The Waterbury Democrat., 1944-11-30

A1Ger QTOpp1nS US DOInD lOdQ on Tokyo, one of the planes de- veloped a leak in its gas line. Aware that he could not make friendly Chinese territory, the pilot set his course for Soviet Siberia, figuring he might barely be able to reach dry land. In- ternment, he figured. was better than execution. When the fuel gave out, he had no idea where he was, but landed on the best flat stretch he could find.
 As the crew of the plane piled out, column of tanks appeared over a nearby hill. The airmen climbed back into their plane and prepared to make fight for it, but finally saw the Soviet red star in the leading tank and got out of the plane again.
 The pilot walked forward to talk with the Soviet major who jumped out of the leading tank. Using English, gestures, and one or two words of Russian, the pilot tried to explain how he happened to be there.
 FINALLY, the Russian officer stopped him. In fairly good Eng fish, he said: "Yes, we know all about the bombing of Tokyo. And we knew one plane was in trOu- ble and might be heading this way. We came out to SC eff we could find yOu."
 The bomber crew started to climb into the tanks when sud- denly another column of tank ap- peared from the opposite direc- tion. A Jap officer came run ming toward the Russians, shout ing, This is Japanese territory. We demand the surrender of the Americans"
 The Russian major immediately dug out his maps, insisting he was on Soviet soil. The argument ragged in German for several minutes, until finally the Jap angrily stalked off, ordering his tanks to fire. This was answered by a volley from the Russian tanks, both aiming at the sky. The Rus sian tanks then drove on, leaving the airplane behind.
 They had been going at a fast clip for about half an hour, when the Russian major turned to the American pilot and said:
 \ now welcome you to the
 Union of Soviet Socialist Re. public"
 The borcer had just been crossed.
 RUSSIAN ANSWER
 TO JAP PROTEST
 The American crew was ex- tremely well treated in Russia, and was not held long. Shortly af- ter their arrival, the entie crew was flown to Alaska by Clyde Pangborn, thence came back to the United States.
 The fact that the crew was not informed was not kept suf- f1ciently secret and, before long, reached Tokyo. A protest was lodged in Moscow. The Russians replied that the U. s. airmen were being held and that, as a neutral Russia had no choice but to hold them.
 The JapS then asked to be talk en to the prison camp where the bomber crew was imprisoner. The Russians, however, retreated be- hind Governmental secrecy, re- plying: "Of course, you know that no foreigners have been al- lowed in that part of Siberia for years. It's fifteen years since any foreigners have gone near the sec tiOn where this prison camp is located"
 FDR AND HENRY KAISER
 President Roosevelt had a re- vealing conversation with ship builder Henry Kaiser at the White House recently and got some real low-down on the prospects of a sharp increase ill unemployment next year unless prompt measures are taken to prevent it.
 Kaiser, who is enthusiastic about Roosevelt's hopes of "6O,OOO, 900 jobs after the war;" rushed into White House with postwar job program of his own. He told FDR he could swing it if he got a gov- ernmental go-ahead on reconver- seldom change. Every day our words and attitudes are being weighted by