Evening star. [volume], March 14, 1944, Image 1

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

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Weather Forecast
Cloudy, warmer: low near 38 tonight.
Tomorrow cloudy, occasional rain.
Temperatures today—Highest, 51, at
1:30 p.m.; lowest, 35, at 6:10 a m. Yes
terday—Highest, 52, at 3:55 p.m.;
lowest, 42. at 2:20 a.m.
Lote New York Markets, Page A-15.
* 0T
Guide for Readers
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An Associated Press Newspaper
92d YEAR. No. 36,476.
WASHINGTON, D. €., TUESDAY, MARCH 14, 1944—THIRTY-TWO PAGES. ***
XftSS. THREE CENTS. SUET9
Nazi Ships Head Toward Odessa,
Hinting Dunkerque' to Rumania;
Eire to Be Isolated, Churchill Says
Full Collapse of
Southern Flank in
Russia Indicated
(Map on Page A-14.)
By the Associated Press.
LONDON, Mar. 14.—Every
available ship in Rumania’s
Black Sea ports has been rushed
northward, apparently to Odes
sa, an Istanbul dispatch said
today. This appeared to fore
shadow complete collapse of the
Germans’ broken southern flank
in Russia in a large-scale 1944
Dunkerque which would pull the
battle line back into Rumania.
The Istanbul dispatch, based on
information from Sofia, suggested
the Germans were preparing to
evacuate Odessa by sea.
Following up Premier Stalin's an
nouncement last night of the cap
ture of Kherson, 90 miles east of
Odessa, the German high com
mand's communique today said that
base had been evacuated “in the
course of planned disengagement
movements after the destruction of
all military installations."
New Reserves Thrown In.
The communique also said both
sides had thrown new reserves into
the bitter struggle on the southern
sector of the eastern front.
Moscow announced 75.000 Nazis
had been killed and captured in 10
days of the broad Soviet offensive in
Lower Russia. Kerson fell to Gen.
Rodion K. Malinovsky's 3rd Ukraine
Army, made up of Stalingrad vet
erans, after crossing the lower
reaches of the Dnieper.
If it were true that the Nazis had
given up all hope of other than a
seaborne retreat from their last
stand in the Ukraine, this would
explain their terrific resistance in
the outskirts of Tarnopol in prewar
Poland, where a seesaw fight raged
into the sixth day. There the Nazis
were making a grim attempt to hold
an inland anchor of the front shat
tered by the combined Red Army of
fensives.
The Russians were pounding with
in 45 miles of the Dniester River
from the northeast. They already
had cut the Odessa-Lwow trunk line
and left the whole German south
flank army with only a cross-border
threadwork of single-track spur
lines west into Rumania.
Lines Inadequate.
These lines would be neither ade
quate for the supply of 200,000 fight
ing men, nor for their retreat.
The peril to Odessa—last hope of
eeaborne escape—already was two
edged, with Col. Gen. Feodor Tol
bukin driving on Nikolaev from cap
tured Kherson and Malinovsky
flanking Nikolaev in his onslaught
from the northeast.
Both these forces likely were
within 60 miles of Odessa today—
and unchecked.
To the north the Red Army was
within 50 miles of the Rumanian
border at three points after advances
which, a Soviet communique said,
swept up 320 more towns in 24 hours.
On the basis of Moscow announce
ments 350,000 Germans have been
killed and 40,000 captured since the
inception of the Red Army winter
offensives.
Galganovka Taken.
Relentlessly pushing the Germans
toward the Black Sea coast, Soviet
forces under Gen. Malinovsky were
officially credited yesterday with
taking Galganovka on the Ingulets
River, 35 miles east of the important
Black Sea port of Nikolaev, which
is 35 miles northwest of Kherson.
Additional Red Army units were
last reported only 28 miles north of
Nikolaev.
Moscow said the Germans fled “in
panic” into Kherson, and that when
the Red Army broke into the city
it slaughtered those Nazis who tried
to make a stand. The Germans
were even casting aside their light
packs in flight, the Moscow dis
patches added. Gen. Malinovsky’s
troops alone were said to have killed
20,000 and captured 2,500 Nazis in
a week.
Physical Education Aide
Held on Draft Charge
The FBI announced the arrest
today of Wendell Alexander Parris.
32. colored, a physical education in
structor at Shaw Junior High
School, on draft-evasion charges
growing out of an alleged attempt
to evade induction at Fort Myer by
the use of benzedrine.
Parris is accused of taking "enor
mous” quantities of the drug to
induce high blood pressure before
reporting for induction January 31.
After examination at Fort Myer.
the defendant was hospitalized for
a day and released, the f’BI said.
Parris was arraigned today before
United States Commissioner Need
ham C. Turnage and released under
$500 bond for a preliminary hearing
at 10 a m., March 24.
In a statement to reporters, Par
ris, who has been employed as a
physical education instructor for six
years, denied he had taken any
stimulants. He said he had been
rejected for high blood pressure in
September and had been sent tc
Fort Myer for re-examination in
January.
Parris, who is married and the
father of a child, lives at 654 Girard
street N.w.
Italian War Prisoners
Strike Over Beer Ration
Bs the Associated Press.
LONDON, Mar. 14—Italian pris
oners of war went on strike today a'
a camp in Southern England be
cause their beer ration of half a pin!
daily was stopped.
i. d
Nearly a Dozen Warships a Day
Scheduled for '44, Knox Says
500,000 Officers and Men Will Be Needed
To Man New Vessels, Jacobs Asserts
The Navy, already quadrupled
since 1942, will add new vessels
this year at the rate of nearly a
dozen a day. Secretary of the
Navy Knox disclosed at a press
conference today.
Vice Admiral Randall Jacobs,
chief of the Bureau of Navy Per
sonnel, who attended the confer
ence, estimated that nearly 500,000
men and officers will be needed to
man the newly-commissioned craft.
Mr. Knox predicted that a national
service bill will be necessary to sup
ply these complements' plus the
i manpower needs of the Army and
| industry.
The personnel chief estimated
| that the Navy’s total strength by
| the end of 1944 will be 3,006,000 offi
jcers and men, while the total for all
naval services, including Marine
'Corps and Coast Guard, is expected
to be approximately 3.700.000.
| Admiral Jacobs added that the
j maximum strength of the Navy will
jnot be reached until some time in
' 1945. but said that he believed a
i'leveling off" in inductions could be
started by the end of this year
when the 3,000,000 mark will be
I passed.
j In disclosing the rate of ship ad
ditions Mr. Knox said the number
of ships in the fleet has increased
from 913 on January 1, 1942, to 4,167
on January 1, 1944.
In 1941, he said, the Bureau of
Naval Personnel provided crews for
an average of one new ship daily; in
1942 there were 3.4 ships commis
sioned each day, the following year
the rate was 5.6 ships daily and “in
calendar year 1944 the estimate is
an average of 11.7 ships commis
sioned each day.”
The Navy, Mr. Knox said, has
been increasing its Selective Service
quotas and recruiting young sea
going officers for amphibious op
erations, cargo transports and de
stroyer escorts. Also, he added,
shore stations have been “combed”
for sea-going officers, the capacities
of new midshipmen’s schools have
been increased and a new one
opened, and Ufte November 1 gradu
ating date in Naval Reserve classes
in 27 colleges have been advanced.
Still the manpower need continues.
The Secretary also announced that
naval airmen in the Pacific now are
destroying Japanese planes at the
rate of 13 to every 1 lost by them.
Since the opening of the Central
Pacific drive last November, enemy
(See NAVY, Page A-5.)
Hundreds of Japs Die
Attacking American
Lines on Bougainville
U. S. Casualties Light
In Foes' Suicide Assaults
On Beachhead Barrier
By the Associated Press.
ALLIED HEADQUARTERS,
Southwest Pacific, Mar. 14.—
Massed Japanese assaults on the
American beachhead on Bou
gainville Island in the Solomons
Saturday were thrown back with
hundreds of enemy dead left on
the defenders’ barbed wire Allied
headquarters reported today.
The Japs were reported massing
for another attack.
The American 37th Division, which
held against the enemy's repeated
suicidal attacks northeast of Cape j
jTorokina at Empress Augusta Bay,
reported counting 500 Japanese
bodies matted on its wire. Many
more dead were piled on the jungle
approaches to the barricades.
Vern Haugland. Associated Press
j war correspondent, said the Jap
! anese hit without hope and with the
supreme purpose of killing as many
Americans as they could before they
died.
American Casualties Light.
But official accounts said Ameri
can casualties were light, against a
conservative estimate of 1,000 Jap
anese dead since the enemy, isolated
on the island by the Allied blockade
i of reinforcements and supplies.
! started the Empress Augusta Bay
! attacks March 8.
In three main attacks, two Japa
nese infantry regiments supported
by artillery came up against Amer
ican rifles, machine guns, land
mines, flame throwers and bazookas.
Some got through, but by nightfall
the defenders had neutralized the
Japanese pockets and restored their
lines.
Maj. Gen. John Hodge, com
mander of the Americal Division,
>said American artillery fire which
knocked out 18 Japanese field pieces
was “the best I have ever seen."
Navy and Marine Corps planes
aided ground troops with a 78-ton
bombing of the enemy’s supply
dumps and concentrations. A de
stroyer poured shells into Japanese
support areas.
Seabees Restore Airstrip.
The Japs’ artillery fire damaged
the Piva airstrip, but Navy Sea
bees quickly put it in shape again.
Allied aircraft operating from
Piva and Torokina airstrips since
the marines established the Em
press Augusta Bay beachhead last
November 1 have helped neutralize
the enemy base at Rabaul. New
Britain, and hammered Japanese
| centers in the Solomons.
j ' A Tokio broadcast heard in
j New York said the Japanese on
| Bougainville were “taking over
j one American position after an
other’’ and that they had cap
tured two out of three Allied
airfields in the Empress Augusta
j Bay area.)
Gen. Douglas MacArthur's com
munique said Solomons-based bomb
- ers smashed at Rabaul with 117
“tons of explosives. Army and Navy
[ aircraft, hit the town, harbor and
. Vunapope airdrome in the raid Sat
i urday, meeting no aerial intercep
. tion.
First Cavalry Division troopers
■ operating from Los Negros Island
in the Admiralties occupied Hauwei
and But jo Luo Islets, close to the
northwest coast of Manus Island
largest in the Admiralty group. A
small band of Japanese which op
posed the Hauwei landing was
wiped out.
Wewak, enemy base on the north
j eastern New Guinea coast, was hit
Sunday with 112 tons of bombs
| dropped by 5th Army Air Force
planes, repeating Saturday's devas
1 tating raid on the base.
President Expected
To Act Soon to Defer
Key War Workers
Move Due to Forestall
Draft Board 'Raids' on
Young Technicians
White House action to fore
stall draft board “raids” on vital
war plants staffed with younger
men was expected today, with
the emphasis laid on protecting
men in “must” war programs.
President Roosevelt was expected
to “clarify” his memorandum of
February 26, which called for a re
view of all occupational deferments
and which, production officials con
tend, led draft boards to crack down
on skilled nonfathers under 26, leav
ing men with children virtually un
touched.
The President’s memorandum, in
formed sources said, resulted in a
split in Government circles, the War
Department contending it wanted
younger men to do the fighting and
production officials predicting havoc
in “must" war programs through the
drain on skilled men.
War Department Acts.
Underlning its attitude toward
younger men, the War Department
has formulated new regulations
banning occupational deferments
for all but a few hundred of its
8,500 male employes in the 22-to-25
age group, a department spokesman
disclosed.
While present deferments will not
be canceled, the spokesman said,
they will not be renewed in this age
group except where the command
ing general personally certifies that
an individual is indispensable.
The department previously led the
field in restricting occupational de
ferments when it voided deferments
of its employes between the ages
of 18 and 22. Subsequently. Se
lective Service applied that order to
men in that age group throughout
the Nation, with few exceptions.
War Manpower Director Paul V.
McNutt who went to the White
House yesterday with War Produc
tion Board Chairman Donald Nelson
predicted after the visit that the
President would act "within 24
hours” to “clarify” the draft pic
ture.
Major Revisions Asked.
The WMC and WPB chiefs, who
were expected to have a program
ready to present to the President
today, were reported requesting these
major revisions in draft policy:
1. Use some means to impress on
draft boards that pre-Pearl Harbor
fathers are not to be given defer
ment priority over highly skilled
nonfathers.
2. Change the basis for granting
occupational deferments from the
man’s occupation to the plant where
he works, with WPB calling the roll
of plants where large-scale defer
ments should be allowed.
One production official asserted
that the emphasis now is being
placed on a few vital programs from
a production standpoint and that
the same emphasis should be placed
from a manpower standpoint.
Difficulties Outlined,
j Although a man may be a skilled
■ machinist, he pointed out, he may
j be deferred to work in a plant
| which is not so important now in
the war program. At the same time
'See DRAFT, Page A-5.»
65,000 British Strikers
Return to Coal Mines
By the Associated Press.
LONDON, Mar. 14.—Some 65.00C
of Britain’s 100,000 striking coal
miners had returned to work up tc
early afternoon, Alf Davies, vice
president of the South Wales Min
ers’ Federation, announced.
"The situation is improving.” he
added.
Prime Minister Churchill told
Commons it would be unwise for
him to make a statement and that
he would deprecate any debate until
a settlement had been effected.
A
Extension of
Restrictions
Clearly Implied
By the Associated Press.
LONDON, Mar. 14. — Prime
Minister Churchill told Com
mons today that Britain and the
United States plan “to isolate
Southern Ireland from the outer
world*’—a virtual quarantine by
methods yet to be disclosed
which would seal off that po
tential spy post during the pe
riod before the opening of the
western front.
Mr. Churchill's words clearly im
plied an extension of restrictions to
the border between Northern Ire
land and Eire, and perhaps even a
semiblockade of Eire, where Presi
dent de Valera has refused to close
German and Japanese offices.
Restrictions on travel to Eire, Mr.
Churchill said, are "the first step
in a policy designed to isolate Great
Britain from Southern Ireland, and
also to isolate Southern Ireland
from the outer world during the
critical period now approaching.”
"If a catastrophe were to occur to
the Allied armies which could be
traced to the retention of German
and Japanese representatives in
Dublin, a gulf would be opened be
tween Great Britain on one hand
and Southern Ireland on the other
which even generations would not
bridge,” the Prime Minister told
Commons.
Text of Statement.
The text of Mr. Churchill’s state
ment follows:
“The initiative in this matter was
taken by the United States Govern
ment because of the danger to the
American armed forces from the
presence of Axis missions in Dublin.
The British government, however,
were consulted throughout by the
United States Government and gave
the American approach full support.
“We have for some time past taken
a number of measures to minimize
the dangers arising from a sub
stantial disservice to the Allied cause
involved in the retention by Mr. De
Valera’s government of the Ger
man Minister and Japanese Consul
with their staffs In Dublin.
"The time has now come when
these measures must be strength
ened and thf restrictions on travel
to Ireland announced in the press
yesterday are the first step in a
policy designed to Isolate Great
Britain from Southern Ireland and
also to isolate Southern Ireland
from the outer world during the
critical period which now is ap
proaching.
Must Obtain Security.
“I need scarcely to say how pain
ful it is to us to take such meas
ures in view of the large numbers
of Irishmen who are fighting so
bravely in our armed forces and the
many deeds of personal heroism
by which they have kept alive the
: martial honor of the Irish race.
I “No one, I think, can reproach us
for precipitancy. No nation in the
world would have been so patient.
In view, however, of the fact that
both British and Dominion lives and
the lives of the soldiers of our
Allies are imperiled, we are bound to
do our utmost to obtain effective
security for the forthcoming opera
tions.
“There is also the future to con
sider. If a catastrophe were to
occur to the Allied armies which
could be traced to the retention of
the German and Japanese repre
sentatives in Dublin, a gulf would be
opened between Great Britain on
; the one hand and Southern Ireland
; on the other which even generations
j would not bridge.
i “The British government would
also be held accountable to the peo
ple of the United States if it could
be shown that we had in any way
failed to do everything in our power
to safeguard their troops.”
Forecasts “Necessary Measures.”
Sir William Henry Davison, Con
servative, asked later whether the
Prime Minister considered it es
sential that the Ulster-Eire border
be closed "in view of the activities
of the IRA (Irish Republican
Army), who had declared war on
! Britain and had recently been ap
j prehended with papers giving par
! ticulars of the American forces at
j present in Ulster and with certain
j plans of their operations.”
“I prefer to confine my state
ment in general terms today,” Mr.
Churchill replied. “AH the neces
j sary measures within the limits
which I have described will, of
(See CHURCHILL?Page"A-5.)
U. S.-Owned Co
In World Field F
j By the Associated Press.
Talk of Government ownership of
a unified American system of in
ternational communications was re
j ported today by Chairman James L.
11 Fly of the Federal Communications
Commission.
j Some companies in this field now
j favor such a plan or some other
I "heavily weighted” with Govem
; ment ownership, Mr. Fly told the
! Lea House Committee which is in
| vestigating his agency.
He reiterated that he supports a
unified system of jiUer^ational
1 communications. Jife way it is now.
he said, the Government doesn’t feel
1 j called on to back up any single
communications setup abroad. Put
j them all together, Mr. Fly declared,
‘and the United States will have
some weight in foreign lands in this
field.
* Congress, he added, is working
toward the unified setup, and he
forecast that "in time” it will be
I authorized.
Mr. Fly emphasized he is not es
Another Record Crowd
Fills Revenue Building
To Make Tax Returns
Line Threatens to
Overflow Corridors;
Office Open Till 6 P.M.
(See Cartoon on Page B-l.)
A line of taxpayers stretched
out for nearly a mile early today
at the Internal Revenue Build
ing, with prospects that yester
day’s record-breaking crowds
would be exceeded today. All
are trying to beat tomorrow’s
income tax deadline.
For the first time in history the
line extended outdoors, into an adja
cent Internal Revenue parking lot
near Tenth street and Pennsylvania
avenue N.W., for a short time today.
The revenue office will be open
until 6 p.m. today and from 8:15
a.m. to midnight tomorrow, ac
cording to A. Parks Rasin, in charge.
There were 13,538 who made their
returns yesterday. Guards today
said the crowd was bigger than it
was at the same time yesterday.
Line Forms Before 6 A.M.
The line started forming before 6
am. Two hours later the place
was “Jumping” with activity.
Many persons were finding that
they are to get refunds, instead of
paying taxes. The first refund was
paid yesterday to Staff Sergt. Stan
ley A. Sweet, Shamokin, Pa., at a
ceremony at the Treasury Depart
ment. A check for $14 was handed
to him by Secretary of the Treasury
Morgenthau, who suggested he use it
toward purchase of a War Bond.
“That's just what I'm going to do,
sir,” said the Bolling Field soldier.
The refunds, expected to aggre
gate $400,000,000, result from over
payments under the pay-as-you-go
act, as well as a provision permit
ting servicemen to recompute their
1942 taxes.
Taxpayers here may file their re
turns and pay taxes at the local
office, room 1002, Revenue Building,
or mail them to the collector of in
ternal revenue, at Baltimore, which
is the headquarters office for the
collection area of Maryland and the
District of Columbia.
Mail receipts there, however, were
continuing unusually low, according
to George Hofferbert, collector.
Baltimore Crowd Smaller.
Crowds here were much larger
than those at the tax office in Bal
timore. In Baltimore about 4,000
people filed returns yesterday, while
experts here helped 5,286 people
make out their tax papers. In Bal
timore about 2,000 people paid taxes
at the cashier's window, while here
the cashiers handled 7,250.
Many people from nearby Virginia
are reporting to the deputy col
lector's office in the Post Office
Building at Alexandria.
Late Bulletin
West's Gas Rations Cut
Reduction of the basic A
gasoline ration from three to
two gallons a week in the
Midwest and Far West, effec
tive March 22, was announced
today by the Office of Price
Administration. The B ration
ceiling on the West Coast will
be trimmed from 460 to 400
miles per month. No change
is scheduled for the 17 East
| Coast States or the District.
mmunications
orecast by Fly
pecially in favor of Government
ownership of such a system, not
withstanding his strong belief In
unification.
"I haven't advocated Government
I ownership," he said, "but some com
panies feel it might well be Govern
ment ownership or heavily weighted
that way.”
The companies now in the field
| should be merged, or a new cor
j poration superseding them in au
| thority should be set up, he said.
Meanwhile, the Senate Interstate
Commerce Committee sought $5,000
for an inquiry to determine how the
Government shall dispose of com
munications systems erected around
the world by the Army and Navy.
Chairman Wheeler of the Senate
j committee, proposing a study of
international communications, said
it "is imperative for Congress to
determine now the course it is going
to follow after the war with the
communications systems it has
erected all over the world."
A
Evacuation of Alley Dwellings
On July I Demanded by Bilbo
Calls Attention to Deadline and Penalties
In Law Creating NCHA; Burton Urges Caution
By DON S. WARREN.
Chairman Bilbo of the Senate
District Committee served notice
on municipal officials today that
he would expect them to begin
evacuation of Washington’s alley
dwellings July 1.
Presiding over the committee for
the first time, Senator Bilbo read
from the District law creating the
National Capital Housing Authority,
formerly known as the Alley Dwell
ing Authority, that 10 years after
enactment of that measure—which
would be July 1 of this year—it shall
be unlawful to use or occupy any
alley dwelling.
He reminded the committee, and
asked the press to make a full state
ment cm the subject, that this law
carries a njaximum penalty of $500
fine or six months’ imprisonment,
or both, and that each week of vio
lation shall constitute a separate
offense.
Senator Bilbo said, "I am giving
noticy to the building owners and
tenants that on that date—July 1—
it will be moving day.”
He urged the Commissioners to
have police placard every alley
dwelling—suggesting that by that
method results might be obtained
“without building one house.”
Words of caution came from Sen
ator Burton, Republican, of Ohio,
the chairman of a subcommittee
which is holding extensive hear
ings on the NCHA program, and
from Senator Tydings, Democrat, of
Maryland.
Senator Burton explained that
Congress had estimated, in passiQg
the Alley Dwelling Act, that it
would take 10 years to clear the
slums and provide necessary re
housing. He added that for various
reasons “comparatively little work
had been done.” He said he expect
ed the current housing hearings
would be completed by May 1.
Senator Tydings interjected that
the war had upset the timetables
and he suggested several times that
(See BIU3Q, Page A-4.)
New Donations Boost
D. C. Red Cross Fund
To 24.9 Pet. of Goal
U.S., District Governments
Turn In $115,000; Total
Now Is $665,000
BULLETIN.
The Red Cross War Fund
drive in the District area has
reached almost one-fourth of
the $2,665,000 goal. On the
basis of incomplete reports
submitted today by the Fed
eral and District government
divisions, an additional $115,
000 boosted the aggregate
total to $665,000, or 24.9 per
cent.
Progress reports from Govern
ment and general business divi
sions at 12:30 p.m. today were
to boost the $550,520 already
raised by the District Red Cross.
This sum, contributed by 54,352
donors, is 20.66 per cent of the
Metropolitan Area $2,665,000!
quota.
With one-fifth of the goal already j
negotiated volunteers attending to
day's meeting were to be addressed
by Miss Phyllis Pedigo of Covington,
Va., a Red Cross worker in the
South Pacific termed "Merrylegs”
by a regiment of soldiers there—
"Legs always flying around on er- j
rands for soldiers lucky enough to
be among her ‘wolves,’ her name'
for all G. I.’s.”
Gifts reported yesterday were
4,127 in number and $63,341 in
amount. Coleman Jennings, presi
dent, and Herbert Willett, eatecutive j
secretary of the Community Fund,j
were guests at the head table. Some
high lights were:
Mrs. Morris Cafritz reported a
gift of $15,000 from the Rockefeller
Bros. Foundation, an increase of
50 per cent over last year's sub
scription.
Bethlehem Steel Co. gave $5,000
and the Tidewater Associated Oil
Co. contributed $1,000, both new
gifts. Bendix Aviation Corp raised
its District gift of $1,000 last year
to $1,500 in the current drive. Amer
ican Car «fc Foundry also gave $1,500.
A grandmother, Mrs. Charles
Goldsmith, informed Special Gifts
Chairman W. J. Waller that her
team already has raised $7,700 from
only 58 of a prospect list of 189
cards, a sum 175 per cent of their
|quota. She was staying at, home to
look after her grandchild while her i
! daughter-in-law went to the blood
donor clinic, she said.
Special gifts from Government
executives represent a 300 per cent
increase over a year ago, it was
announced.
Mr. Waller said he was encour
aged by the spirit shown by the
| workers. He related how one wom
an, after getting a $1,500 check from:
a source which contributed $1,300!
in 1943, went back a second time,!
stressed greater Red Cross needs
and secured an additional $1,500,
A gift of $35,000 to the local Red
Cross war fund has been received
from the Washington branch of I
International Business Machines;
Corp., officials announced today.
1
Strategic Rail Center
Ot Le Mans, France,
Pounded by RAF
Mosquito Bombers Hit
Frankfurt and Other
Targets in Germany
By the Associated Press.
LONDON, Mar. 14.—RAF Hali
faxes droning out under a wan
ing “bomber’s moon” staged a
heavy attack last nigh« on the
strategic railway center of Le
Mans in Western France, while
Mosquitos struck at Frankfurt
and other places in Western
Germany.
It was the second bombardment
of Le Mans—115 miles southwest of
Paris and on the shortest rail route
between the north and west coasts—
in six nights. Two bombers were
lost during the night.
The precision blow by moonlight
was another explosive punch in the
new Allied day-and-night campaign
against Nazi transportation facil
ities all over France, hitting at the
vital arteries for quick movement
of troops and supplies to the Ger
mans’ “invasion wall.”
The Germans, their “blitz” re
vival at least temporarily subsiding
to sneak raids, for the second suc
cessive night sent a small force over
the south coast of England, drop
ping a few bombs harmlessly and
setting off sirens in one London area.
The Air Ministry said Le Mans
was hit in a “heavy attack,” indi
cating the increasing weight of
these specialized night blows during
a period when the moonlight has
prevented major satuation attacks
deep into Germany in co-ordination
with American daylight assaults.
The campaign against rail targets
in Prance began March 2 with Amer
ican Marauders bombing the im
portant Amiens railroad yards near
the coast, and a Marauder raid on
yards near the Belgian frontier four
days later. The RAP bombed freight
yards at Trappes near Paris the
night of March 6. and hit Le Mans
the following night.
The night flyers also laid mines
in enemy waters. One plane was
lost on intruder patrols over the
continent.
Huge British Maneuvers
Staged in Jordan Valley
By the Associated Press.
JERUSALEM, Mar. 14.—British
forces in the Middle East are en
gaged in the largest maneuvers
staged in the area since the war
began.
Training in mountain warfare is
being stressed in the maneuvers in
the Jordan Valley near the Pales- ;
tine-Transjordan frontier.
In addition to British troops,
thousands of Indian, Greek. Yugo
slav and Arab troops are partici
pating.
The announcement follows official
hints that action impends in the
Balkan area. Prime Minister i
Churchill on February 22 said it j
was Britain's intention to “back I
Marshal Tito of Yugoslavia with all j
the strength we have.” 1
I
Senate Passes
Service Ballot
Bill, 47 to 31
Conference Measure
Is Sent to House;
Barkley Opposed It
(Form of Ballot, Page A-4.)
BULLETIN.
The Senate today approved.
47 to 31, and sent to the House
the conference report giving
the right of way to State bal
lots for servicemen and re
quiring State sanction for the
limited use of Federal ballots
overseas.
By J. aTo’LEARY.
Saying he is not informed of
President Roosevelt’s intentions,
Senate Majority Leader Barkley
declared today he would vote
and speak against the service
men’s voting bill compromise
which would leave the matter
largely up to the States. r
Senator Barkley’s decision was re
garded in some quarters as presaging
a presidential veto of the measure,
which would permit only limited use
of Federal ballots by overseas troops,
but the Kentuckian said, "My de
cision was made independent of the
veto question. I do not know what
the President intends to do.”
Even with Senator Barkley’s sup
port, Senate advocates of a Federal
war ballot were admittedly outnum
bered and the chamber was expected
to approve the compromise version
today.
With the House expected to take
similar action later in the week, the
only uncertain factor remaining in
the long controversy is whether
Mr. Roosevelt will sign it, veto it
or let it become a law without his
signature.
Bill Called Impractical.
Also opposing the conference re
port, Senator Walsh, Democrat, of
New Jersey told the Senate today he
does not believe it is practical or
workable, "unless we can arrange
to call off the war for a month or
two, so our soldiers can go to voting
school.” •
The conference report represents
weeks of negotiation between ad
ministration spokesmen, who believe
everyone In uniform should be given
a simplified Federal ballot, J^fTd
those who Insist voting prmfKlure
is a State function. Tlirfe is a
widespread feeling at Capitol
that, If the President v&oes this
measure, Congress will yorop the
subject and rely on the |1942 law,
which also leaves soldier voting
largely in the hands of the States.
Three Conditions.
The conference agreement re
quires use of state ballots wherever
possible. The short, Federal ballot
could be used overseas, however,
under three conditions, namely: If
the Governor of a State certifies by
July 15 that such a ballot is au
thorized by State law; if a service
man applies for a State ballot by
September 1, and has not received
it by October 1. In this country
| the Federal ballot would be avail
able only to persons from a State
! which has no absentee ballot, and
if the Governor certifies the Fed
eral ballot is authorized by State
I law.
In the first round of debate yes
terday. administration speakers ar
gued that every State Legislature,
with the passible exception of Cal
ifornia. would have to meet again
and take action to make this limited
use of the Federal ballot possible.
Senator Austin, Republican, of
Vermont, who joined Senator Con
nally. Democrat, of Texas in defend
ing the conference agreement, said
the Legislatures could give effect to
the compromise by passing a short
resolution, sanctioning use of the
Federal ballot wherever State ballots
do not arrive overseas by October 1.
They disagreed as to whether the
Governors would call the Legisla
tures to take that action.
Guffey Attacks Conference Bill.
Senator Guffey, Democrat, of
Pennsylvania, supporting use of the
Federal ballot by all service per
sonnel, closed yesterday’s debate
with the charge that if the confer
ence report plan becomes a law it
would perpetrate "the greatest
organized election steal since 1876,
when the Republican party were the
beneficiaries of the presidential elec
tion which was stolen from Samuel
J. Tilden.”
Weeks ago opponents of the Fed
eral ballot had also used the Hayes
Tilden contest as an argument
against use of this new voting pro
cedure, predicting that use of a
Federal ballot might throw the 1944
election into a legal contest similar
to that of 1876.
Senator Guffey also asserted
there are some "who are afraid to
let our colored citizens and poor
white citizens vote at all. * •
Senator Guffey said there are
others who fear that if the simple
ballot is used "some of the soldiers
may thereby cast a vote for Frank
lin D. Roosevelt.”
Senator Green, Democrat of
Rhode Island, co-author of the Fed
eral ballot plan, placed in the rec
ord a letter from Mayor F. H. La
Guardia of New York, describing as
"a mess” the State ballot procedure
proposed by Gov. Thomas E. Dewey
of New York.
The Mayor said the Governor's
plan was worked out after careful
study, but that it would necessitate
the handling of 7,350,000 pieces of
mail to and from the 1.225.000 New
Yorkers in the armed services.
Nazis Claim Repulse
Of Aegean Landing
Ey the Associated Press.
NEW YORK, Mar. 14.—The Ber
lin radio said today some 30 British
Commandos had raided the Ger
man-held Aegean island of Tilos
(Piscope* but declared the attack
was ‘frustrated.’’ Several of the
Aegean islands were occupied by
British forces after Italy’s surrender,
only to be lost to the Germans.