davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1942-11-12
Ramspeck 10 Probe
Reported Threats 10
Silence j. ). Workers
Chuirmun Informed
Employees Are Warned
Not to Talk to Congress

Chairman Ramspeck of the House
Civil Service Committee, who Short
ly will open an investigation of Fed
eral personnel practices, said today
that his attention had been di-
rected to two or three" instances
where employees had been threatened
with reprisal by superiors if they
report payroll extravagances to
Congress.
According to word reaching the
chairman, this coercion has taken
the form of threats of assignment
to less desirable positions and other
disciplinary measures, and while he
expressed hope" that such prac-
tices by administrative officers are
not widespread, he does not know
the extent to which they may have
been used.
Specific Case Cited.
One specific case where the en-
ploye concerned suspects that an
undesirable assignment Is the result
of q complaint has been laid before
Chairman Ramspeck.
While spade work" for the per-
sonnel inquiry is being carried on
now, Chairman Ramspeck does not
expect to get it actually under way
until after Thanksgiving.
The House authorized the investi-
cation in response to reports
out by Civil Service Commission
.charges-that thousands of employees
here are being used on details in
which full advantage is not being
taken of their ability.
The mushrooming forces of the
war agencies are due for particular
scrutiny by the Civil Service Com
mittee. and where abuses are un-
covered, reforms are expected to be
instituted by the Budget Bureau and
the Civil Service Committee.
To Can Up Leave Bill.
Chairman Ramspeck said today
he hopes to call up in the House
next week bill approved by his
committee today which would en-
able Government employees to ac-
cumulate as much as 80 days leave.
Workers now may accumulate only
so days.
The bill already has passed the
Senate. It is particularly important
to Government workers at this time
because with Christmas leave con-
celled many of them would be COM
PEELED to sacrifice much of their ac-
cumulated leave, it was pointed out.
Chairman Ramspeck said he
hoped to have the bill passed by
unanimous consent.
Evening star., 1942-11-12
1t. Col. KoIokuko of ArIinqton
Honored for Supplying Botoon
Distinguished Service
Medal Is Awarded
Missing Officer

The Distinguished Service Medal,
highest non>combat' decoration of
the Army, has been awarded to 1t.
Col. Theodore Kalakuka, 81, of the
Quartermaster Corps, now reported
missing in action in the Philippines,
and was received in his behalf BY
his wife, Mrs. Marian Kalakuka, 5000
Lee highway, Arlington, yesterday
afternoon.
He was the only man from this
area among five who received the
medal yesterday for exceptionally
meritorious service in the Philippine
Islands. His wife said he is believed
to be prisoner of the Japanese.
Col. Kalakuka, as assistant to the
quartermaster of Gen. MacArthur's
command, obtained large quantities
Of essential supplies on the outbreak
Of war and delivered them to
Bataan, where he supervised the
distribution of the supplies to the
front lines and frequently was under
fire, according to his citation.
Previously, he had been cited three
times for gallantry in action, having
received . silver star and two clus-
tefs, Mrs. Kalakuka said. A graduate
Of West Point Ia 1877. Col. Kalakuka
Evening star., 1942-11-12
D. {. 10 Have
Unannounced
AFRAID Test
Commissioners Reveal
Tyout May Be
Held at Night

A surprise air-raid test, probably
at night, will be held within the next
two weeks, the Commissioners an
nounced today.
Exact date of the test, which will
not be announced, is to be decided
at conference between the Com
missioners and Col. Lemuel Bolles,
executive director of civilian defense,
probably at the meeting of the
Board of Commissioners tomorrow.
Following staff meeting of OCD
chiefs of service at the District
Building today, it was announced
that the District will buy the 5000
stirrup pumps promised for warden
posts. The decision followed an ap-
peal by the Civilian Defense Council,
which sent letter of protest to the
Commissioners earlier this week on
information that the Commissioners
had changed their minds and would
not buy the pumps.
Delivery Date Unknown.
District Purchasing Agent Roland
M. Brennan told the meeting he had
been unable to find out when the
81, GAO stirrup pumps allotted to the
District would arrive here. He said
the manufacturers now making the
pump tank type of extinguisher
might have them ready for delivery
before the stirrup pumps.
The District is to get as many
pump tank type extinguishers as it
does stirrup pumps, but the former
will be loaned by the OCD for use
by civilian defense forces. Five
thousand stirrup pumps are to be
purchased by the District. The re-
meining 16,640 are to be sold to the
public.
Leonard Tucker, chairman Of the
Civilian Defense Council, advocated
that some type of fire-fghting ap-
paratus be made available to the
sector posts as soon as possible to
step up morale. He also said that
a survey of sector posts showed that
most of them we're equipped with
three to five previously purchased
buckets. This was to answer the
statement that the stirrup pumps
would not have pals attached,
therefore necessitating the pur-
chase of pals as we'll as pumps.
Unfit to Be Dismissed.
Chief Air-Raid Warden William
]. Mileham told the meeting that the
warden service now has an enroll
ment of $1,000 volunteers, but that
the total would be cut to 10000 to
weed out those who have not kept
up with their warden duties.
The meeting was also told that
shelter signs have been posted at
$50 locations, that $50 more will be
posted this week and another 200
next week.
DR.. John A. Reed reported that
the civilian defense blood plasma
bank is IS per cent complete and is
expected to be completed by De-
cember l.
Evening star., 1942-11-12
0PA and Byrnes
Ask Restudy Of
Gas Rate Boost
Filing Of Petitions
First Step for
Court Test .,

Acting for himself and as the
agent of Economic Sterilization Di-
rector Byrnes, Price Administrator
Henderson today filed with the Pub
lie Utilities Commission two petit
tions for reconsideration of the
agency's October 13 order for a
5000 900 increase in the consumer
rates of the Washington Gas Light
Co.
Under District public utility law, a
petition for reconsideration is a
necessary first step toward court
test. The case long since has been
expected to wind up In court bat
tie, although the OPA has not yet
announced it will carry its fight to
the courts.
Four citizens associations have
filed similar reconsideration petit
tions, but action is being delayed
pending the return to Washington of
James H. Flanagan, PUG chairman,
and Gregory Hankin, PUG men,
her, who are attending convention
In st. Louis.
Many Errors Charged.
In the petition for Mr.. Byrnes,
Mr.. Henderson alleged the PUG
had made 10 errors in handling the
case, and on his own behalf he
charged the commission had made
20 errors, including in these many
technical issues involved In the
hearings under the sliding scale
agreement by which the PUG has
been adjusting gas rates annually
since 1895.
In the statement for the stabiliza-.
ton director, the OPA contended
that the commission had erred lin
refusing to hold that the dominant
principle governing the determina-
ton of rates of the company is the
Governments program to control
imitation" and to stabilize the cost
of living by preventing all future
'avoidable" increases.
Restriction Attacked.
Mr. Henderson also said the COM
mission was in error in restricting
the Intervention for Mr.. Byrnes to
presentation of additional evidence"
relating to the "inbationary effect,
if any," OF the rate increase; in ap-
proving rate increase in the alb
sence of convincing showing the
company would suffer undue hard
ship if the rates were not increased,
and in granting an increase in the
face Of OPA contentious that the
company was earning substantially
5 per cent upon the agreed unde-
preciated rate base" and in failing
to hold that this was an adequate
return In the light of current eco
nomic conditions.
For Mr.. Byrnes, the OPA asked
that the rate order be vacated, that
the proceeding be reopened for pre-
sentation Of further evidence and
argument. and that the economic
stabilization director be allowed the
right of intervention without limi-
tation."
Mr.. Henderson was represented
by David Ginsburg, Nathaniel L.
Nathanson and Harry R. Booth of
OPA counsel.
Evening star., 1942-11-12
Navy 10 Move
LessThan 10000
1oPentagon
Engineers Doubt
Transfer Can Be
Made by Dec. !

Fewer than half the 10000 Navy
Department employees in Washing
ton will be moved to the War De-
partment's huge Pentagon Building
in Arlington County, it was said
today by naval officers working out
details for the shift.
When first announced, Secretary
of the Navy Knox said he believed
the transfer could be completed by
December /, but Army engineers in
charge of construction of the Penta-
gon Building expressed doubt today
that the space to be occupied by
Navy employees would be ready by
that time.
Navy officials charged with making
arrangements for the shift to the
Pentagon Building, it was revealed,
have not yet definitely decided what
bureaus are to be moved It was
indicated, however, that some of the
technical bureaus would remain in
their present quarters and that the
transfer would involve chiefly the
administrative Offices and such bu-
reaus as personnel, supplies and ac-
counts, public relations and yards
and docks.
Army to Move In.
The War Department, it was said,
will occupy spaces vacated by the
Navy in the buildings on Constitu-
ton Avenue now housing its en-
ployes.
Aside from the mass removal prob
lem, Navy officials, it was pointed
out, are now vitality concerned with
the transportation situation that
will confront those employees to be
removed to the Pentagon Building.
The Capital Transit Co. and the
Virginia motor bus lines operating
to the Pentagon Building are CO.
operating with Navy officials in an
effort to develop schedules that will
assure adequate transportation.
Efforts also are being made to
establish a uniform rate of fare
from any point in the District to
the Pentagon Building on the vari-
Gus bus lines serving it, The Office
of Price Administration and the
transit companies, it is understood,
have been urged to approve rate
OF 1872 cents trip.
Evening star., 1942-11-12
More Firemen Urqed
To Combat Bombs

The need for additional auxiliary
fremen in Prince Georges County
to deal with the Germans new-type
incendiary bombs was stressed last
night In an address by j. w. Just,
Maryland civilian defense fire CO.
ordinator.
Speaking at the monthly meeting
of the Prince Georges County Vol
unteer Firemen's Association. Mr..
Just explained the new type of bomb
is more difiicult to extinguish, since
1t carries an explosive charge. An
address of welcome was delivered at
the meeting by Thomas E. Jones,
Maryland Secretary Of State.
Evening star., 1942-11-12
Privotes Spurn Lift
From Gen. Marshall

By the Associated Press.
FORT GEORGE G. MEADE, Nd,
Nov. 12.-Pvts. Jerome Fischer and
Hold Pomerantz listened today to a
lot of talk about Opportunity
knocks but once" and this is why ::
The soldiers, awaiting appoint
ment as aviation cadets, were walk
ing along in Washington and were
offered lift. They refused politely,
looked again and then froze into
salutes.
In the car was Gen. George G.
Marshall, Army Chief of Staff.
Evening star., 1942-11-12

feelS like q man
40 or so, maybe
BETTER" and can't
understand why
his age should
pre- We mt him
from holding q
war job.
"I'll go an y
place." he de-
c e d today.
"In 60 to the
Ar m y, to the
Navy, or to work
for the defense
plants. The war
needs people and
I want to give
Evening star., 1942-11-12
Propose5
Tryout for ". 90. D.
Commuter Plan
Says Passengers Can Be
Carried Without Any
Cupitul Investment

Re-establishment of passenger
service on the Washington and Old
Dominion Railroad between Rosslyn
and Leesburg. Va, has been found
possible, without any capital in
vestment and relatively nominal ex-
pense," Col. Noten D. Ballentine,
transportation consultant of New
York City, said in report filed
today.
At the same time it was disclosed
that "obstructions" are frequently
deliberately placed upon the
track" and the consultant said that
this may arise from the publics
ill-feeling towards the railroad be-
cause it abandoned passenger serv-
ice.
Commenting on an inspection
trip he made September with G..
c. Baggett, vice president and gen.
eral manager of the railroad, Col.
Ballantine said:
Track conditions are such that
no more than IS miles per hour is
permitted on any portion of the
line; the frequency of grade cross
ings places another handicap on
speed Added to these restrictions
is the necessity for extreme care to
avoid distractions deliberately
placed upon the track.
Had to Stop for Timber.
ION the trip which I made over
the road an emergency stop was
necessary to avoid striking tim
ber that had been placed on the
tracks. The superintendent stated
that such occasions were not in
frequent and that they had never
been able to locate the parties re-
sponsible. That as a matter of fact
when they complained to the au-
thorities the activities seemed to
increase.
II don't comment on this, except
to suggest the possibility that it
may reflect the feelings of the gen.
eral public in respect to the rail-
roads attitude toward resumption
of passenger service and its general
standing with the residents of the
district which it serves"
The engineer suggested that the
railroad undertake resumption of
passenger service on an expert
mental basis to determine If COM
muters' needs are as great as Vir-
ginia residents claim.
Says Runs Could Be Increased.
He also recommended that after
the experiment if there is SUBJ
stantia1 demand for service, both the
character and frequency of pas
senger runs be increased.
Col. Ballentine suggested that to
finance the experiment, residents OF
the communities affected might un-
derwrite a number of communication
tickets sufficient to cover the addi-
tional expenses to the railroad COM
pany.
The engineers survey is the result
of a study requested by the Rabey
Engineering Corp. of New York and
was made for that firm, which
sought to determine if one of its own
specially designed power units could
be used on the w. & O. D. tracks.
On learning of the interest of the
Virginia State Corporation Com
mission and the Once of Defense
Transportation, Col. Ballentine ex-
tended his studies to include the
feasibility of re-establishing passen-
ger runs.
He reported, incidentally, that the
Raby's Corp. equipment would be
unsuitable for this particular track
age because of heavy grades and
curves.
Evening star., 1942-11-12
Girl Stabbed in Chest
Dies; Woman Held

Lucille Wick, %, colored, of 914
Fifth street NV. died early today
in Casualty Hospital from injuries
received shortly before midnight in
an alteration in the 300 block of K
street NV, police reported.
A 32-year-old colored woman was
arrested by police and Is being held
for action of the coroner.
Police said the victim was struck
on the forehead with beer glass
and stabbed in the left chest with q
sharp instrument.
Evening star., 1942-11-12
Men 10 Be |nducted
November 19 10 Get
Two-Week Fur|ouqh
No SeIectees Will Be
Called for Assignment
On Thanksgiving Day

Although the one-week furlough
plan for District selectees went in
effect today, selectees indicted on
November 10 will spend Thanks
giving Day at home instead of going
to camp.
Local draft headquarters ex-
planned that under this arrange
ment, which is subject to change,
no selectees will go to Fort Myer
for their physical examination and
induction on Thanksgiving Day and
no selectees will be called to report
on that day for assignment to Army
camps.
Those inducted on November 19
will be given a tWo-week furlough
reporting back on December 3.
It was explained that this ar
rangement was necessary to main
tain an even flow of manpower tc
camps.
Selectees going to Fort Myer today
for induction and those going on
succeeding days, except for Novem-
ber 10, will be given only one week S
furlough.
Army life will begin tomorrow TO,
"a District registrants who are
scheduled to report at local Selective
Service headquarters for assignment
to training camps.
Inducted October 30 the group has
just returned from two weeks fur
lough.
Evening star., 1942-11-12
Cottage City P-TA
Plans Amateur Show

The Cottage City School P-TA is
assembling talented children and
parents to participate in an anna
teur show which will be presented
at the next meeting of the group
November "a.
Approximately IS children and Is
ADULTS have signed up for the show.
A tryout and elimination contest
will be held tomorrow night in the
school. ...
The committee in charge Of the
entertainment includes l.. w. Luther,
chairman: Miss nellie GLASGOW and
Carl r. Minnick.
Evening star., 1942-11-12
Secretary 10 Pepper
To Be Soldiers Bride

Miss Anne McCaden, 21, of Law
renceville, Va, secretary to Senator
Pepper of Florida, will be married
to Pvt First Glass; Oliver Larson,
26, former Surrattsville (Md.) school
teacher, at the Foundry Methodist
Church tonight.
The Rev. DR.. Frederick B. Harris,
chaplain of the Senate, will offciate,
Senator Pepper will attend the we'd
ding
Pvt. Larson. who formerly lived
In Chevy Chase, Md, is assigned to
the Army Air Forces at Fort Bragg.
Evening star., 1942-11-12
Milk Drinker, at 70, Hunts
For Working Role in War

Abraham Satz, who is 70 years
old and has been living exclusively
on milk for the last II years, wants
Job so he can aid the war effort.
He hasn't been sick, Mr.. Satz
says, since he foreswore solid food
in 1881 and began his milk diet. He
Evening star., 1942-11-12
80 Years Under Wrono Name

TULSA, Okla. tP).-In the city
directory you will see him listed as
Bernard A. Lemser. The telephone
book lists him the same way.
Only recently Mr.. Lemser found
that for 80 years he has been going
by the wrong name. It should be
August Carl Lemser, jr., he says,
and he's changing all his registra-
tions.
Evening star., 1942-11-12

His son, Joseph, has been in the
Navy for IS years and now Is sta
toned aboard . battleship, he said.
A wholesale dealer In paper bags
who did business In New York for
25 years until the depression forced
him into retirement. Mr. Satx re-
callsd that hs appied 50 war work
Evening star., 1942-11-12

came to Washington in 1885, where
he was assigned to the quartermas-
ter depot at Twenty fourth and M
streets NV. He moved to Arlington
In 1899. He is the father Of two
daughters, Page, 5, and Christine,
AZ years.
Evening star., 1942-11-12
WPA Rolls SIushed

HAGERSTOWN, Md, Nov. II LP|.
Only n men remain on the WPA
relief rolls Of Washington County,
the smallest number since the Fed
eral agency was organised.
Evening star., 1942-11-12

Those havtng information
concerning persons reported
missing should communicate
1Dith the Public Relations Squad
OF the Police Department, Ma
fiOnnJ ANN
Imperial Valley press., 1942-09-13
SoIomons Made
Offensive Bose

WASHINGTON, Sept. u. (UP)-
The American held Solomon Islands
are being swiftly developed into
bases from which the United Ma
tions could launch new drives to
retake additional territory from the
Japanese.
Contingents of "Seabees," the Ma
yys fighting construction men, are
hard at work in the Solomons re-
pairing damaged facilities seized
from the Japanese and building
new ones.
First official disclosure OF the
Seabee's presence in the reconquer-
ed islands was made by UnderSecre-
tary of Navy James V. Forrestal
who has just returned from a 26,000-
mile flying trip to the southwest
Pacific.
The Seabees apparently followed
close behind the Marines into Quad
alcanal and put into operating order
the airfield which the Japanese had
so laboriously hewn out of the is
lands jungles. Their speedy and
efficient work made it possible for
American planes to use the field
in time to repel powerful japanese
attempts to retake the islands.
ForreStal said the SeabeeS were
anxious to get into the fight but
he did not know whether they par
ticipated in actual combat.
Full of praise for thCsc men, he
told how at one unspecified place
Imperial Valley press., 1942-09-13
Flying.
ortS
Score
BY DON CASWELL

GEN. MacARTHUR'S HEAD
UARTERS, Australia. Sept. II -
CAPITALIZED flying fortresses and
Lockheed Hudson medium bombers
left one japanese destroyer sink
ing, its crew struggling in the
water, and probably damaged
another off the southeast end of
New Guinea, Gen. Douglas MacAr-
thur announced today.
1t was indicated that the de-
stroyers were scouting the area
off New Guinea in connection with
operations at Milne Bay and the
enemy drive across the Owen Stan
ley mountains, where the Austral-
ians had now held the Japanese
for two days.
The fortresses and Lockheeds
caught two destroyers cruising off
Normandy island, in the D'entre-
casteaux group as miles north of
Milne Bay, where Australians had
about completed the mopping up Of
an enemy invasion force which met
disaster when it landed.
DIRECT HIT
Driving in to the attack in the
sort of high level precision opera
ton which has made them famous
in western Europe, the fortreSSeS
registered q direct hit on one of
the destroyers and the Hudson,
attacking at low level planted a big
bomb so close to the second that it
was believed damaged.
The first destroyer burst into
flames. When the Allied planes
left it was still afire and was sink
ing by the stern. Members of its
crew were struggling toward life
RATS which had been thrown hast
lily into the water.
NO MORE ADVANCES
The enemy has made no further
advances" said MacArthur's COM
munique of the situation on the
slopes of the Owen Stanley noun
tains.
1t was the second day on which
the Australians under Lieut.. Gen
Sidney RoWell had held the enemy
forces among the western ridge:
of the mountains at point abou
40 miles from Port Moresby, the
Allied advance base on the soutf
New Guinea coast.
Imperial Valley press., 1942-09-13
Berlin Announces
Russian Reverses

BERLIN, Sept. II. German
broadcast recorded by UP at Lon
donD-The high command reported
today that Soviet counterattacks
designed to relieve pressure on Stall
ingrad have been repulsed in hard
fighting.
The communique said Soviet
transport columns, the city of Stall
ingrad, and airdromes in the area
were heavily attacked.
Renewed Russian attacks south
east of Rzhev in the Moscow area
repeatedly failed, while other Soviet
forces attacked in vain" south of
Lake Ladoga and from besieged
Leningrad.
The high command said German
troops had captured the last coastal
fort south of the naval base Of
NoVoroSsisk, whose fall the Russians
have admitted. In the eastern Cauc-
asus, the communique said, the Ger
mans broke through Russian de-
fenses and destroyed batteries in the
Tcrek sector.
Imperial Valley press., 1942-09-13
Dead Pilot Hero
Given Hiuh Honor

GEN. MACARTHUR'S HEAD
QUARTERS. Australia, Sept ~.
OUP)-Major Clarence E. McPher-
son, bomber pilot. was awarded pos
thumously the Distinguished Flying
Cross and the Oak Leaf Cluster by
Gen Douglas Macarthur.
Mcpherson, whose widow. Mrs
Mcpherson, lives in Mccall. Ida.
won the DFC for flight over Javc
March l in which he attacked ana
scattered a japanese convoy single
handed, sinking one transport and
setting another afire.
The Oak Leaf Cluster was awarded
for a daring night flight between
Australia and New Guinea May IS
when Mcpherson, learning that an
Allied bomber was disabled at a
New Guinea airdrome, made a haZ-
ardous trip to protect the disabled
plane from enemy attacks.
The citation did not give details
of McPherson's death.
Imperial Valley press., 1942-09-13

within $50 miles of the town.
Lieut.. Gen. Sir William Platt,
commanding the Imperial forces,
reported that these forces, advanc-
ing from the important port of
Majunga. had reached the great
bridge of the Betsiboka river and
thus were near Maevatanana.
A second column moving down
the east coast occupied the town Of
Vohemar, 80 miles south of the
Diego Suarez naval base on the
northeast coast, without opposition,
he reported.
A third column advancing from
Diego Suarez down the northwest
coast was delayed by destroyed
bridges, the communique said, but
by last evening was within 20 miles
of the port of Ambanja, which the
Imperial forces landed Thursday
had occupied along with the ad-
jacent island of Nosy-Be.