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Newspaper
Cedar Rapids Gazette
Location
Cedar Rapids, Iowa, United States of America
Date
Jun 01, 1942
Page
1
Reporting from Cedar Rapids polling places shows light turnout in the primary. The notice urges citizens to vote while time remains and recalls the privilege and cost of democracy amid war news from AR NEWS about the Cologne raid. The piece ends by acknowledging the human impact of bombing despite Allied strategic gains.
Axis field marshal Erwin Rommel retracted his battered spearhead from the Libyan desert near El Gazala after a second in command was captured by British forces. Cruewell, head of the Afrika Korps, was taken prisoner as Rommel withdrew west of Tobruk to regroup amid heavy RAF bombing and tank losses.
The report says the RAF destroyed about 400 enemy tanks and trucks over the weekend while hints emerge that Rommel may be driven into a difficult trap. The piece notes Allied air superiority appears to be widening and praises mass production of warplanes, suggesting tough days ahead for Hitler.
The National Safety Council warns Cedar Rapids must grow its police force as many officers head to military service. Remaining personnel risk aging and ineffectiveness under civil service rules, making broad recruitment crucial to prevent long term department crippling. A local man reported his stolen tire from a garage, lamenting the thief and hoping for remorse and restitution.
The War Production Board tightens limits on musical instrument manufacture after June 30 to conserve critical materials. The text notes idle stockpiles of brass, possible silver cornets, and even gold saxophones as targets for inventive substitution, with production quotas presented as the sole relief.
Seven people died when a twenty foot tidal wave struck Lake Erie Sunday night. Two women, Mrs. Walter Allen aged 40 and Mrs. George H. Forbes aged 54, drowned after being swept from Metropolitan pier near Bayville. Allen’s husband and 14 year old daughter were rescued after also being swept from the pier. The remaining victims were likely victims of boats overturned and drawn under the advancing swell.
Washington official report states the War Production Board banned the manufacture of domestic carving sets pocket knives manicure implements and related cutlery items amid wartime constraints. The action targets nonessential personal tools to redirect materials and labor to critical war production during the period.
New York dispatch reports internal Nazi debate on token air raids against eastern U S cities. One faction argues raids would rally Americans, while another warns of strengthening resolve and war effort. Sabotage grows in Germany and occupied territories as summer aims to crush Russia and extend war fronts.
By Reynolds Packard dispatch from New York United Press reports that fear of an Allied invasion of Axis Europe prompted Fascist Italy to keep a mobile army of about one million men in readiness. The force could be rushed to any continental sector deemed vulnerable, with commanders alert for rapid deployment. The article notes continued coverage on page two.
Japanese midget submarines slipped into Sydney harbor off the coast, sparking heavy gunfire and depth charges. Allied forces sank two subs with depth charges, and another was believed sunk. A ferry and its 21 passengers watched the night siege. Residents of Sydney, about 1.3 million people, stayed awake as searchlights swept the bay and defense batteries fired in a dramatic alert.
London reports Prague executed twenty more people in reprisal for the attempted assassination of Reinhard Heydrich. The tally rises to eighty two killed since the attack. The Prague radio listed two ministry of agriculture officials among the victims. Reports also claim fourteen German officers were at Heydrich’s villa, with searches of officers’ quarters noted in occupied districts.
In Raleigh North Carolina Senator Josiah Bailey wins the Democratic primary by a two to one margin and will seek a third term in the United States Senate. The nomination on the Democratic ticket is effectively the election in North Carolina.
Beverly Hills AP reports singer Bing Crosby suffered a badly cut lip in an auto crash. Doctors say the injury will not impede Crosby’s singing and he is listed in satisfactory condition.
London dispatch reports Lieut General Henry A Arnold head of the U S air force saying he had practical conferences with British ders to maximize combined air strength against Germany. He praised the Cologne raid and asserted air superiority is essential for any offensive.
United Press reports a sharp drop in the Memorial Day weekend traffic toll as gasoline rationing, tire conservation, and a shortened holiday limited travel. The survey counts at least 72 deaths in crashes, 47 drownings, and 37 miscellaneous mishaps, with totals likely rising but far below last year when nearly 300 died. Car clubs note traffic volume near last year but driving appears more cautious and slower.
Cedar Rapids airport bond committee received a wire from John S Wynne of Mid-Continent Airline promising full airline services if the bond issue is approved and commercial airport facilities are built. Wynne, former administrator of the Civil Aeronautics Authority, said he was pleased Cedar Rapids believes a strong postwar airport is essential to keep pace with the nation.
The Navy Department released its fourth war casualty list, raising total dead wounded and missing to over 8,500. It covers April 16 to May 10 and adds 64 dead 54 wounded and 2 193 missing. The high missing figure reflects many in Manila Bay area presumed captured as the city fell.
Cedar Rapids and vicinity forecast shows no major drop in temperatures Monday night into Tuesday forenoon with scattered showers and thunderstorms developing Monday afternoon and evening. Thermometer hit 82 degrees by 2:30 PM and climbed toward a high near 85 earlier in the day while Memorial Day saw only a trace of rain.
Canterbury England was struck by three waves of German bombers totaling about 25 planes in a Monday raid. Historic buildings suffered, fires raged, and homes were destroyed while residents aided by emergency services. Initial counts reported 12 killed with more bodies possibly found as farmers moved stock through the wreckage. The new Archbishop was reported safe. London saw a brief air alarm with no bombs dropped.
Cedar Rapids voters showed slow start as of 2 p.m. with about 3,000 of 34,076 registered casting ballots across 23 precincts. Officials noted a late burst around 1:30 p.m. Heaviest turnout in traditionally Republican precincts, seven Jackson school led with 242 votes, while largest third precinct had 140. Polls stay open until 8 p.m.
A mysterious blast aboard the American-Cacaiilao at El Aguila refinery dock near Tampico leaves four dead and ten injured, with three dead and ten injured Americans among the victims.
Moscow dispatches report Russian troops repelled German attacks on the Kalinin front northwest of Moscow and captured key heights after three days of defense. Heights seized shifted momentum, while fighting in the Izium Barvenkova sector continued with consolidation of gains and ongoing local skirmishes near Kharkov.
Barrage balloons forming aerial fences around key military sites have been installed along the Pacific coast from Canada to Mexico, a military permission survey shows. The balloons are part of preparations to deter retaliatory Japanese bombing in retaliation for the Tokio raid.
London AP reports Cologne as the epicenter of the largest air raid in history with over 1,250 bombers, 6 million pounds of bombs, and 100,000 men involved, signaling a shift in German air defense and a path toward Hitler’s defeat, while Churchill calls it the first step in a broader strategy.
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