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VOL. LIII No. 38 ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN, TUESDAY, NOV. 17, 1942
I'IUCE FIVE CENTS
U.S. Navy Blasts 23 Jap Ships
In Solomons Area, Forestalls
To
Bottom
New
Attack
n
Yanks oin
Britishers
unisia
Small French Military
Units Join Allied Task
Forces as Decisive
African Battle Begins
By The Associated Press
LONDON, Nov. 16.- Motorized
United States troops were disclosed
officially tonight to haverreinforced
the British First Army pouring into
Tunisia and, evidently, already were
fighting against German and Italian
troops in the first stages of the deci-
sive battle for North Africa.
An Allied headquarters communi-
que disclosed the reinforcements, per-
haps involving American armored
troops.
French Units Join Fight
It saidalso that in both the east
and renter of the North African front,
smallFrench military units had begun
to :cooperate with the Allied task
forces.
* The communique mentioned spe-
cificilly a French force which had
joined United States troops at their
stations in Oran. Unofficial reorts
said anti-Axis French soldiers in:Tu-
nisia had clashed with the Germans
on' Snday. - .--
'Giving the lie to extravagant Axis
claims of heavy damage to the'Allied
battle,. supply and transport fleets in
the continuing'; operation, the cm-
minique said confidently: ..
"The Royal Navy maintains control
of' the Western Mediterranean and
its approaches,
This. naval force has sustained
losses, but these have been small in
proportion to the size of the opera-
tions,' and casualties on the whole
have been light."
U-Boat Crew Taken
It also was announced that the offi-
cer of a U-boat which had been sunk
off the North African coast had been
taken prisoner.
Axis reports indicated sharp fight-
ing already had started inside Tuni-
sia.
The German and Italian high com-
mands, in simultaneous communiques,
announced that Axis forces had "lan-
ded in Tunisia with the approval of
French civilian and military authori-
ties."
A few hours later the German radio
reported that these enemy forces were
engaged in "vodmter-action" against
United States forces "at one point
which is strategically and tactically
important."
There were Morocco radio reports
of fighting between German and Al-
lied troops at Bizerte, the important
Tunisian port, but Allied headquar-
ters said these were premature.
Allies Watch Supplies
It was evident that the Allied force
was proceeding inside Tunisia with
adroit regard for the problems of
supply and tactics.
Radio Algiers, in the first specific
report of action between anti-Axis
Frenchmen and German troops, said
"a column of Nazi motorcyclists and
armored vehicles had been flung into
.retreat on the road from Tunis to
Djedeida Sunday when they were
challenged by French soldiers.
British Close In
Swiftly on Bengasi
CAIRO, Nov. 16.- ()- Britain's
Eighth Army .closed in swiftly on,
Bengasi tonight as the disordered
remnants of Marshal Erwin Rommel's
beaten forces raced. toward the nar-
row passage at El Agheila for a pos-
sible stand to save the face of their
commander (reported by Reuters to
be facing Iitler's wrath at Munich.)
The important forward air base at
Martuba, south of Derna, was occu-
pied by the ritish Sunday. The van-
guard of the fleeing Germans and
Italians already was beyond Bengasi
headed for El Agheila at the base of
the Libyan hump 120 miles southwest
Convoy Carries Yankee Troops to North Africa
Vessels of the huge United Nations convoy, carrying American troops to occupy French North Africa,
swing into formation as they near Oran, Algeria. Gunners in foreground man their anti-aircraft guns
in readiness against attack from any quarter.'
FRENCH FIGHT POLITICAL BATTLE:
DeGaulle Repudiates Authority
of Dar-lan in North African Area
LONDON, Nov. 16.= ()- The Al-
lied campaign in North Africa became
fraught with political complexities to-
night when the' Fighti g 'French
balked' at negotiations with Admiral
Jean Darlan, whom one of their
spokesmen called the "No. 2 traitor
of France."
Darlan, former Vichy defense chief,
apparently has emerged in the nego-
tiations with American military au-
thorities as the ranking French leader
cooperating with the Allies in North
Africa.
Responsibility Denied
A statement issued by Gen. Charles
De Gaulle's headquarters said the
Fighting French were "taking no part
whatsoever in, and assuming no re-
sponsibility for negotiations in pro-
gress in North Africa with represen-
tatives of Vichy."
"Should the negotiattops result in
arrangements which, would in effect
confirm the Vichy .regime in North
Africa, such decisions could obviously
not be accepted by Fighting France."
Equality Threatened
A spokesman went on to explain
that the Fighting French were not
trying to "throw a monkey wrench
into the negotiations or to spoil any
subtle plan the Americans may have,"
but said, "the plain fact is the Allies
are treating on the basis of equality
with the No. 2 traitor of France."
In the midst of the furore, the Vi-
chy radio announced that Marshal
Quiet To Honor
Axis-Held Youth
International Student Day, dedi-
cated to the students in the occupied
countries, will be observed on college
campuses throughout the country by
a two-minute period of silence at 11
a.m. today, it has been announced by
the Michigan delegates to the Inter-
national Student Assembly at Wash-
ington.
In addition to this commemoration,
a display has been set up at the
Michigan League of books and maga-
zines that deal with the plight of the
students in the occupied countries.
International Day has been set,
aside to memorialize the student vic-
tims of Nazi aggression. It was on
Nov. 17, 1939 that one of the bloodiest
masacres of students in the twentieth
century took place in Czechoslavakia.
As a part of the nationwide tribute,
there will be a coast to coast radio
program from 7 to 7:30 p.m. that will
Petain had stripped Darlan of all his
public functions and military com-
mands-the powers under which Dar-
lan insists he still acts with the Mar-
shal's mandate.
Darlan fell into American hands-
whether by prearrangement or acci-
dent was not yet clear-the first day
the Americans landed at Algiers in
North Africa.
The Vichy radio announced that
Petain had repudiated all the acts of
Darlan in surrendering and in per-
mitting French forces to oppose the
Axis in Tunisia.
Reds Kill 2,000
at Leningrad '
MOSCOW, Nov. 17. (Tuesday)-
(IP)- The Russians announced today
that approximately 2,000 Germans
had been killed in the Red Army's
capture and continued control of an
important village in the Leningrad
siege area, and said that 1,500 more
were killed in repulsed attacks at
Stalingrad, where the Soviets them-
selves gained slightly.
The midnight communique also
told of another slight Russian gain
in the mid-Caucasian area southeast
of Nalchik, and described a firm Red
Army defense -of its lines northeast
of Tuapse along the Black Sea coast.
The Soviets announced that the
Red Army had seized a village "of
great tactical importance" on the
Volkhov front near Leningrad in a
surprise attack that weakened Nazi
encirclement attempts around Rus-
sia's second largest city. A German
battalion (500 men)gwas wiped out.
Then the midnight communique
said that another 1,500 Nazis had
been killed trying to retake the vil-
lage. The fighting has been going on
there for two days.
S ena teIs Scene
of Word Battle
on Poll Tax, Bill
WASHINGTON, Nov. 16.- (')-
Filibustering southern senators baf-
fled backers of the anti-poll tax bill
again today, and announced that they
would devote most, if not all, of to-
morrow's Senate session to weighty
discussions of mis-placed commas.
All the parliamentary strategems
in the book were trotted out today as
Senator Barkley of Kentucky, majori-
ty leader, tried in vain to call up the
measure outlawing the poll tax as a
requirement for voting in elections
involving federal offices.
(States levying such a poll tax are
Tennessee, Arkansas, Mississippi, Ala-
bama, Georgia, South Carolina, Vir-
ginia and Texas.)
The parliamentary situation is such
that if Barkley can move, during the
first two hours of a Senate session, to
take the bill up for consideration, his
motion is not debatable.
But Barkley could not make the
motion today because the southerners
resorted to such time-consuming de-
vices as nine quorum calls, and a roll
call on a motion by Senator O'Daniel
(Dem.-Tex.) to consider a bill pro-
hibiting liquor and vice in the vicinity
of military establishments.
O'Daniel's motion was beaten, 44 to
19.
Gas rationing registration' will
be held from Nov. 23 to Nov. 28
from 2-5 p.m. and 7-10 p.m. Men
and women students are asked to
volunteer their services by calling
the Manpower Commission at 1009
Angell Hall. Those students who
will work next week must attend a
meeting Friday at either 3 p. m. or
7 p.m. in the RackhatnAmphithea-
tre.
There will be an important drill
of the marching band at 4:15 p.m.
tomorrow at South Ferry Field. It
is imperative that everyone attend.
Churchill
Statement
Criticized
Willkie Hits Imperialist
Declaration; Asserts
Economic Plan Needed
Following War Period
By The Associated Press
NEW YORK, Nov. 16.- Wendell
Willkie sharply criticized tonight
Prime Minister Winston Churchill's
recent "we mean to hold our own"
declaration regarding the British Em-
pire and asserted it had shocked the
world.
Urging the United Nations to de-
velop now a plan to make the mater-
ials of economic self-development
available to all the world after the
war, Willkie declared in a speech pre-
pared for the New York Herald Tri-
bune Forum:
Declaration Insufficient
"This cannot be accomplished by
mere declarations of our leaders, as
in an Atlantic Charter, 'particularly
when one of the two principals to that
instrument has in the last few days
seemingly defended the old imperial-
istic order and declared to a shocked
world: 'We mean to hold our own.'"
(On Nov. 10, Churchill said In an
address to the Lord Maryo' dinner:
"Let me, however, make this clear, in
case there should be any mistake
about it in any quarter: we'mean to
hold our own. I have not become the
King's First Minister in order to pre-
side over the liquidation of the British
Empire.")
All Must Agree
Willkie said that unless the people
of the United States, Great Britain,
Russia, China and all the other
United Nations agreed today on their
purposes, the idealistic expressions of
hope as embodied in the Atlantic
Charter "will live merely to mock us"
as did President Woodrow Wilson's
Fourteen Points in the first World
War.
Commencement
To Precede Finals
Graduating seniors who will fulfill
their requirements in January will
receive special recognition in a speed-
up ceremony system at 10 a.m., Jan.
23 in Hill Auditorium.
The ceremonies, involving presen-
tation of the class, will be held be-
fore final examinations. Caused by
shortage of pre-induction time, the
exercises will eliminate the wait us-
ually required before ceremonies.
Seniors will take their final exami-
nations in spite of the new system
and diplomas will be mailed to them
after the Registrar's office checks off
the graduates.
-- BULLETIN -
CHUNGKING, Nov. 16.- (P)--
Strong Japanese forces which at-
- tempted the conquest of an exten-
sive region in Shantung Province
have been smashed in an operation
which a Chinese High Command
communique tonight described a
major victory.
3
/
U.S. Suffers Loss of 8 Vessels in Action
Termed Biggest Naval-Air Battle of War
By The Associated Press
WASHINGTON, Nov. 16.-In the greatest naval battle since Jut-
land, United States forces have sunk 23 Japanese ships and thus smashed
a tremendous enemy armada which sought to drive the Americans on
Guadalcanal into the sea, the Navy disclosed late today.
Backed by MacArthur's bombers, surface and air units of the Navy
destroyed 11 Nipponese warships and 12 transports and damaged seven
other vessels in a three-day running battle, much of it a vicious, close-
range duel in the darkness.
The only American vessels so far reported sunk in the engagement
were two light cruisers and six destroyers, and Naval men here said they
did not believe American personnel losses were extremely large.
24,000 JAPS KILLED
But probably about 24,000 Japanese soldiers died when eight trans-
ports, part of a large force headed for Guadalcanal, were sent to the
bottom by air attack the morning of Nov. 14. Four others kept moving
toward Guadalcanal, and may have succeeded in getting men ashore,
since the Americans''discovered four cargo transports beached at Tassa-
faronga, the next day, and proceeded to ,smash them with a concentra-
tion of air, artillery and naval gun attack.
However, only a fraction of the huge force dispatched by the Im-
perial Japanese Command ever reached tht-southeastern-Solomonsrand
it seemed a sa'fe assumption that this battle had clinched the American
dominance of that area.
Presumably, the enemy could gather another great force and try
again, but' with such staggering losses to count it was thought unlikely
here that the Japs would care to risk what, strengh they have left in a
new attempt to retake the strategic Guadalcanal area.
REAR ADMIRAL CALLAGHAN LOST
Even' 'the' death of Rear Admiral Daniel J. Callaghan, beloved
1! Uncle'Dan" to many a Navy man and former ,naval aide to President
Roosevelt, in the furious, close-range -night engagement which opened
the three-day battle in the early morning of Nov. 13 could not dampen
the elation with which naval officers announced the victory.
In a lengthy communique, the Navy described the various actions
in which the American forces had sunk a Japanese battleship, three
heavy cruisers, two light cruisers, five destroyers and eight transports,
destroyed the four beached' cargo transports, and damaged a battleship
and.six destroyers.
Preparations for a major attempt by the Japanese to recapture the
southeastern Solomons became evident early this month, the Navy re-
ported, when aerial reconnaissance revealed a heavy concentration of
transports and warships of the enemy fleet in New Britain and the north-
western Solomons.
ARMADA STARTED NOV. 10
The huge expedition got under way the morning of Nov. 10, with
Japanese naval forces approaching Guadalcanal from the north, while
other detachments, including large numbers of transports, moved south-
eastward toward the American positions from Rabaul and Bum, where
the enemy had been assembling its expeditionary forces. .f ,'
The Navy credited the Army bombers of Gen. Douglas MacArthur's
command with supplying "great assistance""'inAthe earlyi hasr.pf ,tle
looming fight, by making repeated successful attacks on the invasion fleet
at Rabaul and Buin, as reported in communiques from Australia. Mac-
Arthur's aircraft also gave valuable aid after the naval actions developed,
The Japanese expedition moved toward Guadalcanal behind a war-
ship spearhead of two battleships, two heavy cruisers and about ten de-
stroyers, which reached the American-held island shortly after midnight
Nov. 12.
BOMBARDING PLANNED
It was their intention, 'said the communique, to bombard Navy-
Marine forces ashore in preparation for a large scale landing from the
following transports. The battle units moved to the attack in three groups.
However, instead of the easy conquest they expected, they ran into
units of the United States fleet, which engaged them at close range in
the darkness, not only landing telling blows on the Nipponese warships
but creating such confusion in the enemy fleet that before the fight was
over two of the three Japanese groups were firing at each other. Instead
Turn to Page 4, Col. 1
Sinks Battleship,
Heavy Cruisers
* * *
*
SLIDE RULE BOYS TO VOTE:
Council Election will Begin Today
MacArthur Takes Field To Lead
U.S. Drive against Japs at Buna
GEN. MacARTHUR'S HEADQUARTERS, Australia, Tuesday, Nov. 17.
--(4)-Gen. Douglas MacArthur and his senior aides personally took the field
today as Australian and U.S. troops driving after the retreating Japaniese
reached a point only 30 miles from the enemy's coastal foothold atl Buna.
Allied forces are closing in rapidly on Buna, both from the west and
from the south, and the enemy is steadily retreating, the communique said.
Allied fighter planes and bombers are pounding incessantly at the flee-
ing Japanese. Heavy bombers also smashed at enemy shipping in the Bum-
Faisi area in the northern end of the Solomon Archipelago, damaging a
destroyer and a transport.
"The Commander-in-Chief of the southwest Pacific, Gen. Douglas
MacArthur, with the advanced eschelon his headquarters, and the corn-
- manders of Allied land forces and air
More than 600 sophomore and jun-
ior engineers will dust off their demo-
cratic prerogatives today and tomor-
row when they cast their ballots in
the annual Engineering Council E lec-
tion.
Balloting will be for two represen-
tatives from each class to the Engi-
neering Council, top student-engi-
neers' governing body.
Freshman engineers will also se-
lect Council representatives, but their
tion will be the holding of the election
for two days with voting only in the
morning, Burgess said. The polls will
only be open from 7:50 a.m. to 12:15
pt.
The reason for this, Burgess said,
is that in the past 'the major portion
of ballots have been cast in the morn-
ing rather than the afternoon.
Pictures of the 16 candidates run-
ning for office will be posted today
haak, Bob Smallman, Carl Otjen,
and William Ruzicka. In the junior
class four men are in the running.
They are Karl Reed, Wendell Racette,
Alvin A. Jacobson, Jr., and John Rio-
pelle.
Results of tomorrow's voting in this
election, which Burgess claims will be
one of the biggest this year, will be
announced before the polls reopen
tomorrow.
It's Papa Westfall
Now as Son Is Born
forces, Gen. Sir Thomas Blamey and
Lieut.-Gen. George C. Kenney, are
personally conducting from the field
in Papua," a spokesman said.