davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1942-12-16
IS Injured in $500, 900 Fire
In Boston Department Store

Nineteen firemen were taken to
City Hospital, most Of them suf-
fering from smoke inhalation.
Seven others were treated at the
scene.
The five-story, brick structure was
stocked with Christmas clothing,
including valuable fur coats.
The first alarm was pulled shortly
before midnight. Six hours later the
fire was under control, but smoke
still poured from the building,
located on one of the city's main
thoroughfares, Washington street,
at the corner of West street.
Two weeks ago firemen fought
the Cocoanut Grove Night Club
ire that took the lives Of 4SS per-
sons, and two weeks prior to that
six firemen were killed and more
than 40 injured, some permanently,
In an East Boston building ire.
With the fire department having
suffered losses recently through en-
(see FIRE, Page A-ls.)
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1942-12-16

Capt. Henry Nelson headed in
stantly for a nearby coral reef. He
rammed the reef and the bow of the
Coolidge drove well up on it and
stayed there. It seemed as If the
cargo had been saved and, possibly
the ship. But the Coohdge's bot
tom was torn open and water was
pouring In. Because of the slope,
the water all rolled back into the
stern. In about an hour. the stern
had become so heavy that It pulled
the bow OF the reef and q few min
utes later the ship turned over on
its side and then turned topside
down and then sank stern first, the
bow going down last.
The plane with this reporter In
1t turned around and sat down I'M.
mediately. BY the time I returned
to the scene in one of the rescue
boats, the work of life-saving was
well under way. So,
There had been no panic. not
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1942-12-16
BY IRA WOLFERT.


Newspaper Alliance.)
NEW YORK, Dec. 16.-The mine
that hit the liner President Coolidge
made hardly any sound at all and
was just felt as jar by the men on
board, a deep, shaking jar.
This reporter happened to be fly
ing over the ship in q bomber at
the time. The slate gray liner was
making its way slowly through .
slate gray morning. Then 1t seemed
to lurch like q man hit heavily and
q big, gaseous looking bubble welled
up on its starboard side just about
midships and hung swollen on the
surface Of the sea for q moment
before bursting.
The ship swung hard to port. and
then suddenly 1t seemed to lurch
again and another gaseous looking
bubble. apparently with oil In 1t
because it was streaked with RAIN
bow coiors, welled up, this time for
ward Of midships. r
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1942-12-16
0DT and 0PA Present
Joint Plan 10 Ease
=" f7a y IS
Fuel Oil Deliveries
Local Industry Official o."
Says Proposal Will Not
Help in Present Emergency
Help in Present Emergency

A four-point plan for CO.
operation between consumers
and fuel oil suppliers as a means
of insuring adequate retail de-
liveries of fuel this winter was
presented jointly by the ODT and
OPA today, but was described by
a spokesman for the local oil in
dustry as of little or no help in
the immediate emergency.
The program was outlined in
statement issued by Price Admin
istrator Leon Henderson and ODT
Director Joseph B. Eastman. 1t
calls for elimination of special de-
liveries, two days advance notice to
dealers on all orders for fuel oil,
withholding of orders by consumers
until their tanks are low enough to
permit delivery of IS per cent of
their capacity, and elimination of
callbacks to cover stops made
where no one is at home, and sets up
a procedure for readjustment of
truck mileage allotments which
prove inadequate.
The agency heads assured fuel oil
users that their respective agencies
had taken joint precautions to as
sure consumers of their ration Of
fuel oil. Their respective programs,
they reported, were carefully dove
tailed in the beginning. They listed
the following steps which were taken
to assure equitable distribution of
the supply:
l. Under the ODT's mileage ra-
tioning program for commercial
motor vehicles, which in general
calls for Is per cent mileage re-
duction for tank trucks, simple pro-
cedure has been set up for the per-
manent adjustment of any truck
allotments which may prove made
quate.
2. The OPA has arranged its pro-
gram to make generally unnecessary
the delivery of small amounts of
fuel oil, thus allowing suppliers to
reduce the number of deliveries
under the ODT's conservation form.
3. Mr.. Eastman has named sub
committees to the ODT State Pc
CO. ar NGT TI1UmTTC po0o c0
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1942-12-16
Conflict Barred
In bEW and RFC
Rubber Claims
Senators Disclose
Agencies Clash
Over Materials
BY CARTER BROOKE JONES.

Conflicting claims of the Re-
construction Finance Corp. and
the Board of Economic Warfare
over development of rubber in
South America and purchases of
strategic materials in Spain, Por-
tugal and other neutral countries
were brought to light in au-
thentic detail for the first time
today when the Senate Banking
Committee made public a por-
ton of closed hearings held re-
Gently.
Secretary of Commerce Jones,
who as Federal loan administrator
sueprvises RFC, told the committee
that the BEW, under authority
granted by the President, was the
only agency, not excluding the War
and Navy Departments and the
Maritime Commission, which did not
leave financing to RFC, feeling it
was "a business organization with
experience"
Regarding the purchase of critical
products whenever and wherever
they could be found, Senator Brown
Democrat. of Michigan said: IF you
thought the price was excessive, you
would pay it anyway"
I'VE would have to-" Mr.. Jones
replied.
Neglect Charged to RFC.
Iva 49,
of BEW. retorted at another COM
mittee session by charging RFC, in
effect, with neglecting certain OPP
portunities to develop rubber in
South America and with failing to
take advantage of opportunities in
Europe
On April 10. 1912, Mr.. Perkins
said, the Rubber Reserve Co. "a
subsidiary " had in South America
on development of wild rubber one
man" The 'BEW director then said
OF hts Organizations activities: -
To-day there are SO men in South
American countries working on the
development of rubber under our
DETECTIVES, and there are 40 men in
transit down there. In my judg-
nient we need twice that staff to do
the job"
Mr.. Perkins also asserted that in
September, 1941, Vice President
Wallace, now chairman of BEW,
had a talk with Mr.. Jones urging
"preclusive purchases" in European
neutral countries.
"On April 10, to go back. not one
dollars worth of goods had been
secured by RFC on preclusive pur-
chases of materials in Spain, Por-
tugal and other European neutrals
Today we have purchased s32 ,000,-
600 worth of strategic materials in
such countries. There are now Is
men abroad on this work and 25
more going"
In a rebuttal statement, placed in
the committee record only yester-
tSee BEW, Page A-4D
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1942-12-16
Three Killed as Crash
With Auto DeraiIs Train
BY the Associated Press.

by Inc Associated Press
MACON, Ga, Dec. 16.-A collision
OF Central of Georgia passenger
train and an automobile at a road
crossing here killed three persons
and derailed the locomotive and four
coaches early today.
The victims were Robert c. Fer
rell, engineer, and Joe White, fire.
man, both of Macon, and Pvt. Robert
r. Packard of nearby Cochran Field,
whose charred body was removed
from the burned automobile.
Conductor w. c. McCamy of
Albany, Ga. said the action Of Engi-
neer Terrell in running his engine
clear of the flaming auto before ap-
plying emergency brakes, probably
saved many passengers from injury.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1942-12-16
Captain Rommed Sinking Coolidge Onto Reef
In Effort to Save Cargo After Hitting Mine

even for an instant, survivors de-
clared. The moment the mine had
hit, the troops on board had been
ordered back to their quarters to
get them out of the way of the
merchant sailors who were strug-
Cling to salvage the vessel and,
later, speeded up the work of rescue.
Cargo nets were thrown over the
side to facilitate descent and the
men were called up out of their
quarters in sections as rescue boats
were available for them. It was
nervous time for the men be-
low with grating, grinding noises
going on all around them and the
sound Of running feet overhead,
shouts, commands, and so forth, and
the ship listing and sliding occa-
sionally. But Americas Army men
seemsto be made Of special stuff for
their youthful nerves held UP with
out breaking. While the men sat
waiting for their time to be called
topside and wondering If that time
(Continlled on Pare A Column
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1942-12-16
BY the Associated Press.

BOSTON, Dec. 6.-Approxi-
mately IS coast guardsmen and
firemen suffered smoke inhala-
ton or minor injuries early to-
day as Boston's third major fire
Of the past month swept through
.Sallinger's Department Store,
causing damage estimated Of
ficially at more than 100000.
The dense smoke necessitated
treatment for "a of the 270 Coast
Guardsmen who aided firemen in
fighting the five-alarm blaze In the
heart Of the city's retail district,
q Coast Guard spokesman said.
Members Of the Coast Guard given
hospital treatment included Leo B.
Plummer Of washington and Hamp-
ton B. Ridley Of Petersburg, Va.
Some were carried to the Brighton
Marine Hospital, others to sick
bay and the remainder were ordered
to bed for the rest Of the day.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1942-12-16
Patterson Sees Victory PeriIed
By Army Loss of Arms Control
Says Armed Forces Are Only Ones
Competent to Direct Munitions Supply
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
Undersecretary of War Patter-
son said today removal of the
production of military weapons
and supplies from control of the
armed forces might result in los
ing the war, and described as
fantastic" reports that the
Army is seeking control of the
Nations civilian economy.
In a statement to the Senate War
Investigating Committee, Mr.. Pat
terson said the supply of munitions
was continuous process from
drafting board to scrap pile" adding
that the armed forces we're the only
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1942-12-16
Air Support Playing
Big Role in Pursuit
Of Axis Forces
~ the Associated Press.

~ the Associated Press.
LONDON, Dec. 16. Britain's
9th Army, paced by Allied air
fleets littering the road to
Tripoli with the blasted wrecks
OF Marshal Erwin Rommel's
transport, were reported today
as probably approaching Zauta
En- Nof1lia, 100 airline miles west
of FL Agheila.
This report, by a competent Brit
ish military source, indicated that
since the break-through at Ell
Agheila the rate of advance has
exceeded that of the 9th Army after
1t cracked Marshal Rommel's Ell
Alamein line in Egypt.
On the opposite side of the Allied
squeeze on the Axis dwindling last
foothold in North Africa, other
strong forces of British and United
States planes we're striking heavily
at the enemy in Tunisia while win
ter rains and sticky, brown mud
mired the land front in relative
quiet.
Mileages were not given in the
British communique. With Marshal
Rommel apparently unable or I'M
willing to shield his retreat with
more than delaying rear-guard
patrols, the speed of the British
pursuit was governed chiefly by the
9th Army's agility in picking its way
through the maze of mines the Axis
marshal left behind and by its flow
Of supplies.
Impeded by Mines.
The British communique empha-
sized that "our leading forces still
are greatly impeded by mines" It's
disclosure, however, that ground
forces now are well west" of Ell
Agheila and that the air arm has
struck as far as Zauta En- Nofilia
suggested that wide lane soon
would be cut through the enemy's
deep field Of mines, TINT and BOBBY
traps.
Both sides resorted to air blows
far behind the front to choke of
the opponents supplies.
Allied planes set new big fires in
the harbor area of Naples Monday
night, the British communique said,
and pounded the Tunisian harbors
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1942-12-16
Pay Increase Bills
Force D. T.. 10 Revise
Budget for 1914
Total Of s., 600, 900
Must Be Absorbed as
Result of Measures

Passage of the pay increase
bills, as applied to District gov
eminent workers, coupled with
the promised pay boost for
Washington school teachers, will
force the Commissioners to make
drastic changes in their 1914
budget, now under study at the
Budget Bureau, it was indicated
today.
While exact calculations Of the in
creased cost cannot be made until
the pay bill has been analysed, Dis
trict Budget Officer Walter L. Fowl
er estimated the increased payroll
would amount to nearly $4,000 900
for classified workers, police and
flremen, already covered in bills
passed by Congress, and approx
mately $850,0O0 more for school
teachers, whose pay will be con-
sidered in January.
Increase Nearly $1,000, 900.
This would raise the total in
creased payroll to nearly $4,000, 900,
based on a 44-hour work-week and
officials said that the estimate would
have to be raised if hours were in
creased.
Prompt action by the Commits
sioners and the Budget Bureau is
expected, since the municipal fiscal
budget will be transmitted to Con-
gress shortly after the opening of
the new session. Budget Officer
Fowler said the Commissioners
would begin studies promptly as to
what items in the pending proposed
estimates might be reduced and
what items might be eliminated
entirely.
In their present budget plan, the
city heads had proposed increased
OUTLAWS for repayment of District
debts to the United States out of
revenues which cannot be spent,
during the war, for capital improve
ments. These increased debt pay
ments exceed the increased payroll
costs, but District budget officials
say such moneys should not be spent
for maintenance and operation pur-
poses, since there will be heavy de-
mands for funds for capital improve
ments as soon as priority restric-
lions are removed.
For the next fiscal year, the Dis
trict had planned to pay some $4,-
(See BUDGET, Page Aid
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1942-12-16
Odds Seen Fovoring
Allies in Race for
Tunision Air Control
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
LONDON, Dec. 16.-The odds
are very much in favor" OF the
Allies winning the race for air
supremacy in Tunisia, an Raj
commentator SAID today.
. He depicted the air strength
situation there as far brighter
than previously viewed in some
quarters. He said the Germans
had never had more than 200
bombers and fighters in Tunisia,
and that larger forces based in
Sicily had not been put to as
much use, for some reason, as
might have been expected.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1942-12-16
President Expresses
| Sincere Thanks to
| 18th Conqress

President Roosevelt today ex-
pressed his sincere thanks" for
the accomplishments of the
Seventy-seventh Congress and
his good wishes for a happy
Christmas tide" to members of
the Senate and House in identi-
cal letters to Vice President
Wallace and Speaker Rayburn.
The text of the Presidents
letter to Mr.. Wallace follows:
"On the final adjournment of
the Seventy-seventh Congress
may I send to the members of
the Senate my truly sincere
thanks for all that they have
accomplished during these diff
cult two years: and also my
, good wishes for a happy Christ
mas tide"
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1942-12-16
Ex-RAF Sergeant Dies
For Murder of Girl

BY the Associated Press.
ST. ANDREWS, New Brunswick,
Dec. 16.-Tom Roland Hutchings, 81,
former Raj sergeant, died on the
gallows in the county Jail yard here
early today for the murder last
June of Bernice Connors, 19-year-
old Blacks Harbor girl.
Arrested four days after the body
of Miss Connors was found in a field
on Deadmans Harbor road, Hutch
ings was convicted and sentenced
to death October 6. He walked to
the gallows clad In Raj tunic. and
Stacks.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1942-12-16
WearyCo!ngress
Ends Historic
Session Today
Adjournment Comes
After us Days,
Establishing Record
By the Associated Press.


Work-worn and weary, the
Seventy-seventh Congress comes
to the end of it's legislative life
today after an historic two-year
struggle, first with the problems
Of a tremulous peace, then with
the robust job of arming the Ma
ton for global war.
The House and Senate formally
agreed to adjourn at the close of
today's business, furnishing a
breathing spell until the new Con-
gress takes over January 6.
Longest in history, the Seventy
seventh Congress was in session tbs
days. The House met on 404 leg
islative days. Five Senators and IA
Representatives died during the two
years.
1t leaves tempestuous record of
pre-war battles over foreign policies,
of sharp skirmishes between isola-
tionists and interventionists; then
Of sudden cohesion on war measures
as bombs fell on Pearl Harbor.
The shadows of war already were
stretching eastward from Asia, west
ward from Europe when the present
Congress first convened in January,
194l. And, as they heightened, there
was fashioned for the Nation one of
the greatest military programs in
all history.
Appropriated 205 Billions.
Unstintingly, the lawmakers
opened wide the country's purse
strings to provide funds for a war
machine All in all, approximately
sos 900 100000 was appropriated
during the two years, and of that
total 1892, 1000, 100000 was earmarked
for war.
BY contrast, about 46,O00,0 00, 900
was appropriated in 1917-l8 for the
World War. Spending between the
two conflicts reached its lowest
point in 1924 and 1925, when the
Sixty-eighth Congress voted a total
of $1,000, 100000.
To help pay the bills, new taxes
were piled on both business and
private citizens. In 194l, Congress
found $3.50 100000 in new revenue,
and this year probed even deeper to
find an additional s6,881 900 900.
Millions of new taxpayers were
called on to contribute to the cost
of war as exemptions dropped.
Appropriation followed appropri-
alton in those early days of the
session to- convert the broomstick
guns and the tin can cannon used
by green troops in early maneuvers
into weapons of modern warfare.
Major measures passed before the
outbreak of war included the lease
lend bill and legislation to permit
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1942-12-16
London Area Has First
Raid Alarm Since Oct. rs
By the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
LONDON, Dec. 16.-Four Nazi
Focke-Wulf 1905 attacked the Eng
lish south coast this afternoon, and
one raider, which approached the
outskirts of London, set of a brief
alarm, the first in the capitals en-
virons since October Is.
Only one suburban area was af-
fected by the alert, which ended
apparently, without incident. Ma
chine gun bullets, however. wounded
two persons and caused minor dam
age to buildings in the coast town.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1942-12-16
Allied Flyers Batter
New Jap Footho|d
On Coast Above buna
Land Troops Also Exert
Heavy Pressure on
Invaders Positions
BY the Associated Press.

ALLIED HEADQUARTERS IN
AUSTRALIA, Dec. 49, Gen.
Douglas MacArthur's air forces
have ceaselessly bombed the Jap
anese lodged in a new foothold
near the mouth of the Mambare
River, while his land troops ex-
erted heavy pressure on the in
vaders' dwindling shore positions
in the Buna area to the south
east, advices from the front said
today.
Omitted States bombers raided
japanese installations at BUN,
on Bougainville Island in the
Solomons. and met no enemy OPP
position, the Navy reported today.
(No explanation was available
Of the lack Of opposition at BUM,
considered as one of the principal
Jap air bases and located about
275 miles northwest of Guadal-
canal.
(The Navy also reported sixth
attack ON Munda airfield, under
construction by the japanese on
New Georgia Island, and the
wiping out of two japanese ma =.
chine-gun crews on Guadal- ,
canaD
Allied airmen also pounded anew
the Japanese bases f1anking- the
Papuan sector, the Allied headquar-
tiers noon communique reported. 4
They dropped a number of 500
pound bombs. on the airdrome at
Lac, on the Northeast New Guinea
coast, in, the face of heavy anti
aircraft fire. and roared across the
water strip to peck the Gasmata
New Britain) airfield with dozen
00-pounders. A covey of IL Jap
anese planes came up to meet them
and they shot down three and dam
aged two others, the communique
said.
CA lone four-engined B-24 Lib
orator bomber stood of all II
Zeros, Australian dispatches said.
The crew saw two of them crash
into the sea, another disappear in
flames beneath the clouds and
parts fly off from two more)
Heavy Ground Fighting.
There were few details of the
ground action, but spokesman for
Gen. Macarthur said there was un-
doubtedly still heavy fighting at
Sanananda Point, northeast of ,Buna
Village, and at Buna Mission air.
strip, between which Allied troops
had driven wedge.
To the northwest the Japanese
attempted to come of landing barges
let down near the mouth of the
Mambare from cruisers and de-
stroyers before dawn Monday.
(Advices from the front indi-
Gated that as many as 1000 jap
anese might have effected shore
hold
An air force beat back the war
ships and dropped bombs Monday
night among the landing force.
1t returned to the attack after
dawn yesterday. pounding the
soldiers who had managed to reach
shore, aiming for landing barges
and water-tight drums of supplies
still floating in the sea.
Landing Beaches Bombed.
Mamba, on the west bank of the
river, was machine-gunned and
houses set afire. All probable land
ing beaches in the area were also
the targets for bombs.
At the end of the bombing opera
ton, pilots reported that there was
decrease in the number Of barges
and supply RATS still afloat.
Japanese soldiers were seen swim
ming among them, attempting te
salvage fuel, ammunition and fooo
supplies the drums supposedly con-
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1942-12-16

ones who knew what was needed and
when and were the only ones COM
petent to direct this production.
On the other hand, he said, Army
and Navy supply services have never
been closely concerned with develop
ment and production of raw mate
rails, and control of the supply of
such materials is properly placed in
a civilian agency, the War Produc-
ton Board
At almost the same time, CLIO
President Philip Murray called again
for creation of an overall civilian
group to control war production and
"cut through the quagmire of vested
Lca> a a
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1942-12-16
Romme|A Army Reported Chased
100 Miles West Of FL AgheiIo;
Mud Slows Up Action in I unisio
Nozis Jail Belgian
Father for Mamma
His Son Winston
BY the Associated Press

6y the ABSoclAted PfeSS.
LONDON, Dec. 16.-Belgian
government sources here re-
ported today that a father In
Brussels had been sentenced to
nine months for what the Ger
mans apparently regard as a
new crime:
He christened his newborn
son winston"
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1942-12-16

(See AFRICA, Page AID
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1942-12-16

(See OIL DELIVERIES, Page A-6)
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1942-12-16

(See PATTERSON, Page A-6D
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1942-12-16

CONTINUED on Page A-4. Column -
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1942-12-16

(See OVERTIME PAY, Page A-6.)
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1942-12-16

(See Editorial. Ninety Years
Ago." Page A-l0.)
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1942-12-16

Late news and sports ars covered a
rsses LEX and Ak Of this edition 81
Inc star. experimenting the news Of
the regular homo delivered edition.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1942-12-16

tSee BEW, Page A-4J
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1942-12-16

(See BUDGET, Page Aid