Evening star. [volume], May 11, 1944, Image 1

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

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Weather Forecast
Fair and continued warm today and
tomorrow.
Temperatures today—Highest, 77, at
1:30 p.m.: lowest, 57, at 6:55 a.m. Yes
terday—Highest, 78, at 4:55 p.m.; low
est, 54, at 6:15 a.m.
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An Associated Press Newspaper
92d YEAR. No. 36,534.
WASHINGTON, D. C„ THURSDAY, MAY 11, 1944—FORTY-FOUR PAGES. ***
Washington rPTIT? VT? r’TT’XT'TQ FTV* CENTS
and 8uburbs JL.tlXV.CjJl/ Elsawhcra
Allies Step Up Railway Attacks,
Dropping 5,400Tons of Bombs on
27th Day of Pre-Invasion Assault
Liberators Hit
Three Yards
In France
BULLETIN.
LONDON (IP).—Three thou
sand Allied planes dropped an
estimated 5,400 tons of ex
plosives on German airports
and rail centers in Western
Europe today.
By the Associated Press.
LONDON. May 11.—American
Liberator bombers continued the
systematic destruction of Hit
ler’s western railroad system
today, bombing three yards in
France after Marauders and
Havocs had made new attacks
on airfields near Paris and
coastal installations.
The Liberator thrust under cover
of Lightnings. Thunderbolts and
Mustangs marked the return of
British-based American heavy
bombers to the preinvasion offen
sive after a one-day layoff.
German radio broadcasts said
other formations were over South
west Germany during the afternoon
and Londoners said the ground
shaking roar of bomber formations
streaking for Europe in the 27 th
straight day of the round-the-clock
assaults was the loudest they ever
heard.
The daylight armadas followed up
last night’s fourth assault on Buda
pest by bombers striking from bases
in Italy and the RAF's fifth con
secutive nightly attack on occu
pied territory.
Allied airmen flew at least 1.500
sorties in the opening stages of
today's activities.
Military Targets Hit.
The medium Marauders returned
In the afternoon to attack military
objectives on the Northern French
coast after their morning blow on
Beaumont - Le - Roger airfield, 70
miles west of Paris. All the mediums
and their escorts returned from
that attack there and the raid on
Cormeilles - En - Vexin, 20 miles
northwest of Paris. ,
At midafternoon a heavy assault
began on the mainland across the
English Channel, violent explosions
from the Calais area shook buildings
in Folkestone on the English side,
and heavy rumblings were as severe
as those heard Tuesday night whe#
the RAF hit French coastal areas 1ft
their hardest night blow of the war
on those targets.
Both heavy and medium bombers
of the Mediterranean Allied Air
Force attacked Budapest—last raid
ed on May 4—in last night’s follow
up to American daylight blows
against an aircraft factory at Wiener
Neustadt, Austria, an airfield near
Vienna and the rail center of Knin
in Yugoslavia.
Twenty-nine bombers and three
fighters were lost in the attacks on
the Austrian targets.
Targets in France Bombed.
The Air Ministry anonunced that
Britain-based RAF heavy bombers
in strength last night attacked rail
way yards at Lens and Lille. France,
and at Gent and Courtrai, Belgium,
while other bomber formations
struck at military objectives on the
French invasion coast.
Speedy Mosquitos carrying 4,000
pound bombs also raided Ludwig
shafen, Germany. In other aerial
operations, the communique said,
British planes laid mines in enemy
waters.
From all of the overnight opera
tions, the Air Ministry announced, 15
RAF planes were reported missing.
More than 3,500 Allied planes from
both British and Italian bases
dropped approximately 4,500 tons of
bombs yesterday on targets in Hit
ler’s Europe. The daylight assaults
on the Wiener Neustadt and Vienna
areas and on Knin by the American
bombers were the heaviest batter
ings of the day as Liberators and
Fortresses based in Britain stayed
at home. It was the first time in
17 days that a full day has passed
without Britain-based heavy bomb
ers hitting some part of Hitler's
domain.
Rail Centers, Airfields Hit.
However, American and British
medflim, light and fighter bombers
gave the people of occupied territory
no surcease from the aerial on
slaught. The planes flying from
Britain spent the day methodically
blasting at rail centers and airfields
in Fiance and Belgium.
In attacking the Wiener Neustadt
aircraft factory and the airfield
near Vienna, a force of between 250
and 500 Flying Fortresses and Liber
ators fought their wray through ap
proximately 120 enemy fighters near
the target area.
Escorting fighters knocked down
11 of the Germans, it was officially
announced, while the bombers
bagged an additional number not
immediately totaled. Many German
planes also were destroyed aground
on the Vienna airfield, it was an
nounced.
Allied headquarters at Naples said
that 33 planes in all were lost in
yesterday's day and night assaults
by Italy-based planes. One RAF
Wellington was lost in the night at
tack on Budapest. The Berlin radio
claimed 51 Allied planes were de
stroyed, 41 of them heavy bombers,
in the “area of the Eastern Alps in
cluding Wiener Neustadt.’’
Concentrate on One Target.
Last night marked the second
straight night that the RAF sent
heavy bombers against mysterious
emplacements in France that the
Germans have thrown up to at
tempt to block Allied invasion land
forces.
The Air Ministry said the big
night-flying bombers concentrated
on one coastal objective this time,
whereas on the previous night seven
<See RAIDS, Page A-18.1
India-Burma Fighting Costs Japs
15,000 Dead Since February J
Stilwell's Forces Occupy Two More Villages
In Drive on Enemy Bases in Northern Sector
| By (he Associated Press.
SOUTHEAST ASIA HEAD
QUARTERS, Kandy, Ceylon, May
11.—The Allies continued to
drive the Japanese back from
their Indian invasion today and
lit was officially estimated that
| the enemy had lost 15.000 dead
alone since February 1 on the
Arkan front of Burma, in the
Imphal and Kohima areas of the
Indian frontier and in behind
the-lines Chindit engagements.
The figure excludes casualties in
flicted on the Japanese by Lt. Gen.
Joseph W. Stilwell's American
trained Chinese driving down from
North Burma, where the last fig
ures showed 5,000 Japanese had
been killed up to March 29.
The number of Japanese wound
ed during the fighting since Febru
ary 1 was not estimated, but Japan’s
total casualties were much greater
than those suffered by the Allies,
whose losses were not disclosed.
The largest number of single
front casualties—6,100 killed—was
inflicted on the Japanese in their
attempt to force the Imphal Plain
on the Indian frontier. Casualties
there and at Kohima, frontier base
to the north, numbered 8,000 in the
two months the enemy has been
attempting to invade India.
Today's communique said Gen.
Stilwell's tank-supported Chinese
forces had swarmed through two
more villages east of the Mogaung
Valley in their drive on the Jap
aese bases of Mogaung and Myit
kvina.
No major activity was reported
yesterday in the Kohima neighbor
hood, the communique said, but
fighting continued on the outskirts
of the base, where Allied forces im
proved their positions.
Inflictwip of casualties on “supe
rior enemy parties northeast and
southeast of Palel,” 25 miles south
east of Imphal, was mentioned in
the announcement along with the
enemy occupation of an evacuated
position on the Palel road, where
the Japanese are making continued
attempts to gain the pass leading
into the Imphal Plain.
Appearance of Japanese troops in
the Iril Valley, northeast of Imphal,
also was reported in the announce
ment that British forces had cap
tured a position 8 miles east of
Kanglatcngbi, which lies between
Imphal and Kohima.
The two new villages captured in
Gen. Stilwell's Mogaung Valley
drive were not named in the com
munique, which told also of an
American-manned tank raid into
enemy territory west of the Mogaung
Valley.
Russian Bridgehead
On Dnestr Wiped Out,
Germans Declare
Troops Are Continuing
To Fight in Sevastopol,
Berlin Also Claims
Ey the Associated Press.
LONDON, May 11.—The Ger
mans asserted today that they
had wiped out a sizable Russian
bridgehead on the Lower Dnestr
River in a surprise attack and
that their troops still were
fighting in the Crimea west of
Sevastopol, destroying 20 tanks
there yesterday.
The Russians announced two days
ago that Sevastopol and all the
Crimea had been cleared of German
and Romanian troops. The latest
Soviet communique told of the
sinking of two 4.000-ton transports
hauling enemy survivors from the
devastated port.
The German communique, which
was not confirmed by Soviet sources,
said strong bomber formations
paced the Dnestr assault south of
Grigoriopol, which liquidated a
Russian salient 6 miles long and 4
deep west of the river. The area
was said to contain “dominating
mountain ranges” and to have
strengthened the Axis front line
guarding the approaches to the
Galati Gap in Romania, between
the Carpathians and the Danube
Estuary.
Sevastopol Badly Damaged.
Moscow reported tremendous
damage in Sevastopol, with the
center of the Black Sea port “de
stroyed or ruined.”
Maj. Victor J. Koroteiev, the first
correspondent to enter Sevastopol
after its recapture, said, however,
that the suburbs were not so badly
damaged and that some were
“partially intact.”
Experienced British naval experts
predicted the Russians would have
the big port in working condition to
“some degree” shortly and that the
recapture of the base would give
Soviet airmen dominance of the
entire Black Sea area, easing the
prob'em of feeding supplies to the
Crimea and Ukraine over wrater
routes instead of long rail hauls.
Jap Radio Predicts
Big U. 5. Offensive
Aleutians Preparations
Declared Under Way
By the Associated Fress.
The war of nerves spread to the
Pacific today, with the Tokyo radio
speculating that the “lack of major
engagements in the Pacific during
the last few' months” probably is the
lull preceding major events.
The Japanese commentator said
American forces are preparing for
an offensive from the Aleutians,
where they have “constructed four
large airbases” and have at their
disposal “some hundred planes,
naval forces and some five or six
infantry divisions, including para
troops and airborne troops.“
He said the Japanese defenders
of the Northern Kurile Islands were
preparing against American offen
sives from the Aleutians and pre
dicted that the area “will one of
these days become a main war
theater."
He dismissed recent American
naval blow's against the Carolines
and Marianas as "sporadic appear
ances under cover of airforce for
mations, disappearing from the
scene of operations almost immedi
ately.”
There is a “good deal of interest,"
he went on, in the recent statement
by Rear Admiral Daniel Barbey, who
commanded the recent amphibious
landings at Hollandia. that “the
time of minor operations in the
Pacific sphere was over and would
be followed in the near future by j
large-scale landings.”
Army Streamlines
Discharge System;
Time Cut to 48 Hours
New Procedure Tested
At Fort Dix to Speed
Men Back to Civil Life
By the Associated Press.
Secretary of War Stimson an
nounced today the Army has
adopted a simplified “separation
procedure” to speed the process
of discharging men from the
military service and help their
readjustment to civilian life.
A separation center has been
established at Fort Dix. where the
procedures were tested. This will be
the model for others to be estab
lished as they are needed in other
parts of the country.
“Under streamlined procedures
now in force at Fort Dix,” Mr.
Stimson said, “only 48 hours are
required from the time a man ar
rives to the time he boards a train
for home, in contrast to the three
weeks or more often required under
former methods.”
Counselors Available.
The soldier hears an “orientation”
talk about his imminent return to
civil life, his new responsibilities
and his rights and privileges as a
veteran. He gets a complete medi
cal examination, his final pay,
travel pay to his point of induction,
the first installment of his muster
ing-out pay and advice to pay for
his ticket home immediately. Bank
ing facilities and a travel office
adjoin the pay window.
Counselors are available to tell
the soldier about job opportunities,
to prepare records showing the sol
dier s military and civilian experi
ence and qualifications, to give him
job aptitude tests, to give him ad
vice on life insurance, War Bond
allotments and other personal prob
lems—but they advise him only,
don’t tell him what to do.
Self-Reliance Held Keynote.
“There is no effort on the part
of the Army,” Mr. Stimson said, “to
‘do everything’ for the veteran. Self
reliance is keynoted, and it has been
noted that discharged men them
selves do not desire anything that
might be termed ‘pampering,” either
by the Army or other agencies.”
Such centers eventually will han
dle WACS and officers as well as
enlisted men. However, individuals
being discharged for physical dis
ability will continue to leave the
service through Army hospitals.
Gandhi Arrives in Bombay
BOMBAY. India, May 11 (/Pi._
Mohandas K. Gandhi, Indian Na
tionalist leader who was released
from interment last week, arrived
in Bombay today from Poona and
was driven at once to Juhu, a
nearby seaside resort, where he will
stay.
Alarm Spreads
In China as Japs
Win Key Railway
Two Enemy Forces
Linked; New Push on
Loyang Reported
(Map on Page A-18.)
By the Associated Press.
CHUNGKING, May 11.—An at
mosphere of unconcealed con
cern spread* in China today as
Chinese reports told of yet an
other Japanese thrust on Lo
yang, several times capital of
ancient China in Northern Ho
nan Province, and admitted the
enemy finally had succeeded in
gaining control of the full length
of the Peiping-Hankow Railway
linking his northern and central
forces.
The Chinese claimed they had
repulsed a Japanese attempt at
another crossing of the Yellow
River near Menghsien, about 25
miles northeast of Loyang.
But they acknowledged they were
battling enemy forces which had
forced the river near Yuanchu, 45
miles northwest of the city, and
that a third enemy spearhead had
pushed along the Lunghai Railway
to the vicinity of Yenshih, only
about 21 miles east of the city.
way upenea for Another Drive.
The most important Japanese of
fensive in China since the success
ful drive on Hankow in 1938 al
ready had carved out an area of
roughly 60,000 square miles of ter
ritory, much of it rich wheat-grow
ing country, and was opening the
possibility of a, drive on the strategic
town of Tungkwan, west of Loyang
at the elbow of the Yellow River.
Tungkwan is the gateway to the
rich northwest.
The crossing of the Yellow River,
near Yuanchu, threatened to out
flank the defenders of Loyang, al
ready menaced by ar. enemy column
6 or 7 miles to the southeast.
The new Japanese ttaust from
Shansi Province not only enlarged
the scope of the enemy operations,
but placed added emphasis on the
possibility of a general westward
drive toward the old walled city of
Sian in Shensi Province, natural
gateway to Szechwan and the pro
visional capital at Chungking.
A communique announcing the
enemy had crossed the Yellow River
said bitter fighting was raging as
the invaders attempted to enlarge
their bridgehead. The possibility
was seen that the Japanese might
attempt to cut off the flow of rein
focements to the battlefield and
sever the Chinese escape route by
dynamiting some of the numerous
railway tunnels west of Loyang.
Jap Offensive Is Large.
Full Japanese control of the Peip
ing-Hankow railroad means that
Chinese forces now operating east
of the railway have been cut off from
their bases and henceforth will be
compelled to operate as guerrillas.
The Chinese high command de
scribed the Japanese operations in
Honan Province as “a large scale
offensive” and declared that every
where fighting was increasing in in
tensity. Units of at least six Jap
anese divisions have been identified
in the fighting, as well as numerous
other elements, the communique
said.
Nothing comparable to the pres
ent Japanese operations, at least in
amount of territory involved, has
developed since the invaders cap
tured Hankow, which resulted in
the removal of the Chinese gov
ernment to Chungking.
Twin Blows to Hit Reich
Soon, Molotov Asserts
By the Associated Press.
LONDON. May 11.—Allied forces
soon will hit Germany in synchro
nized blows both from the east, and
west. Foreign Commissar Vyaches
lav Molotov said in Moscow yes
terday.
‘‘The time has now come,” he was
quoted by the Moscow radio as say
ing, ‘‘when the armed forces of the
Allies are preparing for resolute
joint action against our common
enemy—Hitlerite Germany—and the
enemy soon will feel the power of
our joint blows.”
His statement was made in reply
to British Ambassador Sir Archibald
John Clark Kerr.
4,887 Enemy Planes Destroyed,
1,414 Lost in Pacific and Asia
«5’ inf Associated Press.
The combat score of American
Army Air Forces in the Pacific and
Asia from the start of the war to
March 7, 1944, is 4,887 enemy planes
destroyed, against 1,414 American
Planes lost. Secretary of War Stim
son said today.
In the Pacific, four air forces—the
5th, 7th, 11th and 13th—involved in
the most sustained operations, have
destroyed 4.064 enemy planes in the
air and on the ground while losing
1,163.
The total of American losses in
clude planes lost in the Philippines
and Hawaii at the start of the war, j
before the present air force organ
izations W'ere created. The score of
the American volunteer group, the
"Filing Tigers,” before it was
brought into the Army as the 14th
Air Force, was not included. ,
Mr. Stimson gave these scores
for the various air forces:
5th Air Force, Southwest Pacific,
2.201 enemy planes destroyed in the
air and 912 on the ground, against
losses of 708 in aerial combat, to
enemy antiaircraft fire and on the
ground,
13th Air Force, South Pacific, 715
enemy planes in the air and 37 on
the ground, against total losses of
245.
10th Air Force, India, 211 enemy
Planes in the air and 71 on the
ground, losses 98.
14th Air Force, China, 482 enemy
planes in the air and 59 on the
ground, losses 153
7th Air Force, Hawaii, 123 enemy
planes in the air and 19 on the
ground, losses 163.
11th Air Force, Alaska, 33 enemy
planes in the air, 24 on the ground,
losses 47.
f
r\
r'
Avery Still Defiant
As New Ward Case
Goes to Roosevelt
Subsidiary's AFL Dispute
Sent to White House;
Third Fight Expected
! By the Associated Press.
Another Montgomery Ward
labor dispute was headed toward
President Roosevelt for action
today, with the American Feder
ation of Labor involved this
time.
While the mail-order company
and the CIO United Mail Order,
Warehouse and Retail Employes
continued the contract wrangle in
Chicago which led the Government
to seize and operate the Montgom
ery Ward & Co. plant there for 13
days, the War Labor Board sent to
the White House a dispute at the
Hummer Manufacturing Co., a
Ward subsidiary at Springfield, 111.,
where approximately 450 members
of the International Association of
Machinists have been idle five days.
Byrnes to Study Issue.
The board voted late yesterday to
forward the dispute to the Presi
dent, but Stephen T. Early, White
House secretary, expressed doubt
today that it would actually reach
the Chief Executive before Monday.
The interval will be devoted to a
study of the matter by War Mobili
zation Director James F. Byrnes.
The union said the company had
rejected as illegal a WLB order
providing for a wage increase and
maintenance of union membership.
Ward executives who have con
sistently opposed efforts of the
WLB to incorporate the customary
membership maintenance provision
in their union contracts made no
statement on the Hummer case.
Attorney General Biddle has said
that the Springfield plant produces
carburetors, propellers and gun
mounts.
own aiiumcr ri^ni r^xpeciea.
A fight over this same issue also
is in prospect in a St. Paul branch
of Montgomery Ward.
In Chicago, where the CIO won a
National Labor Relations Board
election Monday, shortly before the
Government relinquished control of
! Ward’s, Sewell Avery, chairman,
I continued to assert that the com
i pany would not sign a pact embody
ing the maintenance-of-membership
! provision "or any form of closed
[ shop.’’ He declared that ‘‘the funda
! mental issues still must be deter
j mined in the courts.”
Yesterday Federal Judge William
H. Holly refused to rule on the Gov
. ernment’s injunction suit against
Ward officials, and the legality of
President Roosevelt’s seizure order
remained undecided.
Henry Anderson, president of the
local CIO union, said that refusal of
the company to include the clause
will mean “the whole thing will be
back in the War Labor’s Board's
lap.” The union has asked the WLB
to extend and enforce an expired
contract pending signing of a new
agreement.
NLRB Certification Awaited.
Samuel Wolchok, president of the
parent CIO union, said a request
;had been made to company officials
! to discuss grievances and a contract.
But, he added, the conferences can
not open until the National Labor
Relations Board issues a certifica
tion of the results of the collective
bargaining ballot. He said he ex
pected an early certification.
Mr. Wolchok in a new' statement
today said:
‘‘Although negotiations have not
yet begun with the union of his
| employes’ choice. Mr. Avery has de
clared he will not enter into the
spirit of collective bargaining with
it. Local No. 20 and the American
people must now place squarely
upon Montgomery Ward the full
responsibility for whatever dis
turbances in industrial relations
! now occur. The union has a man
date from its members to press for
a contract with this management.
We intend to exert every effort to
see to it that that mandate is car
ried out.”
Officials Withhold Comment.
Mcanw'hile, Government officials
withheld comment on the case, other
than statements made before Judge
Holly, who announced he w'ould is
sue his formal order tomorrow on
whether the litigation was dismissed
with or without prejudice.
Government counsel objected to
company attorney’s request that the
injunctional proceedings be dis
missed “with prejudice.” Such a
ruling, it was explained, would mean
* See MONTGOMERY WARDTA-18)
Late Bulletin
Dewey Hits Poll Taxes
ALBANY, N. Y. (fP).—Gov.
Thomas E. Dewey today as
serted his opposition to poll
taxes “and every other device
to deprive free people of their
votes.” His opposition was
stated in a telegram to Walter
White, secretary of the Na
tional Association for the Ad
vancement of Colored People,
who had asked him about his
position.
(Earlier Story on Page A-4.)
Quick Senate Approval
Of Forrestal as Navy
Secretary Predicted
No Change in Policies
Expected; Production Will
Be His Chief Task
(Picture on Page A-4.)
By the Associated Press.
.'Sp#edy Senate approval was
predicted today for President
Roosevelt’s promotion of Under
secretary James V. Forrestal to
be Secretary of the Navy.
At the Navy Department, where
Mr. Forrestal had served with the
late Secretary Frank Knox for four
years, it was generally expected that
the main line of administrative poli
cies would continue unchanged.
Eighteen years Col. Knox’s junior,
he will be one of the youngest men
in the President's cabinet.
Mr. Forrestal’s chief task still will
be that of getting production and
delivery of ships, guns and supplies
on time, but to this he will have to
add the responsibility of being the
Navy's principal spokesman to the
public, especially in advocacy of
such causes as that the fleet should
not be scrapped at the war’s end.
Head of Production Task.
The production task was his whole
assignment as Undersecretary. He
began w’ork on it in August, 1940, in
a little back room of the Secretary’s
suite at the time he was made Un
dersecretary and had neither office
nor personnel to work with.
Not all of the “front-office” posi
tion may be to his liking, however.
A full burst of publicity brought on
by his nomination late yesterday
apparently has put him in this pre
dicament:
Will his self-professed desire for
obscurity bear up under the weight
of so public an office?
Mr. Forrestal’s passion for ano
nymity undoubtedly will have to be
forsaken now as he takes his place
as a top-flight public official and
cabinet member.
In his response to public promi
nence, in politics and in many other
ways Mr. Forrestal stands in sharp
contrast to the man he succeeds.
Col. Knox was a Republican: Mr.
Forrestal is a Democrat. Col. Knox,
starting work as a newspaper re
porter, was active in journalism and
public affairs throughout his life.
! Mr. Forrestal, also a reporter at
| first, went into business, developed
: a businessman's desire for privacy
| and emerged as a leading figure in
j his field only when he became pres
ident of Dillon. Read & Co., Wall
; Street investment firm, in 1938.
Contrast to Knox.
Col. Knox was a great talker, an
1 outgoing man who coupled high
! administrative abilities with con
jstant affability. Mr. Forrestal. a
I hard-driving worker, is an econo
mizer of words. He deals almost ex
| clusively in hard facts and insists
that those who work with him,
whether as admirals or civilian as
sociates, deliver the facts concisely
and accurately when decisions are
to be made.
Friends and assistants describe
him, however, as extremely well
liked by the small circle of those
who know him well.
When he heard about plans for
the attack on the Marshall Islands,
at Kwajalein, early this year, he
called in his naval aide, Capt. John
Ginrich and said, “Johnny, let's go
with them.” They went. They had
two weeks on a battleship ciuring
the action and they went ashore
on' Namur Islet into territory where
men still were being killed by enemy
snipers.
On the battleship, Mr. Forrestal
had a gun station like every one
else. One day a 5-inch shell whistled
through the rigging directly over his
head. He was up at 4:30 a m. every
day and shared sandwiches and
" • See FORRESTAL, Page A-4.i
Bill to Garnishee Pay
Of Federal Employes
Opposed by Stimson
Enactment Would Place
Clerical Burden on Army,
Senate Hearing Told
Secretary of War Stimson to
day expressed strong opposition
to the Kefauver bill, which
would permit garnishment of
Federal employes’ salaries. He
declared his department “can
not accept financial responsibil
ity for an act impossible of ful
fillment.”
The Secretary’s disapproval of the
measure was contained in a letter to
Chairman McCarran of the Senate
Judiciary Committee, and was for
warded to a subcommittee which
opened hearings on the bill today.
The opposition of the War De
partment, Mr. Stimson said, was
based on his belief that administra
| tive duties would be increased if the
' measure became law.
“I believe that this legislation is
a step in the opposite direction of
our daily effort to eliminate all
unnecessary administrative work,”
Mr. Stimson said. “The passage of
this bill would not in any way ac
celerate the war effort. On the
contrary, if it does pass, the work
involved will be an additional bur
den upon the War Department, and
the effect of such burden is to delay
the war.”
I ites Million Employes.
The Secretary pointed out that his
department has more than a million
civilian employes scattered through
out the world, and that it would be
impossible for headquarters in
Washington to handle matters con
cerning individual field workers.
Meanwhile, half a dozen witnesses
appeared before the subcommittee,
headed by Senator Hatch, Demo
crat, of New Mexico, to urge passage
of the bill on the ground that it
would actually benefit the vast ma
jority of Federal employes.
Representative Kefauver, Demo
| crat, of Tennessee, author of the
bill which already has passed the
I House, estimated if the measure is
; passed only about 1,500 of the 300.00C
(Federal employes in the District
; actually would be faced writh gar
I nishment proceedings.
“When they find they can be
legally forced to pay their debts,’
Mr. Kefauver said, “they will make
an effort to pay them and avoid
service on their agencies.”
Cues High Court Decision.
Mr. Kefauver testified that after
ja Supreme Court decision placed
! workers in Government-owned cor
| porations under the provisions of
(State garnishment laws, the propor
tion of employes with bad debts
dropped from more than 4 per cent
to less than 1 per cent. Mr. Kefau
ver added the amount of time re
quired by Federal agencies to handle
garnishment action would not ex
ceed the time now required to an
swer letters received from creditors
of their employes.
R. Preston Shealey, Washington
counsel for the National Retail
Credit Associations, told the sub
committee that passage of the Ke
fauver bill would "not encourage
reckless credit.”
| “The vast majority of Govern
{ment employes who do pay their
I debts," he said, “are also helping to
pay the debts of those who do not
pay.”
Joseph C. McGarraghy, vice presi
dent of the Washington Board of
Trade, asserted provisions of the bill
set up “adequate protection for the
(Federal employe.” Mr. McGarraghy
(said there was no reason why Gov
! eminent ^ workers should receive
M See GARNISHMENT. Page~A-18.>
U. 5. Casualties Total
201,454 on All Fronts
j By the Associated Press.
American casualties in the war on
all fronts now total 201.454, of which
44,778 are naval and 156,676 are
Army casualties.
Secretary Stimson, reporting* the
Army total today as complete
through April 28. said it included
27,297 killed, 64.321 wounded, 33,715
missing and 31.343 officially reported
by enemy governments to be pris
oners of war. Of the wounded, he
said, 37,009 have recovered and
returned to duty.
The latest Navy casualty report,
.which includes marine and coast
(guard personnel, showed 19.221
killed. 12,070 wounded, 9,034 missing.
14,453 prisoners of war.
Attorney Fined
By Judge Eicher
For Contempt
Defendants Demand
Citation of Popper
For Praising Bailey
BULLETIN.
Ira Chase Koehne. a de
fense attorney at the sedition
trial, was fined $50 by Chief
Justice Edward C. Eicher this
afternoon for contempt of
court for remarks made in
open court.
By CARTER BROOKE JONES.
Defense attorneys at the mass
sedition trial joined in a demand
in open court today that Martin
Popper, secretary of the Na
tional Lawyers’ Guild, be cited
for contempt of court for hand
ing the press at the courthouse
yesterday a statement in the
name of the organization assail
ing the conduct of defense coun
sel and praising the conviction
of one of them for contempt.
Chief Justice Edward C. Eicher
referred the matter to Justice Jen
nings Bailey, who found James J.
Laughlin, a defense attorney in the
sedition case, guilty of contempt and
fined him $150 immediately before
the Lawyers’ Guild statement was
released outside the courtroom.
A largamumber of the more than
a score of defense attorneys in the
sedition case denounced the Law
yers’ Guild and condemned Mr.
Popper especially for handing out
j the statement just as Justice Bailey
decided the contempt proceeding
I and adjourned court.
Rogge Also Attacks Statement.
The press release, they said, ob
viously was prepared the night be
fore and mimeographed, although
Justice Bailey gave no inkling of
what his ruling would be until he
took his place on the bench at 9:30
a.m. yesterday. He had taken the
Laughlin case under advisement the
night before.
Chief Prosecutor O. John Rogge
said the Government felt that the
issuance of any statement during a
trial was improper.
“Mr. Popper,” Mr. Rogge added,
“told me the National Lawyers Guild
wanted to take a position on this
case. I told him that the Govern
ment did not want the guild or any
one else to take a position.”
The fireworks were set off by P.
Bateman Ennis, counsel for Gerhard
Wilhelm Kunze.
Asks Show Cause Order.
Asking the court to require Mr.
Popper to show cause why he should
hot be held in contempt, Mr. Ennis
described Mr. Popper’s conduct as
“highly contemptuous and un
ethical.”
Mr. Laughlin joined in the discus
sion, to suggest that testimony be
taken. It would show, he said, that
;Mr. Popper’s statement was given
lout within two minutes "of Justice
' Bailey’s decision and must have been
'prepared the night before.
William J. Powers, attorney for
William Dudley Pelley, told the
court the guild’s statement had been
prepared well in advance, adding;
! “I might say they had advance in
| formation of what the court’s de
cision was going to be.”
| Albert W. Dilling, counsel for his
' former wife, Elizabeth Dilling,
called the statement “a wholly un
warranted, unjustified attack on
the counsel in this case.”
Justice Eicher, reading the press
release during a brief recess, then
announced that he was ordering a
copy of it made a part of the record
in the sedition trial and was direct
ing that this, together with a tran
script of the discussion of it, be sent
to Justice Bailey as soon as possible.
Attacks Defense Tactics.
The Popper statement said the
punishment for contempt meted out
to Mr. Laughlin by Justice Bailey
"proves that democracy can defend
itself.”
Mr. Popper added that “since the
inception of the sedition trial the
attorneys for the defendants have
engaged in a deliberate program of
systematic obstruction and con
fusion in order to prevent or delay
the determination of the issues in
volved in the trial so vital to the
security of the Nation at war.”
Charging tire attorneys with try
ing "to discredit important war lead
ers” and with “seeking to obtain
sensational publicity” and with
“stultifying the orderly processes of
justice,” the statement said the
Lawyers' Guild, “as an organization
of patriotic lawyers, condemns the
behavior as unrepresentative of the
high traditions of the American
bar.”
The rapid-fire discussion of the
Lawyers' Guild delayed impaneling
a jury, but only for about 30 minutes.
Court Rebukes Smythe.
Earlier in the session, Edward
| James Smythe, one of the 29 de
| fendants, interrupted proceedings
for a moment by jumping up and
shouting a demand for an immedi
ate hearing on a writ of habeas
corpus. His request was denied and
Justice Eicher, with the aid of the
judicial gavel, persuaded the fiery
defendant to sit down;
When the roll of 29 accused per
sons and counsel was called at the
opening of the session. Smythe,
answering his name, stood and de
^ manded:
“I ask an immediate hearing on
I a writ of habeas corpus. I filed a
| petition with you a few days ago.”
Justice Eicher, pounding on the
oench, said:
"Mr. Smythe, the court will
hear you only through your
counsel.”
“Ignores My Request."
"He ignores my request for a writ
of habeas corpus,” snapped Smythe,
resuming his seat.
Justice Eicher warned the pros
pective jurors to disregard such
comments.
Smythe, a New York editor and
publisher, has been in the District
Jail since he was returned by the
FBI from a mountain resort in
i See SEDITION, Page A-l«.)