dos% Wilt os, 1E 41v Ar3rlF 2Utjr t 4 R1 wi, Colder VOL. LIV No. 64 ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN, THURSDAY, JAN. 27, 1944 PRICE FIVE CENTS Allied Torpedo Planes Sink Congressmen Fume at FDR's 11 Jap Ships , Sustained Air Vlessage {I Federal Vote BillDemanded By President Bid for Fourth Term Seen in Request for Servicemen's Ballot By The Associated Press WASHINGTON, Jan. 26.-Presi- dent Roosevelt, demanding a federal ballot for the armed forces, today. branded an alternative state ballot plan as a fraud, and a Republican Senator quickly rapped back that the President is trying to corral the sol- dier vote for a fourth term. The Roosevelt message to Congress raised the controversy to fever heat. The "fourth term" charge was made by Senator Taft (Rep., O.) who as- serted the Administration hopes to line up 10 million American soldiers at the polls "in much the same man- ner we used to see WPA workers lined up at the polls." Senator Lucas (Dem. ,Ill.), an Ad- ministration supporter, retorted that the "whole trend" of Taft's speech "is one of fear of what the soldiers will do." State Ballot Impossible The President took the position that the state ballot plan presented so many. difficulties that most mem- bers of the armed forces would be unable to vote. The Senate already -was debating a federal ballot bill, as a -substitute for the state ballot measure it had previously passed, when it received the President's message demanding "adequate legislation." Martin Makes Gesture There were indications, too, of some shift of sentiment toward a federal ballot. Many backers of the state ballot idea were indignant, however, over the whole tone of the President's message. In the House, Republican Leader Martin of Massachusetts asked im- mediate action on the very Senate bill the President had denounced. His move was purely a gesture, however, as the parliamentary situation was such that, under House rules, his motion could not be considered. A rgentina Halts Relations with Germans, Japs Boucher, Straub Named Union President, Secretary Appointees Succeed Crawford, Dotterer, To Direct Program During Coming Year r) Direct Hit on JapPlane Axis With High Diplomats Linked Espionage Ring; Society Involved By The Associated Press BUENOS AIRES, Jan. 26.-Argen- tina junked her zealously-guarded, traditional policy of neutrality to- day, breaking her relations with Ger- many and Japan in a sudden. diplo- matic reversal that snapped the Axis' last formal ties with the American continents. The reason for the action, an of- ficial communique said, was discov- ery of an extensive espionage net- work tracing directly to the German and Japanese diplomats operating under cover of their legal immunity. "No Excuse for Spies" President Gen. Pedro Pablo Ram- irez, in a broadcast over a national radio hookup a short time after signing the decree, declared: "In the face of the seriousness of the facts that (the espionage) is in- juring Argentine feeling, it is inad- missable to allow the presence among us of diplomatic representatives of Germany and Japan. "There are not excuses or possible explanations to justify the actions and plans of those who, within the republc or in relation with her, are working against national sovereign- ty. > Many Arrested The full story of the spy ring, when revealed, is expected to be sensation- al,'possibly shaking the very founda- tions of Argentine high society, Many persons of high standing were under stood to be implicated and numerous arrests were being made as police set out to round up everyone involved. Only a situation of gravest import could have caused Argentine to take such a step as breaking off diplomat- ic relations-which she never had done in her modern history. For two years Argentina had re- sisted every effort to bring her into the fold with the 20 other American republics, all of whom had broken their ties with the Axis. Roy Boucher, '45, has been ap- pointed Union president and Rupert Straub, '44E, recording secretary, Dean Joseph Bursley announced last night. Boucher and Straub are succeed- ing Bunny Crawford, '44, president, and Chuck Dotterer, '44, secretary, who have held office since May. Headed Social Committee Boucher, a member of Phi Delta Theta, has had wide experience within the Union organization. Be- ginning as a tryout, he worked suc- cessively on such projects as coke bars, guide service, football ticket resale and orientation of freshman men. He was appointed with Tom Coulter to take complete charge of the orientation program for the spring semester of 1943. Boucher has also-had experience on several dance committees. He is a member of Phi Eta Sigma, honorary freshman scholastic fra- ternity, Kappa Phi Sigma, honorary speech fraternity, and holds a var- sity letter in tennis. Boucher comes from Catasaupua, Pa. Handled Ticket Sales Straub has served as a Union try- out two and one-half semesters and as a member of the Executive Coun- cil three semesters. During the last semester of his sophomore year he was chairman of the Organizations Committee and handled the book exchange, textbook lending library and elections. Last summer Straub was made chairman of the House Committee and has been ticket chairman for the Summer Prom, Fall Prom and the annual Union Formal. Straub is a member of Delta Upsi- lon and has held the offices of social chairman, secretary and president in the fraternity. Born in California, his home is now in Detroit, where National 1News In .brief .. he graduated from Mackenzie High School. He is a member of Michi- gamua. Prior to their appointments last night as Union president and secre- tary, Boucher and Straub were co- chairmen of the War Activities Com- mittee. Harmon Fails To Arrive; Elyse Calls Although he indicated he would be home yesterday, Lt. Tom Har- mon did not arrive e Ann Arbor, and his parents increased their waiting vigil by another day. Elyse Knox, oft-quoted Holly- wood sweetheart of Harmon's, phoned his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Louis Harmon, last night and was "disappointed" that he hadn't ar- rived. Harmon's father said that "we sure expect him any time now, but can't say definitely." Russians Take Railway Hub in Northern Drive Reds Kill 40,000 Nazis On Leningrad Offensive By The Associated Press LONDON, Jan. 26-Russian troops captured the massively-fortified rail- way hub of Kresnogvardeisk, 30 miles southeast of Leningrad, today on the 13th day of their big northern of- fensive, and announced that more than 40,000 Germans had been killed and ten Nazi infantry divisions rout- ed on the Leningrad front alone. The capture of Krasnogvardeisk, controlling the rail. lines to Estonia and Latvia, was announced in a spe- cial order of the day from Premier Marshal Joseph Stalin after a night assault and a street-by-street battle finished off the strong German gar- rison. A4victory salute of 12 salvoes from 124 Moscow guns was ordered in celebration. The Russian announcement of German casualties, made in the Mos- cow daily communique recorded by the Soviet Monitor, added 20,000 killed to previously announced totals for the Leningrad offensive and brought to 55,000 the number of Germanskwhich the Russians have counted killed. Sellars To Talk On Nationalism "Can National Sovereignty Be Li- mited?" will be the topic of a panel discussion at 7:30 p.m. today in Room 318 in the Union. Sponsored by the Post-War Coun- cil, this panel is one of a series deal- ing with subjects pertinent to post- war problems.eFaculty members ap- pearing on the panel will be Prof. Roy Sellars of the philosophy depart- ment, Prof. George Kiss of the geo- graphy department and Prof. John Shepard of the psychology depart- ment. The following topics will be dis- cussed by the students and profes- sors: 1)-Distinction between Na- tional Sovereignty and Nationalism; 2)-Extent to which war has intensi- fied Nationalism; and 3)-Signifi- cance of those facts in potential post-war co-operation. As a Jap plane, furns fiercely on a flight strip at the Japanese air base at Alexishafen on the northern coast of New Guinea, a Mitchell medium bomber of the Fifth Air Force swoops low to drop its bombs on the base. JUNE IN JANUARY: Spring Breezes Hit Campus as Mercury Soars to 64 Degrees POLITELY BUT FIRMLY: Soviets Reject A merican Offer To Ease Polish-Red Situation t ) By The Associated Press WASHINGTON, Jan. 26. - Soviet Russia politely but firmly rejected today an offer by the United States to. try to get Moscow and the :Polish government-in-exile at London on speaking terms again. The Russians do not feel, their re- ply said, that the situation has yet ripened to a point where the good offices of the United States could be used to advantage. Secretary of State Hull who dis- closed the Russian response at a press conference, apparently. had been hopeful that the offer would be ac- cepted. What conditions the Russians3 have in mind was not made known. However, they recently have been British Bomb French Coast bitterly critical of the Polish gov- ernment, and it was considered possible that they are determined not to deal with it, at least as pres- ently constituted. Whether Russia's rejection of the American offer widens the diplomatic gap within the United Nations re- mains to be seen, but State Depart- ment officials did not appear agitat- ed over the reply. Persons familiar with the text of the note, which was not given out, said it was written in a tone of warm See RUSSIA, p. 6 *, * * Russians Put Blame on Nazis SMOLENSK, U.S.S.R., Jan. 26.- (A)-A special Soviet Commission in- vestigating the mysterious slaying of 11,000 Polish war prisoners in Katyn forest announced its conclusion to- day that the victims were slain as a "provocation" by the Germans in August and September of 1941, and not by the Russians in March and April of 1940 as charged by Berlin. The Commission took American and British correspondents to the ghastly graves on goat hills in the forest ten miles from Smolensk and producedevidence which it called indisputable proof of German guilt in the crime, one of the major myster- ies of the war and an important in- ternational political issue. It was because the Polish govern- ment in London took up Berlin's charge, and asked the International By The Associated Press Mustering-Out Pay O.K.'d WASHINGTON, Jan. 26.- Con- gress voted a $3,000,000,000 pot of gold today for veterans of this war, to be paid out in amounts ranging from $100 to $300 each upon honor- able discharge. House and Senate quickly approved the mustering-out pay legislation drawn up ina con- ference committee of both branches, the Senate acting last and relaying the measure to the White House for the President's signature. Rubber Outlook Good DETROIT, Jan. 26.- Most of the synthetic rubber problems have been solved, although some pro- duction difficulties are yet to be overcome, L. D. Tompkins, deputy national rubber administrator, said in an address today before the National Automobile Dealers Asso- ciatio.. Tompkins, who is also vice-pres- ident of the United States Rubber Co., took an optimistic view of the tire and rubber outlook for the year ahead, but declined to pre- dict when the rationing of tires might be lifted. * * * Post-War Group Created WASHINGTON, Jan. 26.- The House created today an 18-member post-war economic policy and plan- ning committee as a step toward "a stable economy and a just peace" with emphasis on private enterprise for economic development. "The poor lilacs are going to get all confused because of this weather,"; commented a bewildered coed yester- day, as she sweltered in yesterday's} June heat, because she refused to dis- card her fur coat. "If this 64 degree weather keepst up," announced another, "I am going to put my winter clothes in storage and fool that old weather man." "If you do-you'll be sorry," wisecracked her companion. The remark of her companion is substantiated by the comment of Dr., Ralph Belknap, associate professor, of geology, who stated, "It is a safe, guess to say that we will still have snow this wonter. It won't, however, equal last year's snowfall."- Yesterday's temperaturedof 64 de- grees is the highest recorded at the Comedy Tickets To Go on Sale Children's Theatre To Give 'Mr. Dooley, Jr.' Reserved seats for "Mr. Dooley, Jr.," a children's play to be presented at 2:30 p.m. tomorrow and Saturday by the Children's Theatre of the speech department in the Lydia Mendelssohn Theatre, will be placed on sale today in the theatre box office. "Mr. Dooley, Jr." is a comedy cen- tering about the ownership of a dog and the scenes are laid in a pet shop and in the home of Janie and Tom- my. These two children become cap- tivated by Mr. Dooley's canine charms and overcome amazing ob- stacles in order to possess the puppy. Written by Jane Lewin and Rose Franken, the comedy has much of the same sprightliness and comedy found in Rose Franken's "Claudia" and "Another Language." Cast in the title role of "Mr. Doo- ley, Jr." is Fletcher Baskerville I, official canine mascot of Co. C. Sup- porting roles will be played by Maida Stienberg, Marjorie Leete, Thelma Davis, Catherine Bronson, Carol Cothran, Jean Christian, Jean Loree, Doris Coleman and Barbara White. observatory for the past 34 years. The nearest. high temperature to that was in January of 1916, , when the thermometer read 62.6 degrees. The highest temperature for Januaryy 1943, was 44.7. Although the temperature for De- cember 1943, and January 1944, is, unusual, the precipitation for those months is also the lowest since 1909, being 0.49 inches for December and 0.03 for January. While the inhabitants of Ann Ar- bor were pulling their spring clothes out of the moth balls, the people of California were looking for more clothes to put on, for in California it is colder than usual. In Douglas, Ariz., on the Mexican border, the weather, just to be dif- ferent, caused the people to shiver in that city's first snow storm in two years. In Detroit, meterologist Clarence J. Root declared that not only was yes- terday the warmest Jan. 26 on record, but also that if Detroit gets through the remainder of this week without snow, the month of January will set a 50-year mark there. cU' Staff Aids War Bond Drive Reach One Third of $160,000 Loan Goal An audit taken at the close of sales yesterday showed that a total of $55,275 worth of war bonds have been purchased by members of the Uni- versity staff in the first week of the Fourth War Loan drive. Sales Slowed Down This figure represents a little more than one-third of the. University's goal of $160,000, leaving $104,725 to be collected during the next three weeks of the campaign. The Fourth War Loan drive ends officially Feb. 15, but all bonds purchased through- out January and February will be added in the totals. An audit made at noon last Friday showed a total of $41,150 in the first three days of the campaign. In com- parison with the latest figures yes- terday, sales slowed up considerably during the last four days. JGP Brings in $13,775 R. Gordon Griffith, chairman of the University bond committee ex- pressed disappointment at the de- cline in purchases. However, he said that experience in the first three OffensePoints fo Rabaul Fall 24 Nip Planes Bagged Brings January Total Enemy Losses to 350 By The Associated Press Eleven Japanese ships were sunk nd five others damaged by Allied ombers in the southwest Pacific and off the Asiatic coast Monday, Allied communiques reported today. The biggest toll was taken at Rabaul, whose harbor is lined with the hulls of bomb-shattered ships. American dive bombers sweeping ver masthead high sank five cargo ships and a tanker, and damaged two thers so badly their crews beached them. The raiders, following up two air strikes Sunday at that Japanese air and shipping fortress on northeast- ern New Britain, shot down 24 of 60 enemy fighters and probably bagged two others while suffering "extra- ordinarily light losses." 350 Planes Downed Headquarters reported the attack today. The Monday bag of enemy planes made more than 90 Nipponese air- craft shotrout of the sky over Rabaul in three days. Enemy losses so far this month in planes certainly downed, probably downed, destroyed on the ground and damaged exceed 350. The torpedo bombers, escorted by fighters, flew to Rabaul from Solo- mons bases and swept down on Simpson Harbor and Keravia Bay at midday as low as the masts of 'the ships. Oil Tanker Sunk An oil tanker, in addition to the five cargo ships, was sunk. Today's communique also reported another in the recent series of air attacks on' the 'Admirty s and s northwest of Rabaul ding Ih a small freighter was destroyed by fire and eight parked Japanese planes were wrecked. The raid, which cost three Allied planes, was concentrated on the Momote and Lorengau air- dromes. Allied strategy of drawing Japa- nese air strength to Rabaul and then destroying it was emphasized today by the double-barreled attack on that strategic New Britain base last Sunday. Gen. MacArthur. Awarded DSM ADVANCED ALLIED HEAD- QUARTERS, New Guinea, Jan. 26- (IP)-Gen. Douglas MacArthur2re- ceived his third distinguished service medal today, his 64th birthday anni- versary, The medal, awarded by President Roosevelt "for exceptionally dis- tinguished service as supreme com- mander of Allied forces in the south- west Pacific since March, 1942," was presented on the President's behalf by Maj.-Gen. Richard J. Marshall, deputy chief of staf. General MacArthur received his first DSM during World War I. The second was awarded later, in peace- time, following his five years as chief of staff of the United States Army. Yanks Recross Rapido River In Cassino Area ALLIED HEADQUARTERS, Al- giers, Jan. 26. - (A') - Slashing back across the Rapido River in the Cas- sino area, American troops have es- tablished a firm new bridgehead on the west bank of that .swift, little stream and are plunging resolutely ahead over thickly-sowed minefields and under heavy German artillery, mortar and machinegun fire, it was announced officially today. The second Yank crossing of the Rapido came as Nazi commanders- fully aware at least of. the threat of Allied landsings made south of Rome five days ago- pulled away part of the great strength they had as- sembled opposite the main Fifth Army front and sent crack units ru'shing northward to opposite the Secret Hit in Installations Are 4-Day Blasting LONDON, Jan. 26.--()-The aer- ial pounding of Hitler's fortifications guarding the shortest invasion route to western Europe rolled through its fourth straight day today with me- dium, light, and fighter-bombers striking at secret military installa - tions in northern France. The daylight operations, beginning soon after dawn, followed attacks by RAF night raiders on undisclosed ob- jectives in northern France, and a double-barrelled assault yesterday on WE LOST OUR PANTS: Style- Wise Thief Strips Coed House d.L. .. 4 L.:.. f ns nrnl 'f'. '1G "S C1I] CP