WEATHER cold Sunday morning but considerably Sunday BIG SPRING DAILY HERALD afternoon VOL 15 NO 225 BIG SPRING TEXAS SUNDAY MARCH 7 1943 Twenty Today War Bond Score Quote for March to March 7 17177 Still to go Rommel Strikes At British In South Draft Board Told To Defer Farm Workers WASHINGTON March 6 War Commission told local draft boards tonight to keep farm workers in deferred If the quotas for the armed forces cannot then be met The commission also issued three other new in designed to help meet the farm labor short age 1 Aay man with farming experience who is now in other work should be classified as Class 2C or 3C if he goes back to agriculture as a regular job before notified to appear for induction 2 State and county war boards of the agriculture department may request the deferment of a necessary farm worker even though the worker himself or his employer do not seek the deferment The boards also may appeal from decisions of local draft boards 3 If a draft board finds that a farm worker Is not producing erough to justify his deferment It must refer his case to a county war board and allow 30 for him to be placed in another job before it can draft him To gain draft deferment a farm worker is required to produce a1 minimum output fixed by formulas pre pared by the agriculture department Cases of work ers failing to meet these requirements heretofore have been referred to the US Employment Service The new order is designed to give local farm greater influence The Manpower Commission issued this dum to draft boards Having made its decision that an individual reg is necessary to and regularly engaged in an agricultural occupation or endeavor essential to the war effort the local draft board has no further discre tion and must defer the registrant No desire to meet calls for manpower should la any manner influence tht local boards decision Calli which cannot to met without taking registrants con necessary to and regularly engaged in tural occupations or endeavors essential to the war effort should be left unfilled The selective service system said nearly 500000 farm workers bad been placed in 2C and 3C in recent weeks About 171800 were transferred to those class es in January alone Over half of these men bad they not been trans ferred would in all probability have been Inducted into the armed forces depriving agriculture of their serv ices the selective service said It estimated that more than 3000000 farm workers will have received agricultural deferment by the end of this year Some 6500 farm workers are being re classified daily into deferred status Nazi Spearhead Pointed At Moscow Falls To Russians 30 More Towns Taken As Reds Push Westward LONDON March 6 UP The Red army scored its third major victory In a week today by captur ing Gzhatsk 100 miles west of Moscow and the nearest point to the Soviet capital in the Germans crumbling hedgehog defense sys tem on the central front After storming the town twice said a special Moscow communique recorded by the Soviet radio monitor OUT troops captured the town of The captured war material IB be ing Gzhatsk 60 miles southeast of recaptured had been narf spearhead pointed at Mos cow for a year and a half Its capture released a tional Russian drive on 35 miles away on the road to Smolensk main German base to the west Russian shock troops fighting south and southwest of had captured 30 towns during the night and morning Including the railway station of Osuga 53 miles north of German reports also have told of Russian troops battling toward from the Kaluga sector in the southeast Later a midnight Soviet com reported that the Red ar my had killed 1000 more Germans and captured several down popu lated places in the continuing 8WMP southwest of Rzhev toward a point on the road between Vy azma and Smolensk was bypassed by Rus sian units on the north and south before It was stormed this bulle tin said and a German infantry regiment was wiped out after fierce fighting In the south the Russians re ported further gains west of In an effort to cut Che main railway which links the central and southern fronts One unit was credited with capturing five lo and killing 400 Germans In an offensive carried out de spite deep snow and a storm In the Donets Basin the mid night bulletin said a battalion of enemy infantry was wiped out and 31 German tanks destroyed or dam aged southwest of Voroshilovgrad and west of Rostov Red army units consolidated themselves in newly occupied positions after destroying one enemy garrison in an unidentified point Above the central German strong front field dispatches said Marshal troops were fighting to ward Russa below Lake Ilmen after the smashing break through at TV Betty Chambers Houstons DOg KatlOn only seeing eye dog which is registered as a war worker received the only food ration card is sued to other than a human being by the Harris county war price and rationing board At the request of the dogs owner Miss Mary Chambers a blind material Inspector of an aircraft strut plant standing at right Betty was registered by Mrs Mary H Watson left on the order of David M Daum standing executive secretary of the board Miss Chambers presented a doctors certifi cate that the dog needs a special diet including canned goods Nazi Warships On The Prowl WASHINGTON March 6 Iff London reports of a powerful Ger man warship concentration in the vicinity of Trondheim Norway were given considerable credence in American naval quarters today Speculation centered on the pos that the nazi high com mand plans a surface campaign as well as an undersea offensive against supply lines to Britain and Russia this spring Allied sea power might have to be realigned should the Ger mans succeed hi making even the preliminary moves for such a campaign by getting their bat and other surface units out of the Norwegian fjords and into the waters of the Greenland and Barents seas Even if they do not move out but merely remain as a direct threat to convoys to Russia by holding their stations in Nor waters the German heavy units will tie up a substantial umber of allied warships by com pelling them always to stand in readiness to counter any move Weather Due To Moderate Reviewing The Big Spring Week By Joe Pickle Long stymied on every hand our housing problem now seems to be in for solving on more than one front A couple of weeks ago approval was given a project for 39 dormitory 67 couple and 86 family units for housing people connected with the bombardier school and this week comes word that around 30 units families will be included in the program for Big Spring There is prospect that the for mer to be built along U S 80 not far from the bombardier be en somewhat Whether the entire program Is utilized depends on whether there are property owners who wish to cooperate There have been several nibbles but as yet no real bites The Red Cross drive is going nicely with well over raised after orn week of effort There Is no slackening because the 800 quota is near nor should there This Is an individual re sponsibility and the fact that some body else has given does not les sen your obligation if you have not yet participated you havent maKe that donation Mon day If you are an American you ought to have a part West Texans in this particular area will applaud the appointment of A B Knickerbocker Odessa as adjutant general of Texas He is a thoroughly capable and sin cere man Texas Defense Guard members proudly point out he was formerly commander of this battalion Howard county loses a capable demonstration agent with the res ignation of Fontilla Johnson who has left for Washington She was here only a year but there was no marking of time to get ac quainted for her record is one of activity from the start The coun ty also is fortunate in her succes sor who will be a native West See THE WEEK P 7 Col 3 By The Associated Press Texas second March cold wave blew toward the coast last night after tumbling the temperature to 4 degrees at Amarillo and 28 as far south as Waco early Saturday Big Springs Saturday low was 18 Rising temperatures were fore cast for Sunday Meanwhile the old town of San Augustine in East Texas cleaned up after a tornado which struck late Friday killing two per sons Mrs John Bird about 45 and Ezra Bryant five others and damaging 80 per cent of the business houses and homes Damage was estimated at 000 The cold snap 24 hours late from the time it was first predict ed bit the and South Plains late Friday and howled into the Worth area be tween midnight and daylight Sat A biting north wind dropped the temperature to 21 degrees at a m at Fort Worth the coldest March 6 in 44 years of weather records there Two Japanese Destroyers Are Sunk WASHINGTON March 6 A navy task force stabbing into the outer limits of the Japanese defense zone In the South Pacific bombarded shore installations at Vila and Munda in the Solomon Islands Friday night the navy ported today and sank two large enemy destroyers which tried to Interfere The destroyers were units of a squadron of light Japanese surface forces which navy communique said attempted to drive off our bombardment group A battle resulted No United States ships were lost The encounter was the first surface action to develop so far north in the Solomons go Munda and Vila which are close together are about 180 nau tical miles northwest of Guadal canal There are several flying fields in the Munia area but dark ness saved the American ships of described as light surface units from air attack THREE CRUISERS A IX I ED HEADQUARTERS IN AUSTRALIA Sunday March 7 Japanese light cruisers were among the 22 chips lost by the enemy In the sink ing of the Bismarck Sea con voy by Allied planes the high command announced today Previous communiques on aerial annihilation of New convoy March had listed the ships sunk as 10 warships and 12 transports loaded with 15000 troops but bad describ ed the warships only as cruisers or destroyers The composition of the 10 warships which guarded his 1 transports is now reported as three light cruisers and seven de said the noon communi que from General Douglas MacAr thurs headquarters In the battle of tte Bismarck Sea which terminated yesterday when planes blasted to the bot tom barges with troops adrift from the sunken mately 136 of our aircraft parti the communique related The air force em ployed approximately 160 planes of which 102 were definitely ob served as put out of action Our planes dropped 226 tons of bombs Eighty direct hits were observed and 63 near misses or hits Our losses were one bomber and three fighters shot down a number seriously ed and others receiving minor damage All but the four destroy ed in combat returned to base We had no other losses Kaiser Acquires Aircraft Plant NEW YORK March 6 UP Henry J Kaiser west coast ship builder announced today that the Kaiser company as such has ac quired its first aircraft plant and that his goal will be more and more production His statement disclosed that ar rangements have been made for the Kaiser to purchase all stock of Inc now manufacturing aircraft for the United States army air corps Twin Boys Perish As Home Burns PORTALES N M March 6 C Twin sons of Mr and Mrs Jack Smith burned to death today in a fire that destroyed the Smith home west nf Portales The children about three were found huddled in the corner of the living room The mother and Mrs Laura Phillips a neighbor were burned seriously as thoy attempted to en ter They were at vork in the yard when the flames broke out In Iee Settle 18years old and a native of Cin O was the possessor of a seven year contract approved by Los Angeles Superior Court with Warner Bros studio Allied Bombs Rain Again On Enemy Bases Lorient And Brest Hit By RAF Pounds Essen By The Associated Press German naval bases at Lorient and Brest In France were ham mered by American Flying Fort resses and Liberators respective ly yesterday afternoon few hours after British and Canadian bombers carried the Allied aerial offensive a g a i n s t Germany through the tenth straight night by pounding Essen site of the great Krupp armaments works The American planes were es corted by RAF and Allied and an official communique said three bombers and two fighters were lost In the twin operations Just how many German fighters were downed has not yet been an The communique described the results as excellent at Lorient where a naval power station and railroad bridge were among the objectives hit At Brest the re sults were termed satisfactory Bombs rained down for 40 min utes on Essen In Friday nights saturation raid which cost the RAF 14 bombers Returning pilots who reported leaving several square miles of the city burning described one colossal explosion which il the entire target area with flames hundreds of feet high They agreed that a pow er factory or ammunition store house had been hit Fierce Fighting Continuing Along The Mareth Line ALLIED HEADQUARTERS IN NORTH AFRICA March 6 Erwin Rommels axis forces lashed out savagely at the British 8th army at dawn today in an of fensive against Gen Sir Bernard Montgomery for the first time since the battle of El Alamein in Egypt After the loss of 21 tanks in the early stages of the fight ing the axis army which Rommel had brought 2000 miles cross Libya in retreat struck back and pressed its attack The 21 German tanks were knocked out without loss to the British Rommels tanks and infantry attack was described as in strength and early reports indicated that fierce ighting was continuing Apparently gambling with the idea that he could deal Montgomery a blow similar to the one he handed the Anglo veeks ago the nazi field mar hal set his forces in action cross the waste lands in ront of the Mareth line He was aided by the fact that he old line was de S School Census To Be Taken A special scholastic enumera tion which will mean state aid for students who have moved into the Big Spring independent school district since the regular 1942 cen sus was announced Saturday by Supt W C Blankenship Special state authority has been given for the census he said be cause of an influx of pupils this year It must be completed by March 15 and he Issued an urgent appeal for prompt response from parents of scholastics Special forms are to be taken home by pupils known to have come to the local district since April 1 1942 and these are to he signed by the parents Infor mation needed includes place of residence on April 1 1942 and length of residence hi this dis The state will pay its per capita on these scholastics count ed in the supplemental census Blankenship estimated there may be 400 new pupils but perhaps sot all eligibles under the state appor Regular 1943 census also Is under way the school official reminded and the publics help in getting every scholastic enumerated Is being urged Hits Activity WASHINGTON March 6 UK Senator Overton DLa charged today that a cabinet member was toying to influence senators to vote for confirmation of James V All Ted as a circuit court of appeals judge Overton said hi statement that according to reliable in formation reaching me Frank O Walker chairman of the na tional democratic committee the postmaster general and cabi net officer is calling up sena tors and Interviewing them for the purpose of undertaking to in fluence them to vote In favor of the Allred nomination Chairman Hatch of a judiciary subcommittee considering Presi dent appointment oi the former Texas governor said during the day he hoped a report could be made to the full commit tee on Monday The subcommittee concluded two days of testimony yesterday and was awaiting a statement from Senator Ellender DLa opposing the nomination before going into executive session to consider the testimony The persistence of ColGen urgen von attacks In the orth in the face of heavy losses low have been explained In that hey have had the aim of pinning own the AngloAmerican forces and keeping the Allied force on this side from stabbing at Rom mels exposed flank The Germans have withdrawn rom almost all the territory they won in southern Tunisia and American and British troops are nce more in the foothills of the secondary Tunisian dorsal at Ichon and Bou bare Mme Visits At Her Old School WELLESLEY Mass March Soong came back today to give her alma mater the biggest weekend of its New Eng land womens college existence Now Madame Chiang wife of the Chinese generalissimo she saw the house where she lived as a freshman She commented that it appeared to be more painted Madame Chiang convalescing from 11 weeks in a New York hos pital and now on a tal tour was reported to be feel ing fine today after a taxing week of official appearances in New York Gambling Made Legal Again In Mexico MEXICO CITY March 6 Gambling prohibited here for 15 years became legal again today with publication of s law in the official gazette Gambling in the following forms only was legalized chess check ers dominoes dice bowling bil liards all ball games including target shooting human races on foot or In sacks races by horses dogs or vehicles wres tling and boxing and lotteries and raffles Attorney General Of KM Indicted SANTA FE N M March 6 UP New Mexicos Attorney General E P Chase and two other persons were indicted by a federal grand jury today on a charge of con to conceal assets in a bankruptcy case when Chase was engaged in the private practice of law Named with Chase in the crimi nal Indictment signed by Thomas Dodd assistant to the U S attor ney general were C Ray Smith Chases former associate now of Oklahoma City and Bruce M Hyde of Marshall Texas 510 Houston Given Six Years In Slaying Of Son AMARILLO March 6 47th district court jury found John Kincheloe Dallam county farmer guilty of slaying his son Clark Kincheloe on Christ may day 1941 The jury assessed the at six years in prison Jurors had deliberated four hours WATCH COSTS NEW YORK March 6 National Association of Manufac urged today that industry in working on government cost plus war contracts watch expense carefully to answer in any future allegations that wa production was wasteful or ficient not so much as a holding but one from which could be launched It Is apparent that Rommel was slowly being caged up Into the Tunisian bridgehead between the French and the British 8th armies and decided his best chance to forestall defeat and gain time was to strike first His first blow in the north had pushed American troops out of most of southern Tunisia protect ing his flank until the Americans rallied at Kasserine Pass and in losses so heavy he had to retire Attacks In North Have Been To Protect Flank 70 miles airline from the German desert panzer armys main supply base at Sfax The forces used In todays as sault were undoubtedly the same ones Rommel had used in his southern Tunisian drive Includ ing the rebuilt German 21st pan ler division with Its new Mark VI 60ton tanks and the bat tered 15th panzer division in reserve Von holds the tenth panzer division probably in position to deal with any blow aimed at dividing the axis armies Its A Desperate Chance To Maintain A Foothold While Rommels attack can be construed only as a desperate mili tary gamble to attack one fos while another powerful force is ready to pounce on him he has much to gain if it should succeed H a crippling blow could be dealt to 8th army the axis would gain weeks and perhaps months In the battle to maintain a foothold in Africa and delay the Allied attacks on the continent just that much longer new followed b a hours report at American troops had captured 20 miles west of the Ger man base of Kairouan to win back most of the central and southern Tunisian territory they had lost In the north the British First army had halted and inflicted se vere looses on the German force that had pushed seven miles be hind and local attacks were reported continuing New Type Ship To Fight Subs AN EASTERN SEAPORT March 6 had a look today at the newest answer to the submarine menace trim destroy sr escort The ship which unlike regu lar destroyers can be turned out by mass production methods is expected by the nary to of great help aa a watchdog for convoys Approximately 300 feet la length the sleek gray vessel is in the 1 300 ton class Aboard are weapons for slugging it out with submarines or air planes Cannon and torpedoes are in tended for dealing with undersea raiders caught on the surface while an unusually heavy barrage of depth charges can be used against subs detected under the waves The vessel has more than one type of antiaircraft gun The DE is not as swift as a destroyer but has more speed than the craft used by other nations for similar duty The ship fills the gap between the sub chasers and destroyers Absentee Due To Get OK WASHINGTON March 6 Chairman Vinson DGa predict ed tonight that the house naval committee would approve a meas ure to curb absenteeism among war workers next week beyond a shadow of a doubt and said he would fight any move to tack a dry rider to the hill His statement came amid efforts by prohibition advocates to re strict or eliminate altogether the sale of liquor in industrial areas for the duration of the war in con with the drive against ab The house naval committee has reached the halfway point on the legislation designed to put ablebodied men into uniform If they have ranted holidays from war jobs for which they have been defer red from the draft The measure sponsored by Rep Lyndon Johnson an ad ministration supporter would re quire war contractors and sub contractors to turn over to the War Manpower Commission the name of each employe absent from work without prior authorization The commission then would be re quired to pass the names on to lo cal draft boards to determine whether the workers should be longer deferred Woman Gets Four Dependency Checks Three Too Many BEAUMONT March 6 Port Arthur woman was sentenced to 90 days in jail in federal court here this morning on a meanor charge of having accept ed and cashed four service mens dependents checks of each The checks were part of a total of which federal investiga tors said she had obtained as al from three service whom she married Navy In 1945 Foreseen By Secy Knox men Her WASHINGTON March 6 Americas recordbreaking naval construction program is now mov ing at such high speed Secretary of the Navy Knox reported today that the nations entire projected navy will be in active service before the end of 1945 Previously it had been expected that at least some of the new war ships might not be ready for com bat until 1946 or 1947 Even allow ing for war losses the forces in commission by the end of 1945 should be almost four times the strength of the fleet in existence when the European war began in 1939 Knox discussed construction progress in his annual report to President Roosevelt covering in Diio 1111 i y ii i v v i v tw legal husband lives in Port Arthur main the fiscal year 1942 which ended June 30 Under the impact of war he said fiscal 1942 dissipated all previously conceiv ed beliefs that a navy would be enough Now it is realized that no navy will be sufficient which less than the most ships and planes equipped with the hardest hitting weapons and manned by the best trained officers and men in any area throughout the world where enemy forces may be met All the efforts Knox said have been concentrated on produc ing that total adequacy to fight and win what he called the four dimensional war of our ea air and the blending of all into the amphibious One US Sub Has Sunk 13 Jap Ships WASHINGTON March 6 The navy disclosed tonight that i single American submarine has sunk 13 Japanese cargo vessels and three warships The submarine which was cot named was commanded by Lt Commander Lucius Henry Chap pell 38 of Columbus Ga Its im pressive bajr for the war so far was announced in a statement re counting some of its experiences Quentin Roosevelt Wounded In Action OYSTER BAY X Y March Lieut Quentin Roosevelt 23 yearold grandson of the late pres ident was wounded Feb 21 on Tunisian front and the first thing he said was hope I can get back Unto ac tion as soon as possible