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« 'T1 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 Page. - After Dark.B-8 Amusements A-11 Comics _B-14-15 Editorials .A-8 Finance . A-1S Lost and Found A-3 Page. Obituary_A-l# Radio.B-15 Society....B-3 Sports .A-12 Where to Go...B-3 Woman's Page B-10 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.