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VOL. LIII No. 102 ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN, TUESDAY, MARCH 2, 1943
PRICE FIVE CENTS
--- _._
Russians Launch New Offensive in North
Nazi Army
Retreats at
Demyaiisk
Soviet Forces Crush
Enemy at Lake Ilmen;
11,000 Killed, Taken
By The Associated Press
LONDON, March 1-The Russians
announced tonight a crushing new
winter offense in the ILake Ilmen sec-
tor south of Leningrad in which they
said the forces of Marshall Semeon
Timoshenko had captured Demyansk
apd 301 other localities and beaten
the Germans into hasty retreat with
11,000 of the enemy killed or cap-
tured.
The first special Russian Com-
munique in more than a week an-
nounced that approximately 9001
square miles of the still frozen north-
west front had been liberated and
that a powerful German defense sys-
tem, built up in 17 months of occu-
pation, had been rushed.
Advance 50 Miles
The Russians appeared to have
advanced about 50 miles in the drive
started eight days ago, moving out
of the Valdai Hills to the Flatlands
around Lake Ilmen. The communique
indicated the offensive had sprung
from the shores of frozen lake Seli-
gar, about 25 miles southeast of
Demyansk. One of the towns cap-
tured was Zaluchye, 25 miles west of
,Demyansk.
hee Soviet Monitor recorded the
Russian communique from the Mos-
cow radio.
In Valdai Hills
Demyansk is in the Valdai hills 48
miles southeast of Staraya Russa.
The German 16th army which the
Russians said had been put to flight
was trapped and loosely encircled in
the sector for several months last
winter, but they finally broke out
from the pocket.
Demyansk was the heart of Ger-
man "hedgehog" defenses lying be-
tween the lakes, and menacing the
Leningrad and Moscow railroad con-
nections.
Hope Is Slightw
For 69 Miners
BEARCREEK, Mont., March 1-(R)
-Hope for 69 miners entombed by
an explosion in the Smith Coal Mine
Saturday flickered low today as res-
cue work, in its third day, proceeded
slowly.
Relatives of the miners maintained
their anxious vigil in silent groups
outside. Seven bodies have been re-
covered and another seven have been
located in the gas-filled labyrinth of
tunnels.
William Romek, Assistant General
Manager of the Montana Coal and
Iron Company which owns the prop-
erty, said a huge suction fan was
placed in operation to draw deadly
carbon monoxide from the mine. Ad-
ditional rescue crews were preparing
to enter the farthest reaches.
House Passes
20 Percent
HoldQut Tax
New Plan Will Take
Effect July 1; March,
June Payments Remain
WASHINGTON, March 1.- ()-A
plan to withhold 20 per cent of tax-
able income from the pay envelopes
of the nation's 31,000,000 wage and
salary earners, starting July 1, was
,approved tentatively today by the
House Ways and Means Subcommit-
tee on pay-as-you-go taxation.
This plan would provide for week-
ly, semi-monthly or monthly deduc-
tions from income which would be
accumulated and applied to actua
taxes computed at the year end.
It would not be an additional tax,
but would cover the present taxes on
first bracket incomes and also the
victory tax. All taxpayers would pay
the first two installments of 1942
taxes as usual. These are due March
15 and June 15 this year.
The Committee postponed indefi-
nitely any action on the issue of can-
celling a part or all of a tax year, in-
cluding the proposal by Beardsley
Ruml, Chairman of the Federal Re-
serve Bank of New York, to skip 1942
on the tax calendar.
Chairman Cooper (Dem.-Tenn.)
announced the withholding decision
with a statement as follows:
th has been tentatively agreed by
the Subcommittee to provide, begin-
ning July 1, 1943, a withholding tax
of 20 per cent-3 per cent on wages
Turn to Page 3, Col. 3
Willow Run Will
Not Use Dorms
LANSING, March 1.- ()- The
State Defense Council today accepted
the report of Raymond M. Foley,
State Housing Administrator, that
emergency housing programs in the
Willow Run Bomber Plant area had
progressed sufficiently to eliminate
the necessity of converting the Mich-
igan State Normal College at Ypsi-
lanti into a war workers' dormitory.
Admitting there was a likelihood
that large numbers of women work-
ers might have to be housed in the
area, Foley declared unwise crowding
of them would merely drive workers
away and cause new employment
problems. Therefore, he said, the
college could not accommodate more'
than 2,000 women.
"To borrow the school for the
duration of the war," Foley said, "is
not as simple as it sounds. With the
staff broken up and the buildings re-
modeled to some extent, the college
not only would be badly handicapped,
but it probably would be wrecked for
years to come. I think we should
hold that plan as the last resort."
Dr. John A. Hannah, President of
Michigan State College and a mem-
ber of the council, asserted, "The
Ypsilanti school is one of the finest
and oldest teacher training institu-
tions in the nation. To close it would
be to cripple it for years."
Allied Bombers
Blast Sub Base
At St. Nazaire
Raid Is Continuation
Of Greatest Aerial
Offensive of War
By LEWIS HOPKINS
Associated Press Correspondent
LONDON, March 1.-British and
Canadian bombers dumped more
than 1,000 tons of explosives last
night on the German submarine base
at St. Nazaire sustaining through the
LONDON, March 2, Tuesday-
(A)- Carrying on the terrifying
dawn-to-dawn air attacks against
the Axis, British bombers last
night raided Berlin for the 58th
time and started fires in the Reich
capital, the Berlin radio an-
nounced early today.
Berlin said that a "large num-
ber" of the raiding planes were
shot down, and this was interpre-
ted in unofficial quarters here as
an admission that a heavy blow
was struck
There had been no official con-
firmation of the raid early today.
fourth day and night the greatest
aerial offensive the world has ever
known.
The Thunderbolt fleet spread great
destruction in the French port in a
half hour of concentrated attack
which swamped the Nazi defenses.
Five bombers were lost, including two
Canadian.
A good indication that the tireless
RAF was returning to the attack
tonight was seen when the Berlin,
Paris, Calais and Danish Kalandborg
radios all went off the air between
8:52 p.m. and 9:18 p.m. Be fore the
stations went silent, the announcers
broadcast repeated warnings for lis-
teners to take particular care to in-
sure tight blackouts.
Bombing To Soften Axis
While the past 96 hours of virtual
around-the-clock bombardment was
all part of a broad picture of soften-
ing the Axis for the promised inva-
sion of Europe, the best indications
were that the aerial storm still had
some time to blow before the way was
blazed for troop landings.
There was no doubt, however, that
the Allied air teams were drubbing
Europe more fearfully than the Ger-
mans were ever able to punish Eng-
land.
The RAF dropped more bombs
during February than in any previous
month of the war, Prime Minister
Churchill disclosed tonight in a con-
gratulatory message to Air Marshal
Sir Arthur Harris.
The Detroit Orchestra sched-
uled to appear today on the Chor-
al Union Concert series will not be
heard. Giomar Novaes will be
presented instead at 8:30 p.m. Fri-
day in Hill Auditorium. The
ninth series ticket is to be used for
this concert.
Regained by Russians in Two Months
[ RUSSIA
Lodoqa 00
;LENINGRAD ~ISTTUT mils
ESNIA I
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Novo od
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LATVIA Russa Kahlini
LITHUANIA e Rzhev
- ---,- Vyazm
« Smolensk *Tula
Min~sk T
Bryanske
POLAND Ore
Kwwurs oronezh'
Lwow r
« Kiev*
KharkovR
Kramatorsk..e«
Da opero
eperovs ROSTOV
p ,: ~Odessa .et
Slsk* -
RUMANIA . .
oobe R easoo
Novrss s ako
BULGARIA Black Se Nalchk cFn
Shaded areas of map indicate approximate extent of territory re-
taken by Soviet armies during January and February, 1943. Germans
claimed they had recaptured Kranatorsk in the Donets basin, but
Russian communiques failed to substantiate the claim though speaking
of heavy German counterattacks in the area. Broken and solid lines
symbolize battlefronts atbeginning and end of the two-month period,
though at no time were they a continuous line.
Japs En Route, League Council
To New Guinea'I Will Change
Large Convoy Sailing To War Basis
Under Weather Cover1
Michigan coed leaders yesterday
ALLIED HEADQUARTERS IN approved measures transforming the
AUSTRALIA, March 2, (Tuesday)- League Council to a wartime basis
( P)-One of the largest Japanese and renaming it Women's War Coun-
convoys yet sighted in the north- cil
eastern sector of the southwest Pa- Petitionng for 12 of the positions
cific area was reported by the Allied on the War Council will begin today
High Command today to be heading and continue through Saturday,
in the direction of New Guinea. March 6. Interviewing will be held
Fourteen Japanese ships were from 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Tuesday,
sighted off Talasea, New Britain, March 7, through Friday, March 12,
heading toward New Guinea under and, during the same hours the fol-
cover of an advancing weather front, I lowing week from Tuesday, March 14,
cove ohf an vancinw eatr fron through Friday, March 19.
said the noon communique from. Among the positions for which co-
General MacArthur's headquarters. eds may petition are the presidency
The Allied Air Force is preparing to of the Council, the head of Judiciary
attack the convoy as soon as the Council, secretary, who will also head
weather permits. the blood bank, and treasurer, who
The convoy reportedly consists of will act as head of charity drives and
warships and cargo vessels, protected the Bomber Scholarship.
by some fighter planes. It was first Women may also petition for the
sighted Monday afternoon near Ubili, position of social chairman whose
New Britain, moving west. A few duties will include planning enter-
hours later it was sighted off the tainment for soldiers stationed on
Willaumez Peninsula and is now be campus. Other posts that will be
lieved to be somewhere west of New open are merit committee chairman,
Britain. heads of orientation, surgical dress-
The appearance of the convoy is ings, and the canteen corps.
in line with Monday's communique Three remaining jobs include head
warning of the concentration of ma- of child ,ar andnuhli service. tu-
Reservists To Get
Induction Notices
March 1 o2
Order of Calling Induction Centers,
Numbers Per Day Not Yet Announced-
Complete Details Expected Tomorrow
By LEON GORDENKER
Members of the Army Enlisted Reserve Corps, unassigned, who are not
in deferred categories will be given notice of induction on March 13, 15, 16,
17, 18, 19 and 20, the Sixth Service Command told The Daily yesterday.
Whether the men will be called alphabetically, by age groups or time of
enlistment was not made known, but The Daily was promised complete de-
tails for tomorrow's paper by Captain Bennett, the officer in charge of the
ERC.
Among the details to be announced are the number of men to be called
each day and the induction centers to which they will be ordered to report.
Notification will be sent to college addresses.
Presumably, furloughs giving time for students to visit their homes will
be _grAe .A
Nazis Make
Small ain.
In Tunisia
Sixth German Assault
Costs Heavily; Allies
Probe Axis in Southeast
By WES GALLAGHER
Associated Press Correspondent
ALLIED HEADQUARTERS IN
NORTH AFRICA, March 1.-Beaten
back in five local attacks in northern
Tunisia, the Germans were disclosed
today to have made a three-mile gain
in a sixth assault at the cost of heavy
casualties.
This thrust was toward Beja and
had carried to three miles beyond the
town of Sidi Nsir, which itself is 18
miles northeast of Beja and 40 miles
west of Tunis.
To the south, in Central Tunisia,
Allied forces continued their advance
beyond recaptured Kasserine Pass
and toward the enemy position of
Sbeita and were meeting no opposi-
tion in their pursuit of the retreating
forces of Marshal Rommel.
In southeastern Tunisia, patrols of
the British Eighth Army were prob-
ing the Axis line.
The fighting in the North-which
had not seriously threatened the Al-
lied positions-opened three days
ago. Repulsed five times, Col. Gen.
Jurgen Von Arnim threw in a con-'
centrated tank and infantry assault
in the Beja sector to score his local
gains. He suffered heavy losses, Al-
Turn to Page 3, Col. 2
be granted. Air Corps Reservists,
called last week, were given five to
ten day furloughs before induction.
Approximately 700 University men
are enlisted in the Reserve, but the
number in non-deferable categories
has not been determined. Previous
announcements from the Sixth Serv-
ice Command said that the calling of
the ERC had been delayed, but this
latest announcement is the definite
determination of call dates.
These are the deferred categories:
1. Medical students and pre-med-
ical students.
2. Dental and pre-dental students.
3. Sophomore, junior and senior
engineering students.
4. Sophomores, juniors and seniors
in chemistry, physics, psychology
and meteorology.
Deferments from active duty will
terminate- shortly after the end of
the current semester when the Army
Specialized Training Program will
go into full stride.
Disposition of ROTC students in
the Enlisted Reserve will be placed
on active duty under a separate pro-
gram already announced.
Swallowed Knife,
Glass Don't Digest
Private Pat Pisula who told police
he entertained a group of friends
Sunday night by attempting to swal-
low a breadknife and chew his
drinking glass is in "potentially" seri-
ous condition at St. Joseph's Mercy
hospital, Dr. J. H. Maxwell said last
night.
Pisula, a 25 year old Willow Run
soldier, may have punctured his lung
when in fit of bravado he "swal-
lowed" the 81-inch breadknife, ac-
cording to physicians, but he appar-
ently is suffering no ill effects from
three substantial bites he took from
his glass.
Catherine Fletcher Will Play
Showgirl in Heart of a City
jor Japanese forces in this area.
HENRY C. CASSIDY REPORTS ON RUSSIA:
Here Is Inside Story of the Soviet Union
Editor's note: Here is the first of a
series of nine stories written by Henry
C. Cassidy of the Moscow Bureau vf the
Associated Press to give Americans an
insight into the complicated affairs of
the Soviet Union. The second article
is on Page Three. The first story is on
Premier Joseph Stalin and the second
tells about his associates. Cassidy has
just returned from a 20 months report-
ing stretch in the Russian capital.
By HENRY C. CASSIDY
NEW YORK -(I)-- Joseph Sta-
1i xr-r c-r. a1dn..Pi- .4.
their war, I can say what they well
know, that Stalin is their leader,
in military as well as state matters,
in fact as well as in name, and is
plotting already the downfall of
their enemies.
He Runs The Army
This is one of the first questions
people have asked me since my re
tut nto the United States on leave
-is Stalin really running the Red
army?
The answer is. emnhatically. yes.
mendous operations, telephoning to
his generals in the field and over-
seeing their victories.
He is not an arm-chair strate-
gist.
He went to Tsaritsyn in June,
1918, as a civilian, commissar of
food for southern Russia, during
the civil war. He found a military
situation bordering on the catas-
trophic, and plunged into his frst
military venture, becoming chief of
the revolutionary military council
He sits at the head of his con-
ference table. At the sides are the
members of his "Stavka," or gener-
al staff. Its members, whose names
have been made known, are Mar-
shals K. Y. Voroshilov, G. K. Zhu-
kov and M. N. Voronov, and Gens.
A. M. Vasilevsky, A. A. Novikov
and F. J. Falaleyev. A number of
other officers also attend the de-
liberations.
They hear full, up-to-the-minute
reports on the military situation,
Fp W 11UtU LUIU1C l lY , UU
torial committee chairman, and per-
sonnel administrator, whose job it
will be to recruit coeds to alleviate
labor shortages and other wartime
emergencies.
Other positions on the Women's
War Council will be filled automati-
cally, as in former years, by the head
of Panhellenic, president of Assem-
bly, WAA president, and the women's
editor of The Daily.
Students Can Still
Get Ration Book 2
Applications for War Ration Book
Number 2 still will be accepted in
Room 2 University Hall for students
who missed the registration deadline
last week, -Assistant Dean Walter B.
Rea announced last night.
Catherine Fletcher has been chosen
to play the role of Judy, the gay and
defiant showgirl, in "Heart of a
City," by Lesley Storm, a wartime
drama of London, which will be pre-
sented by the Play Production of the
cia Meikle; John Babington will por-
tray the lucky RAF pilot, Paul Lundy,
and the part of Tommy, the heart-
broken song writer, will be played by
Harold Cooper. This foursome pro-
vides the romantic interest in the
play.
"Heart of a City", is based on the
observations which Lesley Storm
made during the time she spent back-
stage in The Windmill Theatre, Lon-
don, which kepts its shows running
continuously throughout the terrors
of the Luftwaffe. The Windmill was
founded as a "shop window" for
youthful talent, and it is the reac-
tions of this group which Lesley
Storm strives to present in this play.
In the play a tribute is paid to the
gallantry of Londoners, especially the
show people, who can entertain and
be entertained while the Nazi blitz
roars in full force. "Heart of a City"
was hailed by some critics as "the
best war play of the season," after
being produced on Broadway last
_.