davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Imperial Valley press. (El Centro, Calif.) 1907-current, 1942-12-25
Russians Roll on
Large Drive

Continued from PAGE i
muniQue said that Russian troops
were continuing to advance. They
captured several inhabited localities
il addition TO those reported in
the midnight cCnnunique. The most
important was Algier. 10 miles north
east OF C.dzaonikidze. the high
command said.
The scale OF the battle was in
dicated by the announcement that
% German tanks were captured and
that in one sector alone an addi-
ticnal a disabled tanks, 10 trucks.
= machine guns and more than
! 600 mines and number Of am
munition dumps were taken by the
Russians.
In North Africa loWlands were
soggy, begging down tanks and
motor vehicles Of both sides. ans
both the Allies and Axis troop.
sought to gain high ground from
/ which TO launch their attacks.
An Allied cOmmunique reported
that one Aired unit had thrown
the enemy from one such elevated
position IN the vicinity OF Hed]eZ
! El-Bab. 80 miles southwest of Tunis
and had held its gains in the face
Of Axis counter attacks.
French forces likewise success
fully beat eff counter attack.
against positions which they haC
occupied in the past ten days, the
eOmmlniQuc said.
a United Press dispatch from
London reported that a fighting
French force which weeks ago re-
poltedly had set out from Lake
chad in FIcnch Equatorial Africa
mad reached the Felzan area il
outhern Libya and routed Axis
mechanical units.
This was the first report 0.
these troops in action The Fczzan
area is about one-third Of the dis
lance to the Libyan Mediterranean
] coast and about 500 miles southeast
/ Of TuuisIaJ
Imperial Valley press. (El Centro, Calif.) 1907-current, 1942-12-25
Victory Gardens
Urged to Sidestep
Shortage Dangers

SACRAMENTO, Dec. 25. up
Dave Davidson. state chairman
of USDA war boards, today urged
widespread growing of Victory gar
denS to avoid a shortage of veget-
ableS next year.
Davidson made his recommended
tiont at two-day conference of
agricultural officials closing today
under sponsorship of the state de-
partment of agriculture. He said in
part:
Because of the difficulties in OBJ
tanning the necessary production
for our armed forces and lend-lease,
there is going to be a curtailed sup
ply of vegetables and fruits in the
coming season for domestic con-
sumption. One way that very many
people. and certainly all farmers.
can help in this crisis is to have
Victory garden and to produce what
is needed for their own families and
some of their immediate neighbors.
Gardens need not be big to be good
and many who live in towns and
cities can give real service as well
as the dirt farmers themselves.
Davidson said government agen-
cieS would be better organized for
l943 and predicted farmers will
match their 1912 production despite
fewer supplies and labor He out
lined the need for farmers TO con-
centrate on war-needed crops where
possible and said drying and cam
ming should eliminate wastage.
Imperial Valley press. (El Centro, Calif.) 1907-current, 1942-12-25

WASHINGTON, Dec. 25. CUP
Rep. Robert Ramspeck, D., Ga,
house Democratic whip, predicted
today that drastic labor curbs would
have small chance of enactment in
of support from Republican con-
gressmen and war industry employ
erS.
The increased Republican mem
bership RamSpeck believed, would
be more disposed to play for l944'
and would not antagonize the labor
vote by supporting siX-point pro-
gram suggested yesterday by lead
ers of q group seeking to revise gov
eminent labor policy.
That program. he said, is pref
ty big ORDER 1t suggested the sus-
pension of the 40-hour week. Gre
alton of n new war labor board by
congress with limited power. and
abolition of closed shop and main
tenance of membership clauses in
war industry contracts.
FIGHT PLANNED
Congressman who disclosed the
program led unsuccessful fights
during the life of the last congress
to accomplish those same ends.
They indicated that they were al
ready to renew the battle early next
year in anticipation of stronger
support in congress which will
have only n bare Democratic ma
iority.
The legislative program now i'll
cludeS these points:
/. Suspension of the hours pro-
vision of the Wage-hour law. Over
time payment for more than 40
hours when agreed upon in ccllec-
tive bargaining negotiations. but to
be paid in war bonds.
NEW BOARD
.. Creation by statute of Il new
war labor board with limited au-
thority and congressional injunc-
ton against assumption of any pow
Imperial Valley press. (El Centro, Calif.) 1907-current, 1942-12-25
BY End Lieut.. Herbert L. Merillat
Marine Corps Pub. Relations Officer

GUADALCANAI, Nov. l8. up
delayed corps ground
crews on Henderson Field, working
in mud and dust, under shellings
and bombings. to keep the planes
flying, have made possible the bril-
liant successes OF our aviators here.
Their tools are few, and some
primitive They have no elaborate
machine shops or weatherproof
buildings They have little rest.
Many OF the tattered planes, which
they put back into the air, would
discourage less determined repair
gangs
we salvage everything but the
bullet holes" said End Lieut. George
Cole, Al years old, P. o. Box 1868,
San Diego, Calf. who since mid
October has been in charge of heavy
repair work on Henderson field.
Take for example, number III"
he said She needs an engine
Imperial Valley press. (El Centro, Calif.) 1907-current, 1942-12-25
General Reveals
StoIinsrad Story

the Volga with one blow They did
not carry out a methodical often
sive This was their method Sep
TENDER Ia This is what they tried
again to do October "A.
The German command made one
obvious mistake. Large columns
and groups of German soldiers
made wonderful targets for our ar
tillery and infantry We destroyed
them in great numbers.
7 believe that nowhere in this
war have there been such bloody
hand-to- hand combats. Nowhere
have bayonets and hand grenades
been SO widely used as at Stain
grad
CLOSE FIGHTING
The main characteristic of the
battle of Stalingrad is close dis
lance fighting. and I don't mean
the kind of fight We study at the
military academies where enemies
meet, engage in battle and then
separate
Here we hold each other in
deadly grip. The distance between
trenches is between % to 100 me-
tres. "A metre is l l-l0 vardl. The
LONGEST distance is $50 metres
Army hea6ouartegs are one kilo-
metre 1920 Yards apart and
there were moments when only $50
metres separated Us from the
enemy.
Naturally we had IN work out
new methods Our ability 10 ma
neuver was extremely limited by
The narrow territory and by enemy
aviation and artillery.
ATTACK AT NIGHT
THE Germans usually attacked
by day, when their planes and
tanks were active and they could
have precise artillery and trench
mortar fire.
We counterattacked usually by
night. orr defense was active. At
the end of every II hours we had
to count up results This was an
exceedingly difficult task. Recon-
Nuisance reports We're ALWAYS the
same: impossible to count corpSes.
I myself several times had a chance
TO see it really was impossible.
Mounds of corpseS piled up at the
end of each day
Our army grew firmer daily. Vet
il became obvious that We cor@d
hold Stalingrad only by DESTROYING
Germans. HeroiSm took the form
of mass self-sacrifice.
HUMAN SACRIFICES
When an enemy groun OF 10 &c
Is times larger than one OF orr units
attacked us. our soldiers would send
signal 10 our batteries, ordering
them to fire.
They ordered the batteries to
aim at them. so that while they
would be killed by their own guns.
they Would take 10 TO Il times their
number of Germans with them
Our units. after thev crossed to
the west bank of the Voloa, seemed
reborn. Love for their mother
country took the form of hate fOr
the Germans. Our spirit allowed
US to counte"attack the enemy vic
toriouslv with inferior forces.
German infantry are brave only
when they are supported By planes.
tanks and artillery II their in
fantary have to FIGHT our infantrv
rnaided. their attacks invariably
fail
Our infantry are inyincible un-
der proper command and with
clearly defined tasks.
we knew no retreat in the battle
of Ttalingrad. The Germans ad
vanced only AT places where there
remained no Soviet soldiers"
Imperial Valley press. (El Centro, Calif.) 1907-current, 1942-12-25
Motive Sought
I'm DurIdn kiIIinQ

ALLIED HEAD QUARTERS North
Africa. Dec IS. GJP1-FrenCh and
Allied authorities today sought the
motive of an unidentified youth
about 20 years old who yesterday
assaSsinated Admiral Jean Fran
co.'s Darlan, former No. > man i'll
the pro-aXis Vichy government who
swung French North and West Afri-
q To the Allied cause.
An announcement by Allied
headquarters said Darlan. who was
high commissioner Of French North
and West Africa. WAS aSSaSSinated
IN his office at AlgierS at 3 pm.
yesterday but that q preliminary
investigation had net established
whether the deed vas OF German
or italian inspiration.
British reports said the assassin
vas a 20 year old Frenchmanl
The assassin. Who Vas arrested
on the spot after he fired one
bullet into Darlan's mouth and
another into his lung. was waiting
Tor the admiral IN q small room
opposite his office He opened fire
With a IS ClIber revolver Just as
Darlan was crossing The corridor
to his office.
ENTERS OFFICE
Darlan stumbled and the assassin
ran toward the admiraIS Office,
jumping over the latler's body. A
French officer. Commandment Four
cade, attempted TO halt the muir
derer. but the young man fired two
shots. one striking the officer in
the leg
By this time other French Off
GERS had arrived from other offices
and they oNerpowered the assassin.
The assassination apparently was
we'll planned. for the %oung man
had appeared at the commissioners
headquarters earlier in the day and
asked to see Darlan. Although he
was unsuccessful. the visit enabled
him 10 fami!larlze himself with the
layout OF the office
Immediately after the youth fired
the fatal shots Rear Admiral Dap
tet, Il member of Darlan's cabinet.
ordered the admiral taken to Il hos
pltal i'll an automobile. but hc died
Ell route.
tTherc was no direct word from
Africa on whether Il successor had
been appointed to Darlan as nigh
commissioner but the London "a
die. quoting an Algiers radio broad
cast, SAID the Gen. Henri Honore
commander OF French army
and air forces in Africa. had taken
over 10 maintain order.
Imperial Valley press. (El Centro, Calif.) 1907-current, 1942-12-25
BY HENRY SHAPIRO

ftopyrIgbt, l942, by United Press J
WITH THE RED ARMY ON THE
STALINGRAD FRONT. Dec. 90
Delayed ~ CUPD - Four months
ago Lieut.. Gen Vassili Ivanovich
Chuikov of the Red army stood on
n hill and looked at what appeared
to be a flaming volcano 30 miles
away-the burning city of Stain
grad
He had received orders to take
command and defend the city with
the life of every man in it
The Russian troops were out
numbered. outgunned. blasted day
and night by thousands of German
planes They we're firing and many
were DISCOURAGED.
FINAL VICTORY
Chuikov and his Red army men
made their stand week after week.
They stood up under an almost I'M
believable attack. They broke it.
and today they are driving the Ger
mans before them house by house
in the city.
Chuikov told me the story in a
special interview given over the Red
army military telegraph from his
headquarters in the City to this
front headquarters base in the Don
river bend.
I tried to get inside Stalingrad.
Gen. I. N Christiankov. command
inc here. refused to take RESPONSE
bility He said the fight was still
racing and that he had orders to
get me back to Moscow. He let me
appeal to Chuikov who responded
with this story
NO PRECEDENT
Chuikov told me how he had TAX
en- charge at Stalingrad's darkest
hour. how his men day by day and
week by week fought the Germans
with everything from long range
guns to fists and boots. how they
broke two OF the greatest single
attacks of the war
The history of wars knows no
presidents for such fighting" he
said
He said Stalingrad not only set y
precedent for sustained ferocity but
proved that a great city can be
defended house by house by deter
mined and intelligent man. and he
described the technique which he
and his staff worked out
When the front military council
entrusted me with the defense of
Stalingrad I fully understood the
great responsibility and seriousness
of this task" he said. One could
see what the city was like 80 miles
away. German bombs had trans
formed it into one great fire.
HITLER'S BIG EFFORT
There were many whining peSSi-
NESTS in the army. ! threw these
panicky people out of the army
right away and set to work. First
of all We had TO create the proper
spirit of firmness. We were told
we could not retreat beyond the
Volga. We could see for ourselves
{ there was no road.
Hitler put the best he had
against Stalingrad. He did not
spare quantity or quality. 1t was
a battle for life or death.
we were continuously attacked
by great masses of infantry. tanks,
artillery and planes. Our forces
were not equal. The enemy had
superiority at all points all the
time
GERMAN MISTAKE
The German command used its
favorite method. 1t intended to
smash us with a stunning blow
They thought we hadn't enough
CUTS. They hoped 70 push US into
Imperial Valley press. (El Centro, Calif.) 1907-current, 1942-12-25
Henry House Wins
Honor, Takes Part
In Film Campaign

Continued from Page i
that Institution. He was a member
Of tire winning dairy judging team
for lnrec years, winning the schol-
arship to the Polytechnic Institute
for having the outstanding dairy
project in the state.
Imperial Valley press. (El Centro, Calif.) 1907-current, 1942-12-25
Simpler Ceiling
Price System to
BeEffeCfive Soon

WASHINGTON. Dec. 25. UP)-
A smplilied system of ceiling prices
on food products sold in 40000O
retail stores will go into effect next
month. replacing present complex
regulations which set maximum
prices on each product in each
store.
The program. which the Office
of Price Administration has been
studying for some time. will:
l. Set specific dollarS-and
maximum prices on soap and meats
These prices will differ between
communities and between classes
OF stores. such as independent gro
GERS. chain stores and Super-mar-
ketS.
.. Establish specific percentage
markups for both retailers and
wholesalers on other products, many
of which will be brought under dol
-and-CentS maXimumS as soon
as possible. These markupS, also.
will differ between communities
and between classes of outlets, but
like the soap and meat prices will
be the same for all stores of par
ticl ar class in each community
RELIEVES HOUSEWIVES
In announcing the program, Price
Administrator Leon Henderson said
it would relieve housewives of some
of the headaches caused by the vast
maze of previously existing price
regulations varying store by store.
It will also, he said, protect the
consumer from rising living costs
as far as possible.
The program will begin operating
between mid-January and the end
Imperial Valley press. (El Centro, Calif.) 1907-current, 1942-12-25

of the month, and for the first first
time every housewife will know eX-
actly in cents per pound or can or
package the highest price she can
be asked to pay for a constantly
growing list of key items i'll her
budget. Larger communities will be
brought into the plan at first and
smaller cities as the OPA admins
trative machiner" swings into ac-
ton
Imperial Valley press. (El Centro, Calif.) 1907-current, 1942-12-25

tons are prohibited from making
such contributions.
Imperial Valley press. (El Centro, Calif.) 1907-current, 1942-12-25
Ground Crews Do
Miracle Repairs

Change Both elevators. both STABLE
izers. the right Auxiliary gas tank,
the right and center section flaps.
the right aileron, windshield, rud-
der, both wheels. and brake assem-
bly, will have to be replaced by parts
from thor chillc
Imperial Valley press. (El Centro, Calif.) 1907-current, 1942-12-25
QUICK FIGURING


Then after some quick figuring
she'll be in the air in six days
What we used to do il six months
We do here in six days. Here mo-
tor is changed in two and a half
TO three hours. Back home we con-
sidered three days a fast change
2nd Lieut.. Morris K KurtZ, A.
853 F avenue, Coronado. Calf, was
in charge of repairing the Douglas
dive-bomber5 in the early days Of
Henderson field. Marine Gunner
Norman c.. Henderson. 46, of New
bury, Vt. who arrived in Septem-
Der TO help supervise the work, IS
still on the job. His wife lives at
9th and Coronado streets. Imperial
Beach, Calf
Evening star., 1942-06-01
CurtuiIed Truvel

The wartime restrictions on pas
senger traffic proposed by the rail-
roads re-emphasize the likelihood
that the travelling public will not go
so far, so often-or in such style-as
has been customary. Until the car
riers have had time to put in practice
the general principles adopted at the
Chicago meeting, however, it is un-
certain Just what the curtailment in
service will amount to. Their pro-
gram, OF course, will be subject to
revision in event the Government
goes in for travel rationing.
The decision to cut down on spe-
cial trains indicates that weekend
resorts and race tracks will be the
first to feel the pinch, but the extent
Is problematical as the roads plan to
do as much as possible to handle
vacation and recreational trips, &C
cording to President Pelley OF the
Association Of American Railroads.
Luxury" service. represented by club
and lounge cars and the like. will be
eliminated wherever the passenger
Evening star., 1942-06-01
Suggests National Revival
With Center In Washington.

To the Editor Of The Star:
For many weeks have been under
compulsion to approach some one to
launch religious campaign of universal
scope, with the Nations Capital the
radiating center.
The proposed undertaking must nee
eSSarily be non-denominational, and in
its very nature consciousness of God
wholly beyond creed and ritual.
Years ago DR.. T. De Witt Talmage
undertook something Of what I now
speak. He held meetings in the old
Polls Theater on Sunday afternoons, as
recall. His hope was to get God in
the minds of thousands who gave the
subject little thought. washington was
only a village then. But now 1t Is
teeming war capital, with most OF the
earth represented In, some degree, and
our own country from every crossroads.
Isn't the field here for the heart Of
such a movement?
do not overlook the problems-time,
place of meeting, money, etc.-but isn't
it probable that organizations, such as
the Churches of Christ In America, would
aid in the proposal, in each community
joining local churches, schools, PIT. A.
groups, and many more? am con-
vinced the growing war and peace ef-
fort Is In the realm Of the Spirit.
MRS. LEONA Z. KIDwELL.
Evening star., 1942-06-01

troll Of gasoline rationing. most car
owners will feel that they are being
treated fairly.
II persons in "a" class who use their
automobiles for pleasure purposes only
are to be allowed one unit a week, then
every one else who uses pleasure car
for business purposes should have the
same privilege. Certainly person who
works hard for long hours each day
needs recreation more than one who does
no work.
Gasoline rationing for "B" class should
be figured not only upon the basis of
necessary mileage for legitimate pur-
poses. but also upon the basis OF the
mileage per gallon the car can make.
Some cars get -25 miles to a gallon and
others as little as nine miles a gallon.
"X" cards should not permit unlimited
gallons Of gasoline, but should permit
necessary gasoline on the same basis as
B" cards. Many physicians who are
specialists, such as X-ray specialists, eye
specialists and others. spend practically
all the day in their Offices, except for a
trip once day to the hospital and some
emergency calls. Nurses generally spend
eight hours or more in the hospital or
home of sick patient, but during the
remainder of the "a hours have prac-
tically no professional calls Many others
in the "X' class also spend most of the
time In their Offices. Therefore "x"
. cards should not be based upon the kind
OF work the driver does, but upon the
general amount Of gasoline he REQUIRES
for legitimate purposes.
ARTHUR B. CRANE.
Evening star., 1942-06-01
A. D. A. Inquiry

The summary of activities and
achievements of the Alley Dwelling
Authority which Executive Officer
John Ihlder has submitted to the
Senate District Committee indicates
plainly that the committee has been
presented with an excellent oppor-
tunity for a constructive study Of
A. D. A. accomplishments. Being a
seven-year-old pioneer in govern
mental housing work, much of the
early program of the Authority has
been lost sight Of by legislators and
public alike under the veritable
deluge of defense and war housing
projects of the past two years.
Mr.. Ihlder and many other per-
sons who have kept themselves ad-
vised on the A. D. A. program are
convinced that the recent Senate
move to abolish the A. D. A. revolving
fund resulted from a lack Of knoWl-
edge or lack of understanding of the
original purposes and plans of the
unique organization. 1t is for that
reason that Mr.. Ihlder has requested
the committee to make thorough
inquiry into the record of the A. D. A.
AS Mr.. Ihlder pointed out in his
letter to Chairman McCarran, such
a review will show that at its very
outset the A. D. A. adopted the policy
of providing low-cost housing at the
least possible cost to the taxpayers.
In pursuance of this policy, he
related, it established a system Of
economic rents" covering interest,
amortization, administration, taxes,
maintenance and repairs. 1t de-
vised graded rents" to fit the needs
of tenants of inadequate income,
carefully allotting the United States
Housing Authority subsidy to supple
ment low incomes. 1t writes of
excess costs of slum reclamation by
amortizing these costs through real
estate taxes In addition to reclaim
ing fourteen squares of inhabited
alleys, the A. D. A. has built and is
managing 1926 houses and apart
ments, is building or Is about to
build 2,781 more with U. S. H. A.
funds, is managing three Lanham
Act properties containing housing
for 800 defense workers and is build
ing 4,50O demountable houses for
war workers.
1t may be that the current inquiry
cannot be completed in time to bear
on the present crisis confronting the
A. D. A. as an outgrowth of Senate
elimination of the -liquidating
revolving fund by which A. D. A..
properties are managed. The matter
is pending in conference. However,
the study should be of consid-
cradle value In paving the way
for legislation which will assure
continuance hereafter of the original
self -liquidating financial policies OF
the Authority. And even if the in
ouiry should do nothing more than
focus attention on what one housing
agency has done in providing shelter
at a minimum of cost to tenants and
Hhe public treasury alike, it will
have served a useful purpose.