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VOL. LIV No. 87 ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 8, 1944
PRICE FIVE CENTS
Major Hemans Says'
Life Is Threatened
Prepared Statement Tells of Offer
Of Enough Money for Life in Exile
By The Associated Press
LANSING, March 7.-Maj. Charles F. Hemans, confessed pay-off man
in the distribution of graft to members of the Michigan Legislature, charged
today in a prepared statement to the press that "my life has been threat-
ened" because of his decision to give state's evidence in a Grand Jury
investigation of corruption in state government.
Hemans gave no details of the threats he said were made, and Special
Prosecutor Kim Sigler said he had no comment "at present" on the state-
ment.
Heman's statement asserted he also had been "offered all the money I
need for life to 'clear out' and seek sanctuary in a distant country" but that
"my mind will not be changed."- f.
He distributed the typed state-
ment at a press conference in Sigler's
presence, declaring orally in reply to
newsmens' questions that "it was a
threat,mall right, but there's nothing
more I can say about it now."
Hemans' statement said he re-
sented characterization of himself as
a "briber," contending that "what I
have done is to pay extortion money
to those in a position where they
could demand it."
In the recently completed Circuit
Court examination of 22 respondents
accused of a 'legislative graft con-
siparcy Hemans as the star prosecu-
tion witness testified that he had
paid money to 20 men to influence
their votes as members of the 1939
legislature, and that he did so as the
agent of six officials of finance and
loan companies, whom he said hired
him for that purpose. The 22 res-
pondents were bound over Monday
for Circuit Court trial and today
the last of them completed the post-
ing of bonds of $2,500 each.
Hemans concluded his prepared
statement with an admonition that
"people in glass houses should not
throw stones" and the "Biblical ref-
erence, "Let him among you who is
without sin cast the first stone."
Giraud Defends
Former Vichy
Cabinet Minister
ALGIERS, March 7.-(A)--Two
French army officers, a lowly lieuten-
ant and the commander-in-chief, to-
day gave evidence in defense of
Pierre Pucheu, former Vichy interior
minister now on trial for treason.
Gen. Henri Honore Giraud, rank-
ing French army commander, con-
firmed important defense conten-
tions, that Pucheu had attempted to
dissuade Marshal Petain, Vichy chief
of state, from continued collabora-
tion with the Nazis, and that Pucheu
came to North Africa at Giraud's in-
vitation.
Gen. Giraud said he had seen Pu-
cheu's report to Petain urging aid to
the Allies and non-collaboration with
the Nazis.
The young lieutenant, who was in
Vichy in 1942 when Pucheu was in-
terior minister, testified that Pucheu
was generally considered pro-ally.
The officer said he had been told by
a Vichy official that Pucheu was not
collaborating properly with the Ger-
mans.
Veteran Bonus
Bill flits Snag
In Senate Test
WASHINGTON, March 7.-(P)-
The veterans' bonus bill backed by
five service groups and providing
benefits as high as $4,500 for overseas
fighting men got off to a bad start
in the Senate today.
Over the protests of its authors,
Senators Johnson (Dem., Colo.) and
Reynolds (Dem., N.C.), the Senate
version of the bill was referred to the
Finance Committee for study, rather
than to -the Military Affairs Com-
-mittee which Reynolds heads.
In the Finance Committee, it will
automatically go to a subcommittee
headed by Senator Clark (Dem.,
Mo.), one of the founders of the
American Legion and a backer of the
Legion's rival "G.I." benefit bill.
The so-called "G.." bill proposes
$500 mustering out pay for 18 months
overseas service, along with educa-
tional training, re-employment aid,
unemployment insurance, and loans
for the purchase of farms and homes.
Lt. Swannut Given
Chance of Recovery
TVmRMm (Calif. .Mrpah 7-(P)
Seven Top Acts
Will Highlight
Variety. Show?
Taylors, Georgie Tapps
Head Bill of Veteran
Vaudeville Entertainers
In an attempt to answer a long-
felt need for firstclass entertainment
in Ann Arbor, the University of
Michigan will present a Victory Var-
ieties program of seven acts at 8 p.m.
Saturday, March 18, in Hill Audi-
torium.
"The University has spared no ,ex-
pense in securing .the l1est profess-
sional talent available in the mid-
West," Walter B. Rea, assistant
Dean of Students, said yesterday.
"The seven vaudeville acts, which
will be supplemented by the .music
of a well-known orchestra, .represent
the highest quality entertainment
obtainable from theatres, hotels and
night clubs."
Taylor Kids Featured
Featured in the show will be the
Five Taylor Kids, considered one of
the finest acrobatic acts -in show
business today. This act has appear-
ed at the Roxy Theatre in New York,
the Chicago Theatre and the Orien-
tal Theatre in Chicago.
Georgie Tapps,. now appearia- .t
Chicago's Rio Cabana, will present
his specialties in tap dancing. Tapps
has played at the Roxy Theatre in
New York, the 44th Street Theatre
and has appeared in the drama "Pal
Joey."
Bert Lynn, who is characterized as
a "musical blitzkreig," is known as,.
the inventor of the electric guitars
He will appear in Ann Arbor with
his vibrolynn guitar, which made
his reputation, as a sensational nov--
elty.
Fourth act of Victory Varieties
will be the Brucettes, a. group of
dancing girls who are well known
in the entertainment field.
Dance Team Recognized
Lischeron and Adams, recognized
throughout the mid-West as a ball-
room dance team, have performed at
the Marine Dining Room of the
Edgewater Beach Hotel, the Walnut
Room of the Bismarck Hotel, and
are now closing a successful engage-
ment at the sNicollet Hotel in Min-
neapolis.
Also appearing in the show will be
the Singing Commanders, an act re-
cently featured at the Chez Paree
in Chicago.
Tickets for the show will be placed
on sale at 7ยง cents, tax included,
with a few days.
Similar shows have been present-
ed at other mid-western universities
with great success.
"As long as these Victory Varieties
are successful and there is a demand
for such entertainment here," Dean
Rea said, "the University will con-
tinue to provide such shows."
Subs Force
lap Fleets
Into Hiding
Adm. Nimitz Credits
U.S. Submarines with
Reshaping Pacific War
By The Associated Press
WASHINGTON, March 7.-Ameri-
can submarines already appear to
have forced the Japanese fleet to
retreat and undersea operations
promise to reshape the whole course
of the Pacific war, Admiral Chester
W. Nimitz said today.
The commander of the Pacific
fleet, asserting that "we've enough
stuff in the Pacific now to meet the
Japanese fleet at any time," added:
"It would be to our advantage to
have an early encounter with the
Japanese fleet; it would be disastrous
to their overseas communications if
they lost a good part of their fleet.
My idea is they will preserve their
fleet as long as possible."
Jap Shipping Hit
He said submarine successes have
taken such a heavy toll of Japanese
shipping that "lack of shipping may
soon be the controlling factor in what
they are able to do."
The American undersea fleet has
been credited with destroying 611
Japanese vessels of all types.
Nimitz, here for war conferences,
warned- that the enemy's Truk base
is "very formidable" despite lack of
air fields. He made no predictions on
whether Truk would be invaded. But
in-testimony before -the House -Naval
Affairs Committee Rear Admiral Ed-
ward Cochrane, chief of the Navy's
Bureau of Ships, asking for funds
for ship repair facilities, said, "When
we go into Truk, where we are going
in, we'll have work to do."-
..Questioned about possibilities of
aerial raids- n the Japanese home-
land, Nimitz declined any predic-
tions but said, "We will miss no
opportunity to strike Japan wherever
and whenever we can."
Opinions Summarized
Summarnzed, other opinions re-
ported by Nimitz were:
Japanese naval air power-has
passed peak in'strength, but Japa-
nese. still are able to replace plane
ligssesand, 4I believe that for awhile
Japan will -be able to maintain its
plane production."
Japanese naval officers and men-
"highly efficient, well trained," and
have "not in any sense lost their will
to fight."
Submarine activities in the Atlan-
tic-at a new low-came into discus-
sion at the news conference when
Secretary Knox read from a London
announcement that only one vessel
was sunk out of every 1,000 operating
in the Atlantic in the last half of
1943. Knox warned that "the Ger-
mans have a tremendous number of
submarines in reserve."
The secretary revealed that the
American fleet-the world's largest
Navy-now totals more than 900
combatant ships and "this doesn't
include any small stuff."
Daily Edit Tryouts
To Meet Tomorrow
All students interested in work-
ing on The Daily editorial staff are
asked to come to a general try-out
eeting at 4 p.m. tomorrow in the
Student Publications Building.
Work on the editorial staff in-
cludes -news coverage of the cam-
pus, editorial writing aiti page
make-up instruction.
Daily experience is especially
helpful for future work in publicity
and public relations as well as for
newspapers. Alert students with
ambition have greater opportunity
for quick advancement on the staff
now than at any previous time.
Los Negros
Now Secured
By U.S. Troops
ALLIED HEADQUARTERS IN
SOUTHWEST PACIFIC, March 8.-
(GP)-American troops now control
Los Negros Island in the Admiralties,
and United. States Marines have
landed near Talasea on Willaumez
Peninsula nearly midway on the
north coast of New Britain, Gen.
Douglas MacArthur announced to-
day.
The Los Negros Island successes
put the Americans in possession of
the beach of the west coast of Sead-
ler Harbor, which Juts eastward into
horseshoe-shaped Los Negros, and
further clinches possession of Mo-
mote airdrome which, MacArthur
said, was now ready to receive Allied
planes.
First cavalry division invaders cap-
tured Japanese 4.7 mm. naval guns
in concrete emplacements south of
Mornote and in expanding their hold-
ings found 79 more dead Japanese.
Counting the 700 enemy .dead
found around the perimeter of Mo-
mote Field after the Nipponese made
their final effort to. recapture the
airstrip last Friday night and Satur-
day, the. Americans have had the job
of -burying 1,200 Japanese bodies in
recent days.
While the Marines moved 110 miles
eastward from Cape Gloucester to
invade: the Willaumez Peninsula,
against only light opposition, troops
on the south coast of New Britain
also have moved eastward as far as
Amhorning, 24 miles from Arawe.
U.S. Planes Raid
Nazi Airdrome;
RAF Hits Paris
LONDON, March 7. - (.R) - U. S.
Marauders plastered a German air-
field near Conches by daylight with-
out loss after a heavy RAF night
blow on railroads near Paris and
Monday's mammoth American raid
on Berlin which accounted for 176
Nazi planes and was reported to
have left a great many fires still
burning furiously today.
Small forces of British, Dominion
and Allied Bostons, Mitchells and
Mosquitoes joined the attack on mil-
itary objectives in northern France.
Conches lies 75 miles south of
Dieppe. Two enemy aircraft were
destroyed.
Raid Indicated
The Nazi-controlled Paris and
Bordeaux radios left the air tonight,
indicating possible night raiding by
the RAF.
The German-controlled Oslo radio
said the Monday assault on Berlin'
was described in a DNB dispatch
as "a catastrophe for the Americans"
and "Bloody Monday" to Maj. James
H. Doolittle, commander of the
Eighth Air Force. An original re-
cording of the transmission indicated
it was the Germans who considered
that they had encountered a catas-
trophe, but the British Information
Ministry's counter propaganda div-
ision confirmed the expanded quo-
tations.
Travelers arriving in Stockholm by
plane from Berlin said flames set by
American bombers during the two-
hour alert were still burning when
they left the German capital.
Marauders Participate
The Marauders hopped the Chan-
nel's "rocket gun coast" in the wake
of night fleets that smashed rail
targets at Trappes, 15 miles south-
west of Paris, serving the main line
route to fortifications at Brittany.
German defenses were light and tak-
en by surprise-not a bomber was
lost.
Eye-witnesses arriving in Stock-;
holm said a great many fires still
burned furiously in the German cap-
ital in the wake of the bombardment.
Returned travelers said the city was
under attack for 90 minutes during
the two-hour alarm, four waves of
American bombers arriving at in-
tervals of 10 to 15 minutes.
City's Center Damaged
Photography Checks Precision Bombing
Precision photographers, whose instruments are every bit as
delicate as the precision bombsights whose effectiveness they check,
took this picture over Paris during a recent raid. The clean, straight
line of smoke indicates how neatly the American bombardiers have hit
their target.
w '
Ticket o Army Show
Stl nSale +atLeague
Soviets Sweep Through Poland
To Tarnopol, Threaten Rumania;
Marines Advance in New Bri~tailn
200 Localities
Occupied in
Russian Drive
Tickets are still on sale in the box
office in the League for Co. C's orig-
inal musical comedy, "Bidin' Our
Time," which will be presented at
8:30 p.m. tomorrow and Friday in
the Lydia Mendelssohn Theatre.
The theatre box office will be open
from 10 a.m. until5 p.m. or until the
tickets are sold out.
All profits from the two Ann Ar-
bor performances will be contributed
to the Army Emergency Relief Fund.
The music for the show was writ-
ten by Cpl. 'Troy Bartlett, with lyrics
by Cpl. Hy Wolotsky, who is also di-
rector of the show.
The featured , singers are Mary
Hummon, contralto, Mary Mapes,
mezzo-soprano, Pfc. Robert Bentley,
Federal Ballot
Advocates Split
Soldier Vote Conflicts
T Continue on Floor
WASHINGTON, March 7.-()-
Senate and House advocates of a
federal war ballot split today as con-
ferees completed work on a compro-
mise servicec vote bill which Repre-
sentative Rankin (Dem., Miss.) term-
ed a victory for state ballot advo-
cates.
Chairman Green (Dem., R.I.) of
the Senate Elections Committee said
he would take the floor in opposition
when Senator Connally (Dem., Tex.)
brings it up in the Senate Thursday.
"If I were the president," Green
told reporters, "I would veto it. Few-
er men will be able to vote under it
than may vote under the 1942 law
which waived state registrtion re-
quirements and the poll tax collec-
tions of some states."
As finally revised the measure
leaves control of armed service voting
to the states under a procedure by
which the Army, Navy and Maritime
Commission will provide facilities for
transporting state ballots to the sol-
diers and back.
Use of a federal ballot would be de-
nied in this country except to ser-
vicemen from two states which have
no absentee ballot laws, and would
be allowed overseas men and women
only if they can not get a state bal-
lot by October 1 and their governors
certify by July 15 that a state ballot
will be recognized.
3,00+0iMiFord Rouge
Plant Affected by Strike
baritone, and Cpl. Joe Shamitz, ten-
or.
Eight songs have been written for
the occasion. "Release a WAC for
Active Duty," will be sung by Cpl.
Shamitz, Pfc, Robert Bentley and the
boys of the chorus. "Where Have
You Been," will be sung by Cpl. Sha-
mitz and Miss Mapes. Jeanne Fin-
layson will sing "They'se All Topo-
graphically Inclined."
Other featured songs will be "Pin-
up Boy" sung by Cpl. Shamitz, "The
Lament of Every Gent" by Pfc. Bart-
lett, "You Keep My Heart Awake" by
Cpl. Shamitz and Miss Mapes, "I'm
Not Platonically in Love" by Cpl.
Charles Weisberg and "So Little
Time" by Pfc. Bentley and Miss
Hummon.
The show is based on a play by Cpl.
Harold Becker and Cpl. Wolotsky,
with music arrangements by Cpl.
Bartlett and Pvt. Earl Edmonds,
USMCR. Lt. Melvin Flegal has been
dance director for the show and Pfc.
Chester H. Sargent, vocal director.
Cpl. Bartlett and Pvt. Edmonds will
be at the pianos.
Costumes for the show are by the
Quartermaster Corps, USA. Lighting
was conceived by Cpl. Ben Lipton and
setting executed by Play Production,
with make-up created by Maida
Steinberg and Blanche Holpar. The
show is staged by Cpl. Wolotsky.
Business and publicity for the
show were handled by Sgt. Irwin B.
Stup and Cpl. Harry E. Mankonen,
and photography by Cpl. Sam Ret-
tinger. Stage managers are Pfc. Ri-
chard O. Srystal, Sgt. George B. Eut-
emy, Cpl. Joseph E. Cavaliere, Pfc.
Andrew J. Biggi and Pfc. Marma-
duke Carter. Pfc. Barnett Mitzman
is electrician and the cosmeticians
are Timmie Davis, Pat Meikle and
Jean Westerman.
Study Reveals
Large Profits
PHILADELPHIA, March 7.-(iP)-
Six corporations in 15 war industry
groups reported profits in 1942 of
more than 100 per cent after pay-
ment of taxes, the second in a series
of Securities and Exchange Commis-
sion studies on profits and operations
costs from 1936 through 1942, cov-
ering 261 companies, disclosed today.
Four of the companies are in the
aircraft group, one in industrial ma-
chinery and one in screw machine
products.
The study covers more than half of
the nation's industrial volume and is
designed as a basis for renegotiation
LONDON, March 8, Wednesday-
(')-The Soviet offensive toward Ru-
mania and into southern Poland
over-ran 200nmore localities and
reached a hamlet 11 miles north of
Tarnopol yesterday while at other
points along the Russian salient des-
perate German counter-attacks with
heavy forces were pounded back with
a loss of 60 tanks, Moscow announced
today.
The old Polish border station of
Podvolochisk and the hamlet of Ir-
ovitsa, 3 miles across the frontier and
11 miles north of Tarnopol, were tak-
en in advances on the fourth day of
Marshal Gregory K. Zhukov's attack,
the Russians said.
Nazi Dead Told
More than 1,200 Nazi dead were
counted and "large numbers of
smashed enemy equipment was left
on the battlefield," said the late Mos-
cow bulletin, recorded by the Soviet
monitor from a broadcast. "War
material was captured and many pri-
soners taken."
Marshal Zhukov's forces were ad-
vancing 15 to 30 miles a day in-some
areas and threatened to hurl the
Germans pell mell back into Ruman-
ia.
A German counter-attack had
been expected to protect the Ruman-
ian frontier and to prevent entrap-
ment of the Nazi- forces fighting In
the Dnieper bend.
Southern Threat Stressed
The Germans have always appear-
ed more worried about Russian drives
to the -south, rather ;than, thewest.
When the Russians took eV and
moved west and south toward Zht-
mir, the Germans held the southen
flank at Fastov more tenaciously
than the west. Later, when the Rus-
sians swept down from Berdichey,
the Germans counter-attacked east
of Vinnitsa and forced the Russians
not only to give ground but to aban-
don this southward push toward the
Ukrainian Bug river and the Ruman-
ian frontier.
The new fighting is west of the
Vinnitsa area but is even more
threatening German positions.
Mud Bogs Land
Drives in Italy;
Bonbers Active
ALLIED HEADQUARTERS, NA-
PLES, March 7.-()Aeran ea-
vy and medium bombers based in
Italy struck powerful blows at the
Germans both in Italy and southern
France today as ground fighting on
the Italian peninsula bogged down in
the mud.
Flying Fortresses escorted by
Lightnings cracked at the Touon na-
val base in southern France, from
which the Germans have been oper-
ating submarines and surface raiders
in the Mediterranean.
Liberators escorted by Thunder-
bolts attacked Nazi-held airfields and
railway installations near Rome.
Mitchells and Marauders bombed
the Littorio and Ostiense railway
yards in Rome on the main route of
German supplies to the battle areas
in southern Italy. It was the sixth
raid on the eternal city.
The rain-soaked ground still al-
lowed no major military operations,
but sharp local clashes were reported
at Cssino and along the Anzio
beachhead battle line.
American troops made several jabs
at German positions inside the bat-
tered town of Cossino and drew in-
tense fire from the defenders. Cas-
sino, the key to the entire Italian sit-
uation, remains as hard a nut as
ever to crack.
Anglo-American Oil
Conference Planned
WASHINGTON, March 7.--()-
An Anglo-American conference on
world oil problems is scheduled for
Wawhiutn nn i a ._ sm, 2cQ
Lansing Woman Charged with
Violation of OPA Regulations
DETROIT, March 7.-('P)- Ac-
cused of selling gasoline ration cou-
pons on a huge scale, Mrs. Dorothy
Gertrude Martin, 36, chief clerk of
Lansing rationing board, was arrest-
ed at her home in that city today on
a federal warrant charging violation
of Office of Price Administration
regulations.
Specifically Mrs. Martin was
charged with selling 19,000 "C-2"
coupons to a Detroit gasoline station
operator for $1,920. William A. Carl-
son, district supervisor of the United
States Secret Service, said he had
information indicating she had sold
100,000 gasoline coupons within the
last few months. chiefly to buyers in
cash hidden in various parts of the
house.
Mrs. Martin, who has been em-
ployed by the OPA since June, 1942,
has been chief clerk of the west side
ration board at Lansing since Nov. 1,
1943.
She was brought to Detroit late
today and probably will be arraigned
before a United States commissioner
here tomorrow.
Authorities Seek To End
Italian Workers' Strike
AT THE SWISS-ITALIAN FRON-
TIER, March 7.-(A')-German mili-
+af a. - t- t-iact nvin tinl-i a f