The Durant news. (Durant, Miss.) 1882-1985, 1942-03-05
A WEEK OF
THE WAR
Continued from page one)

100000, and actual shipments have
now exceeded two billion dollars. AL
locations for lend-lease purposes to-
tailed more than $12,0 600, 600, 600 as
Of February 10.
The United States and Britain
signed a pact postponing indefinitely
final settlement of lend-lease costs.
The pact commits both nations 20
virtually unlimited free trade. And
provides final terms of the settle
ment shall be such as not to bur
den commerce between the twc
countries" Mr.. Welles announce
the Vichy French government has
given the United States e .c,3
it will not aid the Axis beyond terms
of the Armistice agreements.
Production and Conversion
The War Production Board said
conversion of speacetime industrial
plants to war production will be
lover the hump" by late fall. Com
plete conversion of the automobile
industry is expected by September
/, the Board said. The Board an
nounced it's industry branch heads
are determining amounts of each
product needed for the war effort,
preparatory to the converting of
each industry to war production.
Rationing
Price Administrator Henderson
stated national registration for su-
gar rationing books will be held yer
a four-day period, probably during
the last week in March. Approx
mately 1,4OO,OOO school teachers will
serve as registrars and 245, 600
schools will be used. One adult may
register for each Family unit
The War Production Board an
nounced a ~rationing program begin
ming March 8 for 10000 new trucks
and truck t~railers which will be av-
ailable for rationing during the next
twenty-five months. The rationing
will be administered jointly by the
War Production Board and the Of
flee of Defense Transportation. Mr..
Henderson said state quotas provide
10000 new 1912 passenger auto
mobiles for eligible buyers during
March, April and May. Total number
of cars earmarked for civilian pur-
chase during the next twelve months
is 100000. No passenger car re-
treaded tires will be available In
March, he said.
The War Front
The Navy reported United States
naval forces sank fifty-three enemy
ships between December 10, 194l
and February "a, 1912, probably
sank seven more and damaged five
additional The Army announced
from December Z to February ~ it
probably sank at least nineteen
japanese ships, seriously damaged
thirty-one others, and shot down
wo hundred and forty-five enemy
planes not including one hundred
and sixty-five Japanese planes shot
down by the American volunteer
group serving in the Chinese Army.
The Navy said in the first two months
of this year one hundred and six
teen ships of United Nations re-
gistrv were attacked in the western
half of the Atlantic, and fifty-six
attacks were made by the Navy on
enemy submarines. Three U-boats
are believed sunk and four are be-
lieved damaged.
General MacArthur's troops at
tackled enemy lines in the Phlilpp-
hines and advanced n to tive miles
all along the front. Two more United
States tankers were torpedoed OH
the Atlantic coast.
Army
Congress completed action on the
new $4,000, O0O, 900 Appropriation
Bill, providing more than $23,OOo'-
100000 for the Army, $5,O0O.OOO,-
600 for lend-lease, and the remainder
for expansion Of the Merchant la
inc. The President by Executive Or
der reorganized the Army to speed
nm and coordinate military action.
The President set up three basic
units under the Army chief OF staff;
for ground forces, air forces, ana
.'services of supply each with
its own commanding general
The House passed legislation IN
creasing from one month to one year
payment to dependents OF the sal
aries of members Of the Armed for
ces captured by the enemy. n
legislation would also increase .he
pay Of officers and men serving
outside continental United states os
from 10 to 20 percent. The Presi-
dent established the Army Speclai-
lists Corps, a unit of uniformed ciVi-
Ian employees who may be appoint
ed to War Department positions re
CARELESS of Civil Service status. "ac
Secretary Stimson announced Sol
diers are no longer required TO Cd
tain permission before they can De