This is just the beginning! Our collection holds over 300 years of history, including rare newspapers, obituaries, marriage records, birth records, and so much more—most of which you won’t find anywhere else!
This newspaper page contains 23 articles. Subscribers can read the full text of each article.
Newspaper
Cedar Rapids Gazette
Location
Cedar Rapids, Iowa, United States of America
Date
Mar 15, 1942
Page
1
The piece argues that wartime production obstacles reflect a shift in official stance toward urgency. It criticizes selfishness among organized groups and calls for unified national effort, noting pressure from White House on labor aims and debates over a 40 hour work week and premium pay. It warns complacency risks and urges concrete, collective action.
Australian defense reports say Japanese bombers raided islands 30 miles north east of the continent near Thursday Island in a possible prelude to an invasion. Attacks focus on Torres Strait routes to Port Moresby as Japanese forces push toward northern garrisons.
United Nations airmen reported a Saturday night raid on Rabaul, New Britain, targeting parked enemy planes and personnel. Official accounts described a direct hit on grounded aircraft and destruction of others, with fiery wreckage reported at the big airdrome.
Cedar Rapids reports John J. Avery 22, boatswain's mate aboard the destroyer Pope, is missing after the Pope sank in the Battle of Java. Avery, a native of Vinton, lived with his father Lucas Avery and siblings Mrs. Kenneth Shirley Mrs. Leon Byam and Harry. mother died recently. Howard serves in the army at Fort Leonard Wood. Avery enlisted after graduating from Vinton High School at age 18.
George P. McNear Jr president of the Toledo Peoria and Western asks the War Labor board to arrange for enforcement of law and order or government operation of the 239 mile freight line for the war period. He replies to the WLB appeal for arbitration of a 76 day strike by enginemen firemen and trainmen.
The Interstate Commerce Commission directed railroads connected with the Toledo Peoria and Western to reroute traffic around the line due to a strike.
Eight year old Mary Ann Younce, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. George Younce, suffered a broken left leg when a delivery truck driver started from a store driveway without seeing her sitting on the running board. She was taken home and later examined at Mercy hospital where X rays showed both leg bones broken. She was reported in good condition Saturday night.
Vice President Henry Wallace warned that the Axis would launch a last desperate summer offensive in 1942. He urged industrial ramp up to win a better peace, praising farm output and U S production gains and crediting Roosevelt with naval expansion and power development.
President Hancher says the university will not teach cadets or run classes for them. About 300 cadets are expected in the first contingent with up to ~2,000 later, space ready by April 9. Enrollment drop since 1941 is 8.3 percent, and emphasis is on using existing courses like astronomy for navigation and mathematics.
Bern reports Adolf Hitler ordered anti air batteries at Breslau to shoot down Werner Moelders following a quarrel over Nazi brutality. Moelders 115 enemy planes credited, returned Knight’s Cross in protest before perishing in a Breslau transport flight.
Washington AP reports the split between President Roosevelt and John L. Lewis blamed on the administration failing to pass a mine inspection bill in the first two Roosevelt terms. An editorial in District 50 News says the bill was the only reward Lewis expected for backing Roosevelt's second campaign. The UMW had funded over a half million for the campaign. the bill did not pass until Roosevelt's third term after Lewis backed Wendell Willkie.
Cedar Rapids saw mild Saturday temperatures with a high of 46 degrees at 3:30 pm, down to 44 by 6:15 pm and 38 after a brief shower by 11 pm. Downtown shoppers enjoyed the pleasant weather despite overcast skies as weekend forecast remained mild. total precipitation was .08 inch.
The Office of Civilian Defense physical fitness division was transferred to the Office of Defense Health and Welfare Services by presidential order. Paul C. McNutt and James M. Landis announced the move, noting budgetary freezes and no funds allocated to continue the division's activities.
New York AP report states the United States will offer aviation courses in elementary and secondary schools to build pre flight training for youth. Assistant Secretary Hinckley says the program aims to counter Germany by expanding to 45,000 students yearly beginning next September.
Five Pennsylvania railroad freight cars plunged over an embankment in Darby Pennsylvania injuring at least two people and blocking traffic on the Philadelphia Washington main line. No further details were immediately available.
Havana reports the Colabee torpedoed off the Cuban coast with 38 lost and one survivor rescued by a tanker at Matanzas. Norfolk witnesses say a U S freighter with 20 crew perished after a submarine torpedo attack. seven survived. Survivors say the ship sank in two minutes. Captain Nicholas Manolis of Brooklyn recounted the desperate escape and raft rescue.
Twenty survivors of the 5,104 ton Cardonia tell how a smoke screen kept the merchant ship afloat for over an hour as a submarine fired torpedoes and shells in a moonlit Caribbean chase. Sailor W C Ray of Galveston recalls the gunners eating smoke in the attack.
President Roosevelt and Navy officials awarded 62 medals and 272 letters of commendation to Pearl Harbor and Wake Island heroes. Fourteen medals were posthumous including Rear Admiral Isaac C Kidd and Capt. Mervyn Bennion. Three women earned commendations for bravery. Lieutenant Dickenson received the Navy Cross with gold star after his plane was shot down and he manned another aircraft.
Washington observers say sugar rationing probably will not take effect until next month. The War Production Board faces delays in fixing quotas and registering individual users, with March end as an initial target. Official Bowman notes possible liberalizing quotas if conditions improve, but shortages linger due to alcohol plant conversions, sugar supply gains, and shipping changes.
James Ogden of the War Production Board priorities section will increase Cedar Rapids visits to weekly meetings at the Chamber of Commerce starting this week. The move follows a Chamber request and aims to aid local manufacturers, wholesalers, retailers, and industrialists with priorities problems amid the war effort.
The War Production Board ordered a 20 percent cut in gasoline deliveries to filling stations in the eastern seaboard and Pacific Northwest as a step toward rationing. The rule limits stations to 12 hours daily and 72 hours weekly, directing prioritization for essential users.
London based Moss cow radio reports that all French warships at North African ports are to return to Toulon on the Mediterranean coast. The Soviets say the move aims to allow German personnel at Toulon to practice with French ships and weapons to gain familiarity.
London AP dispatch says Free French HQ received word of serious mutinies by German occupation troops in Chalon sur Saone Dijon Cosne Manche department. Also reports soldiers in Dax and Arcachon along the coast shot some of their officers.
We want people to find what they are looking for at NewspaperArchive. We are confident that we have the newspapers that will increase the value of your family history or other historical research. With our 7-day free trial, you can view the documents you find for free.
People find the most success using advanced search. Try plugging in keywords, names, dates, and locations, and get matched with results from the entire collection of newspapers at NewspaperArchive!
You can also successfully find newspapers by these browse options. Explore our archives on your own!
Browse by location and discover newspapers from all across the world.
Browse by date and find publications for a specific day or era.
Browse old newspaper publications to find specific newspapers.