m ' u " I 1 4titIltm 4A k Weather Skiing Weat ter VOL. LIV No. 81 ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN, WEDNESDAY, FEB. 16, 1944 PRICE FIVE CENTS Russians Advance In North Nazis Retreat Toward Pskov; Eastern Gains Are Made Consistently By The Associated Press LONDON, Feb. 16, Wednesday- The Russians in the north, moving down along two railroads and a high- way, have hammered the Germans farther back toward the great com- munications center of Pskov, bomb- ing and shelling the Nazi retreat lines choked with trucks, carts and infantry, Moscow announced today. The Russians were pressing the Germans in five other sectors of the eastern front as well and were mak- ing gains so consistently they seemed to have an excellent chance of throwing the Nazis completely out of Russia in the remaining five weeks of winter. Far south in the Ukraine the Rus- sians were closing in for the kill on an estimated 50,000' German sur- vivors of a force of perhaps 100,000 trapped by the Red Army. The Mos- cow midnight bulletin, recorded by the Soviet Monitor from a broadcast, said 1,800 more Germans were killed, 60 of their tanks wrecked and as many as seven repeated German attacks to break the encircling ring from outside were beaten back. Leningrad front troops, striking down from Luga, killed over 1,400 Germans and captured 40 communi- ties in one part of the drive for Pskov. Once force reached the rail station of Serebyanka and a mile further the town of Kalbutitsy, 16 miles south of Luga and 75 miles northeast of Pskov. Further east on the highway Gorodets, 15 miles south of Luga, was captured. 'Race Free' CIO Canteen Is Ridiculed WASHINGTON, Feb. 15.-(P)-A newspaper account of -the opening here Sunday night of a CIO-spon- sored servicemen's canteen, an 'occa- sion attended by Mrs. Franklin D. Roosevelt, prompted this question in the Congressional Record today from Representative Charles McKenzie (Dem., La.) : "How can anyone be a party to encouraging white girls into the arms of Negro soldiers at a canteen dance while singing 'Let Me Call You Sweetheart'?" McKenzie's question was contained in a statement, which included the article as well. He said he had ob- tained House permission to have the statement printed in the Record to- morrow. The article said the "labor can- teen," operated for all servicemen and women by the Washington CIO Industrial Union Council, is the only one in the capital "which invites both white and Negro servicemen and has both white and Negrb host- esses." Class of '44E To Meet Today A meeting of all members of the Class of '44E will be held at 5 p.m. today in Rm. 348, West Engineering Building. At this meeting announcements of interest to those graduating this semester and those graduating at a later date will be made. Many ques- tions regarding the graduating exer- cises and alumni relations will be answered. It is also announced that Engi- neering graduates will be able to obtain their caps and gowns for Sat- urday morning's exercises at the League today and tomorrow from 3-5 p.m. Allied Bombers Roar Out for Major Attack East Coast Residents Hear Planes Leaving For over One Hour By The Associated Press LONDON, Feb. 16, Wednesday.- (MP)-A great force of RAF heavy bombers, making the first major op- eration since the Jan. 30 raid on Berlin, roared out over the east coast at dusk last night and headed for the continent. East coast residents said the roar of the engines of the bomber fleet was incessant for more than an hour as the planes headed toward the sea. A hint that American air forces were participating was contained in a dispatch from Stockholm which said that a United States bomber had crashed near Faaborg, Denmark, dur- ing a night air raid alert. Radio stations in France, Germany and Denmark fell silent and alerts were reported in western Switzerland. An all-out assault was made on the French invasion coast during the day by Allied planes of many types. Two medium bombers and four fight- ers were lost. The bombardment of Pas-de- Calais and its environs was begun by formations of American Liberator bombers and Thunderbolt fighter- bombers which navigated over vast areas of flak without a single loss. JAG School Leads Army In Bond Drive Michigan Goes Over Bond Quoa; County Also Over the Top The total amount of bonds pur- chased in the Fourth War Loan drive by members of the Judge Advocate General's School has been $32,318.75, which tops the record of all other Army units on campus. The civilian personnel of the school has contributed $,625 to the campaign. it was reported last night by the Associated Press that the state sur- passed its quota with $10,000,000 to spare. Washtenaw County has gone over the top with bond sales totaling $8,483,518, beating its goal of $7,477,- 000 by more than a million dollars. Complete reports for the January- February drive which ended last night have not yet been received. Totals from the University drive will be made available tomorrow. National Goal Made For Bond Campaign WASHINGTON, Feb. 15.--(P)-The $14,000,000,000 Fourth War Loan went over the top by $191,000,000 to- night a few hours ikfore the mid- night deadline for the campaign. °Although the drive ended for "big money" participation, war bond pur- chases reported to Federal Reserve Banks during the remainder of the month will be counted toward the final total to be announced by Treas- ury Secretary Morgenthau on March 2. Tonight's treasury announcement gave no breakdown between individ- ual and corporate subscriptions, but individual purchases yesterday still were more than $1,800,000,000 short of their $5,500,000,000 quota. Abbot, Fisher To Leave Today for Washington Dr. C. A. Fisher and Prof. Waldo Abbot will leave for Washington, D. C. today to follow up the University's application for a wider coverage by the proposed FM radio broadcasting station. Yank Bombs and Shells Turn Benedictine Monastery into Smoke-Shrouded Inferno; Green Islands Occupied by Allied Troops Solomons Campaign Completed, 22,000 Japs Are Isolated, MacArthur Declares By The Associated Press ALLIED HEADQUARTERS IN THE SOUTHWEST PACIFIC, Feb. 16, Wednesday.-American and New Zea- land troops occupied the jungle-cov- ered Green Islands Monday, complet- ing the campaign for the Solomon Islands, Gen. Douglas MacArthur announced today.P Japanese forces estimated at 22,000 dispersed through the Solomons "are now isolated from their sources of supply at Rabaul (New Britain)" and face starvation and disease "from the military blockade which renders their position hopeless," MacArthur said in a communique. Only Machinegun Resistance The Allied troops from Adm. Will- iam F. Halsey's South Pacific Com- mand, met only machinegun resist- ance as they landed. Allied forces holding the Green Is- lands, also call Nissan, can now stop the Japanese from running supplies by sea to their isolated comrades who still cling to air and sea-battered points on Choiseul, Shortland, Bou- gainville and Buka Islands. Allied air superiority in this sector is un- questioned. Warships Protected Landing The landing was protected by war- ships as big as cruisers and appar- ently took the Japanese by surprise. The enemy's machinegun fire did no damage to the landing craft, a naval spokesman said. The communique today reported another of the almost daily air raids on Rabaul. Planes from the Solo- mons air force struck Vunakanau, Tobera and Lakunai airdromes with 111 tons of bombs, and hit Kavieng and Panapai airdromes on New Ire- land with 113 tons. Seven Planes Shot Down The Allied airmen shot down seven of 40 intercepting planes at Rabaul and probably five others, destroyed or damaged eight niore on the ground and started many fires with smoke rising "thousands of feet," the com- munique said. The attackers lost three fighters at Rabaul, but met no interception at Kavieng and Panapai. Occupation of the Green Islands climaxed the South Pacific drive which started Aug. 7, 1942, with the Marine landings on Tulagi and Guad- alcanal Islands. Knox Reports Blockades of Axis by British WASHINGTON, Feb. 15.-o)-The sea-wise Allies have forged new blockades in Europe and Asia and there are increasing signs that the Axis is starting to wince. Navy Secretary Knox told today how the British navy has roped off the Bay of Biscay as forbidden to Axis shipping. This seals off the coast of France. London went even furth- er in its disclosures-the Admiralty announcing that a 7,000-square mile area skirting both French and Span- ish coasts now is "dangerous to ship- ping." That means mines, anywhere from Cape Finisterre, Spain's west- ernmost point on the shoulder north of Portugal, to Ireland. An all-out blockade of Europe's west coast chops directly at any sea- going aid the Japanese can give Ger- many. U. S. Marines Advance Under Fire in Battle for Naniur Top: Marines keep close to the ground on a Namur Island beach in the Marshalls as Japanese gun- fire whines overhead. Box in foreground contains m edical supplies. Bottom: A U.S. tank breaks over the brow of a hill followed by Marines in the 24-hour battle for con- trol of Namur. At right: Marines set up communi cations center to keen headquarters informed of progress. V-Ball Tickets Will Remain On Sale Today The allotted sale of tickets for Vic- tory Ball which will be held March 3 in the Sports Building will continue today from 1 to 4 p.m. in 'U' Hall and from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Union Travel Desk only. The committee indicated that each group on campus-Army, Navy, and civilian-have been given a certain number of tickets in proportion to their number to insure an equal dis- tribution. After today's sale all remaining tickets will be put on general sale at times and places to be announced. Taking its cue from the many col- leges and universities represented on campus, V-Ball will play host to the nation's colleges featuring the music of Les Brown and Fletcher Hender- son. The elimination runoff in the V- Ball barber-shop quartet contest will be run off tomorrow evening and all entries will be contacted. Daily Date Service Gets Big Response "Truly a great service," said one student. "It is remarkable what they are doing," said another. This is just a sample of the res- ponse that has met The Daily an- nouncement of a Date Bureau for V- Ball. It all started when a certain Box 15 asked in a Daily classified ad for a man to take her to the big dance. Now that Box 15 has "got her" man, her many friends and admirers have taken advantage of this new Daily service and have registered. Every method known to man is being used to speed up the match making, but always in an intricate system there will be time lost, one Daily date maker said yesterday. Girls, all kinfds and . . . interested in using this Daily service are asked to appear in person at The Daily office between 1 and 6 p.m. today for a personal interview. The avalanche of female interest has overshadowed the resorvoir man- power and all men-no specifications -interested in furthering a good us oma likewise avail themselves Graduation Address To Be Given-by Dr. Hannah Dr. Frank A. Hannah, president ofE Michigan State College, will give thet principal address to the University's second mid-year graduation exercises at 10 a.m. Saturday in Hill Auditor-1 ium President Hannah, a nationally known figure in education circles will discuss the "Debt We Owe." Mid-year exercises were initiated for the first time last year after the Board of Regents adopted the speed-< Qualifying Test, For Am-12, V-12 1 To Be March 15 Students, now enrolled in the Uni- versity, who wish to take the quali- fying examinations for either the Navy V-12 or the Army A-12 special- ized training programs to be given March 15, are asked to secure the necessary application blanks and forms in Rm. 2, University Hall be- fore the final examination period, Walter B. Rea, assistant dean of students, said yesterday. These forms should be filled out completely, with the exception of the applicants' signature, and re- turned before Feb. 26. They must be signed in the presence of either Dean Joseph A. Bursley or Dean Rea. Students who took this test on April 2 or Nov. 9, 1943 and who are still eligible to apply for the college programs, are required to take the March 15 test if they wish to be considered again. Applicants for the Navy program must be between the ages of 17 and 20, must be in college, a high school graduate, or a high school senior who will be graduated by July 1, 1944, and must be in good physical condition. Requirements for the Army program are the same, except that an applicant may be 22 years old. Although eligibility to take the test is not dependent on a high scholastic record, the competition is keen and only those who have a good school record are likely to qualify. The examination will be given at 9 a.m. in the Rackham Auditorium. ed up academic program which keeps the University in full operation the year around. Special awards and degrees will be given to 489 graduating seniors, about half the number which were granted degrees last year. The Rev. Ernest C. Stillhorn of the Zion Lutheran Church of Ann Arbor will deliver the invocation. All University classes with the ex- ception of those in ASTP and in the School of Education will be dis- missed at 9:45 a.m. Saturday to per- mit both students and faculty mem- bers to attend the exercises. Dr. Alexander G. Ruthven, presi- dent of the University, who intends to leave shortly after commencement for a Pan-American Education Con- ference in New Mexico, will deliver a few introductory remarks. Cam paign for Book Collection Is Co-Iintiuig Up to date, 50 books have been collected in the local World Student Service Fund campaign for more text- books to be sent to prisoners of war all over the world. "This is a very unimpressive total for a university of this size," Mary Jane Hastreiter, president of Pan- hellenic said yesterday. "Since one of the best ways of keeping the mor- ale of prisoners of war high is to supply them with reading material, we should certainly be able to dig into our stockpile of books and con- tribute some of them to this worthy cause." Sponsored by Assembly, Panhel- lenic, the Union, the International Center, the local drive will continue through to the spring term to per- mit students to discard this semester's books. Receptacles for the books have been placed in the League, Interna- tional Center, the Union and The Daily. Students wishing to contribute books should conform to the follow- ing specifications: Books can be in any subject and must be in current use, unless they are classics in their Grey-1 U Iiiformed [Nazi Soldiers Flee Like Ratsf from Lofty Stronhold By The Associated Press NAPLES, Feb. 15.-American bombs and artillery shells turned the an- cient Benedictine monastery atop Mt. Cassino into a smoke-shrouded in- ferno today, sending some 300 grey- uniformed German soldiers racing like rats from the lofty stronghold they had employed to obstruct an Allied drive to the relief of the Anzio beachhead. Fortresses Blast Buildings Waves of four-engined Flying Fort- resses first blasted the closely knit group of buildings atop the 1,800-foot peak with tons of explosives, and as the smoke from this bombardment billowed skyward, big guns from the valley below sent hundreds of shells screaming into the monastery build- ings. There was no immediate indication of the fate of hundreds of Italian civilians who took shelter within the monastery in recent weeks and who were warned by the Allies yesterday . to get out "at once" for their lives. Guns in Monastery The slopes of Mt. Cassino were honeycombed with Nazi gun em- placements and there were machhnb- gun nests in the monastery itself. The was only one decision: the mon- astery had to be removed as a dom- inating point of the battlefield. At last report, advanced units were within about 600 yards of the crest of the mountain. Once the monas- tery is cleared of Germans, the Al- lies will look squarely down into the battered streets of Cassino and will have a superlative vantage point from which to launch future operatios. Use of the main highway from Cs- sino to Rome then will be denied to the Nazis, and the enemy's position in Cassino will rapidly become unten- able. (Today's German communique said Mt. Cassino abbey was bombed "al- though no German soldiers were eith- er in the monastery or the vicinity. Heavy damage was caused.") FIJR.explains Abbey Shelling WASHINGTON, Feb. 15.-(/)- President Roosevelt declared today military necessity forced the Allies to turn their guns on the ancient Benedictine monastery in italy $- cause the Germans converted it into a fortress to shell our troops. He told his news conference the Nazis made a target of the famed ab- bey by using it as a vantage point for their fire against our forces. Then he made public an order issued by Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower last Dec. 29, which directed his men to respect historical monuments "so far as war allows." "If we have to choose between de- stroying a famous building and sac- rificing our men," the order added, "then our men's lives count infinitely more and the buildings must go. Nothing can stand against the argu- ment of military necessity." Army Officers Engineer Coup 3 Argentine Officials Are Forced To Resign MONTEVIDEO, Feb. 15.-)-A bloodless palace coup engineered by a group of reactionary army officers forced the resignation today of three Argentine state officials and may have jeopardized the position of President Pedro Ramirez. The shakeup resulted in the resig- nation of foreign minister Alberto Gelbert, under-secretary of the for- eign office Oscar Ibarri Garcia and presidential secretary Enrique Gon- zalez. It represents a victory for the nationalist forces in the government who were opposed to the rupture last month by Ramirez of diplomatic re- lations with the Axis. DIRECT NEGOTIATIONS REPORTED: Russo-Fin nish Peace Talks Begin By The Associated Press STOCKHOLM, Feb. 15.-Direct peace negotiations between Finland and Russia appeared to be under way tonight and Colonel General Eduard Dietl was reported to have urged Hitler to order evacuation of his troops in northern Finland. Dietl Gets Sport Officers A German source said there were indications that a number of sport officers, essential for a large-scale Finland's foreign minister, Sir Hen- rik Ramsay, posed a hypothetical question to the American charge d' affaires regarding the American atti- tude toward Finland in the event German troops were withdrawn. The question might well have been prompted by knowledge on Ramsay's part that the Germans were con- sidering evacuation-a move which to Sweden, Mme. Alexandra Kollon- tay, and expects to meet her again. Whether this meeting resulted in any formula whereby Finland could quit the war was not disclosed. Madame Kollontay returned to Stockholm today after spending sev- eral days in an outlying resort. No Progress in 24 Hours A Helsinki dispatch, quoting an "authoritative source," declared there