'I0, Kr ia lai-lit Nil-okY Toga 4-'uAae ° VOL. LIII No. 101 ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN, SUNDAY, FEB. 8, 1943 PRICE FIVE CENTS Sustained Raids Demolish French Ports _,,--A Stimson Endorses Bill for Direct A Manpower Control Measure -Provides for Compulsory Transfer of Essential War Workers To Solve Labor Shortage Problem .. By The Associated Press WASHINGTON, Feb. 27.- Reporting "increasing evidence of the inade- quacy of present controls," Secretary of War Stimson wrote the Senate Mili- tary Committee today strongly endorsing a bill providing for the compulsory control of manpower. Stimson said the War Department "strongly endorses" a bill introduced by Senator Austin (Rep.-Vt.) and Rep. Wadsworth (Rep.-N.Y.) and "urges its prompt passage by ,Congress." This was the first'intimation from administration sources of support for the Austin-Wadsworth measure, which would provide primarily for volun- tary transfer of workers to essential war jobs but would provide for compul- sion if voluntary controls fail toU bring about the desired results. Labor Shortage Imminent Stimson reported "present or im- minent" shortages of labor in agri- culture, mining and industry. "There is increasing evidence of the inadequacy of presentcontrols to achieve a full utilization of our man- power and to solve the labor shortage problem," Stimson wrote Reynolds. "As a result," Stimson continued, "in several instances where labor shortage emergencies existed it has been necessary to take men from the Array to supply labor. This is a practice that is wasteful and disrup- tive to the Army training program. As a further result, proposals have been made to give blanket deferment to groups of workers thus limiting greatly the manpower pool on which the Army depends for its soldiers." Opposes Bankhead Bill Austin, who made public the let- ter, said he interpreted this portion of it as opposing proposals by Sena- tor Bankhead (Dem.-Ala.) and oth- ers to provide for the furloughing of men in the Army to do farm work, as well as pending proposals for the deferment of farm workers. "We must direct adult labor into essential occupations rather than keep the men out of the Army who are needed for the job of winning the war," Stimson wrote. Med Students in ROTC To Stay 75 'M' Men Affected By New Army Order OMAHA, Feb. 27.-(1P)-Seventh Service Command Headquarters called attention today to a new Army order giving opportunity to medical, dental or veterinary college students to continue studies further than under previous regulations. The order affects students now holding commissions in the Medical Administrative Corps or in the Offi- cers' Reserve Corps and who are on an inactive status for the purpose of completing their training with a view to being commissioned in the Medi- cal, Dental of Veterinary Corps. Approximately 75 University medi- cal, dental and veterinary students in ROTC will be affected by the Army order giving them opportunity to continue their studies here. ROTC students from other univer- sities enrolled in these courses will also be sent to the University for fur- ther schooling under the ruling. 'Allied Troops 'Shatter German Tanks in Africa' By DANIEL De LUCE Associated Press Correspondent ALLIED HEADQUARTERS IN NORTH AFRICA, Feb. 27.- Veteran British troops stoutly entrenched on the rugged heights near the Bizerte- Tunis bridgehead shattered repeated German armored thrusts along a muddy, 55-mile front today while in central Tunisia American and Allied combat teams captured the town of Kas~erine and drove 'near the The- lepte airport, 15 miles to the south- west. Throwing about 50 tanks into short, stabbing attacks, supported by probably as much as five battal- ions of infantry, Col.-Gen. Jurgen Von Arnim tried but failed to break into the strategic network of roads immediately behind the British line. From the area of Sidi Nsir, 15 miles northeast of Beja, to Jebel Mansour, six miles southeast of Bou Arada, Axis forces stormed forward into devastating fire frqm British artil- lery. Strengthened with new tanks, in- cluding the 40-ton Churchills, the British armor - quickly counterat- tacked and Allied war planes pro- vided close ground support. With the fighting still continuing, the number of Axis troops taken prisoner, which last night exceeded 400, was mounting steadily. Six attacks were launched by the enemy early yesterday and although all were temporarily smashed the pressure was renewed at two points, field dispatches said late this after- noon. 72 Trapped, 2 Killed in Montana Min- BEARCREEK, Mont., Feb. 27.--RI) -An unexplained explosion in the Smith coal mine killed two men, critically injured three and left 72 others somewhere in the deep work- ings today. Hope was expressed by mine mana- ger Bill Romex the men may have fled deadly black damp and barri- caded themselves in a section where they may get pure air. A fully equipped rescue squad ar- rived from Butte and went into mine to pierce a cavein and locate the missing 72. Earlier rescue efforts had been hampered by lack of gas and smoke equipment. Gordenker Appointed City Editor Bud Brimmer Will Succeed Irving Jaffe As Editorial Director Leon Gordenker was appointed city editor of The Daily, while Bud Brim- mer, former city editor, was made editorial director to fill the vacancy left by the withdrawal of Irving Jaffe from school, at a meeting of the Board in Control of Student Publica- tions yesterday. Sixteen other appointments to po- sitions of the staffs of The Daily, 'Ensian and Gargoyle were con- firmed. Made probational night edi- tors of The Daily were Monroe Fink, Virginia Rock, Claire Sherman and Jane Farrant. James Conant was approved as columnist. Martin E. Feferman was made bus- iness manager of the Michiganensian to take the place of retiring Benjamin Douglas. Junior business staff ap- pointees are Lew Mintz, organizations and publicity; June Gustafson, ac- counts and foreign advertising; and Claire Blackford, sales and local ad- vertising, filling the vacancy left by the promotion of Feferman. Jeanne High and Bernice Galansky are the new co-editors of the Gar- goyle. Their interim appointments were approved, as well as that of Les- ter Meckler who has left the staff. Barbara Sternfels was made busi- ness manager of the Gargoyle to take the place of Kenneth Kardon, and Leonard B. Weiss is advertising man- ager, Don Busch, circulation mana- ger, and Martha Spector, accounts manager. WLIJ. Reports Progress on Wage Issue WASHINGTON, Feb. 27.-(P)- Workmient who build the Army's Fly- ing Fortress today cancelled the 24- hour "general meeting" proposed for Monday as the War Labor Board re- ported progress toward settling their wage demands. Before this development, Senator Byrd, Dem.-Va. declared in a state- ment that the time had come when Congress should enact measures to halt any work stoppages in war in- dustry and that strikes under present conditions are "directly against the government itself." A spokesman for the AFL Aero- nautical Mechanics Union at Seattle, in announcing cancellation of the meeting planned for Monday in case the WLB had not then reached a de- cision, said that its abandonment was dictated by "developments." Instead the union's executive board will hold a meeting. The WLB, which has had the Air- craft wage case since Jan. 8, said it would meet tomorrow and Monday to speed a decision. It announced that "progress is being made and the Board will continue to make progress until it is decided." The unions seek an increase from 621/ to 95 cents an hour in the starting wage., President Is Improved WASHINGTON, Feb. 27-(P)- President Roosevelt, though im- proved, cancelled all engagements for the weekend today to rest up from an intestinal disturbance whict has kept him away from his office since Wed- nesday. WMC Orders Longer Week For Industries 48-Hour Work Week Extended to Mining, Lumbering by McNutt By WILLIAM T. PEACOCK Associated Press Correspondent WASHINGTON, Feb. 27.- A 48-hour week for the lumber in- dustry in all its phases and for met- al mining other than iron throughout the nation was ordered tonight by the War Manpower Commission. At the same.time, Chairman Paul V. McNutt issued regulations grant- ing broad discretionary authority to area and regional directors in putting the 48-hour week into effect in other industries in the 32 "labor shortage" areas designated last month. In general, these regulations are designed to ease the transition to the longer work week by providing that no firm which must release em- ployees to go on a 48-hour basis shall install the longer week until the Fed- eral Employment Service finds "suit- able employment" for the workers. Procedure Outlined As explained by Fowler V. Harper, McNutt's chief deputy, this might mean a period of months or more before some firms in the labor short- age areas will institute the longer work week. He outlined the procedure in this manner: By April 1, the company must file with the Regional Manpower official a statement of how many employees it would realease by going on the 48- hour week. It should then continue working its current schedule until Manpower officials advise that jobs elsewhere are ready for the workers who would be released. This would apply onl to businesses which must release employes. Two Classes Other firms, in Harper's explana- tion, would fall roughly into two classes: 1. Those which can go on a 48-hour' week without releasing employes and which would make a contribution to the war effort by a longer work week. Such businesses, Harper said, should simply change ,to the 48-hour week and need not notify anyone. 2. Those for whom a longer work week would be impracticable, would not contribute to reduction of labor requirements or the war effort, or would conflict with state or local laws. These should file a statement of their case with the local Manpower director by April 1 and await his de- cision. Council TO Poll Student Views! Undergraduate student opinion will be canvassed tomorrow and Tuesday in the first in a series of polls on post- war problems conducted by the Post- War council in conjunction with The Michigan Daily, with the action of Russia after victory as the topic. The question to be asked is "On the basis of Russia's action before and during the war, what do you think Russia's action will be after the war?" Students will be asked to check one of three answers, (1) cooperate with other nations to preserve the peace (2) advance the cause of Communism in Europe (3) return to isolationism. The results of the poll will be pub- lished in Thursday's Daily, accom- panied by an interpretative statement by Prof. James K. Pollock of the po- litical science department. Rommel's'Columns Continue Retreat Mediterranean Sea bone La Clse Medie . e# Bab TUIS* A t .Sbiba Kairouan Fair Tebessa Sbeitla SALGER IA Kasserine sdi. Feriana Bouzid& SFA } - Maknassy Sened ,e Redoof Gafsa GA BS Tozeur Nefta C - TUNS areh e denin p .50A Line -, STATUTE MILES ' United States troops have regained Kasserine Pass-vital gateway to the Hatab Valley-without a fight with Axis columns retreating through the gap and continued to move southward through Feriana, presumabliy toward Oafsa. British and United States forces continued their hammering-of Marshal Rommel's men, pushing them farther back toward the sea after their costly retreat through the pass. French troops advancing from the mountains on the west side of Ousseltia Valley smashed one after another Axis position in that area. In the south, the British Eighth Army was reported penetrating outer defenses of the Mareth Line. Engelke Attacks willow Run Housing. Conditions Taft Declares Living Conditions for War Workers in Near Counties Need Improvement Brest and Dunkirk Hit Hard Allied Bombers Smash Munitions Centers on North Sea Coastline By EDWARD D. BALL Associated Press correspondent LONDON, Feb. 27.-American for- tress and liberator bombers bashed the German naval base at Brest on the French coast today while RAP venturas attacked Dunkirk in con- tinuation of the greatest sustained air assault of the war on enemy instal- lations from the North Sea to the Bay of Biscay. All the big U. S. bombers returned safely from the latest in the series of assaults in which Allied planes have pounded the Nazi war machine twice around the clock and more. Radios Off Air The Paris and Calais radio stations suddenly went off the air tonight, indicating the RAF was carrying the offensive through another night. Follow Night Attack The daylight operations followed closely a "very heavy" attack by RAP bombers last night on the battered German industrial city of Cologne. Squadron after squadron of Allied planes shuttled across the channel today as RAP and Allied fighters supported the four-motored Ameri- can bombers in their raid on Brest. Sub Bases Target Their target again was the U-boat base at the west coast port, pointing to a sustained Allied air offensive to weaken the German submarine fleet and help clear the way for the land- ings on the European Mainland. Wilhelmshaven, which U. S. bomb ers struck In daylight yesterday, is another U-boat building center and haven. Cologne, left quaking under last night's avalanche of RAF bombs, also builds submarine engines and parts. 16'7 Women To Be Pledged 167 women will become members of Panhellenic when they are pledged at 3 p.m. today by the following 17 sororities: Alpha Chi Omega: Mary Bartley, '46, Royal Oak; Judy Bott, '46, De- troit; Ann Crossley, '46, Midland; Ann Keers, '46, Akron; Mary Jane Kellam, '46, Chicago; Glory King, '46, Roselle Park, N. J.; Nora Mac- Laughlin, '46, Midland; Shirley Ma- kima, '46, Detroit; Wanda Methias, '46,, Arrville, .; Nancy Tait, '46, Toledo; Pat Woodruff, '46, Gowanda, N. Y. Alpha Delta Pi: Margaret F. An- derson, '44, Imlay City; Dorine Lar- mee, '44, Ann Arbor; Joyce Notting- ham, '45, Ann Arbor; Joan Hach, '45, Oak Park, Ill.; Mary Ann Groth- wahl, '45, Niles. Alpha Epsilon Phi: Rita Auer, '46, Cincinnati; Irma _ Bluestein, '46 Brookline, Mass.; Betty Boas, '46, Chicago; Marilyn Bothman, '46, Ann Arbor; Lila Chajage, '46, Atlanta, Ga.; Ruth Dwarman, '45, Detroit; Marjorie Ettenheim, '46, Milwaukee; Betty Ginsberg, '46, Chicago; Joanne Gordon, '46, Gary, Ind.; Laura Hecht, '46, Shaker Heights, O.; Betty Hendel, '45, Minneapolis; Elaine Kattleman, '46, University City, Mo.; Alene Loeser, '46, Fort Wayne, Ind.; Turn to Page 5, Col. 4 Unless housing conditions, water supply facilities, and sewage and gar-I bage disposal are immediately im- proved in the Willow Run area, Dr. Otto K. Engelke, head of the'Wash- tenaw County Health Department, warned yesterday that the war ef- fort and production at the Bomber plant could be seriously crippled. The urged immediate federal attention to the problem. Speaking before an assembly of city, county, state and federal of- ficials at the Conference on Bomber Area Problems, Dr. Engelke pointed out that even in 1940, these critical areas contained sub-normal housing, and about 90 per cent of the houses were serviced by outside privies. "I would say," he addead, "that less than 5 per cent of these are sanitary." Since 1940 the population in Wash- tenaw county has jumped from 80,000 to 100,000, an increase of 25 per cent. On the name land shallow wells, as little as 8 feet deep and usually not Turn to Page 2, Col. 1 Congress Plans Curbing FDR SAppointments WASHINGTON, Feb. 27. - (?P) - Two fresh rebuffs for President Roosevelt were strongly indicated in the Senate today-but the White House was authoritatively represent- ed as not greatly perturbed over the current Congressional dissidence. 1. Informal nose counts by ad- ministration leaders indicate that a majority of the Senate is likely to support a modified version of the bill by Senator McKellar (Dem.- Tenn.) to require Senate confirma- tion of federal appointees paid more than $4,500 a year over Mr. Roose- vet's strenuous protest that this would be "a tragic mistake." Washtenaw and Macomb counties had the "toughest job in the United States" in providing decent living conditions and sanitary facilities for their war workers and although there has been a definite improvement, the work is "far from done," Charles P. Taft, assistant director of the Office of Defense Health and Welfare Ser- vices, declared before a group of local, county, state, and federal offi- cials last night at Rackham Lecture Hall. "War workers are entitled to a de- cent house, sanitation, care for their The full 'text of Charles P. Taft's speech will be found on the Edi- torial Page. children, a minimum health provi- sion, and some measures of social life and recreation with their fel- lows . .. but what are they going to think if we don't give them anything but trailers or open sewers or one movie per 200,000 people and food in greasy spoons?" he asked. "The word 'absenteeism' has be- come a common word in the vocabu- lary of Americans watching our war effort. Maybe our workers are ab- sent, and maybe they move too of- ten," Taft said. "... But they're do- ing better than they did, not worse. Let's not damn them, but find out -how we can help them to do better yet." CASSIDY REPORTS: Correspondent Sees Ailied-Russian Agreement 'NOVEMBER STORM' PRAISED: Ex-Daily Man McCormick's Hopwood Winner Published f r. U By CLARK LEE Associated Press Correspondent NEW YORK, Feb. 27.-Henry C. Cassidy, whose historic correspond- ence with Premier Joseph Stalin last fall atftpredinternatio nal attention. the second front," the Correspondent said. "There was distrust and tension over "the question, but it no longer exists. There are no more nagging editorials or cartoons in the Soviet press." ment of a second front as soon as possible. By "a second front" the Russians mean a land front against Hitler in Europe, even though they realize the importance of the African campaign. and by the winter of 1944, with the Allies and Soviets attacking simul- taneously, we should be able to launch the really powerful blows that will mean the end for Hitler." Cassidy turned neat journalistic By LEON GORDENKER When Irish-as-Blarney Jay Mc- Cormick was a senior editor of The Daily in 1941, he was working on a novel-a novel called "November Storm" which won a Hopwood prize in, fhatvT~a1 extra time to that. The widely read column ran for two years on the edi- torial page of The Daily. About that time Jay became edi- tor of Perspectives, the literary sup- plement to The Daily. Several of his own short stories were published