itoa 4 t W Cdcather Cloudy and Colder 15 days tillChrstmas, I VOL. LIV No. 32 ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN, THURSDAY, DEC. 9, 1943 PRICE FIVE CENTS Linsey To Accept Launch Super Battleship Wisconsin Six ap Ships Sunk, 72 Job as Prosecutor Despite Criticism Attorney Is 'Rip-Roaring Mad' about Controversy over His Appointment, Will Begin Work on Jury Cases Dec. 20 By The Associated Press GRAND RAPIDS, Mich., Dec. 8.-Attorney Jay W. Linsey said tonight he would accept appointment as special prosecutor of trials resulting from a Grand Jury investigation of the legislature, despite criticism of the appointment, and added: "This whole controversy makes me rip-roaring mad; I'm going to go through with the. job." Linsey said he had just returned to his home here from a conference in Lansing with Attorney General Herbert J. Rushton, who announced his appointment to the Grand Jury staff last night. "I told him that I would accept the appointment, that I don't care what they say about me, because I know what is true and what is not. This whole controversy makes me rip- U - roaring mad and I'm going to go. through with the job. ail Line to "When I told Mr. Rushton that he Nip Planes Destroyed in Marshall Islands Attack ; "1L FVW .FF . FVAiVVIVL , 11 said he was glad and that he wanted me." Linsey said he believed he had been selected "because of njy past ex- perience as a trial lawyer in handling this type of case." He referred to the assignment as involving "hard work," but said criticism directed against him on grounds that he had repre- sented Republican National Commit- teeman Frank D. McKay and defend- ed Fred C. Ehrmann in the Federal Liquor Conspiracy Case in which Mc- Kay also was accused and acquitted made him "more determined than ever to accept the job." Not McKay's Attorney He said he had no further com- ment "except that. I am not Frank McKay's attorney. He has merely been a client of mine, in past years, and I have done some work for him when he needed it." McKay engaged separate counsel in the liquor con- spiracy case. In Lansing, Rushton confirmed the conversation with Linsey today and said his appointment would stand. "There is no basis for criticism," the Attorney General declared. To criticize the appointment on grounds of a connection between Linsey and McKay was " a lot of foolishness," he added. McKay Question Settled "We (Linsey and Rushton) had a talk before this but we did not mention McKay," the Attorney Gen- eral cintinued. "Now we have settled that question." "Mr. Linsey thinks he never had but two little matters to handle for McKay, one in justice court and one in chancery court." Linsey said here tonight he expect- ed to begin work on the grand jury cases at Lansing on Dec. 20. First, he said, he had to complete work on the McMann murder case here, in which he is the defense attorney, which opens Monday. U.S. Steel Plans To negotiate 150 Companies Agree To Reopen Contracts PITTSBURGH, Dec. 8.- (Al3)- United States Steel Corp., the na- tion's largest producer, today an- nounced it would negotiate a new labor contract with the United Steel- workers of America (CIO), and the union said approximately 150 other companies also had agreed to reopen their contracts. "Big Steel's" announcement was in reply to the union's notice of in- tention to reopen wage negotiations after demanding a general 17-cent hourly increase for some 500,000 "basic steel" workers. Benjamin F. Fairless, U.S. Steel president, said representatives of five subsidiaries would meet here next Tuesday with union officials. The U.S. Steel announcement came less than 24 hours after the Weirton (W.Va.) independent union asked the Weirton Steel Co., for a $1 an hour minimum wage. Weirton is a subsidiary of National Steel Corp., only major producer which does not have a contract with the CIO. Eight Seniors Are Tapped to Scroll Scroll, senior honor society for sor- Nilolaev Cut by Red Columns German Attacks with 2,000 Tanks Force Red Retreat in Kiev Bulge LONDON, Dec. 8.-(P)-Russian columns closing around Znamenka outflanked this Dnieper bend rail center from the south today by cut- ting the big rail line to Nikolaev, but the Red Army fell back for the sec- ond straight day in the Kiev bulge before a mighty German counter- attack powered by almost 2,000 tanks. The Znamenka-Nikolaev line was cut at Sharovka marking a 13-mile advance in 24 hours from Pantaevka. The district center of Novaya Praga was overrun en route. Capture Rail Town North of the rail hub another Sov- iet column which had already cut the line to Smela, captured Elizavetgrad- ka, 13 miles northwest of Znamenka. This town is only five miles from the subsidiary junction of Khirovka, astride the Germans' last rail escape route from Znamenka, a line run- ning west to Kirovograd. Other Russian forces were only two miles from Znamenka itself, Moscow reports said, as three of the four railroads leading from the area were cut. Kiev Battle Desperate But the Russians were fighting a desperate battle north of this area in the Kiev bulge, where they admitted their second retreat in two days and indicated that Chernyakhov, on the rail line between Zhitomir and Koro- sten, was either lost or outflanked. Chernyakhov, some 75 miles west of Kiev, is the westernmost Russian penetration. Moscow dispatches said the Ger- mans were using the largest group of big tanks ever employed on the Soviet front in their determined effort to liquidate this threat to the very heart of their Russian defenses. They were concentrated on a 40-mile battlefront between the Korosten and Zhitomir highways leading into Kiev. Chinese Retake Highway Towni CHUNGKING, Dec. 9. (Thursday) -(IP)-Chinese troops have recaptur- ed the town of Tehshan, a few miles south of fallen Changteh, gateway to Changsha and China's "rice bowl," the Chinese High Command reported today. The town is a strategically-import- ant point on the highway linking Changteh, captured Dec. 3 by the Japanese, and Changsha. Chinese troops in southern Honan Province, meanwhile, were reported in yesterday's communique to have broken into the important Japanese base of Sinyang and to have entered the suburbs of the enemy stronghold on Suihsien to the southeast in Hu- peh province. Kelly acts oul Service Voting LANSING, Dec. 8- P )-Governor The Mighty Battleship U. S. S. Wisconsin of the Navy's "Biggest Battleship" Class, built in two years at a cost of $90,000,000, moves slowly down the ways at the Philadelphia Navy Yard. Thirty-five thousand watched the launching on the second anniversary of the Pearl Harbor attack, and Assistant Secretary of the Navy, Ralph A. Bard, hailed the giant vessel as the answer to Japanese aggression. Note size of vessel in relation to the men abroad. The ship was sponsored by Mrs. Walter S. Goodland, wife of Wisconsin's governor. SMUTS TELLS PRESS: Greatest News O fThree Allied Meetings Is' Not Yet Revealed Allied Forces Take Villages Near Migynano Fifth Army in Italy Drives from Slopes Into Garigliano Valley ALLIED HEADQUARTERS, AL- GIERS, Dec. 8.-(/P)-American and British troops of the Fifth Army in Italy slashed down the western slopes of Mt. Maggiore and Mt. Camino in- to the strategic valley of the upper Garigliano River today after wrest- ing the summits of those peaks from the Germans and capturing the strongly fortified villages of Camino, Acquapendola and Cocuruzza south- west of Mignano. Though the steady, savage thrusts of Lt. Gen. Mark W. Clark's fighters had cleared the Nazis from the last important heights in this sector of their powerful winter line, including bloody Monastery Ridge, the enemy still was resisting fiercely from many scattered strong- points. Latest reports placed British ad- vance units in this sector within a mile and a half of the Garigliano af- ter their seizure of Acquapendola, about seven miles south of the key German stronghold of Cassino guard- ing the broad highway to Rome. From dominating positions on both. Mt. Maggiore and Mt. Camino Gen. Clark's guns now command the southern part of the all-important valley between Mignano and Cassino. As the Fifth Army's gruelling of- fensive against the core of the Ger- man line apparently neared full suc- cess after a week's bitter fighting, Gen. Sir Bernard L. Montgomery's veteran Eighth Army reported limit- ed advances in the area of the Moro River, where the stream empties into the Adriatic. Senators .debate Food Allocation laps Caught Off Guard At Anchor in Lagoons Anerican Attackers Beating OH1 Enemy Planes Suffered Light Aircraft Losses By CHARLES 11. McMURTRY Associated Press Correspondent Pearl Harbor, Dec. 8.-Six Japanese ships, including two light cruisers, were sunk, four other vessels damaged and at least 72 Nipponese planes destroyed by U. S. Carrier Task forces which attacked the enemy-held Marshall Islands in the Mid-Pacific last Saturday, Admiral Chester W. Nimitz announced today. The American forces, commanded by Rear Admiral Charles A. Pownall, then beat off vigorous and prolonged attacks by enemy torpedo and bomb- ing planes. One unidentified American ship sustained minor damage and there were "light" aircraft losses. In addition to the cruisers, an oiler and three cargo transports were sunk. The ships damaged were a troop transport and three cargo transports. The communique, issued simultaneously here and in Washington, thus CAIRO, Dec. 8.-(P-The greatest news of the three historic Allied con- ferences has yet to unfold, Field Mar- shal Jan Christian Smuts declared today, asserting that what the world doesn't know about the meetings is more important than what it vas told. Heavy Work Ahead Smuts, President of the Union. of South Africa, and a member of the British War Cabinet, called the meet- ings "the most significant confer- ences for 100 years," and asserted they achieved "unanimity far exceed- ing our expectations." He expressed hope for victory by Christmas of next year, but warned Tax Bill Yield Is Sliced Away Senate Committee Cuts Bill to $1,950,000,000 WASHINGTON, Dec. 8.- (/P)- Estimated yield from the new tax bill shrivelled to less than $2,000,- 000,000 today when the Senate Fin- ance Committee amputated $190,- 000,000 from the House total in a five-hour closed session. The committee sliced away an an- ticipated $78,000,000 of revenue in an afternoon session after knocking out $112,000,000 worth of excise taxes before lunch. As a result ,the bill which was estimated to raise $2,140,- 000,000 in the form in which it left the House was reduced to a total of about $1,950,000,000. Existing taxes bring about $41,300,000,000 a year into the treasury. Running counter to general fore- casts, the committee approved $92,- 000,000 in increased postal rates, al- though knocking out a projected doubling of third-class rates which would have accounted for $74,400,000 more a year. Under the committee action, which is still subject to Senate approval or rejection, the rate of local first class mail would rise from 2 to 3 cents an ounce, air mail would go up from 6 to 8 cents, and post offices would charge higher fees for money orders and registered, insured and C.O.D. mail. Travelers, telephone users, whisky' drinkers, club men, pool players, night club playboys and women buy- ing furs, face powder and handbags are among those lassoed by the new levies, previously voted by the House but still subject to Senate approval, Mild Flu Outbreak Trebles in, Country WASHI~NTO N De. 8-(,P)-The that "very heavy work lies ahead of us with fierce fighting." The new friendship accord of the Allies with neutral Turkey was viewed in Cairo, meanwhile, as presaging stirring events in the Middle East and Mediterranean war theaters. General Smuts, addressing a press conference of some 70 war correspon- dents, declared that the Allied meet- ings had averted the danger that the United States. Britain and Russia might win the war without achieving the absoulte cooperation necessary for winning the peace. Dines with Roosevelt Smuts spoke at the end of more than two weeks of conferences which newsmen viewed from a distance with only brief communiques couched in general terms and second-hand de- scriptions of physical facts on which to base their dispatches. Smuts, high in the Allied councils, had dinner with President Roosevelt here Monday night. Smuts said "The old world is dead, and the significance. of this war is +u i + i s +I1-fF-+boSIJ +_ nJ --- broke the silence that for two days h Raid on Cape Gloucester Is Re ported Today Aussies, Yaiks Extend Beachheads on Huon Peninsula in Pacific SOUTHWEST PACIFIC ALLIED HEADQUARTERS, Dec. 9. (Thurs- day) -(A)-A 195-ton bombing raid on Cape Gloucester, raising to ap- proximately 1,300 tons the explosive weight to hit invasion-menaced west- ern New Britain in two weeks, was reported by headquarters today along with ground successes on New Guinea and in the Solomons. While Cape Gloucester's anti-air- craft positions were being destroyed and supply dumps exploded by fight- er-escorted Liberators and Mitchells, Australian soldiers, 80 miles to the southeast, extended by more than two miles along the Huon Peninsula of New Guinea the coastal holdings from which New Britain may be in-I vaded. On the west-central coast of Bou- gainville, where American forces hold a beachhead in the' northern Solo- mons 260 miles southeast of the New Britain stronghold of Rabaul, invad- ing troops have extended their peri- had followed the terse announcement that our forces, quickly following up the conquest of the Gilbert Islands, had carried the weight of the new central Pacific offensive to the Mar- shall chain. Besides the 72 enemy planes des- troyed in aerial combat, an undeter- mined number of bombers were de- molished or damaged in the strafing or runways and airdromes. Various ground installations were destroyed or damaged. The attack was directed at Kwa- alein, Roi and Wotje Islets, which are air bases, and at Ebeye Island. En- emy ships were lying at anchor in the Kwajalein and Wotje lagoons, mdi- cating the Japanese were caught off guard. The presence of troop and cargo ships in the Kwaljalein and Wotje lagoons might indicate the enemy was strengthening those already strong bastions in anticipation of an American attempt to take the islands, It was not stated whether the enemy ships were loaded or empty. While the strength of the carrier force was a secret, the spokesman said more than one carrier division participated. There are four "flat- tops" in a carrier division. *, * * Yanks Take" Makin NEW YORK, Dec. 8.-(/P)-A terse two-word telegram sent by Major Ralph C. Smith told war correspond- ents in the South Pacific theatre that his 27th division of the U. S. Army had successfully invaded and con- Farm Group Low-Income May Aid Families that it is the first step to portunity, in which thei play an even greater pa must be "no repetition of ter" but the world must " thing more firm than the NBC Chief Federal Co WASHINGTON, Dec.8 sailing "bureaucratic con dio as "a gun aimed at t all our democratic freed dent Niles Trammell of t Broadcasting Company a day for legislative safegua federal restriction "wh goosestep an industry." Trammell told the Se state Commerce Committe performances have demon dio's devotion to public its acknowledgment of so tions so clearly that gover croachment" could serve o troy the business, shackl dom and arrest the prog broadcasting art." KOUSSEVITZKY a new op- WASHINGTON, Dec. 8.-(1P)-In press must the midst of the congressional battle meter on the northeast, occupying quered Makin Island on Nov. 23-24. rt" There t dseveral bridges and high ground The two words were: thi.s disas- over food subsidies, the Senate Ag- 'positions against very light opposi- "Makin taken." forge some- riectoda tCommittee suddeny decd- tion. d CGoucester_. olr er"od ptodat oalotaimoths- The new raid on Cape Gloucester, .u g old order." old proposal to allocate basic war the heaviest of the series there, was ritish H elp ods to low-income families, made Tuesday. Returning pilots said HR t Such a program has been suggested the continuous pounding had been so Yugoslav Force in some quarters as a subterfuge for effective that no anti-aircraft fire general food subsidies on the grounds was encountered over that enemy air ntrolit would prevent higher retail food base and there was only machinegun Partisans Aided More prices from causing hardship to per- fire around adjacent Borgen Bay. 8.-()P)-As- sons of small income. _ -- Than Chetnik Army trol" of ra- Chairman Smith (D-S.C.) appoint- TI he heart of ed Senator Gillette (D-Iowa) as B ur ton H o lmes LONDON, Dec. 8.-(P)-The Brit- om," Presi- chairman of a subcommittee to hold ish Government disclosed today that he National hearings on the food allotment plan W ill Talk Here the greater part of the support it is ppealed to- advocated by Senator Aiken (R-Vt.) giving to Yugoslav fighting forces is ards against in a bill introduced last July. }, going to those of the Communist-sup- ich would Aiken proposes to operate the pro- 'Dean of Travelogues ported Partisan leader, Gen. Josip gram somewhat like the old food To Speak on Russia Broz (Tito) rather than to those of nate Inter- stamp plan for distributior of sur- Gen. Draja Mihailovic, Minister of ee that past plus commodities. s'ule War in King Peter's exile govern- nstrated ra- Persons whose income did not per- Russia, as it existed unde s the ment, on the ground that the Parti- service and mit them to maintain an adequate of the old Czars and as it exists now Soviet government will sans are doing most of the fighting cial obliga- diet would be given coupons whic rm the subject for an illustrated against the Germans. nment "en- could be used for purchase of foods. lecture to be given by Burton Holmes t Questioned about the most spec- nly to "des- Backers of the idea argue it wouldat 8:30t.m Monday in Hill Audi- tacular internal dissension in the en- e the free- subsidize only those in need and they orium under the auspices of the tire Allied camp, Minister of State tress of the contend that general subsidies aid Oratorical Association. Richard K. Law told Commons that both the poor and the wealthy. A. "Our policy is to support all forces in Mr. Holmes, often called "the dean Yugoslavia which are resisting the of travelogue speakers," has had an Germans." ILL:;insatiable curiosity about places and people for over half a century. This year hecelebrateshisfftieth anni- Navy Com pletes t Symphony in Concert Here "I myself and also I might add the entire orchestra have the highest re- gard for the music of Dmitri Shos- takovitch," was the opinion voiced in an after concert interview by Richard Burgin, associate conductor of the Boston Symphony who lead the or- nected with the Boston Symphony for the last 23 years. "I received my musical training in Leningrad and Berlin during the per- iod from 1904 to 1908," he remarked. "As for any special musical tastes I can only say that my greatest inter- est rests in those compositions which In the lecture, which is the first of three he will give before Ann Ar- Bond bor audiences this season, Mr. Holmes will show first the Russia he saw in Culminati 1901 and then will continue with the Pearl F films he took during his Soviet In- paign, Nav, tourist trip in 1934. here purch The changes in the people, the bonds. mode of living, the cities and the The drive spirit of Russia's inhabitant will be supervision shown in an itinerary which includes USN retired Moscow, Kiev, Odessa, Stalingrad, flcer of the the Clrimea and a jaunt into Siberia. NROTC can Drive Here 'ng a week long drive for Harbor Day Bond cam- al personnel stationed ased $12,956.75 in war was conducted under the of Lt. N A. Pananides, and Communication Of- V-12, intcharge of the npaign; Lt. James High-