davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1944-12-02
House Group Probes
Complaints About
|GI Artificial Legs

A thorough probe of charges that
artificial legs furnished wounded
American soldiers by the Army are
of inferior quality was promised to-
day by Chairman Kelley Of House
Labor subcommittee investigating
aid to the physically handicapped.
He directed Samuel Barker, COM
mittee counsel, to make a prelim-
mary investigation of the charges
in preparation for early public hear
ings before the House group.
Mr.. Barker explained that the
committee had heard reports Of
complaints by many legless veterans
that the "GI' limbs supplied them
were not as good as they could buy
in the open market and wanted to
determine whether there Is any
basis for such complaints.
In disclosing the investigation,
Mr.. Kelley said, I'VE must see to It
that our returning wounded soldiers
and sailors get the best care and ap-
pliances necessary for their complete
rehabilitation"
He emphasized he would await
results OF the investigation before
reaching any conclusions about
whether the reported complaints
are justified
Mr.. Barker said the complaints
had been brought to the committees
attention by an official Of a local
trade union which had organized
outings for groups OF legless vet
eraf1s here. Many Of the veterans
were reported to have been so dis
satisfied with the artificial legs sup
piled them by the Army that they
were planning to throw them away
and buy their own as soon as they
could save the necessary money.
Their principal complaint ap-
peared to be, Mr.. Barker said, that
the "GI" artificial legs were much
heavier and more awkward to use
than those obtainable from private
manufacturers.
On the other hand, he said, pre-
liminary inquiries indicated general
satisfaction with the type Of arti-
fetal arms being supplied by the
Army
The Kelley committee, mean.
while, planned one-day hearing
next Tuesday on facilities available
for the rehabilitation Of civilians
who have been disabled by the loss
OF leg or arm. This hearing was
expected to lay the groundwork for
later testimony concerning the vet
erans' program.
Evening star., 1944-12-02
London Paper Assai|!
Kent Cooper's Plan
For World Free Press
By the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
LONDON, Dec. 2.-The press
freedom campaign conducted by
Kent Cooper. executive director Of
the Associated Press, was attacked
yesterday by British weekly maga-
zine, the Economist with a sug-
gestion that his program might
allow American news agencies ito
dominate the world"
The politico-economic publication,
established in 1843. included the
following In an American survey"
section devoted to short articles on
the United States:
''Mr. Kent Cooper. general man
ager of the Associated Press and
author of Barriers Down, is leading
a crusade to incorporate charter
of freedom for news and communi-
cations in the peace settlements.
I'm an article in Life he demands
freedom of access to news, freedom
for agencies to compete or to ex-
change news and an end to prefer
entail rates of transmission. Mr..
Cooper, like most big business exec
utives, experiences a peculiar moral
glow in finding that his idea Of
freedom comedies with his CONNER
cial advantage.
United States Power Feared.
I'm his ode to liberty, there is no
suggestion that when all barriers are
down the huge financial resources
of the American agencies might
enable them to dominate the world.
His desire to prevent another Goeb-
bells from poisoning the wells will
be universally applauded. but de-
mocracy does not necessarily mean
making the whole world safe for
the AP.
In this, as in other postwar issues
such as civil aviation commercial
practices are habitually confused
with such big words as liberty and
the rights of man. One of Mr..
Cooper's happier suggestions is that
news correspondents abroad should
enjoy diplomatic immunity. without
any of its responsibilities. This
would turn the fourth estate into
king that can do no wrong.
The comments of Marshal Stain
and the generalissimo on the propo-
sition that the war is being waged
to secure extra territorial rights for,
say, the Chicago Tribune, would be
worth hearing"
Evening star., 1944-12-02
By the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
President Roosevelt has directed
that members of the One Thousand
Club of Democratic campaign con-
tributors be invited to the fourth
term inaugural at the White House
At the same time the President
has left up to Vice President-elect
Truman whether he will take the
oath of Office in the precedent
breaking back-porch ceremony or
will be sworn in at the Capitol in a
separate function.
This became known in Congress
today as an inaugural committee
headed by Senator Byrd, Democrat,
of Virginia awaited arrival of a
guest list and other data from the
White House.
More than 600 persons already are
understood to have been listed for
coveted bids to the ceremony, in
Guiding those who contributed at
least ST 900 to the election of the
Roosevelt Truman ticket and thus
became members of the One Thou
sand Club.
Gov. Thomas E. Dewey of New
York, the COP presidential candi-
date, directed several campaign at
tacks against the formation of this
club, He declared that through it
Evening star., 1944-12-02
Western Front
Continued From First Pag

Union, which still was in enemy
hands.
Three Towns Enveloped.
The Sd Army took 595 prisoners
yesterday for a total in this current
operation of 26,167. Yesterdays ad-
vances enveloped the towns of Fit
ten, Fremersdorf and Oberlimberg,
and Americans entered Felsberg.
Below Strasbourg, armored units
wheeled steadily down the Alsatian
Plain and liberated a dozen or more
villages, among them Boofzheim,
16 miles south of Strasbourg. and
Sermersheim and Kogenheim, 18
miles southwest of the city
Infantrymen pushing into the
Rhine Plain through the Vosges
cleared Chatenois and Kintzheim
in thrusts to within 2 miles of the
road junction of Selestat. On the
Upper Rhine near the Swiss border,
French troops occupied Rosenau.
Gen. Eisenhower's Allied armies
were on the western banks of four
rivers forming natural barriers to
further penetration Of Western
Germany. The Nazis were striving
desperately to keep the Allies from
smashing across at such key points
as Venlo on the Mass, Duren on the
Roer, Merzig on the Saar and
Strasbourg, on the Rhine.
Nazis Raid U. S. Lines.
The bitterest struggle was taking
place on the Roer, the one place the
river barriers are not backed up by
the Siegfried Line.
The first sizeable force of Ger
man planes to appear over the bat
tlefront in daylight bombed 9Th
Army troops yesterday. While Nazi
ground units contested every yard
on the west side of the Roer, other
forces on the east bank struggled
to bolster their defenseS.
Evening star., 1944-12-02

of Brooklyn. He worked for the
Board of Economic Warfare before
he entered the Army in February,
1943. He was sent overseas last
September.
Prisoner
George Carabas, whose brother,
Technician Fifth Grade) John
Caravas. U. S. A., formerly worked In
the Pentagon, is a prisoner Of war.
a merchant marine list issued to-
day by the Navy Department re-
vealed. His mother, Mrs. Maria
Carabasilis, lives in New York.
First 1t. Lester A. Sorensen, 20,
whose wife. Mrs. Dodie Sorensen.
lives at 1920 Tuckerman street NV,
now is prisoner Of Germany, ac-
cording to word received by Mrs.
Sorensen from the War Department.
1t. Sorensen was on his Sand mis-
sion when his plane was shot down
over Germany on August "A. He
had been with the 9th Air Force
stationed in England since last
March. He holds the Air Medal
and three Oak Leaf Clusters.
He attended Virginia University,
George Washington University and
National Law School. He was en-
ployed by Mace Properties, Inc,
Arlington, when he enlisted In the
Army Air Forces In November, 194l.
1t. Sorensen's parents, Mr.. and
Mrs. Albert Sorensen. reside at 44lS
Nineteenth street North, Arlington.
First 1t. James T. Cecka, "A. who
was reported missing in France
since September 20, Is a prisoner Of
war in Germany, the War Depart
ment notified his wife Eunice, who
lives at 1912 I street NV. Thurs
day.
The infantry ofIlcer was awarded
the Bronze Star for heroic action
the day before he was reported
missing.
A native Of Minneapolis, MINI,
1t. Cecka was a sophomore at st.
Thomas College. Mimi, before he
joined the Army in January, 1912.
He went overseas last July. His wife
works at the Navy Department here.
Evening star., 1944-12-02
Panamanian Sailor
Puts Color in Story
Of Dorsey-HaII Fight
BY the Associated Press.

by the ASSOCIATED HreSs.
LOS ANGELES, Dec. 2.-The pros
ecution finally has found somebody
who claims to know what happened
In Tommy Dorseys Hollywood apart
ment brawl last August 5, when
Movie Actor Jon Hall almost lost
the end of his nose.
Antonio Icaza, a swarthy Pana-
nnanian sailor and actor, claims that
the band leader, incensed at Hall
putting his arm around Mrs. Dorsey
(Pat Dane), picked up a bottle and
Dashed it across big joins face.
Where did he get the bottle?"
asked Edwin Myers, who is prose-
cutting Mr.. and Mrs Dorsey and
their friend, Allen Smiley, on
charges of felonious assault
Bottles All Over Place."
why. there were bottles all over
the place." he replied.
The way Tony tells it, everybody
but himself at the party, staged
in celebration of Mrs. Dorsey's 26th
birthday, had consumed too much
liquor.
What about Hall; was he drunk?"
"Mr. Hall, yes; I believe he was
intoxicated too."
Tony said Dorsey took a dislike
to several persons sitting on and
nearby sofa with Mrs. Dorsey and
told all to get the hell out of here,
you so-and-sos."
"And He Laugh, Ha, Ha."
"And then" continued Icaza, "Mr
Dorsey, he say: Look at their silly
faces And he laugh, ha, ha, hal
like that
We'll, you, Mr.. Icaza, how did
you get to the Dorsey party?" asked
Mr.. Myers.
That was question everybody in
the courtroom was waiting for be-
cause nobody had been able to place
Tony as among those present when
the hostilities started.
Il was in another party at al
night club where the Dorseys were
and my people asked me to go to
the apartment and have a nightcap. 81
did you have one?"
''I didn't see any there"
did you have a drink"
II was offered one, but I put it
away"
This confused Prosecutor Myers |
He wasn't certain what Tony meant
by putting it away"
Put Drink on Table.
Tony just put the drink on the
table, he said.
Hall was hesitant and confused
witness who couldn't reconcile the
conflicting stories he gave to the
newspapers the day after the fight.
After about eight hours on the
stand, Hall finally admitted he
wouldn't want to see the defendants
convicted on the kind of testimony
he had given. He said he was beat
en- and cut, but he couldn't hon.
estly tell who was responsible.
IcaZa was still in the witness
chair when court adjourned until
Monday.
Tony brought a $4,000 damage
suit against Dorsey the day after
the fight, claiming he was injured
When Dorsey got his notice he ex-
claimed: Who Is this IcaZa?"
Evening star., 1944-12-02
Partisan Floor Fight
Likely on Nominees
For Surplus Board
BY the Associated Press.

A Republican-Democratic floor
fight over confirmation of the
two men President Roosevelt has
nominated as members of the
Surplus War Property Board took
shape today.
Senator Chandler, Democrat, OF
Kentucky, taking issue with a tenta-
tive decision to fight Senate ap-
proval Of former Gov. Robert A
Hurley Of Connecticut and 1t. Col
Edward H. Heller, declared:
IF the Republicans are deter
mined to make this partisan issue
they'll drive Democrats over to the
other side. In an open-and- shut
party fight, the Democrats will in. >
Both Nominees Heard.
The Senate Military Affairs Com
mittee, of which Senantor Chan
Iler is a member, heard both of the
nominees yesterday, but deferred
further action until Tuesday, when
a date will be set for q closed COM
mittee decision.
War Department officials defended
the making of a Government guar
anteed $4,000, 900 loan to the Nara
gansett Machine Co., Pawtucket,
r. l., war contractor, during an
al-day hearing.
Mr.. Hurley, who resigned last
week as vice president of Nara
gansett to be ready to accept his
Government post, said he was q
production expediter for the con-
cern, and had nothing to do with It's
financing. Mr.. Hurley, a Democrat,
was defeated In the Connecticut
gubernatorial race November 7.
Heller Explains Position.
Col. Heller, a iaison officer be-
tween the War Department and the
Federal Reserve Bank of Boston, its
fiscal agent, said his principal func-
ton in the case was to establish
evidence the company was doing es-
sential war work, and to help safe
guard the Governments interest In
the loan.
Col. John G. Mechem, Col. Heller,s
VNoo4AAAA6Vo4A ouPCA III od4u bllS lOdll
was made to assure performance Of
contracts with the Ford Motor Co.
for gun mounts for tanks, and for
other war contracts. Even If the
company had to be liquidated, he
said, the loss to the Government
would not exceed 100000.
In a 10-minute appearance before
the military committee, Mr.. Hurley
testified he had nothing to do with
the negotiation of loans for the
company, but went with the concern
in January, 1s43. as an engineer to
expedite production Of critical war
items.
Proposes Glass House.
AS for the surplus property board,
he declared he thought I'VE should
operate in q glass house"
There should be no secret nego-
tiations and no secret deals" Mr.
Hurley added.
Col. Heller, in private life a San
Francisco businessman, said that
as finance officer Of the War De-
partment's fiscal ofice at Boston
he helped pass on the $4,000, ,00t
loan.
Evening star., 1944-12-02
Survivors Reach j. S.
with Hardship Tales
|0f Gambler Bay
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
SAN FRANCISCO, Dec. o.
Sharks and thirst took the lives of
some of the American seAnen who
survived Japanese fire In the Oc-
tober 25 sea battle OF the Philip
pines, their comrades disclosed on
arrival here.
Wearing borrowed uniforms and
broad grins. 1900 Of the men whose
ships went down before the Japa-
nese fleet was routed In that famed
battle landed in San Francisco yes
terday. ..
Many Of the men were among the
730 survivors Of the escort carrier,
Gambler Bay, sunk Of Samar by
enemy shellfire, and others were
from the destroyers Hoel and
Johnston, and the destroyer escort
Samuel B. Roberts.
Two Lost to Sharks.
Tales of heroism, of death and
close escape from hungry sharks, OF
thirst. and finally of rescue after
two days in the sea were recounted
by officers and enlisted men who
poured down the gangplank as a
Navy band played Anchors Aweigh"
and waiting wives screamed a well
come to their husbands.
Two men were grabbed by sharks
as they leaped from the doomed
Gambler Bay, and others. were so
tempted by thirst as they bobbed
on RATS that they swallowed sea
water, sickened and died.
Ship Sank in 50 Minutes.
The Gambler Bay, among a group
Of American escort carriers and de-
stroyers which were confronted by
enemy battleships and cruisers of
Samar, was hit by shells at $40
am, ordered abandoned at $50 and
went down at o'clock.
Some survivors were In the water
more than 40 hours before being
picked up from the RATS 40 miles
from the Philippines.
Some eyewitness glimpses:
Capt. Walter v. r. Vieweg, Elmira,
N. Y, Gambler Bay commanding
officer who corroborated accounts Of
sharks killing two men:
II acted as doctor and chaplain
for my group (of rubber rafts). We
buried some of the men at sea, men
who died Of injuries received in the
fight. We recited the Lords Prayer
in unison"
1t. q, g. Henry Pyzdrowski Pitts
burgh, whose plane was unable to
take of:
Il swan for an hour until I came
to raft. There were too many of
us for the raft so We took turns
riding and hanging onto the edge"
Critical of Jap Workmanship.
1t. w. F. Cordner, Crawford, N. j.:
Fire control of the Jap ships
stinks. They should have got us a
long time before they did"
The morale. heroism and spirit Of
their men were praised highly by
Capt. Vieweg, Comdr. Richard r.
Ballinger, executive officer Of the
Gambler Bay, and Comdr. Leon s.
Kintberger, Bay Rridge. Md, COM
manding officer of the Hoel.
Although the attacking Japanese
group was far more powerful, 1t was
prevented by the plucky fight from
getting to Gen. Douglas Macarthur s
invasion scene at Leyte Gulf and
suffered terrific losses under per-
sistent attack of carrier based
planes as it retired from the scene.
The battle off Samar was one of
three segments of the second battle
of the Philippines Sea and was the
one in which the bulk of the Ameri-
can losses occurred In the overall
results. more than go enemy. war
ships were sunk or damaged-and
Gen. MacArthur's invasion army was
saved.
Evening star., 1944-12-02

ed in action in France, the War
announced today.
A native of Oakton, Va, he was
employed by the Freeder Roofing
Co., Takoma, when he was called
into the service in April, 1941. He
was sent overseas in October, 1912,
and was wounded last August 20.
In his last letter home he wrote
that he was still in bed, but was
making normal" progress.
Sergt. Leonard ]. Noone, whose
next of kin was listed as his mother.
Mrs. Ellen B. Noone, Landover, Nd,
has been wounded in Europe, the
War Department announced today.
Tech. Fifth Grade) Millard E.
Shoemaker, whose wife, Mrs. Betty
L. Shoemaker. resides at 1929 Lily
Pons drive NE, has been wounded
in Europe, the War Department an
nounced today.
The Star carried stories on the
following men, noted today as
wounded in action, after their fam
lilies had been notified
Pvt. Joseph O. Phillips of e5o4
Woodland drive, Silver Spring, Md,
on September "a.
Pfc. James r. Tindell of 410 Vir-
ginia avenue, Alexandria, Va, on
October 81.
Staff. Sergt. George Albert Cohill,
rs. was wounded in action November
IL in France, the War Department
has notified his wife, Mrs. Dolores
Cohill. 43 New York avenue NV.
The son of Mr.. and Mrs. Paul A,
Cohill of 1915 Twelfth street NV,
Sergt. Cohill Is a native of Wash
ington and graduate OF Eastern
High School He worked In the
District Water Department before
entering the service in February,
1943. He has been overseas since
August.
Sergt. Cohill's father is one of the
Districts leading football officials.
A brother, Paul Cohill, is in the
Navy.
Pfc. George n. Tayman, 81, was
wounded in action in France, Sep
tember 10, but since has returned to
active duty, the War Department
has notified his wife, Mrs. Helen
Tayman, SILT T street, Bradbury
Heights.
The son Of Mr.. and Mrs. George
w. Tayman of Upper Marlboro,
Sergt, Tayman was an attendant at
gasoline station in Washington
before he entered the Army last
December. He has been overseas
since July.
The father OF five children, he has
not seen his youngest, Donald
Albert. who was born four days be-
tore his father was wounded.
Missing
Pfc. Maurice A. Waugh, 2s, hus-
band of Mrs. Bessie A. Waugh, 615
Forty-ninth avenue. Capitol Heights,
has been missing since November 8
In Germany, his wife has been noti-
fed by the War Department.
A native of Kensington, Pfc.
Waugh was carpenter before he
entered the Army In June, 1941. An
infantryman, he has been overseas
for about q year.
He has two brothers, Pvt. Clarence
w. Waugh and Sergt. Arthur
Waugh, who also are serving with
the. Army overseas.
Flight Officer Irwin Schwarz, 40
bombardier Of q Lberator bomber
Of the 18th Air Force, has been
missing in action since November
In Italy, the War Department noti-
fed his family. His parents, Mr.
and Mrs. Jack SchWarz, live at 482s
Georgia avenue NV. and his wife
Miriam, lives In Brooklyn, N. Y.
Flight Ofdcer Schwarz Is q native
Evening star., 1944-12-02
Two Services Plunned

Because of the large increase in
membership in the congregation OF
the Marvin Memorial Methodist
Church at -Four Corners, Silver
Spring, the Rev. Edward B. Lewis
has announced two morning services
each Sunday starting tomorrow
Tomorrow's early service will be
devoted partly to baptisms. At the
later service 100 new members will
be received by the congregation.
Evening star., 1944-12-02
Advantages for u. S.
Denied by A. P. Head

NEW YORK, Dec. 2 P.-Com-
menting on the published views Of
the Economist. Kent Cooper, execu-
tive director of the Associated Press,
said:
Surely the Economist does not
want the activities of all news agen-
cies except the British confined to
their own countries as was largely
the case before Reuters, reorganized
and owned by the British newspa-
pers, withdrew its cartel domina-
ton over the news activities of many
countries foreign to England.
IF there is an advantage to an
American news association in max
ing its news service available in
other countries, there is, under the
plan I advocate, the same oppor-
tunity for the British or any other
news agency to make its news
service available in other countries.
For example, the Reuters agency
was quick to see this and is now
selling its news in the United States
and South America for the first
time.
Reuters Is Cited.
"All of this is to the good as long
as newspapers in the Western Hemi-
sphere want the Reuters service.
Similarly, if the newspapers of the
Eastern Hemisphere want the serv-
ices of the American news agencies,
or any other news agencies, they
properly should have them.
"The Economists comment as to
diplomatic immunity is even more
inept. Immunity does not mean
that foreigner, whether q diplo-
mat or newspaperman, can remain
in any foreign country where he is
persona non grata. It does mean
that In such case he would leave the
country without being arrested and
uncivilly deported and without any
other indignities being imposed upon
him
But if the Economist is speaking
for Britain In wanting to maintain,
exclusively for British interests, its
effective control over vast world
communications, thing that Reu-
ters. the British agency, does not
itself demand, then perhaps more
than ever the issue that there should
be equality for news transmission
over all international communica-
tions should be fought out even In
advance of the peace. The British
account OF what is going on in world
affairs Is not the only account of
world affairs that should be dis
seminated."
Evening star., 1944-12-02
Tech. (Fifth Grade) Russell

oHlnct, ncSlQln&
at 1924 Del Ray
avenue, Bethes-
da, Md, has been
wounded in ac-
ton In France,
the War Depart
ment announced
today.
A n a tive Of
Oakton. Va, he
was employed by
t he Ere e d er
Roofing Co., Ia
koma, when he
was called into
{ he service In
Evening star., 1944-12-02

flew more than 700 sorties. Three
planes were missing.
The MAAF said fighter -bombers
preached dam in Brenner Pass.
The effect of the operation could
not be disclosed Immediately. Thun-
derbolts knocked out a bridge north
of Verona over a Brenner rail line
and cut the same link between Ger
many and Italy in three other places.
Evening star., 1944-12-02
Kweiehow's Main Highways
Under Control, Jops Claim

BY the Associated Press,
A commentator for Domei, JAP
anese news agency, said today that
Japanese forces advancing into
Kweichow Province had seized con-
troll of the provinces main COM
munications arteries, threatening
"its very existence"
The broadcast dispatch said the
Japanese had seized the only two
roads leading into Kweichow from
Kwangsi Province, from Limingkwan
Dawn Pass and from Nantan, and
had taken over control of the
Kwangsi-Kweichow railway. It said
Limingkwan, southern gateway to
KWeichow Province, now was in
japanese hands, and that Yungning
(Nanning). last big Kwangsi city
held by the Chinese, was being re-
duced.