weather Not Much Change v i~wt i t 43rn 4,t Editorial Credit Hours For PEM Urgedo. VOL. LII No. 29-S ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN SATURDAY, JULY 25, 1942 2:15 A.M. FINAL Rostov Defenders Stage Last-Ditch Battle Bill Approved For Revision Of Synthetic Rubber Plans Proposed Plan Will Use f Agricultural Products For Base of Product; Will ReplacePetroleum Farm Bloc f]acks BillFor-Agency By The Associated Press WASHINGTON, July 24.-Disre- gardIng' forecasts of a Presidential veto, the House passed today and sent to the White House a measure which in effect would require the government to revise its synthetic rubber production program and use a larger quantity of farm products as the base raw material. Under the present program, admin- istered by the War Production Board and the Rubber Reserve Corporation, petroleum would be used as the base for the bulk of the rubber. Independent Agency The measure, 'approved earlier in the week by the Senate, would create an independent agency with author- ity to enter into contracts and lend money to .encourage the manufac- ture of an increased supply of rubber from farm products for war and es- sential civilian uses. (The douse approved the measure by a division vote of 104 to 18 despite last-minute protest from Undersecre- tary of War Robert P. Patterson that the agency would create confusion in the government's rubber program and divert critical materials from tanks, airplanes, ships and other vital war needs. Vain Efforts . Vain efforts w re made by some supporters to write into the bill an amendment limiting rubber produc- tion to war needs and to essential civilian requirements. Sponsors of the amendment said the bill gave the agency power to authorize rubber for "Joy riding" when in fact there were insufficient critical materials to produce that amount of rubber. -A powerful farm bloc lined up sol- idly behind the bill. Its leader, Chairman Fulmer (Dem.-S.C.) of the Agriculture Committee, answered Ad- ministration opposition with a dec- laration that the "people want this bill because the government's rubber program has failed." Alli Bob, Ex-Prisoners Of Japs Report Grave Privation' Returning American Nationals Tell Of Hunger, Cold, Disease,_Beatings Experienced During Capitivity Nazi 1 Editor's Note: Following are portions of a composite story on conditions in Japan.and Japanese-occupied territory which was written by four, Associated Press correspondents who have just arrived at Lourenco Marques, Portu- guese East Africa, for exchange. Por- tions of the story are omitted to con- form with official requests from Wash- ington that nothing be done which could interfere in the slightest with the welfare or repatriation of Ameri- cans who are still in Japanese-occu- pied territory. The writers are Max Hill, chief of the former Associated Press Bureau of Tokyo; Relman Morin, who was in Indo-China; Joseph Dy- nan, who was in Tokyo; and Vaughn Meisling. who was in Hongkong when the British Crown Colony capitulated. * * * LOURENCO MARQUES, Portu- guese East Africa, July 23.-(de- layed)-UP)-Hunger and cold in- tensified the privations of many Americans and Canadians in the Orient who fell into the hands of the Japanese at the outbreak of the Pacific war. Accounts of existence in an enemy country came today from among some 1,100 North and South Ameri- can nationals brought here to be ex- changed for Japanese diplomats and their families under the supervision of the Portuguese foreign office. They made the trip from the Orienlt t E Ho use Group Rears Charges Of 'Influence' Blame Fpr Cancellation Of Shipyard Contracts Laid' To Federal Aides By The Associated Press WASHINGTON, July 24.-Charges that men acting as advisors to high government officials while retaining connections with steel and ship- building corporations= "influenced" decisions to cancel a contract for a new shipyard and 200 cargo ships were made before a House committee today. The assertion came from L. E. Detwiler, assistant to the president of the Higgins Corporation, New Or- leans, in testimony before a Mer- chant Marein subcommittee studying cancellation of the contract awarded the Higgins company by the Mari- time Commission. Detwiler~ said that Secretary of the Nevy Knox "is not a shipbuilder, he is a newspaper publisher and has to rely on Joe (Joseph W.) Powell, who came fro mthe Bethlehem ShipbuildZ ing Corporation." Powell is an assis- tant to the Secretary of the Navy. Detwiler also asserted that "influ- ence" had been used in other quar- ters. Asked if "those influences brought about the cancellation," he replied "Yes." Representative O'Brien (Rep.- N.Y.) asked whether he believed the contract would have been cancelled "if the Maritime Commission had been left alone." Detwiler, asked by the committee to "get down to brass tacks" in stat- ing his opinions about the cancella- tion, asserted that the "shipbuilding trust" feared competition with the Higgins production line method of ship construction. on the liners Conte Verde and Asamu Maru. Americans and Canadians caught by the surrender of Hongkong board- ed the Asama suffering from malnu- trition due to a scarcity of food which was general, but not deliberate on the part of the Japanese. Beri-beri, pellagra, boils and dys- entery were widespread following six months of an unvarying diet which resulted in losses of weight of as much as 60 pounds, with the average at 20 pounds. Prisoners Suffer Severely Prisoners and internees in the northern areas of the Japanese Em- pire suffered severely during the win- ter months; those in Korea and Manchukuo were confined to un- heated cells and houses with tem- perature below zero. A score of American priests in Hongkong described their capture on Christmas Day, following which they were marched into a ravine for exe- cution and reprieved only at the last minute. Then they were imprisoned in a garage for three days, tied in groups with insufficient water and food. A dispatch received by the United Press in New York from its Robert Bellaire told how he and Joseph Dy- nan of the Associated Press had been beaten and choked by the Japanese when they refused to write certain statements. Several of Dynan's teeth were knocked out, Bellaire reported. His dispatch said in part: "Officials of the home office ques- tioned me repeatedly and at great length in an effort to get me to ad- mit that my activity as a press asso- ciation reporter had included illegal espionage. Since I had done nthing which I considered illegal I made no admissions. Official Demands Statement "An official who was superintend- ing the questioning then demanded that I write a statement to the ef- fect that I had been well-treated. This I refused to do until I had been badly choked. The officer seized my necktie, pulled it constantly tighter and tighter until it was impossible to breathe. I then was forced to write a statement along lines he dic- tated. "Dynon told me that he had much the same experience. A home office official demanded that he write a statement on the subject, 'The Good Treatment I Received from the Japa- nese during Wartime.' When he re- fused he was beaten. He was hit in the face and several teeth, in a bridge, were knocked out." Charged With Espionage Bellaire said that Otto Tolischus, chief correspondent of the New York Times in Tokyo was taken in custody about the same time as other Ameri- can newspapermen and charged with espionage and violation of the Na- tional Defense Act. His dispatch continued: "He was forced to sit, Japanese style, with his heels against hips, until wounds opened on his legs. He was slapped repeatedly during ques- tioning by police and once was partly strangled. "Max Hill, chief correspondent of the Associated Press in Tokyo, was threatened with similar treatment unless he gave information about an 'alleged spy ring'." Strategy Moves In On Rostov Defendersw )I Russian dispatches said that a large orce of German tanks "have attempted to break into" Rostov (1) object of a three-pronged driveby Nazi armies. Despite German claims that the city has fallen, Mos- cow asserts that Soviet troops still are holding the city. Another Nazi push reached Tsimlyansk (2) with the threat of developing into a drive to the Staling rad railway 25 miles farther, and flanking the attack on Rostov and on Stalingrad (3) already menaced by armies coming down from Boguchar and astride the Likhaya-Stalingrad railroad. o4, 13 GUCHAR Don R. RASPOPINSK MLL ROVO STALI NGRAD VOROSHILOVGRAD KAMENSK lgo UKHA KOMINTERN4 TSI MLYANSK POKROVSK 1R T AG AN G NOV OCIHERKASSK --1 Sea.:f Azov ROSTOVO S "'BATAISK YEISK '!RUSSIA Oil Links Railroads 0 50 TIKHORETSK* STATUTE MILES' Strafe Bases lEOf l Daba British Army Consolidates ' Two-Day Ground Gains In North, Central Areas By The Associated Press CAIRO, July 24.-Allied "airmen poured 9xplosives on the Axis bases of El Daba west of El Alamein last night and today while Britain's Im- perial Army consolidated its two- day ground gains which put the Im- perials firmly atop the strategic heights in the north and central sectors of the desert front. For 45 minutes Allied bombers at- tacked two Axis airdromes at El Daba last night and observed ten fires and one explosion. Fighter-bombers followed up with strafing attacks today. The Navy meanwhile reported offi- cially that light naval forces again had bombarded Matruh, one of the main Axis seaports farther west. Wednesday night. but said the - re- sults were "unobserved owing to low clouds." Ingersoll Enlists In Army Service rYmMm.ih Michigan Nine Easily Defeats Blissfield, 10-2 Wolverines Go On Batting Spree Getting 15 Hits ; Vernier Paces Attack Breaking out with a 15-hit attak, the varsity nine got back on the vic- tory trail last night as they defeated Blissfield in a seven-inning contest at the latter's home field by a score of 10-2. Michigan's 14ats. which have been none too potent this summer, finally got going last evening, and combined with the usual good pitching made the game strictly a no-contest af- fair. Bob Vernier led the attack on the Blissfield moundsmen by bang- ing out a home run and a brace of doubles. Howard Wikel also added weight to the Michigan cause with a triple and double. The Wolverines put the game on ice in the first inning by scoring five runs before an out was made. Tommy Higgins started the on- slaught by singling. In quick order John Mikulich walked, Bob Chap- pius singled, Vernier doubled, Wikel doubled, and Don Lund singled to send Michigan off to a five-run lead, Blissfield combined two hits to score a single run off Don Smith in their half of the first, but the, Wol- verines got this run back in the third when Vernier lined a long homer to the far corner of left field. Rev clli Directs 'Concert Today The final program of the High School Clinic Band, under the direc- tion of Prof. William Revelli, will be held at 8:30 p.m. today in Hill Audi- torium. As in former appearances, Mr. Carr and Mr. Fox will act as guest conductors. The program will be opened with the National Anthem, and will in clude the tone poem "Dedication," by Frangkiser: the march "El Cabal- lero," by Olivadoti: "Scenes From the Sierras," by Bennett: "Colossus of Columbia." by Alexander; "Komm Susser Tod," by Bach: "The Great Gate of Kiev" (from "Pictures at an Exhibition"), by Moussorgsky; and "Stars and Stripes Forever," by Sousa. on QanGm Deduction Of Five Percent On Wages From Pay Checks Is Defended By 1 1 0 - 41 To Be Taken Treasury By The Associated Press WASHINGTON, July 24-A House- approved proposal to deduct advance payments on income taxes from the 1943 pay checks of wage earners drew vigorous criticism before the Senate Finance Committee today but was stoutly defended by Treasury experts. Senators Taft (R-Ohio) and Clark (D-Mo) contended the wage deduc- tion provision, made a part of the $6,271,000,000 revenue bill by the House at the Treasury's suggestion, Corey To Lead Meeting Today New Industrial Revolution Is TopicOf Discussion Lewis Corey, well-known liberal author and lecturer, will lead a dis- cussion meeting on "The New Indus- trial Revolution" at 2 p.m. today in Room 302 of the Union. Corey has for years been one of the foremost . liberal economists in the country. A professor at Antioch Col- lege, he is also the author of several books and a frequent contributor to progressive publications such as The Nation and New.Republic. As an officer in ;the Union for Democratic Action he played a large part in the interventionist move- ment before Pearl Harbor. He is now active in the UDA program of fur- thering the war effort and planning the peace along liberal, international lines. constituted a "double tax" on the ordinary citizen. As approved by the House, the de- duction would be 5 per cent of all salary on wages above certain basic exemptions. Taft said the deduction, combined with 19 per cent normal and surtax rates which the tax bill would impose on the individual, would boost tax payments to a rate of 24 per cent in 1943. Conceding that this was a severe jolt for the person who had been paying much lower rates under the present law, Randolph Paul Assist- ant Secretary, said the Treasury re- garded the collection levy as "defin- itely important" in its battle against inflation. The employers would pay the money over to the Treasury each quarter, thus speeding the' Govern- ment's receipt of funds due it on in- dividual income tax. The amount thus deducted from an individual's salary during the year would be credited as already paid to the Treasury and subtracted from the amount due in 1944 on his reg- ular income tax. A table of exemptions would make this collection levy apply on all single persons receiving $11 a week or more and all married persons, without children, who were paid $26 weekly or more. In the case of married per- sons, an additional $8.50 of salary would be free from the tax for each dependent. Starting at 5 per cent on January 1, 1943, the levy-which would apply also to dividends and interest - would bring to the Treasury $1,250,- 000,000 in advance" payments the first year, Paul estimated. Senate Comrmittee Criticizes House-Approved Tax Measure Battered Russians Fight On Germans Claim Capture Of . Important Russian Traffic,_Harbor City Moscow Reports Great Nazi Losses By EDDY GILMORE Associated Press Correspondent MOSCOW, Saturday, July 25.- German tdnks and infantrymen were beating against Rostov, the Russian bridgehead to the rich Caucasus, over the bodies of thousands of Nazi dead, the Soviets announced; offi- cially early today in one of the most grave moments in Russian history. "The approaches to the fortified districts (of Rostov) are littered with the corpses of thousands of Hitler- ites," the communique said. "However, disregarding their losses the enemy continues to throw more and more forces into. battle." (The German High Command said Rostov had been "stormed and cap- tured," although it admitted mop- ping up oderations were still going on.) "Large enemy tank units are at- tempting to break into the city," the Russian communique- said, "and in- tense and sanguinary battles are tak- ing place." _ ~120- 1Tie Fight The supreme fight for the rich Caucasian oil region, however, raged for 120 miles along the Don River to the Tsimlyansk area, the Russians said, but the communique added: S"With counter blows our units en- circled and destroyed the infantry regiment which had broken through." German artillery and aircraft pressed steadily against the Russians holding the southern bank of the Don. It was there that Marshal Semeon Timoshenko was expected to make a major stand against the Nazi attempt to sever the Caucasus from the Russian hinterland and seize its rich oil and food products. As h evidence of the heavy Nazi losses the Russians said more than 1,500 Germans were slain in a single sector of the Don front during the last 24 hours. Still On North Bank The Red Army also was still en- trenched on the north bank of the Don, the communique indicated. It spoke of fighting in the Novocherk- assk area, 20 miles northeast of Ros- tov, as well as in the latter vital city. The Russians said their Rostov de- fenders beat off six enemy attacks. Swarms of. Nazi infantrymen were supported by artillery barrages and tank charges, the communique said, and eight Nazi tanks were destroyed. Far to the north in the Voronezh sector the Russians reported another Soviet crossing to the western bank of the Don and the destruction of another Nazi regiment. The Russians also said that repeated Nazi attacks in the Voronezh area had bern smashed. In a flareup of fighting in the Bryansk sector in the center of Rus- sia, the Russians said they knocked out 20 more Nazi tanks. Berlin Claims Capture Of Rostgv Physical Education Authorities T oWitness Townsley Program. Union Officials Explain Wildcat Strike At Ford's Bomber Plant By MIKE DANN Daily sports Editor Army and Navy health authorities along with Physical Education in- structors from the entire midwest will attend the giant PEM program that is being given in honor of the late Dr. Elmer Townsley, Wednesday eve- ning. The exhibition is the first of its kind and will represent new achieve- ments in the nation's physical fitness drive. Inthe words of Athletic Director Fritz Crisler. "no other University going it looks as though no one is going to miss the exercises. More than 4,000 tickets have been dis- tributed and the demand is still not satisfied, according to the committee in charge of the evening's activities. Last minute details still have to be worked out, because of the tremen- dous size of the undertaking. The prograni was decided upon early in the week, but the enthusiasm on the part of the PEM students for as much work as possible forced the committee to revise the scheduler of events. By ART CARPENTER Union officials at the Ford Willow Run Bomber Plant yesterday sharply denied that the recent wildcat sit- down strike was caused by the sus- pension of telephone communications to and from the plant. They- explained that, contrary to widespread newspaper reports, the strike started only after the Ford management had taken away the union committee room and suspended "The man named 'Harris' who was supposedly the union steward responsible for the strike has not been identified by any source," he said. However, the union officials wanted. it made clear that the UAW-CIO was not in sympathy with the strike. "It's really too bad to spoil such a good record," Strachan added. A majirity of plant workers, when questioned, expressed complete satis- BERLIN (from German broad- casts), July 24.-(P-The German High Coimand announced today that German Army and 88 Elite troops and Slovak detachments had captured Rostov by storm and were engaged in mopping up operations there while other German forces "broke the resistance of Soviet troops newly brought up" in the Don Riyer bend. German forces "excellently assisted by the Luftwaffe on the whole front, broke through the strongly-fortified and deeply-echeloned defense posi- tions of Rostov, and after hard fight- ing captured the town, which is important as a traffic and harbor center," the communique said.