davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Imperial Valley press., 1943-12-23
Gen. Eisenhower
Chosen for
Invasion Chief
President Announces
Plan to Retain
Staff as Now Set Up

WASHINGTON, Dec. %. (UP)-
President Roosevelt has decided to
keep his joint chiefs of staff in
tact, and the interested powers have
agreed that Gen. Dwight D. Eisen-
hover shall lead the Allied inva-
sion of western Europe.
The enormous responsibility thus
confided in Eisenhower is indicated
b.: well-spor ored warnings now
circulating here that American war
casualties next year will be severe.
Mr.. Roosevelt's decision TO pro-
pose Eisenhowerinstead of General
George C. Marshall, chief Of staff,
to command invasion forces pleased
the army and navy. From several
sources the United Press was advis-
ed informally but emphatically that
the decision meant the four man
team which has been directing the
strategic conduct of our share of
the war will continue on that job.
The four, comprising the United
States joint chiefs of staff, are:
Admiral William D. Leahy, chief
of staff to Mr.. Roosevelt.
Marshall, Chief of staff, u. S.
army.
Admiral Ernest j. King, COM
mander in chief, U. S. fleet, and
chief on naval operation.
General Henry H. Arnold, COM
manding general, army air forces.
The joint chiefs of staff was
organized in January of 1912 and
has been composed of Leahy, Mar
shall, King and Arnold since March
of that year 1t appears now that
those four men will continue to
make their headquarters in Wash
ington, at least until the European
phase of the war is ended.
MARSHALL'S DUTIES
The major argument against
shifting Marshall to an invasion
command was that his staff job of
helping coordinate global war was
of much more Importance than the
leadership of any one invasion ef-
fort, including that aimed at west
EN- Europe. The same applies to
King and Arnold. When Hitler is
licked it is not unlikely that all
three of those men might welcome
combat commands.
The joint chiefs of staff works
here with the British joint chiefs
in an organization called the COM
bined chiefs Of staff. In operations
in which the United States has
sole or primary responsibility, the
U. S. chiefs are charged with the
strategic conduct of the war. They
also are responsible for ALLEGATION
by munitions and shipping, sub
ject to approved strategic policy.
Imperial Valley press., 1943-12-23
Bar Group Rops
OPA Procedure

SAN FRANCISCO, Dec. %. (UP)
"A San Francisco Bar association
committee and the local chapter of
the National Lawyers Guild differ
ed today on legality and constitu-
tionality of the Office of Price Ad-
ministration.
The bar association group in
special report charged that OPA
tribunals for hearing violations of
rationing orders and regulations are
not legally constituted and do not
afford fair and adequate medium
for the trial and punishment Of
persons charged with violations.
1t also was alleged that powers
of such tribunals stem from a
series of indirect "directives" and
usurp rights of state and federal
Imperial Valley press., 1943-12-23
Canadian Troops
Seize 0rfona
Along Adriatic
Anchor for Nazi Winter
Campaign Captured
After Bloody Struggle

ALLIED HEADQUARTERS, Al
giers, Dec. %. CUP) Canadian
troops have captured most of Or
tona, Adriatic anchor of the Ger
mans winter line, it was an
nounced Thursday. Capture came
after bloody house toulouse fight
ing. Meanwhile American and
French TROOPS threatened the
enemy-held stronghold of Casino
in the Apprentices.
Ortona has suffered greatly from
day and night shelling by our ar
tillery and from Nazi sabotage, but
its ruins are unimpressive COM
pared with the path of fire, death
and destruction on the way to the
embattled town.
The last lap into Ortona is known
to the eighth as the Road of Five
Graves" because few hundred
yards beyond the red-tiled roofs of
the villas on the cliffs overlooking
the Adriatic, a British Sherman
tank lies split wide open by mine,
and beside it on the right hand
side of the road there are five
fresh graves headed by new wooden
crosses. Someone stopped to sprin-
kle a few handfuls of wild flowers,
plucked from the valley, on the
graves of those five Britons who
helped make the entry into Ortona
possible.
It was an all-day fight between
the British tanks and the German
panzers before the latter retreated,
leaving the wreckage of many OF
their Mark Tvs at the wayside.
The number of those shattered
Mark IV's-which the Nazis hail
as second only to their giant Tiger
tanks indicated that the boys in
that Sherman took more than their
share of enemy lives before they
were blasted into oblivion by an
unlucky roll of the tread.
DEAD STREWN EVERYWHERE
Montgomery's men might well
have called it the road of one
hundred and one graves, instead of
five, because many BritonS and
Germans sleep beneath the black
ened orchards and the heaps OF
ru5ble whose grotesque timbers
proclaim that they once were farm
houses.
The dead lie along the edges OF
the road, behind the hedges and
beside the streams along the last
mile strip of highway leading from
San Vito Orsogna crossroad to Or
tona.
1t is a death haunted mile OF
blood-smeared desolation. betoken-
ing the nature of the battle that
was fought across this once-peace-
full landscape. The human dead
lie huddled beside dead cattle. HUI
mans and animals alike perished
in the tremendous barrage that
swept out the Germans.
Imperial Valley press., 1943-12-23
Job Machinery
Set up for
DISCHARGED Men

> WASHINGTON, Dec. %. CUP)-
The process called "Selective Serv-
ice in reverse"-designed to pump
servicemen back into civilian jobs
after the war-has been blueprinted
and is already at work for men
discharged from the armed forces.
The plan includes use of the facili-
ties of local draft boards and the
U. S. employment service.
War ManpoWer Chief Paul v.
! ssMcNutt, whose office includes the
u. S. Employment Service, said
returning veterans would be permit
ted to choose their jobs regardless
of labor priorities set up by local
stabilization plans. All employment
service offices, he said, have been
instructed to refer veterans to jobs
of their personal preference.
PREFER WAR JOBS
1T can be assumed that the ma
jority of returning veterans will
prefer war jobs" McNutt said, but
no other restriction must be placed
on anyone who chooses to accept
other work, particularly work PROM
Using greater permanency."
The Selective-S Service reverse
phrase first was suggested by I'm
dersecretary of War Robert P Pat
terson. The idea was again men,
toned prominently last weekend
when Henry j. Kaiser disclosed in
an interview with the United Press
that he had suggested the war and
navy departments canvass all SER
vicemen by questionnaire to learn
desires for postwar jobs. The ques-
tionnaireS would go back to local
committees serving as draft boards
in reverse.
A division in the Selective Service
system was given general RESPONSE
bility for reinStating veterans in
former jobs or assisting them to
new jobs in the draft act of 1910.
NAME WORKERS
In fulfillment of this assignment,
the division already has appointed
over $4,000 unemployment commit
teemen, attached to the local draft
boards, with the duty of helping
reinstate veterans in their former
jobs if they so desire. If other en-
ployment is sought, the committee
men serve as liaison agents with
the veterans employment service
of the U. S. Employment Service.
OF l79,506 men reported dis :
charged for physical disabilities,
Sanders said, 107,633 have been
reemployed, are undergoing rehab-
ilitation, or stated they needed no
assistance. Most of those who did
not acknowledge letters OF the re-
employment committeeman were
believed to have found new Jobs
through their own efforts.
The armed services and Selective
Service system have not yet under
taken distribution of missionaries
such as Kaiser proposed, but it is
believed they plan to take some
steps along those lines.
Imperial Valley press., 1943-12-23
Operators Join
One Union to
Give Authority
Other Workers Groups Ponder
Roosevel+'s Proposal That
He Make Full and Final Decisions

WASHINGTON, Dec. %. (UP(--The nations railroads
and the largest of five operating unions Thursday accepted
offer by President Roosevelt to settle their wage dis
pute Immediately and avert general strike scheduled
for Dec. 80.
The remaining four operating unions were undecided
whether to accept the presidents proposal that they accept
any decision he might make
The union, which acceeded to Mr.. Roosevets wishes
voiced earlier in the day at White House conference
the Brotherhood of Railway Tranmen, headed by A. "
Whitney and representing nearly 100000 of the
operating employees.
Declaring that "The cannot wait and I cannot
wait the president had asked the operating unions and
the railroads to give him their decision by pm eff pos
sibe"
II want to know" he said, whether you object to nv
deciding this controversy Immediately and whether you
will abide by decision which, of course must be within
the law of the land"
Imperial Valley press., 1943-12-23
U. S. Airmen Blast IS Jap Planes
In Doq Fiqhf at China Air Base

American fighter pilots blasted
radng fleet the skies in furious dogfigh over
a u China Wednesday, destroying damag
planes engaged cost of American
fighter, communique revealed Thursday
the battle and
transport wrecked Major General Claire
accounted for IL zero and four
bombe definitely destroyed 13 Zeos and tree bombes probably
and other bombers damaged
American ntercepon that the
inflict minor the
addition the destruction of the transport
heard the United San Francisco
damaged" American
yesterday shot down 8 neceptng u fighters
planes lost according the
said Japanese planes also attempted
American China the destuc
of twn-engined enemy fighter in this attack.
earlier disclosed that u S. Lberators
Chagmai railway Thaland Tuesday,
bombers hit installations
fighters supported
the China Burma frontier.
Imperial Valley press., 1943-12-23
Germany Warned
On ReprisdIs

estimated that Anglo American
prisoners in German hands totaled
something under 100000, while Ger
man prisoners number well over
that figure.
German propaganda broadcasts
said wednesday that German mill
tary courts ''in the near future will
have to consider the cases of those
British and American prisoners of
war who are acused of serious in
fractions of international law and
who, up to now, did not have to
face court of justice"
The action was being taken, the
broadcasts said, because of the
hanging at Kharkov of three Ger
man officers convicted of atrocity
slayings of Russian civilians. Dis
patches from neutral countries said
Wilhelmstrasse spokesman said
the United States and Britain were
held equally responsible with Rus
sia for the hangings because of
agreements reached by the Big
Three" at Tehran.
A Swiss correspondent who asked
the spokesman what repriSals were
contemplated was said to have re-
ceived the reply:
Nothing further can he said for
the time being
The Stockholm newspaper Alton
tidningen suggested that Germany
was attempting to force the United
States and Britain to intervene with
Russia to prevent further war guilt
trials of German prisoners.
Imperial Valley press., 1943-12-23
British Bombers
BIifz Germans
Rocket Pocket
Continuous Raids for
Four Days Hammer
French Coastal Areas

LONDON, Dec. %. (UP)-British
bombers, in what London neWspa-
pers called in banner headlines "A
bltz on the rocket coast carried
the heaviest assault on northwestern
France since 1910 we'll into its
fourth day Thursday with heavy
smashes at areas where the Ger
mans have been reported setting
up secret weapons to lombard Eng
land.
Thursday afternoon great forma-
tions of aircraft, flying above the
clouds, reared out across the straits
in the direction of Dunkirk, and
Raj Typhoons, carrying bombs,
swept out toward France flying SO
low that the: appeared to be SKIM
ming the water.
For the last SO hours the RAF
has been hammering hard at the
Pas De Calais area where, accord
ing to neutral dispatches, the Ger
mans are preparing batteries of
rocket guns.
London newspapers, giving ban
ner headlines to the assault across
the channel, referred to the attack
as "a blitz on the rocket coast" and
also called the fortified area of
northwestern France "the secret
weapon coast"
Earlier medium bombers took up
the attack on the "rocket coast"
which RAF heavy bombers carried
through last night.
LONDON, Dec. 90. (UP)-Adolf
Hitler's chancellery has been dam
aged heavily by the RAF in its
six big night raids on Berlin in
the last five weeks, the air minis
try announced today.
reconnaissance also revealed
very heavy" damage to 33 major
industrial plants, 25 public build
ings and II other vital installations,
including Berlin's big Templehof
airfield, the ministry said.
Among the building virtually de-
stroyed in the recent mass assaults
carried out between Nov. 18 and
Dec. l6-Were tlsa residence of
Propaganda Minister Josef Goeb-
bells, the new Reichsbank building
and the ministries of agriculture,
interior, propaganda, education,
food and transportation, the an
nouncement said.
Imperial Valley press., 1943-12-23
FORMER CONSUL MOOERS
ARRIVES ON COAST

imperial and Mexicali Valley
friends of Horatio T. Mooers, for
merly American consul in Mexicali.
were relieved this week to learn
that he was with his family in San
Diego after having been released
by the Japanese.
He arrived in New York aboard
the Gripsholm. Mooers was consul
IN Mexicali from 1888 to 1941 when
he was transferred to Manila. He
was captured by the Japanese and
held until he was released recently
10 return to the United States.
Imperial Valley press., 1943-12-23

LONDON, Dec. % CUP) - The
United States, Britain and Russia
will send representations to Berlin
on Germany'S implied threat to
punish, perhaps execute, American
and British fliers in retaliation for
the hanging of three German war
criminals at Kharkov, the London
Daily Express said Thursday.
The Allied attitude will be trans
mitted to Germany through Switz-
erland, the protective power in the
reich, the diplomatic correspondent
Of the Daily Express said. Prime
Minister Churchill, recovering from
pneumonia in the Middle East, was
said to be giving the matter his per-
sonal attention.
The Daily Express did not specu-
late whether the representations
would take the form of threats of
nter-retaliation or some other
type of warning. Sources in London
Imperial Valley press., 1943-12-23

WASHINGTON, Dec. %. OUP)-
President Roosevelt Thursday called
on railroad management and labor
to let him decide their wage dis
pute Immediately, and warned that
"the war cannot wait and I cannot
watt
Acting peremptorily to avert n
general strike called for Dec. 80,
Mr., Roosevelt. exacted from rail
and union officials an agreement
to let him know their answer by 3
pm. CEWT) 'if possible"
Il want to know" he told con-
ferees summoned to the White
House, whether you object to my
deciding this controversy immed-
lately and whether you will abide
by my decision, which, of course,
must be within the law of the
land"
WAR CANNOT WAIT"
THE war cannot watt" Mr.. Roose-
velt said, land I cannot wait. Amer
lean lives and American victory are
at stake"
The rail and union officials went
into conference Immediately in a
White House room formerly used
for cabinet meetings.
Mr.. Roosevelt's phrase, within
the law" apparently meant that
he has no intention of making any
wage award which would be in
conflict with the national stabiliza-
ton act and the Little Steel for
mula.
His insistence upon speedy
response appeared to indicate that
he was prepared to take strong
measures If the unions and rail-
roads rejected his offer of arbi-
tration. Such measures conceivably
could take the form of government
seizure of the roads, for which Mr..
Roosevelt would have the precedent
of World War I.
SEEK FORMULA
The rail and union officials had
been in conference earlier in the
day, seeking a wage formula ac-
ceptable to them and the govern
ment, when they were called to
Iile Wlllt ftOuSt. IL WdS uflueT-
stood they told the president they
had been unable to reach an agree
ment.
After brief conference in which
War Mobilization Director James F.
Byrnes participated, the White
House issued this statement:
THE president offered his good
offices. In doing SO, he said:
The war cannot wait and I
cannot wait. American lives and
American victory are at stake
"I want to know whether you
object to my deciding this con-
troversy Immediately and whether
you will abide by my decision which
OF course must be within the law
of the land.
Representatives of the brother
hoods and the carriers agreed TO
meet Immediately and let him know
their decision by pm. If possible"
The union and management rep
(Continned on page 6, col. 81
Imperial Valley press., 1943-12-23

courts and that OPA policies are
secret and prejudiced."
The report challenged the legal
knowledge of OPA hearing COM
missioners and suggested that the
every volume of alleged violations
is an indication that the regula-
tions themselves have been multi
piled beyond the scope contemplat-
ed by congress in it's grant of power
to allocate scare materials needed
for the national defense"
The report was prepared by j.
Ed Mcclellan, chairman; Edgar T.
Zook and Vincent H. O'Donnell
In rebuttal, BARLEY Crum, presi-
dent of the San Francisco chapter
of lawyers guild, declared the OPA
hearing machinery was legal and
accorded full and fair hearing to
those summoned before it.
Imperial Valley press., 1943-12-23
Montreal Hotel
Swept By Fire

HULL, Que, Dec. %. (UP)-An
early morning fire destroyed three
buildings today, including the Gen.
tral hotel, and police reported that
only 10 of the 35 persons resident
there have been accounted for.
H. A. Champagne, owner of the
hotel, said that between As and SO
guests were in the building when
the fire broke out and that so far
as I know everybody was able to
escape
The fire, still burning after seven
hours, also demolished large shoe
store and a barber shop, and now
is threatening adjoining buildings.
Power lines which serve the entire
city and several adjoining COM
munities were cut when a wall of
the hotel collapsed. Many govern
ment offices in Ottawa across the
Ottawa river were reported unstaff-
ed because of failure of the electric
railway which carries many civil
servants to the capital each morn
ing.
Imperial Valley press., 1943-12-23
Autoists May Mail
Registrations

same as last year. In cases where
certificates do not show the l943
fees, the department said, they may
be learned from charts posted in
service stations and garages.
The department directed that
applications go to the nearest
branch office of the department or
to the main office in Sacramento.
Branch office addresses are 310
Cedar ST., San Diego :; $500 So.
Hope ST., Los Angeles I; TOO E.
Broadway, Long Beach 2; 2118 Mo-
no ST., Fresno 8; 1107 Jackson ST.,
Oakland z, and 160 So. Van Ness
Ave, San Francisco 3.
Imperial Valley press., 1943-12-23
MEXICO HIGH COURT
CLEARS u. S. SOLDIER

The court of appeal in Mexico
City absolved Private Everett Vim
son of the United States army OF
all blame in connection with the
death of man in Mexicali yeai
ago, it was announced this week.
He spent IL mcnths in the Mexi-
cali Jail before he was released. The
Baja California court found Vinson
guilty. He appealed the case and
the higher court reversed the de-
cision OF the lower court.
Private Vinson was member OF
the sixth division stationed on the
desert in eastern Imperial Valley
when the killing occurred. He was
left behind by his division and was
given a discharge pending outcome
of his case He now Is attempting
to get back into the army.
Imperial Valley press., 1943-12-23

SACRAMENTO Dec. %. (UP)-
Applications by mail will now be
accepted for renewal of automobile
registrations, the State Motor We
hicle department announces.
Mail applications only will be
accepted until January 3 when the
actual renewal period begins.
To apply for 1914 windshield reg
istration stickers, car owners should
forward the 1943 registration card
and registration and license fee by
bank money order or certified check,
the department said.
Fees for all automobiles are the
Imperial Valley press., 1943-12-23
MIXED ON UNIFORMS

LOS ANGELES, Dec. %. CUP)--
Charged with illegally wearing the
uniform of an army air corps lieut.
enant, Miss Consuelo Lazos, %,
Thursday said she thought it was
Lockheed Aircraft Co. guard uni
form. A production employe of
Lockheed, the former El Paso, Tex,
civilian flyer was wearing a good
conduct ribbon, a pre-Pearl Harbor
service ribbon, and one for service
in the Pacific theater of war.
Imperial Valley press., 1943-12-23
NEW PHOSPHATE SHIPMENT
DUE JANUARY 10

Another 1000 tons of 18 per cent
phosphate will arrive in Imperial
county about January 10, accord
ing to Rudolph Miller at the Triple
A office Thursday.
Miller said his office had han
died distribution of more than 500
cars of phosphate since October l.,
and this new shipment will add 25
more cars.
Farmers who need this phosphate
to treat the soil are expected to
place orders at once.
Imperial Valley press., 1943-12-23
FACES ASSAULT INQUIRY

MIDDLETON, O., Dec. 90. UP)-
Private Vernie L. Helton, %, vet
eran of Guadalcanal, was held by
police at the request of San Ber-
nardino, Cal, authorities who
charged him with an alleged as
sault upon a l4-year-old girl. Hell
ton denied the charge and offered
to waive eXtradition.
Imperial Valley press., 1943-12-23
FIRES PRISON GUARD

SACRAMENTO, Dec. % CUP) =
Acting Warden James Adam of
Folsom prison has announced he
has discharged Richard H. Thomp-
son, prison guard formerly in charge
of Folsom harvest camp near
Davis, Calf.
Imperial Valley press., 1943-12-23
VOTE AGAINST STRIKE

Las VEGAS, New. Dec. 80. (UP)
Basic magnesium plant workers
nave rejected strike proposal by
l700-1219 vote, CIO officials an
nounced Thursday. The union re-
quested the vote in a jurisdictional
dispute.
Imperial Valley press., 1943-12-23
u AMBllNe
NEpoR1ER

Love Notes
RR took a peek into a letter a
woman wrote her sweetheart i'm
prisoned in the county Jail at Ell
Centre. 1t was a most poetic mis-
>sive Here are two Of the gems and
don't ask us if they are original
with the writer. We don't know.
Maybe they're classics. We wouldn't
know We're ignorant.
Roses are red,
Violets are blue.
Sugar is rationed
But not you.
She went on with prose for a
while and then broke out with this !:
Remember the pigeon,
Remember the dove.
Remember the day
. We both fell in love.
Imperial Valley press., 1943-12-23
Too Good To Miss

Too Good To Miss
RR is indebted 10 p. L. Moore
and Norman Deaton for this choice
bit, this star reply to a collection
letter they sent a man one time.
IF you want to sue" the man re-
piled, go ahead and sue. But l as
sure you, it's just an idle jester"
Imperial Valley press., 1943-12-23
Military Appeals

Military Appeals
There are lots of nice soldiers out
at Camp Seeley, including group
of Canadians detached there, who
will be given pass Christmas day
if residents of the valley will invite
them to dinner The invitations
may be left at Ell Centre Red Cross
headquarters, telephone 224. Surely
we can crowd in few more at
each Christmas dinner table!
Out at the Ell Centre marine air
station there are 72 boys with passes
to spend Christmas in Los Angeles
but who cannot get transportation
Those going to Los Angeles are
asked to telephone the Red Cross
headquarters, 224, and make ar
rangements to fill all empty seats
in their cars with marines.
Imperial Valley press., 1943-12-23

On Guard!-
r. M. Howard was little late in
getting TO the State Guard Christ
mas party in Ell Centro Wednesday
night. And no wonder. 1t was his
third Christmas party that night.
You've heard of that famous
4 mystery about the 13 steps? AL
Thomas has a mystery of his own.
1t has something to do with IA
Continued on page 6, col. 81
Imperial Valley press., 1943-12-23
WEATHER

Maximum Wednesday 81, minimum
Thurs. AZ; am. Thurs. So, humid
ity 81; noon Thurs. 81, humidity So;
5 pm. Wed. IS, humidity 81.