that desire in view of the diligence with which Senator McCarren served on the District ^Committee. Senator Reynolds added that “it is no reflection on any member of this body who may aspire to the post” to call attention to the words of praise that have been spoken locally for Senator McCarran's serv ice. The North Carolinian placed in the record editorials from several local newspapers on Senator Mc Carran’s service. Senator Bilbo, Democrat, of Mis sissippi has said he would accept the District chairmanship if it is offered him by the Steering Com mittee, Japanese Claim Hits On Allied Cruiser By the Associated Press. The Tokio radio said today that Japanese air units scored several direct hits on an Allied cruiser yes terday off Mono Island in the Sol omons group, heavily damaging the vessel. The enemy report was not con firmed by Allied sources. Record Day’s Sales lo District Bond Drive Individual Purchases Soar As Firms Pass Quota; 71.6% of Goal Reached The District’s War Bond total for the Fourth War Loan cam paign today shot up to $68,000, 000, or 71.6 per cent of the over all quota, after a record day’s sales of $2,800,000 worth of bonds to individuals was recorded yes terday. Altogether, $4,900,000 was added to the District's totals in a report from the Fifth Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond, Va. This in cluded $2,100,000 sold to corpora tions—enough to send sales for the "big customers" well over the top. Total for the corporations is now $43,800,000 or 104 per cent of the quota. The amount of individual pur chases recorded yesterday is $900,000 above the next highest figure for one-dav sales in this category. It is still $100,000 short, however, of the daily average which campaign offi cials yesterday said must be met to (See WAR BONDS, Page A-12.) Laborer Admits Stealing Ton of U. S. Waste Paper A plea of guilty to a charge of stealing a ton of Government waste paper was entered by one of two colored men arraigned today before United States Commissioner Need ham C. Turnage, following their ar rest yesterday by Justice Depart-1 ment agents. George Williams, 57, of 230 P street N.W., a laborer employed by the War Production Board at the Social Security Building, admitted selling 2,000 pounds of paper, part of a load he was ordered to deliver to the Penn Paper Co., 1516 Ecking ton place Nil., yesterday. He was held in $1,000 bail for action of the grand jury. The other man, Allan Rowe, 25, of 1637 Fourth street N.W., driver of a truck hired to haul the paper to the company’s plant, pleaded not guilty to the charge of larceny of Government property and was held in $500 bail. FBI agents said the mien sold the paper to a local junk dealer for $25. President Signs Bill For $100 to $300 Mustering-Out Pay Bill Called Important First Step in Program For Demobilization President Roosevelt announced today he has signed the muster ing-out pay bill for war veterans, but described the measure as no more than an “important first step'’ in the demobilization proc ess. The act provides a gradu ated payment from $100 to $300. depending on the length of serv ice. The President recalled in a state ment that this legislation was only a part of a program he previously has ur®ed on Congress which would provide, among other things, un employment compensation to sup plement the mustering-out pay if needed and funds for education. Represents Compromise. A compromise between Senate and House legislation, the mustering-out pay law limits the maximum sum of •300 to servicemen and women who have served overseas or in Alaska. Payments of $200 are provided for those serving 60 days or more in the United States and $100 for those serving less than 60 days in this country. All receiving no more than $200 a month base pay are eligible to the mustering-out benefits. This allows payments to captains of less than 17 years’ service and ex cludes majors and higher officers from the benefits. Those eligible to the $300 will re ceive $100 at the time of final discharge and $100 a month for the succeeding two months. The $200 payment will be madb in two equal monthly installments. Those en titled to $100 will get the full amount on final discharge. Those already discharged have two years within which to make ap plications. The war and Navy De partments are allowed one month to make such payments after approval of applications. Those Denied Benefits. Specifically denied benefits are those eligible to retirement pay, those discharged to take civilian jobs, those dishonorably discharged and the following: 1. Any member of the armed force whose total period of service has been as a student detailed for train ing under the Army specialized training program, the Army Air Forces college training program and other similar Navy. Marine Corps or Coast Guard programs. 2. Any member of the armed forces for any active service per formed prior to the date of his dis charge for the purpose of entering the naval military or Coast Guard academies or whose sole service has been as a cadet at one of these academies. Cost Put at $3,000,000,000. Senator Johnson. Democrat, of Colorado, estimated the cost of the program at $3,000,000,000. He said total discharges have been running between 70,000 and 75,000 monthly. There have been estimates that $250,000,000 will be needed for imme diate cases. Mr. Roosevelt, in his statement today, referred to the mustering-out pay bill as "a step in the compre hensive program that I recom mended on July 28, 1943, and again on October 27, 1943, and November 23. 1943, for the special protection of the members of the armed forces." “It will ease," he continued, “the (See MUSTERING OUT, Page A-12) Wechsler Nominated For New Justice Post Herbert Wechsler, a special assist ant to the Attorney General since 1940, today was nominated by Presi dent Roosevelt to be Assistant At torney General, succeeding Hugh B. Qox. Mr. Wechsler took leave in 1940 from a law professorship at Columbia University. He was named to argue cases in the Supreme Court. Mr. Wechsler was graduated from Columbia in 1931 and served the following year as law clerk to Jus tice Stone. He also was assistant State attorney general from 1938 to 1940. He is a member of the Su preme Court Advisory Committee on Rules of Criminal Procedure. Federal Ballot Ban Defeated in Senate, 46*42 Coalition Substitute Barred Use Unless States Failed to Act BULLETIN. Administration forces rallied in the Senate today to defeat, 46 to 42, the coalition substi tute to prohibit sending of Federal ballots to any service men at home or abroad, unless their States fail to make a suitable ballot available by June 1. This leaves in the Senate bill the Danaher com promise giving all members of the 'brmed forces overseas a Federal ballot, with State ballots going to soldiers in this country, unless they can not get a State ballot. (Roll Call on Page A-12.) By J. A. O’LEARY. The administration’s last chance to save even a part of its Federal ballot plan for service men rested with the Senate to day, following a smashing vic tory for State control of voting laws in the House last night. Accepting President Roosevelt’s challenge to "stand up and be counted.’’ the House first defeated the Federal ballot by a recorded vote of 224 to 168. State Control Approved. It then went on to pass, 328 to 69. the Eastland-Rankin bill, de signed to encourage the States to make regular absentee ballots avail able to the armed forces, and re quiring the military authorities to give such ballots mail priority. 'At his news conference today. President Roosevelt declined to be drawn into a discussion of the House action in rejecting the bill i sponsored by the administration. He said simply that the problem was more of a responsibility of Congress than his own.) Both chambers are now on record ! for leaving election machinery in l the hands of the States, the Senate having passed the Eastland-Rankin bill before Christmas. It comes back to the Senate today, however, because of minor House changes. Danaher Compromise Adopted. Even before the House voted, ad ministration leaders in the Senate began to give ground late yesterday, when they hastily joined in adoption of the Danaher compromise, 72 to 19. in the hope it would halt the more drastic substitute drafted by a ; coalition of States’ rights Demo crats and Republicans. The Danaher proposal would give the short Federal ballot to all serv ice men and women overseas, but only to those in this country who make affidavit they have not re . ceived a State ballot. Having won this concession, the states-rights coalition immediately prepared to seek a final showdown today on the substitute that would prohibit the sending of a Federal ballot to any one in uniform, either abroad or at home, unless his State fails by June 1 to make provision for a light-weight State ballot. This substitute also carries all of the "teeth” in the Eastland and i Overton, amendments to make State laws supreme in the counting of either Federal or State ballots. Taft Predicts Passage. The vote on this remnant of the Federal ballot plan is expected to be close. Senator Taft, Republican, of Ohio, one of the authors of the substitute, predicted it would carry by a slight margin. Administration leaders still hoped I to beat it, and thereby bring about another House vote on the Danaher compromise, which is now tem porarily in the Senate bill. The decisive action of the House last night, however, is likely to stiffen Senate opposition to any general use of the Federal ballot. In his sharply-worded message last week, Mr. Roosevelt called the States rights bill a "fraud” on servicemen. Some of his friends at the Capitol have been predicting he j would veto it. If, however, the Sen ate should save a limited degree of Federal control, to protect those servicemen whose States fail to make a suitable ballot available, it may prove more difficult for the President to reject the bill. It is doubtful if the record now made in both houses could be re versed following a veto. 'Oiat would leave on the oooks only the 1943 law. which also puts soldier voting in the hands of the States. Sending of Applications Demanded. Following the House vote last night, Republicans began to de tmand that the Army and Navy send out immediately the 11,000,000 post card applications for absentee (See SERVICE VOTETPage A-12.)* rz——--—. President Undergoes Operotion to Remove Growth on Heod President Roosevelt told his news conference today that he has just undergone an opera tion. A growth, which he described as a wen, was removed from the back of his head by surgeons at the Naval Hospital a couple of days ago, he explained. The treatment required a local an aesthetic. The President said he had had the growth for about 20 years. Asked if he was permitted to smoke in violation of a hospital rule while the operation was in progress he said no. but that he yelled for a cigarette as soon as it was over. The Steering Engine on a Liberty Ship Costs $8,000—That Adds Up to a Lot of War Bonds