FORECAST I REMEMBER rfiness and ‘ continued cold today PEARL HARBOR occ.aon.1 light rain. JJ|]| BATAAN _ WILMINGTON, N. C., MONDAY, DECEMBER 4, 1944__FINAL EDITION Snow Blocks Road, Breaks Trees In New York This fairyland scene was left at Cortland, N. Y., by a heavy snow and wind storm which felled trees oss the road and piled up snow to a depth of two feet. (AP wirephoto). Admiral Byrd Lauds GI*s In Urging WarProduction LONDON, Dec. 3. — (A*) — Rear Admiral Richard E. Bvrd, Polar explorer who staked America’s claim in the Ant arctic. broke a long self-imposed public silence today to pay document lists AVIATION_PLANS Result Of Conference De clared Not All That Was Expected CHICAGO, Dec. 3.—(J)—The In ternational Civil Aviation Confer ence made public today a docu ment which brings together the main body of its work begun No vember 1. Entitled a “Proposed Convention on International Aviation," the 49-page paper represents the sum of achievements on which pre sumably all of the 54 nations rep resented here can agree. Hie result is not all that some had hoped for when they came to Chicago but it represents a tre mendous step in the direction of eventual complete cooperation for regulating the movements of com mercial aircraft. in some respecis ine acineve sient is more than the United States had outlined in the agenda. But in one fundamental principle it falls far short of American hopes—the effort to obtain univer sal acceptance of open skies—a simple set of rules permitting all to fly so long as they played the lame fairly. It was an attempt !o extend the American principle of free competition to air trans port routes around the world. The open sky formula is not Witten into the main document. Instead it will come out in two separate documents, available for signature by those states willing '•3 exchange t! ese rights with oth (r signatories. ^iie of these is the so-called 'h'o freedoms” which means the ™t to fly peacefully across an ofher nation’s territory and to ron-commerccial stops. The fhEr!? thy "five freedoms” docu r'tfered by the United States -.rich includes the first two and ~addition ‘he right to carry home =“:e outbound and inbound, and ~jhe most disputed of all points “rp ‘fif,n freedom” which would Perm-.t one country to carry air ,®c between two other coun ties. means that the air will be -EE only above the territories of countries agreeing to a mu j'yCxchange, and will leave blocs air which can be opened only ■ direct negotiations. -V DEATH TOLL rises ■ Another Dies From Auto "reck Near Morganton ttORGANTON, Dec. 3.— victim dying later, . to urge on their behalf full pro duction support by the folks back home for a war “a helluva way from finished.” His appeal answered the specu lation, “where’s Byrd; back at the South Pole?” for he turned up, in stead, on the European battlefront where he is making a study of how the tactical air forces support the fighting ground troops. This may be helpful in the Pacific theater where the admiral twice has been on aviation duty. “This is the time of all times for the home front to back up the bat tlefront,” Byrd said in a statement upon returning from the front lines to London near the end of his pres ent mission. “The doughboys’ spirit jg magni ficent.” Navy man Byrd, looking fit de spite the rigors of his polar ex plorations, learned about army life the hard way during his inqui ry. He talked with all ranks during his stay, from generals to privates and for days sloshed around'in the mud at the battle front. “I know what cold is and believe me it is cold up there,” he said. -V IS PERSONS KILLED AND 148 WOUNDED IN GREEK RIOTING ATHENS, Dec. 3. — (JPi— Greek police fired on a crowd of left wing EAM demonstrations in this capital today—killing 15 and wound ing 148 persons by EAM account —and a pitched battle broke out in an Athens suburb between Royal ists and EAM army members. (Prime Ministei George Papan dreou in a broadcast to the Greek nation, heard in London by the As sociated Press, charged "leaders of the extreme left are preparing the way to civil war.") The crowd of EAM sympathizers turned back to police guns this morning in constitution square in cluded women and children. A crowd was demonstrating against Papandreou’s orders that all guerrillas be disarmed and dis banded. In a suburb in the shadow of the Acropolis, Royalists and men of the Eias—the EAM’s army — battled openly, and tha conflict had lasted five hours by tonight. This battle was a new flareup oi long-drawn-out hostilities, and the reason for the latest Elas attach may be found in the fact (several words censored) who were respon sible for turning over British Ster guns to the Athens civil police whe opened fire n the demonstrator; this morning._ CONGRESS FACES WEEK OF F TS Social Security Tax In crease Expected To Bring Battle WASHINGTON, Dec. 3.— UP) — This is the week the 78th Congress expected to close its books for 1 keeps—but won’t. Instead, it runs head on into a legislative docket containing the makings of a first-class fight with the White House and bulging with enough business to keep the ‘‘lame duck” session here for at least a wpek longer than its leaders had planned. The fireworks are packaged in a brief bill holding at one per cent the employer and employe Social Security tax, scheduled to rise to two per cent on January 1 unless Congress freezes it at the present rate for the fourth time. Despite predictions of a Presi dential vet , the House plans to pass the bill Wednesday'after de bating it Tuesday. Prompt Senate approval is expected by backers of the legislation. VV line LUIU1UC111 U1 CUUUgll VUICO to shove the measure through both branches, the bill’s proponents aren’t so certain they can override a veto. Should the legislation clear the House Wednesday as planned, it will be followed by an overall sup plemental appropriation bill, a measure authorizing the appoint ment of four five-star admirals and four five-star generals, and a reso lution urging that Palestine be opened for development as a na tional home for Jews. (Continued on Page Two; Col. 8) -V 27 Degree Temperature Finds City Shivering In Winter s Icy Grip It was cold in Wilmington yes terday The Weather Bureau’s 24-hour summary disclosed that the lowest temperature was 27 degrees at 7:30 a. m. Sunday (there were many early risers who might want a bet that it was lower). By noon, the mercury had struggled up to 39 degrees but the effort proved too much; it quickly slipped back to 35 degrees at 7:30 p. m. (taking the easy way out.) During the day, bursted auto ra diators were in evidence and more than one property owner was cha grined to discover ruined plumb ing with the prospect of repairs slight under war time rationing. And by the way, the Weather Bureau offers this chilling bit of news—today will be cloudy and continued cold. I We repeat—it was cold in Wil mington yesterday. New Post For Wallace Has Capital Guessing WASHINGTON, Dec. 3. — UPI — The location of Henry A. Wallace’s next seat-if any-at the Adminis tiation table, ranks high in the Capital’s perennial political guess He will relinquish the Vice-Presi dency January 30 to Senator Harry A Truman of Missouri. Friends represent him as saying made no rlans for an official future. ' Although Wallace campaigned ac tA ely for a fourth term for Presi dent Roosevelt after losing m his ' own bid for renomination, there are strong indications that the pub . licly-expected repayment in the ! form of Federal appointment has ; not materialized even backstage. ; Wallace and the President have - Hiked together several times since [ he election but friends of the for ' mer insist that nothing definite has been said about the Vice Presi dent’s future role! They point out that while Wallace is willing to serve at almost any major post the President might de signate, his private financial situa tion L such that he is no ordinary retiring office holder in need of a job. The earnings of his pioneer Hy brid Corn company, his writing and his interest in ar. Iowa farm paper provide him somewhat more than minimum social security. Most recent speculation has cen tered about the possibility thal Wallace would be given a roving diplomatic assignment. Before Wal lace left on a journey to Siberia and China last spring as the Presi dent’s personal representative, Mr. Roosevelt was reported to have told the vice president he wanted bin assistance *>r. important diplo matic matters in the future. Yanks Break Into Siegfried Line; & okyo Motor Plant Hit By B-29s; P-T Boats Sink 4,000 Ton Vessel . x- __ WAR INDUSTRY LEFT IN RUIN Pilots Report Toughest Op position Over Nippon ese City SAIPAN, Dec. 3—(By Na vy Radio)—(/P)—Saipan bas e d Superfortress bombers, raiding Tokyo’s great Musa shima aircraft factory today on their fourth visit to the Japanese capital, dodged in tense anti-aircraft fire and fought off swarms of fight ers but left industrial areas in flames and ruin. Pilots said this was the toughest Tokyo raid yet but also the most successful, since the target was clearly outlined in sunlight during the hour and a half assault. Second Lt. John W. lid of Rud yard, Mich., copilot of the first plane over the target, saw his bombs touch off several explo sions. Each following wave saw stronger proof of devastation be low, but also had stronger inter ception. An undetermined number of enemy planes were shot down. The attackers flew over thick overcast until the Tokyo area "and then it was clear as a bell for (Continued on Page Two; Col. 6) -V JAPS HELD TESTING BASIC STRATEGY IN U. 5. AID TO CHINA KUMMING, China, Dec. 8.—CP) —The Japanese offensive in south eastern China already has exploit ed certain -weaknesses in the Am erican-Chinese partnership and is testing the basic strategy of Am erican help for China. It is quite possible that the ene my, aiming at least for Kweiyang, will also strike for Kunming and Chungking and will attempt to off set the prospective opening of the Ledo-Burma road from India. The Americans may bo forced to take extraordinary measures to save a tremendous military investment here. The Japanese already have par tially neutralized the value of the Ledo-Burma road by their offen sive against Chinese forces in the southeast, who were ultimately to be equipped with tonnages sent in over that supply link. it is prouame mat tne equipment and training expended on prepar ing the Chinese expeditionary force for the Burma road offensive would have saved southeastern China. Apparently the fundamental er ror in estimating the Chinese mili tary situation was in making the road the first order of business. It now has become obvious that the American airbases in southeastern China were never secure, and the American program never got around to preparing the Chinese to protect them. This elaborate pro gram never passed the paper stage. The order of business called for the supply and equipment of these forces out of tonnages over the Ledo-Burma road. As a result, the Japanese now are consolidating a virtual land link between Manchuria and Indo china, and the U. S. 14th Air Force has lost its bases for its highly successful seasweeps against Jap anese shipping as well as for po tential support of an American landing on the China coast. The Japanese also have improved their defense of their homeland against B-29 raids from China. -V Crisis In Italian Government Marked By Street Fighting ROME, Dec. 3.—(J)—Fistfights between Monarchists and Repub licans marked the beginning to day of the second week of the Italian government crisis, still un solved four days after Crown Prince Umberto asked Premier Ivanoe Bonomi to reform his cab inet. A two-hour free-for-all broke out at the Quiring theatre when Mon archist Leader Enzo Selvaggi spoke on the aims of the “Demo cratic” party, strongest political group backing the monarchy. ! Republicans began chanting “Pescara, Pescara” — the port from which King Vittorio Eman uefe embarked for- southern Italy after the armistice. Fights start ed, and spread to the streets be fore being quelled by city police and mounted Carabinieri. - n British Colonials Capture Kalewa In Strike For Monywa SOUTHEAST ASIA COMMAND IEADQUARTERS, KANDY, Cey on, Dec. 3.—f/P)—British East African troops driving southward hrough the Myittha gorge have :aptured the supply port of Ka ewa on the Chindwin river, 140 miles northwest of Mandalay, Ai ded headquarters announced to 3ay. The communique said other Brit sh forces which had been moving along the west bank of the Chind win had joined the East Africans at Kalewa where the joint force may strike for Monywa, 100 miles down the Chindwin and 40 miles west of Mandalay. Chinese troops in North Burma continued to tighten a noose around 1,000 Japanese troops trapped in Bhamo, 200 miles northeast ol Kalewa and 170 miles northeast of Mandalay. RED ARMIES TAKE TWO NAZI POINTS Soviet Legions Drive To Within 72 Miles Of Austria LONDON, Monday, Dec. 4—(JP) —Three Russian armies yesterday toppled Miskolc and Satoraljauy hely, last big German strongholds northeast of Budapest, pushed closer to the Hungarian capital along the west bank of the Danube and drove to within 72 miles of the Austrian frontier. Marshal Rodion Y. Malinovsky’s Second Ukranian Army stormed tiie great rail center of Miskolc, 85 miles northeast of Budapest, and elements of his troops together with Gen. Ivan Petrov’s Fourth Ukranian Army captured Satoral jaujhely, on the Slovak frontier 45 miles northeast of Miskolc. Marshal Feodor I. Tolbukhin’s Third Ukraine Army, in a five mile advance, captured Dunafol dvar, on the Danube 43 miles south of Budapest, in the drive to take the Hungarian capital from the rear. In the push toward the Austrian frontier Tolbukhin’s troops seized the important rail junction of Ta masi. only 21 miles below Lake Balaton, guardian of the strategic approaches to Austria. Tolbukhin’s smashing success engulfed more than 80 places, in cluding Kaposmero, 5 1-2 miles west of Kaposvar, taken Saturday. Kaposmero • was the closest ap proach to the Austrian frontier, 72 miles beyond, and put the Rus sians within 36 miles of Nagykani zsa, junction of another major Bu dapest-Zagreb railway line. In capturing Tamasi, the Red army scored an advance of more than 11 miles from previously won positions. J.U1UIUVJ.AXX* u ****** *•* steadily expanding front below Lake Balaton, and the capture of Kaposmero and other points far to the northeast gave the Russians a 36-rmle hold on the Budapest-Za gret Trieste railway connecting the German defenders in Budapest with those in Yugoslavia and north Italy. Kemes, 41 miles southeast of Ka posvar, and 18 miles south of Pecs, fell to Tolbukhin’s troops at the lower end of his front moving along the Drava river frontier with Yugoslavia. In addition to capturing Miskolc, Marshal Malinovsky’s troops seiz ed Homrogd, 11 miles to the northeast, and the Soviet commu nique said they captured 21,745 Germans and Hungarians in the fighting from November 8 through last Saturday. Gen. Ivan Petrov’s Fourth Ukrai nian troops, in addition to captur ing Satoraljauhely, increased pres sure on the eastern Slovakia strongpoint of Kassa (Kosice). PATROLS SPAR FOR POSITION Warfare On Leyte Settles Down To Slow Operation GENERAL M’ARTHUR’S HEADQUARTERS, PHILIP PINES, Dec. 4.— (Monday) — (/P)—In action reminiscent of the slow-moving Buna cam paign on New Guinea Ameri can and Jap patrols sparred today for positions on the north end of the Ormoc corri dor of Leyte island while U. S. Naval aircraft slugged it out with the Nipponese in the air and on sea. Again Gen. Douglas MacArthur’s communique reported no ground advances where doughboys are battling both the Japanese in strength and the worst weather ever recorded in Leyte. But on the sea hard-hitting P-T boats dam aged a 4,000-ton vessel off southern Masbate early Friday, the com munique reported. American fighter planes attack ed enemy supply bases at Valen cia, about the middle of the Or moc corridor. Japanese and Americans traded air blows, U. S. heavy bombers dropping 135 tons of explosives on Palawan island, westernmost of the central Philippines. Nipponese planes made light nuisance attacks on American Leyte installations, but there was no damage. In his Sunday communique, Gen. Douglas MacArthur reported, wide spread Yank aerial strikes against Japanesce airdromes and ship ping. Nippon airmen raided Ameri can positions on Carigara bay, north Leyte, and also hit Morotai island, some 300 miles south of the Philippines. (Tokyo continued to claim, with (Continued on Page Two; Col. 2) JAPANESE DRIVE ON TUSHAN AREA IN DEEP ADVANCE CHUNGKING, Dec. 3. — UP) — Japanese troops have attacked Chinese positions seven miles west of Tushan, 75 miles southeast of Kweiyang, in their deepest pene tration of Kweichow province the Chinese high command acknowl edged tonight. Tushan, formerly the terminus of the Kwangsi-Kweichow railroad, is 35 miles inside Kweichow prov inve, and is an important point on the rail line which now runs to Tuyun, about 35 miles north. Earlier a communique from the headquarters of the 14th U. S. Air force announced 100 Japanese had been killed in a strafing attack on Kichang, 90 miles southeast of Kweiyang, capital of Kweichow province and strategic Burma road junction point. The enemy’s last reported posi tion was about 100 miles from Kweiyang. The Chinese high command said 300 enemy troops were killed in a battle near Liuchai, about 95 miles south and east of Kweiyang. The Air Force communique said railroad yards 15 miles north of Nantan, Kwangsi province city 102 miles south of Kweiyang were bombed and that returning pilots reported sighting a large column of Japanese troops south of Tu shan, Kweichow city approximate ly 100 miles southeast of Kwei Xang. Allies Pound Nazis } With 114,700 Tons Of Bombs In Month LONDON, Dec. 3.—UP)—Allied ( warplanes dropped more than 114, 700 tons of bombs on Germany du ring November, the greatest a mount of explosives to hit the Reich in a single month, it was announced today. British-based bombers of the RAF jarred Germany with a rec ord load of 59,000 tons on 19 days and 22 nights of operations in No vember, the biggest winter opera tional month of the war. Fortresses and Liberators of the U. S. Air Force based in Britain flew 16,500 trips on 18 operational days — compared with only 11 days of flying in November, 1934— and ripped Germany with 37,880 tons of explosives. The Eighth Air Force’s biggest bombing month of the war was during the invasion month of June when 60, 000 tons were scattered over both France and Germany. Heavy bombers of the U. S- 15th Air Force stationed in Italy bat tered Germany with an additional 17,820 tons. YANKS STRAFE RUSSIAN UNIT ‘Error In Navigation* Held Responsible For Accident ROME, Dec. 3.— (iP) —American fighter planes swooping over Yugo slavia attacked a Russian column by mistake, headquarters of the Mediterranean Allied Air Force disclosed today. Results of this attack last No vember 7 on an ally were not re vealed. An official headquarters state ment declared the attack was due to an error in target identification through faulty navigation, and said that apologies had been sent to Moscow and to the commander of the Russian forces involved. An official statement said: “Mediterranean Allied Air Force headquarters report that on No vember 7 a squadron of fighters from the U. S. 15th Air Force, en gaged in a strafing mission in Yugoslavia, attacked by mistake a Russian column. “The error was entirely due to a mistake in target identification through faulty navigation. “The incident was promptly re ported by the squadron when de velopment of gun camera film verified the error. “The U. S. joint chiefs of staff from Washington expressed their deep regret to Moscow, and Gen eral Wilson, supreme Allied com mander in the Mediterranean, sent a similar message to the Russian (Continued on Page Two; Col. 1) -V Hitler-Signed Decree Orders Nazi Work Units Into Military Service LONDON, Dec. 3.—MP)—Decree is sued by order of Heinrich Himmler, under the name of the silent Adolt Hitler, today drafted Germany’s labor service corps into military service. The laborers will be given mili tary training in addition to their present duties, said the German radio, adding that “this decree was issued in accordance with Reich fuehrer SS Himmler.” BRITISH ATTACK . IN NETHERLANDS jerman Air Force Sends Up Many Planes To Protect Troops SUPREME HEADQUAR. rERS ALLIED EXPEDI riONARY FORCE, PARIS, Dec. 3.—(A3)—The U. S. Third Army smashed organized re sistance in most of the fac tory city of Saarlautern and broke across the Saar river into the Siegfied Line today as the First Army seized four towns in triple assaults west of Cologne that rolled back the Roer defenses a mile or tyi rvT'ra The tempo of the Allies’ winter offensive rose furiously. The Bri tish Second Army sprang to the attack in eastern Holland with a dawn assault that swept up to 600 yards into the stout Maas river defenses at Venlo, last German bas tion on that front short of th* Reich. Hundreds of American and Bri tish fighterbombers swarmed up in support of the new drives in the north, and the German air forca met the challenge with the biggest show of strength in weeks, sending at least 75 jet-propelled planea against the British. Their Third Army’s 95th Division boldly seized a bridge over the formidable Saar and sent infantry and armored tank destroyers rac ing across in the first attack on this front against the Siegfried line. The Westwall’s big guns opened up on American postions in Saar Lautern, sentinel city of the forti i'.cations guarding the baar s vital war industries, but all organized resistance in the major part of th« city west of the river wilted quick ly, a front report said. Patton’s troops also crossed the Saar frontier at a new point eight miles south of Saarlautern, and ex. panded their hold on the Saar's west bank north of Saarlautern where the Germans burned a vil lage in the first example of scorch ed earth inside the Reich. Inden, Lucherberg, Luchem and Brandenberg fell to the First Ar my, which made an assault cross ing of the Inde river. It was push, ing toward the Roer at three points along a 12-mile front. Lucherberg, a mile southeast oj fhe Inde crossing, two and a hall miles from the Roer, and five miles (Continued on Page Two; Col. Sfc BRITISH ADVANCE TO WITHIN TWO MILES OF RUSSl ROME, Dec. 3.— —British Eighth Army troops advancing through the Po valley on a broad front northeast of Faenza hav* driven to within two miles of Russi, junction city astride th# main Ravenna-Faenza highway, the Allied high command announ® ed today. Supported by more than 2,500 planes of all types and strong tank formations, the British drive start ed yesterday and the German* were forced back toward Russ! between Albereto and the Monton* river. The retreat cost the Ger mans their last foothold^ on th* west bank of the Montone. Th® Allied communique said the Ger mans were trying to establish * line along the Scolo via Culp*, canal just south of Russi. The German news agency DNB in a Berlin broadcast admitted British troops attacking on a larg® scale had succeeded in “pene trating into the German main fighting area,” but said Nazi counterattacks had forced th* British to withdraw. Clear skies over the Italian bat tle front afforded the Allied aif force ideal flying weather and th* pilots had their biggest day is three months. NAZI CRUISER SUNK Danes Report Ship Rammed By Battleship Luetzow STOCKHOLM. Dec. 3. — m The German 6.000-ton cruiser Leip zig was rammed amidships and sunk by the German pocket battle ship Luetzow two weeks ago in a northern German port, the Danish free press service said tonight. Forty-three sailors were killed and the lO.OOOton Luetzow will be laid up indefinitely with a badly damaged prow, the Danish agency reported. H. Nazi Dread Of American Artillery Told In Diary WITH AN AMERICAN INFAN TRY OUTFIT IN GERMANY, Dec. 3.—(iP)—The deep and almost un reasoning terror Germans have for American artillery, which is by far the most awesome weapon on the Western Front, was illustrated today in a diary taken from a cap tured Nazi medical aid man. Here is what he said: “The first light shows in the east. The hour is approaching. We expect the ‘Ami’ (Jerry slang for Americans) to attack at 7:30 a. m. Then our fate will be decided. It is Sunday; my God, today is Sunday. The edge of our forest gets a bar rage. The earth trembles, concus sion takes away my breath. To our left machineguns begin and here come the Ami. “Now Ami artillery ceases and Ami tank guns are firing like mad. ‘But Ami infantry takes cover, the attack slows down. It is stop ped. Unbelievable. Now we move forward to counterattack. Can t go far though. Our people are drop ping like tired flies. Slowly Ami artillery begins. It is going again. Drumming, drumming, drumming without letup. “Our people are overtired. When the Ami really attacks again then he has got to break through. I can’t believe that this land can be held any longer. Some of our boys have run away but we are going to fight. “Now Ami artillery is worse than ever. Suddenly the tanks and hordes of Amis are breaking out of the forest. Terrible fire meets h^m but he does not even take cover (Continued on Page Two; Col. 5)