Served By Leased Wire Of The ^ ^ — -- associatedPBESS ♦ I baaIaa,-A.ii . . . ^ HEMEMBER 1 mcSK.. tlttttttllTJ Ttt lllUtttrt PEARl HARBOR Slate and National News ^ ^ V ^ ^ AND BATAAN VOI^— 7fi NO.70---. ___WILMINGTON, N. C., SATURDAY. NOVEMBER 14. 1942 FINAL EDITION ESTABLISHED 1867. Hitler Sends Troops Racing Across France Alarmed b> the Allied offensive in. North Africa (2), Adolf Hitler scrapped his armistice with Vichy Nov. 11 and sent.German troops hurrying southward across (1) unoccupied France toward Toulon and Marseille, vital French ports on the Mediterranean coast. Meanwhile, he launched Axis paracliuitists and air-borne infantry into French Tunisia (3b Italian marines were reported to have occupied Bizerte (black cross), line of the principal ports of Tunisia. Hitler claimed he acted to defend France against Al lied attack. He charged that United Nations forces intended to attack Corsica (broken arrow) and then invade France. In themean time, U. S. forces streaked toward Libya from Algiers (black arrow) to cut off Gen. Rommel's shattered army. Cicliy French forces at Casablanca (A) ceased fighting with U. S forces and asked for an armistice. At the same time, the British Eighth Army continued to pursue Axis remnants across theLibyan desert (B). Americans Taking Offensive In Solomons And New Guinea - 4'_ _ Or - Battered Nipponese Army Fleeing Down Buna Trail Toward Allies GENERAL IVIacARTHUR’S HEADQUARTERS, Australia, Nov. i/Pi—A. battered Japanese army on New Guinea was fleeing down the Buna Trail today, running {com pursuing Australian forces and toward an American position, strategically placed southeast of Buna. American patrols fanned out through the jungle, seeking con tact. out none reported sighting the Japanese. One of them, headed by Lieut. Frank Licher of Beloit, Wis... was in the bush for thr' C. S. Weather Bureau) neteorological data for the 24 hours n§ 7:30 p. m., yesterday: . Temperature: 5-' »• «: 7:30 a. m. 50; 1:30 D. m ■; 1.30 p. m. 61; maximum 70; minimum mean 58; normal 57. , , Humidity: , - f a. m. 55; 7:30 a. m. 51; 1:30 p. m “■ 7:30 P. m. 40. T . Precipitation: t „ „10r the 24 hours ending 7:3( ,‘j" 6-00 inches; total since the firsl j 1 le month, 0.10 inches. lt TIDES FOR TODAY; U. ,he Tide Tables published bj ' Coast and Geodetic Survey): V, : „ High Low “mington -2:05a 9 17: , 2:43p 9:57l ifsonboro Indet _ __a 6:04: , 12 :38p 0 -55l 0:6 s Inlet _ a 6:09l W t 12:43p 7:001 Topsail Inlet_ .a 6:14: We M „- 12:48p 1:05i e ®:44a* sunset 5:09p; moonrisc op: moonset 11 ;30p. Cape Fear river stage at Fayette ’"e on Friday, at 6 a m., 9.72 feet. 'Continued en Page Two; Col. 3) ROOSEVELT SIGNS YOUTH DRAFT BILL Orders A Study With View Toward Resuming School ing After War WASHINGTON, Nov. 13.— W — President Roosevelt tonight signed the ’teen-age draft bill, and in a statement said he had ordered a study with a view to enabling the 18- and 19-year-olds called to serv ice to resume their schooling and training after the war. The President also promised to announce ir the near future a plan to utilize during the war the fa cilities of certain colleges and uni versities for the training of a lim ited number of men for “highly specialized duties” in the armed forces. “These men,” the President said "will be selected solely on the basis of their ability and without regard to whether or not they are now in college or whether they could otherwise afford to go to college.” In signing the bill, final action on which was taken only yes terday by the Senate, the Presi dent said: “The time has now come when the successful prosecution of the war requires that we call to the colors the men of 18 and 19. Many have already volunteered. Others have been eagerly awaiting the call. All are ready and anxious to serve. JLJie civilian wicio w men will be interrupted, as have the careers of most of their se niors.” Large numbers about to enter the armed services will come from schools and colleges. The vocational and technical train ing which the armed services now offer to many will stand them in good stead. “I am causing a study to be made by a committee of educa tors, under the auspices of the War and Navy departments, for the taking of steps to enable the young men whose education has been interrupted to resume their schooling and afford equal oppor tunity for the training and educa tion of other young men of ability after their service in the armed services has come to an end. “Some useful action along this line was improvised at the end (Continued on Page Two; Col. 6) 30 Large Enemy Planes And 30 Landing Craft Destroyed On Island WASHINGTON, Nov. 13—— Lashing out at the Japanese on Guadalcanal in the Solomons, a powerful United States sea * air force has annihilated 30 enemy planes, destroyed 30 large land ing boats, silenced a number of shore batteries and started large fires on the island, a Navy com munique revealed today. The U. S. heavy cruiser San Francisco, which took part in the attack, was slightly damaged and 30 of her men killed when a flam ing Japanese plane plummeted on to her deck, the communique add ed, while the U. S. Destroyer Bu chanan was damaged by a shell from an enemy shore battery which killed five of her crew. The two ships, with an unspeci fied number of others, were en gaged at the time in lending the aid of their guns to the westward drive of the Army and Marine Corps troops on Guadalcanal. Proceeding in the dark of night to a point westward of the Ameri can land positions, the potent sea force opened a terrific bombard ment at the crack of dawn Thurs day (late Wednesday afternoon here) and kept it up for hours. They were still pouring shells at the Japanese at 2:15 p.m., when the bombardment was interrupted by a Japanese air attack. Fighter-escorted Japanese torpe-1 do bombers launched an assault on the ships, but 28 intercepting Navy Grumman Wildcats shot down 16 bombers and five of the Japanese Zero fighters, while the ships’ anti-aircraft gunners brought down nine more of the attacking planes. Only one of the entire for mation of 31 Japanese aircraft es caped. 11 Wdk) UUlliXg L1XJ& JLX£XXL LI Id L unc of the enemy planes, disabled and burning, crashed on the busy decls of the San Francisco. The Bucha nan was hit by a five-inch shell from a Japanese shore battery during the long bombardment. The Navy communique said these were the only American ves sels damaged during the Solomons action, in which several Japanese artillery batteries were knocked out of commission, large fires started, and' the 30 enemy landing boats destroyed in a concentration of 75 found at Tassafaronga, about (Continued on Page Two; Col. 8) Many Changes Slated * For Schools In County H. M. Roland, superintendent of schools, announced late yesterday afternoon that the new Sunset Park school is now complete ex cept for the installation of radi ators and the motor for the fur nace room. “This will be welcome news to over 500 pupils,” Mr. Roland said. The students who live in the Maffitt homes, units built for ship yard workers and their families, will refill the old Sunset Park school, immediately upon the transfer of the students now in that school over to the new build ing. The old Sunset Park school, a six-room building, which has housed over 500 pupils, will not be able to hold all of the students coming from the Maffitt homes, Mr. Roland stated. “We hope,” he said, “to find places for the overflow through transportation into Wilmington, in the Tileston, the William Hooper, and Lake For est schools. Most of the schools in the coun ty, Mr. Roland continued, now al ready have an enrollment of over 40 students for each teacher. The Chestnut Street school is (Continued on Page Two; Col. —A 4,000-ton freighter floated in San Ifrancisco bay today 80 hours! after her keel was laid, smashing all records for speedy ship con struction. She was the Samuel Very, float ed in the graving dock of the Pa cific Fridge Company at Almeda. “We can do it again anytime all the materials are available,” com mented E. J. Fallon, general mana ger of the shipbuilding division of the company. “It’s all a question of the availability of supplies and la-f bor.” ——-4 French Fleet Reported En Route To Join Allies Unconfirmed reports from Vichy say the French fleet set out from Toulon, on the southern coast of France, to join forces with the United Nations after Adolf Hitler sent German troops hurrying across unoccupied France toward the Mediterranean coast. This picture shows ships of the French fleet in maneuvers. Stalingrad Defenders Beat Off Nazi Drives W MOSCOW, Saturday, Nov. 14.— iff)— Russian defenders of Stalin grad beat off new German drives which in limited sectors developed into fighting of great intensity yes terday, the Russians announced to day. In the regions of Nalchik and Tuapse the Germans attempted thrusts into the deep Russian de fenses, but were repulsed with heavy losses, the midnight com munique said. While the fighting was intense ports emphasized that the German drives were on a greatly reduced scale. The communique, spoke of engagements, involving hundreds, in comparison to the tens of thou sands participating in the combat in recent weeks. Cold was becoming more in tense. Behind the consolidated Russian positions the Volga was clogged with ice. In a factory area of Stalingrad 150 Germans were killed in one futile rush today, the communique stated. A group of 12 men re pulsed three assaults by a com pany of Germans. Southeast of Nalchik on the ap proaches to the Georgian military highway across the high moun tains, the Russians were grasping Cor the initiative after taking two villages. The retreating Germans were hampered by roads turned into quagmires by heavy rain. A front line dispatch said they were forced to burn many stalled ve hicles (The Germans said that Russian attacks in the Western Caucasus were repulsed, that a German tank unit cut off in the Nachik area fought its way back to the. main army with prisoners, a n d that Russian counter-attacks south of Stalingrad were beaten back.) Northeast of Tuapse in the Black Sea region, small groups of Germans tried to develop attacks, which the Russians said were beat en off. The Black Sea air fleet struck spectacularly behind German lines at an airdrome near the ruined Maikop oil field destroying 13 Ger man planes and damaging ten oth ers. Bombers attacked the field for 50 minutes and then the Storm (Continued on Page Two; Col. 1) HOSPITAL WORK CONTRACT MADE Fowler-Jones Construction Company To Expand Existing Facilities The board of managers of the James Walker Memorial hospital awarded the construction contract for the building of a new hospital addition, to the Fowler-Jones Con struction company of Winston-Sa lem, according to W. A. Camp bell. attorney for the hospital in the contract awarding. The plumbing and heating con tract was awarded to the firm of J. R. Bagwell of Durham. Both contract awards are sub ject to the approval of the Rich mond regional office of the Fed eral Works Agency. Mr. Campbell stated last night that the cost of the total project, including all estimated necessary furnishings and equipment was $530,000.00.' Fifteen bids were submitted on the project, which is designed to increase ward, operating room, clinic, and resttaqrant facilities of the hospital. The War Production Board has not yet awarded a priority rating for the proposed expansion, but the application for rating has been made. PLANE CRASH : NEW BERN, Nov. 13 — It i was reported late tonight that an Army plane crashed four miles southwest of here and burned. According to unofficial reports, five men were killed and another seriously injured. Residents of the area said that the plane circled around the section several times, apparent ly out of gasoline and in search of the local airport. Further information was not available, pending official con firmation from Army authori ties. NAZIS WATCHING FLEET OF FRANCE German Luftwaffe Keep ing Sharp Eye On Big French Naval Unit LONDON. Nov. 13—I/P)—The main French flet, object of a vital tug-of-war between the Al lied ations and the Axis, still rode at anchor in Toulon harbor today, wreathed in mystery and watched intently from the skies by the German Luftwaffe lest it make a break into the Mediter ranean. The Germans went ahead with their swift occupation of southern France but they stayed pointedly away from the immediate area of Toulon. There was not doubt among naval men, however, that Nazi bombers would attack the in stant it became apparent the pow erful flotilla of 62 ships meant to join the Allied side. r lgniing r reiiun ncctu-^uan-cio here said it had no information whether the fleet had picked its side, but pointed out that is com manding officer, Admiral De La Bord,’ was believed to be loyal to Chief of State Petain, who or dered the ships to remain in port. The mystery was tied in an other knot tonight when the Vichy radio broadcast that Gen. Auguste Nogues, erswhile Vichy com mander in Morocco, had placed himsf/f under orders of Admiral Darlan, who has asked the fleet to come over to the Allies, and that both regarded themselves as fulfilling the mandate of the Mar shal. This may have been, in part, to put pressure on De La Bord to order his ships out of Axis reach and assure him that such a decision would keep the faith with Petain. If it were a matter for the crews, themselves, to decide, the fleet al ready would have steamed out to fight the Axis at the behest of Darlan, erstwhile commander-in chief. It was this pro-ally tendency be low decks on the French ships which was believed to have influ enced Hitler to handle the situ ation cautiously. According to the best informa (Continued on Page Two; Col. 6) Stalin Declares African Drives Have Turned War In Allied Favor By HENRY C. CASIDV Copyrighted, 1942, By The Associated Press MOSCOW, Saturday, Nov. 14.— Joseph Stalin asserted today that the American and British cam paign in Africa had turned the military and political position in Europe radically in favor of the Allies, opening the way for the early collapse of the German and Italian Axis. The Soviet leader praised Amer ican and British leaders as ‘‘first rate organizers” of the African campaign and expressed confi dence that it soon would relieve German pressure on the eastern front. . Ke pledged that the Russian army would carry out its part of the war task with honor. The statements were made in the second exclusive autographed letter by the Russian leader to this correspondent. Stalin in the first letter to me on October 3 said a second front was of paramount importance and declared that All ed aid 10 Russia had been of little effect compared to the Soviet contribution to pros ecution of the war and called on| the Allies to fulfill their obliga tions fully and promptly. I sent a letter to the Kremlin Thursday evening asking the So viet view of the new situation since the American landings in French North Africa and the Brit ish victory in Egypt. Stalin’s reply reflecting the So viet appreciation of the campaign was handed to me Friday at mid night by Nikolai Palgunov, chiei of the press department of the foreign commissariat. The text of Stalin’s, letter in its (Continued on Paje Two; Col. 3) ■4 TOBRUK OCCUPIED Montgomery Says Enemy Completely Smashed; Rommel Pounded FRONTIER IS CROSSED British Troops Reported To Have Passed Alge rian-Tunisian Border LONDON, Saturday, Nov. 14.—(/P) — French Tunisian garrisons were reported fighting German tanks and parachutists in Tunis early today as dispatches said Al lied troops had swept across that Protectorate’s western frontier amid appeals by Vice-Admiral Jean Darlan for all Frenchmen to lay down their arms and join the Al lies. Far to the east in Libya the British Eighth Army rolled on after occuping To bruk without opposition, and Marshal Rommel’s fleeing remnants were being pounded by Allied airmen already op erating from captured Liby an air fields. A dispatch trom Aiueu headquarters in North Afri ca told of the French Tunis ian uprising aganst the Ger mans who were said to be trying desperately to control the capital of Tunis. Nazi parachute troops were said to be in control of an airport outside the capital. Information Conflicting This information conflicted slightly with an aerlier RAF re port that said six Italian trans port planes carrying Nazi troops north across the Mediterranean had been shot down. The RAF had deduced that the Germans were leaving their infiltrated Tunisian positions, but it was also possible that the destroyed planes were flying from Tripoli or some other point in Libya rather than from Tunisia. A Reuters dispatch from Tan gier said that British troops had crossed the Algerian-Tunislan frontier in the speedy effort to close all North Africa to the Axis. Allied headquarters opinion was said to be reserved on the pros pect of the Tunisian Frenchmen (Cintinued on Page Two; Col. 4) HOPE IS RENEWED FOR MISSING ACE One Of Captain Ricken backer’s Flying Comrades Found In Pacific WASHINGTON, Nov. 12. — (JP)— Surface ships and long-range planes combed a wide South Pacific area today with renewed hope that they might find Captain Eddie Ricken backer, famous world-war flier, missing since he reported rapidly dwindling fuel supplies on October 21. One of his comrades, Captain William T. Cherry, Jr., of Abiline, Texas, has been found on a life raft, and the War Department said hopefully, it is “believed possible that other survivors maye be on life . rafts in the same general vicinity.” Cherry, the department reported, although weakened by about three weeks exposure to sun and sea, is “in good condition.” He was the pi lot of the Rickenbaeker plane. An intensive search was begun immediately upon receipt of word that Cherry had been picked up. Planes were sent to the area. Army aircraft and surface vessels en (Continued on Page Six; Col. li NOTICE The Star-News Circula tion Department is open Sundays from 7 to 10 a. m. If you fail to receive your paper, phone 3311 before 10 and one will be sent to you by special messanger. After 10 o’clock, the de partment is closed. ---- /&■