REMEMBER PEARL _HARBOR ESTABLISHED 1867. MIT SUBMARINE SHELLS CALIFORNIA COAST (jfcr’s fire fsty costs real S'“« &'r£WS Wwt the low S,mdNews department Mur<“hison Bldg, 3311 SIXTEEN MISSING AS TUG RAMS BRIDGE • I Thirteen men and three women, many of whom were trapped in their bunks when the Ohio river tugboat G. W. McBride struck a bridge pier, at Newport, Ky., were listed as missing and feared lost. The tug, shown here as she rested against the bridge pier of the Louisville-Nashville railroad bridge, was pushing four heavily laden coal barges toward Cincinnati when she swung sideways and struck the bridge. Only five crew members were known to have escaped. Reds Move Within 50 Miles Of Smolensk In New Drive T Full-Scale Central Front Attack Menaces Nazi Winter Headquarters By EDDY GILMORE MOSCOW, Tuesday, Feb. 24.—UP) —Soviet forces have driven to with in 50 miles of the German winter headquarters at Smolensk in a full scale central front attack which started yesterday morning, the Russians announced today. The Soviet information bureau said the spearhead of this drive had reached Dorogobush, northeast of Smolensk on the Sozh river. This town lies about 15 miles south of the main Smolensk-Moscow rail road and is the terminus of a con necting branch line. Dorogobuzh also is beyond Vyaz ma, one of the key Nazi winter defense pivots. The midnight communique which told of stubborn battles in this area said that in addition to Dorogo buzh, a number of other populated centers were liberated. Heavy Aerial Fighting Heavy aerial fighting accompa nied the Russian advance and the official announcement said that yesterday 28 German planes were destroyed, eight of them on the ground. Twelve Soviet planes were acknowledged lost. Elaborating on the information bureau’s communique, a radio an nouncement said the full-scale as sault toward Smolensk included tank squadrons and masses of in fantry. Throughout Sunday, it added, So viet troops were massed for the attack while heavy artillery laid down a massive barrage against the Germans in preparation for the zero hour at dawn yesterday. The springing of the central at tack followed reports that large reserves have been moving up (Continued on Page Three; Col. 8) Draft Dodger Changes His Mind, Registers CHICAGO, Feb. 23. — f/P) — Davit! Nyvall, Jr., changed his mind today and registered for selective service. The 20-year-obl art student was arrested last Monday on a charge of violating the draft law. Pleading guilty, he said he had refused to register because he had no grudges against the Japanese and “didn’t want to kill anybody.” His father de clined to post bond and chose to let him sit in jail and think things over. Today, the youth filled out his registration card in the office of the_United States marshal and then returned to jail. He is to appear in court March 9, when probation investigators will hand a report on his case to Federal Judge William J. Campbell. __ SHIP TORPEDOED OFF CUBAN COAST Vessel Reported Enroute To U. S. With Cargo Of Sugar HAVANA, Feb. 23.—>—1The Cuban naval chief announced to night that the freighter Cofresi of 5.000 to 6,000 tons was torpedoed off the south coast of Cuba while enroute to the United States with 50.000 bags of Cuban sugar. Commodore Julio Diez Arguelles, who made the announcement after conferring in the presidential pal ace with President Fulgencio Ba tista, said the nationality of the vessel was unknown to him. It is not listed in Lloyds’ register of shipping. Army May Draft Fewer From Farm Labor Ranks _- * WASHINGTON, Feb. 23.—UP)— About 70 per cent of all Selective Service registrants classified so far have been deferred, Brig. Gen. Lewis B. Hershey reported today, but that percentage is expected to drop sharply as a result of the Army’s recent relaxation of stand ards for teeth and eyesight. The Selective Service director, however, made plain that the sup ply of essential civilian workers, such as farm laborers, should not be depleted by the draft. Ques tioned by the House Agriculture committee in a study of a threat ened farm labor shortage, he said that many farm boys were reluc tant to seek deferment lest they be thought unpatriotic. “One of the hardest men you have to convince that he is a spe cialist is the farmer,” Hershey de clared. “Farmers are patriotic. They don’t try to get exemptions.” He added that the problem was one for local draft boards to handle and suggested that their agricul ture members be more active in opposing 1-A classifications for es sential farm workers. Rep. Flannaghan (D.-Va.) told Hershey that the country “is get ting fed up on suggestions” and “would appreciate it if you would assert your authority and tell some of the draft boards where to head in.” Rep. Gilchrist (R.-Iowa) report ed that he had received proposals that uniforms be supplied to boys defered as farm workers “so the people will know they are working for the country.” Rep. C'real (D.-Ky.) warned that the food production program would bog down next year unless some (Contlnued on Page Three; Col. 7) SHUTDOWNS SLOW DEFENSE EFFORTS Numerous Plants Closed By Wage Disputes Or Oth er Difficulties (By The Associated Press) Approximately 17,000 workmen remained away from their ma chines on the West Coast yester day. The shutdown occurred only in small plants around San Francisco bay, at Seattle, 'Wash., and Port land, Ore. The big plants engaged in manufacturing warplanes and ships kept operating because labor contracts—crux of the situation in smaller factories—covered holiday work. Employers of labor in the small plants said they could not pay the double time called for in AFL con tracts while union leaders said they could not ask their men to work for less. In Berkeley, Calif., the 550 em ployes of the Hall Scott Motor com pany worked and turned over their day’s wages of time and one-half to the Navy Relief society. Gener al manager Robert P. Palmgren said the employes suggested it. The company makes Marine en gins for Britain. The holiday was marked by another labor dispute in San Pedro, Calif., where nearly 3,500 CIO workers walked out of the Bethle hem shipbuilding Corp. yards in protest, their spokesman said, against a 10-hour day initiated Feb. 12. The action was taken at the end cf eight hours “to bring the com pany to terms,” the spokesman said, adding that the night shift, which Started at 5:30 p. m., would (Continued on Page Three; Col. 3) WEATHER FORECAST North Carolina: Rain, mixed with snow in the mountains, not much change in temperature except coider extreme west portion Tuesday. South Carolina: Rain, not much change in temperature Tuesday* (Meteorological data for the 24 hours ending 7:30 p. m. yesterday.) By U. S. Weather Bureau) Temperature 1:30 a. m. 40; maximum 52. 7:30 a. m. 34; minimum 32. 1:30 p. m. 52; mean 42. 7:30 p. m. 46; normal 49. Humidity 1:30 a. m. 57. 7:30 a. m. 69. 1:30 p. m. 32. 7:30 p. m. 54. Precipitation Total for the 24 hours ending 7:30 p. m. 0.00 inches. Total since the first of the month 2.14 inches. Tides (From Tide Tables Published By U. S. Coast and eGodetic Survey) High Low Wilmington - 4:28a 11:54a 4:53p - Masonboro Inlet_ 2:07a 8:36a 2:35p 8:51p Sunrise: 6:47a. Sunset: 6:03p. Moonrise: 12:35p. Moonset: 1:55a. (Continued on Page Three; Col. 4) ROOSEVELT DECLARES ALLIES WILL SOON TAKE OFFENSIVE AND DRIVE ON TO VICTORY • v U. S. Bombers Destroy Nine Jap Warships Twenty-Four Others Re ported Damaged In Fight ing Since January 1 48 PLANES WRECKED MacArthur Victor In Phil ippine Campaign; Lull Gives Troops Respite WASHINGTON, Feb. 23.— UP) — The score of American warplanes fighting in The Netherlands Indies was placed by the War department today at nine or more Japanese ships sunk, 24 damaged, and 48 enemy planes destroyed since Jan uary 1. To this toll, six medium Jap bombers were believed added to day as a result of a raid on a Jap anese-held airdrome at Denpasar on the island of Bali. A formtion cf Flying Fortress bombers exe cuted this raid scoring several di rect hits and returning to their home bases unscathed. The summary of losses inflicted on the foe was given in a com munique which said it represented incomplete estimates. Officials said it excluded full returns from the air and sea battle of Bali and all blows dealt by the Navy and by forces of other United Nations. U. S. Losses Not Listed American losses were not listed, but the War Department had re ported in previous communiques the destruction of four heavy, long range American bombers. Two of these were downed in an air battle over Menado, Celebes, cn January 19 in which nine Japanese fighter planes were sent crashing. Two others were marked off in the sub >— This is the last generation of earth bound men. The next one will have wings. Technology will be its ser vant and it will think differently than the ordinary grownups of to day. Even young children might be taught the elements of parachute operation. High school students will go on to the science of aeronautics This country will have specialists by the million. All this is plainly foreshadowed, by the awakening of America to its needs in the face of danger. “This change,” said Dr. Alexan der J. Stoddard, Philadelphia sup erintendent of schools,” began sev eral years ago in many parts of the world, but we, along with some of our neighbors, resisted it and refused to recognize its coming. ‘