j. * ,~ 4it311 4 aitt- Wreather Somewhat Warmer 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.