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VOL. LIi No. 63 ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN, THURSDAY, DEC. 17, 1942

PRICE FIVE CENTS

Brown to

Head OPA
Is Report
Henderson Expected
to Step Down after
Jan. 1; OPA Personnel
Would Remain Intact
By JACK BELL
Associated Press Correspondent
WASHINGTON, Dec. 16.- Senator
Prentiss Brown, Michigan Democrat
defeated in the 'November election,
was reported tonight to have agreed
reluctantly, at a White House con-
ference, to become price administra-
tor when and if Leon Henderson steps
out.
Henderson may resign after Jan. 1
because of ill health, said an authori-
tative source who desired to remain
anonymous. It was emphasized that
the plans were subject to change.
Brown Declines to Comment
Brown, asked about the reports,
declined comment except to say that
any information about his further
possible connection with the govern-
ment would have to come from the
White House. He was understood to
have attended a conference there to-
day with President Roosevelt and
James F. Byrnes, the economic direc-
tor.
There were reports the change
would be effective Jan. 15.
Henderson was said to have told
President Roosevelt he must have
four months of rest and treatment
soon for a back ailment, or possibly
face serious physical consequences.
That Henderson might later return to
government service was considered
likely.
No Change in OPA Personnel
There were indications that if
Brown became price administrator
the OPA personnel largely would be
retained intact, but that changes in
administrative policy would be made
tending to soften the attitude Hen-
derson has assumed on many ques-
tions, particularly those involving ra-
tioning 'programs.
Senatorial confirmation r;ould be
required for Brown, and there were
indications that members of the farm
bloc might make a fight against him.
The Michigan senator acted as
floor manager in the Senate for the
original Price Control Bill and
emerged from that trying experience
with a minimum of enemies.
GOING UP:
Contributions
Swell Bomber
Scholarship
As the Bomber Scholarship fund
continues to soar toward its 1942-43
goal of $15,000, Alpha Chi Omega
heads the list as the largest current
contributor.
Also high on the list is the Whitney
Theatre, having donated entire the
profits netted from a scrap drive, and
the Michigan Wolverine with its
fixed monthly check for $18.75.
Other recent donors were Alpha
Phi, Alumnae House, Delta Tau Delta,
Rochdale Cooperative House, and
Sigma Alpha Epsilon.
Biggest boost the Bomber Scholar-
ship has received to date is the "20-
50 cent plan" recommended by the
Student War Board, whereby all cam-
pus dances will turn over a per capita
sum for each member at each dance.
Although they are still a long way
from their $15,000 goal, Coral De-

Priester, Chairman of the Bomber
Scholarship Student Committee ex-
pressed the hope that after Christmas
when the contributions from the big
campus.dances start coming, the total
will take a big jump.
Earlier contributors this semester
were Abe Lincoln Cooperative House,
Adams House, Allen-Rumsey House,
Alpha Delta Phi, Congress Coopera-
tive House, Lloyd House, Michigan
House, Phi Kappa Psi, Psi Upsilon,
Sigma Chi, Wenley House, and the
West Quadrangle Council.
P-Bell to Reopen
on Christmas Eve
If Santa Claus can prove he is 21,
Philip Stapp, proprietor of the Pret-
zel Bell, will serve him the first stein
of ' ber beause athe Stte iauonr

PRESIDENT RUTHVEN ADVISES:
Stick With Your Studies,
College Men Are Needed

(Editor's Note: The following
statement was issued late last night
by President Alexander G. Ruthven
to the student body.)
The University is now acquainted
with the plans of the Army and the
Navy for the training of college-
age men for the performance of
specialized military tasks. While
we are not.yet permitted to release
the details, I can say that the
armed services continue to recog-
nize, as they always have, the need
for well trained officers for posi-
tions of leadership and for duties
which demand advanced techni-
cal and professional preparations.
They have said, repeatedly, that
they expect to find these capacities
in college men.
Furthermore, the Army and Navy
will continue to find it impossible
to train an adequate number of
men for these tasks with their own
facilities. Both services will use
colleges and universities on an ex-
panded basis.
The best qualified young men are
* * *

to be selected for further prepara-
tion in a variety of fields. Quali-
ties of accurate expression, inci-
sive thought, and physical fitness
and a capacity for swift, accurate
mathematical computation are
sought by all branches of the
armed forces. A knowledge of his-
tory, American institutions, and of
a foreign language are important.
Consequently, all of the subjects
you have been studying will be use-
ful to you and to the military
services.
My advice, at this time, is that
you should continue these studies
to the best of your abilities. If you
do so, your achievements will in-
crease the likelihood of your selec-
tion for specialized or officer train-
ing when you enter the armed
forces. You will be called for fur-
ther preparation when the plans
have been completed and facilities
prepared.
-President Alexander G. Ruthven
* * *

Joint Program Planned

WASHINGTON, Dec. 16.- (i)-
Army and Navy officials said to-
night announcement of a joint
training program to finance spe-
cialized instruction in colleges for
This story from Washington ap-
parently means that plans for the
ERC and ROTC will be announced
momentarily. It was previously r"-
ported that they would be made
public at 4 p.m. yesterday.
about 250,000 picked service men
may be made tomorrow.
Earlier today, Manpower Com-
missioner Paul V. McNutt said de-

tails of the program would be
shown first to college and univer-
sity heads.
Officials who declined to be
named said the men would be se-
lected after induction and would
attend from 200" to 300 colleges
which would be given contracts to
furnish instruction in courses se-
lected by the Army and Navy but
taught by the regular college facul-
ties.
These m(n will attend classes
in uniform and emphasis will be
placed on instruction in medicine,
engineering and specialized sci-
ences.


1-A's Can Enlist
in Coast Guard,,
Navy or Marines
Deferred Men Are
to Be Ineligible for
Volunteer Enlistment
WASHINGTON, Dec. 16. - (P) -
Only 'Men in class 1-A may enter theJ
Navy, Marines or Coast Guard un-
der the plan permitting draft regis-
trants of 18 through 37 years to vol-
unteer for induction into those serv-
ices through their local draft boards.
Selective Service Headquarters said
today that men deferred either for
dependency or by reason of their oc-
cupation would be ineligible to volun-
teer under the plan, which is designed
to meet manpower needs of the sea
services until about Feb. 1. By that
date arrangements will be completed
to provide men for all services
through the draft.
Spokesmen explained that it would
"not be fair to the Army to allow
men .deferred from Army induction
to volunteer for the other services."
They emphasized that no one could
volunteer after he had been ordered
to report for induction.
Later the Navy, Marine Corps and
Coast Guard disclosed that even the
applications of those eligible to vol-
unteer would not be accepted for a
few days, pending agreement upon a
definite plan for i..tegrating enlist-
ments of men outside Selective Serv-
ice ages with the induction of those
in that age group.
Turn to Page 2, Col. 2

Reds Capture
Point Far W'est
of Stalin grad'
Nazis Counterattack ;
50 Tanks Are Lost
in 2-Day Engagement
By The Associated Press
MOSCOW, Dec. 17. (Thursday)-
Russian troops captured an inhabited
point more than 80 miles to the rear
of the German Stalingrad siege army,
and destroyed 50 Nazi tanks and
a regiment of motorized infantry in
a two-day battle southwest of the
Volga River City where enemy coun-
terattacks had been increasingly
troublesome, the Soviets announced
early today.
The point taken far to the west of
Stalingrad was beyond Surovikino,
the Russians said, and 305 enemy
guns, 1,500 motor vehicles, two sup-
ply-laden trains and other booty were
captured.
The action southwest of Stalingrad
was in the area of Verkhne Kunsky
where it was said "our troops routed
a group of enemy troops that had
broken through to this area, dispos-
ing of 50 enemy tanks and a regiment
of motorized infantry of the sixth
German tank division."
Limited Russian successes were re-
ported also on the Central Front and
in the Caucasus.
The Germans lost more than 1,300
men, 89 tanks, 40 planes and valuable
equipment in yesterday's widespread
operations, the Russians said.

Pressure Is
Increasing
in Buna Area
Japs Ordered to Fight
to Last Man as U.S. and
Australian Troops Keep
Up Steady Pounding
ALLIED HEADQUARTERS IN
AUSTRALIA, Dec. 17. (Thursday)-
(P)- Gen. Douglas MacArthur an-
nounced today that "Our pressure on
the enemy is slowly increasing" in the
shell-churned Buna area where it was
understood Japanese troops had been
ordered by their emperor to fight to
the last man.
U.S. and Australian troops in the
sprawling New Guinea battle were
fighting on both sides of captured
Buna Village, but today's communi-
que gave only a terse sentence about
that struggle, and did not again men-
tion the Mambare River area 44 miles
to the northwest where new Japanese
landings had been effected three days
ago despite appalling losses inflicted
by Allied bombers and fighters.
Nine Jap Planes Downed
A total of nine Japanese planes,
however, were reported shot down
elsewhere, eight of them off New Bri-
tain Island and the other over Huon
Gulf.
(Indication of the resistance of the
Japs in New Guinea is to be found in
the fact that in the fall of Gona only
16 prisoners were taken in contrast
with more than 600 killed in the final
stages and that, after the fall of Buna
Village, AP war correspondent Mur-
lin Spencer reported seeing dead Japs
"but no prisoners.")
In the Buna area of New Guinea,
Allied soldiers are fiercely engaging
the Japanese in three enemy pockets
of resistance. There is heavy fighting
at the Buna government station, the
Buna mission airstrip, and Sananan-
da Point, northeast of Buna Village.
The heaviest aerial action was
against the latest Japanese landing
at the Mambare River mouth, where
many of perhaps 1,000 Japanese sol-
diersput ashore were reported
slaughtered.
Japs Easy Target
It was believed that only a small
proportion of the men brought to the
area in a Japanese convoy Monday
made strenuous attempts to land
their scattered stores. They tried to
swim to shore with floating barrels
and drums of fuel and other supplies
but these made an easy target for the
airmen for the Japanese had marked
the equipment with white and blue
flags.
Other Allied airmen dumped a
number of, 500-pound bombs on the
airdrome at Lae, New Guinea, and a
dozen 500-pounders on the Japanese
airfield at Gasmata, New Britain.
Of 12 Japanese planes which met
the Gasmata attack, five were report-
ed shot down or disabled by one four-
engined B-24 "Liberator" bomber.
77th Congress
Adjourns, Ends
Longest Session
WASHINGTON, Dec. 16.-()P-The
wartime 77th Congress adjourned to-
day, ending therlongest and perhaps
the most important session in con-
gressional history.
Withnonly about 120 of its 435
members in their seats, the House
voted adjournment at 5:12 p.m., three
hours after the Senate had ceased

operations.
Just before the House session end-
ed, Speaker Rayburn (Dem.-Tex.)
paid tribute to the service of depart-
ing members.
Senate Works Fast
Rayburn is expected to have no
opposition to re-election as speaker
in the new House, which will have
107 new faces.
The Senate skipped through its
final day's business quickly, confirm-
ing a long list of postmasters and
agreeing to a few minor bills before
settling down for a series of compli-
mentary speeches.
Majority Leader Barkley asked that
the expiring Congress be judged by
"the credit side of the ledger," con-
ceding that no group of men was in-
fallible.
Roosevelt Thanks Congress
To the members of both houses,
President Roosevelt addressed a letter
of "thanks for all they have accdm-

Norris Takes Down His Nameplate

Senator George Norris, shown above removing his nameplate from
his office door yesterday, stayed away from the last session of the
Senate yesterday. Downcast, he said: "I didn't want to see it die-poor
thing." The eminent 81-year-old liberal was defeated in the last
election.
Darlan Disclaims Personal
Motives in Assisting Allies

Hit Rommel

Rearguard

British Advance

By The Associated-Press
LONDON, Dec. 16.- British ad-
vance columns have fought an impor-
tant action with Marshal Rommel's
Axis rearguard in desert wastes
"somewhere west of El Agheila" and
taken a number of prisoners, reports
from Cairo said tonight while a rising
Allied air attack beat at the Axis in
both Libya and Tunisia.
Berlin bore out the report that an
engagement had taken place when
the official German news agency DNB
broadcast, obviously for foreign con-
sumption, that the British Eighth
Army lost 20 tanks in a fight lasting
several hours.
No Hint of Rdnmel
Neither the Berlin nor the Cairo
report gave any hint of Rommel'a
position except that the British indi-
cated he was continuing his flight.
British reports said the Allied air
force ceaselessly supporting the
ground troops of Gen. Sir Bernard L.
Montgomery was constantly attack-
ing the retreating Axis soldiers.
Meanwhile, a dispatch from Wil-
liam B. -King, Associated Press cor-
respondent with the Allied forces .in
Tunisia, said the Allied forces had
strongly fortified the area of Medjez-
El-Bab, 35 miles southwest of Tunis,
and a major battle for Tunisia was
shaping up.
He said the Allied Army is behind
the advance spearhead at Medjez-El-
Bab, preparing for the big push.
King saw German positions two
miles across his hill-top lookout. after
driving from Medjez-El-Bab during
a lull in the fighting.
Disorder in Nazi Retreat
For the first time there were sug-
gestions of disorder in Field Marshal
Rommel's flight. Road blocks created
by Allied airmen attacking at night
persisted for hours and presented to
shuttling daylight attackers the
mushroomed targets of tanks and
trucks and men caught in traffic Jams
or huddled in gullies.
The best information indicated that
advance British forces had reached a
point 100 miles beyond El Agheila,
the starting point of the current Axis
retreat.
The British command in Cairo, ad-
mitting that its forward forces still
were "greatly impeded by mines" left
by the Nazis, announced that the pur-
suit had gone forward "well west of
El Agheila."

Troops

s 0

German Prisoners
Taken in Fighting;
Ma jor Struggle for
* Tunis Is Awaited

By WES GALLAGHER
Associated Press Correspondent
ALLIED HEADQUARTERS IN
NORTH AFRICA, Dec. 16.-VP)-Ad-
miral Jean Darlan declared in a for-
mal statement today that "French
Africa, with the Allies, must make
the maximum military effort for the
defeat of Germany and Italy."
Denies Personal Ambition
The former commander of all
Vichy's armed forces disclaimed per-
sonal ambition as his motive for join-
ing the Allies and said that once free
of the Axis yoke "the French people
themselves will decide freely the form
of government and national policy
they desire."
"I have stated emphatically and re-
peatedly to Commander - in - Chief
General Eisenhower that in leading
North and West Africa against Ger-
many and Italy and into the ranks
of the United Nations I seek no as-
sistance or support for my personal
ambition," he told American and
British correspondents.
Nazi Cooperation Forced
(Reuters quoted him as telling this
press conference that the Germans
"had me by the throat," and that co-
operation with the Nazis in the days
before the Allied occupation of
French Africa had been forced upon
him.
("Every move I made," he contin-
ued, according to Reuters, "every-
thing I said or wrote, and everyone
with whom I talked came under the

closest German scrutiny. There were
spies about me all the time.")
The stocky, red faced Admiral, rec-
ognized by Lieut.-Gen. Dwight D.
Eisenhower as High Commissioner
of French Africa, said that "at last
liberated from German and Italian
restrictions, French authorities in Af-
rica will adjust the situation which
has existed to accord with French
national traditions.
* * *
Darlan Deals
Hit. by Willkie
NEW YORK, Dec. 16.-()-Reit-
erating his criticism of Allied dealings
with French Admiral Jean Darlan in
North Africa, Wendell L. Willkie de-
clared today that such temporary ex-
pedients might increase the number
of American soldiers "who will never
come back."
In a statement Willkie referred to
Senator Arthur H. Vandenberg's re-
cent declaration that the Darlan deal
had saved thousands of American
lives and had shortened the military
time element of the Allied African of-
fensive.
"The Administration policy of ex-
pediency is defended by Senator Van-
denberg," Willkie explained, "and the
Chicago Tribune gives front page
commendatory prominence to the
senator's remarks. Such defenses
give me assurance of the rightness
of my position."

I

GET THOSE BOILERS:
Work at U' Storehouse May Be
Substituted for PEM Today

PLANS MADE
Victory Ball
to Be Weekend
of February 6
Plans for either a one or two night
dance, to be held the week-end of
February 6, 1943, were made last
night at the first meeting of the Vic-
tory Ball Committee.
Various groups were organized to
handle the many functions of the
organization Jean Ranahan, '43A&D,
was appointed secretary. A. Arnold
Agree, '44A, will head the finance
committee. Bill Loughborough, '43,
and Bill De Courcy, '43, in charge of
music are contacting the top bands in
the nation. ChuckDotterrer, '44E,
and Hilda Johnson, '43, are working
on a scheme for achieving a more
equitable distribution of tickets.
Appointed to handle publicity were
Shirley Altfeld, '43, and Mildred Otto,
'43BAd, while Jean Whittemore,
'44, has charge of inviting patrons.
Responsibility for new and fireproof
decorations has been given to Jeff
Solomon, '43. Merv Pregulman, '44,
has the job of planning the use of the
Intermural Building to accommodate
an estimated 1,500 couples. The pro-
grams and favors are to be handled
by Jane Pritchard, '44.
Special Trains Will

CIVILIAN ECONOMY IN ALL-OUT WAR:
Patterson Says Army Needs
Control of Military Production.

Physically hardened University
males will trade calisthenics for crow-
bars today and spend PEM periods
digging 86 tons of steel boilers out of
the University Storehouse so that
they can be sent to a Naval arsenal
making airplanes.
It's a purely voluntary proposi-
tion, but any male student can
show up at the University store-
house today, during his regular
PEM period, work in the storehouse
during that period. and get credit

Building and Grounds worker, and
yesterday tore down brick walls so
fast that the digging out job may be
finished by tonight.
The whole NROTC battalion volun-
teered to work yesterday, but because
there is only room for about 50 men
to work at a time on the boilers, only
the Third Company, under the com-
mand of Lieut. Mait Comb was put to
work, The entire battalion is standing
by, waiting'for orders to assist in get-
ting the boilers nut of Ann Arbor so

WASHINGTON, Dec. 16.- (P)--
Undersecretary of War Robert P.
Patterson said today that the United
States might lose the war if the Army
is deprived of its control over military
production.
At the same time, he derided charg-
es that the Army endeavored to ob-
tain control over the civilian econ-
omy.
Patterson exnressed his views in a

tion and "cut through the quagmire.
of vested interests." He charged that
U.S. Steel and Republic Steel had
wasted nickel and said the former's
projected new armor plate plant at
Gary, Ind., would eliminate many
small steel companies from the war
effort.
The civilian agencies, Patterson
said, are "charged with the duty of
continuing civilian supply necessary
tn sunnort the wa.r effort Amon the