Rapid City Journal from Rapid City, South Dakota • 1

The Rapid City Daily Journal' WEATHER: Warmer today and tonight, NUMBER 18313. FIiYAi; IDITIOX "The Newspaper 0 Western South Dakota RAPID CITY, SOUTH DAKOTA, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 21. 1912 ASSOCIATED PRESS LEASED WIRE fin Ullg Lffl "oi fo) rp 771 la i 'UNITED STATES CAPITOL' OF 1927 UNVEILED PRIME MINISTER SAYS SHIPPING LOSSES HEAVY Tells House Of Commons Ja-pan's Enlry May Prolong War Until 1913 Or 1941. Enemy Sub Fires 25 Shells At Coast Refinery i SMStKtf, IIHH'II II 1 1 I IglM sg. HlUHI f.

MM ML rn Tr 1 1 "is ni I I I -Hit I LIiIlJIu. rf i 4 4 Tell That To Tlie Marines III 7 -xvjm; i 3 If rr EX VlfflMMirifMijMleaiiU li S0 torATT) I "0 (I 11 ') episode of the former president's visit to Rapid City and his famous "I do not choose to run phrase of 1927. Boy Scouts are shown hee removing the covering from the marker. (Journal photo and engraving). Following a dedication program, held indoors because of unfavorable weather, the "United States Capitol" marker was unveiled in front of Coolidge high school in Rapid City Monday.

Legend on the marker relates the Commissioners Told Government Will Take Over Rapid City Port Washington. Feb. 24 (AP) "Tell that to the Marinas" is President Roosevelt's reply to axis propagandists claiming that Americans are too soft to fight. The theme of the propaganda, he said last night, has been that Americans hav considerable industrial power but are too soft and decadent for war. "From Berlin, Rome and Tokyo we have been described as a nation of weaklings playboys who would hire British soldiers or Russian soldiers, or Chinese soldiers to do our fighting for us." he said, "Let them repeat that now! "Let them tell that to General MacArthur and his men.

"Lei them tell that to the sailors who today are hitting hard in the far waters of the Pacific. "Let them tell that to the boys in the flving fortresses. "Let thecn tell that to the Marines!" BIG OFFENSIVE BY REDS REPORTED London, Feb. 24-(P-The Vichy radio was heard today broadcasting statement attributed to the German radio that the Russians had launched their biggest offensive of the war and that the relief of Len-ingr id was expected at any moment. "Our troops on the Leningrad front are in great danger." Vichy quoted the Berlin broadcast.

(No such German broadcast was heard by New York listening posts and Vichy's version (Page 2. column 7) HOUSE APPROVES PENSION REPEAL 21! Survive Latest Tanker Torpedoing Santa Barbara, Feb. 24 (p) An enemy suumarlne fired its reply to President Roosevelt's war address in the very middle of his chat last night -25 shells badly aimed toward an oil field and refinery near Goleta. seven miles north of here. AVitnesses said the shells, presumably of the shrapnel type, exploded larne volumes of dirt from beaches and pastures, frightened horses into screaming madly but hit only one well.

The pumping plant and derrick of that well were damaged. However, no fires were started. No one was killed or injured. It was the first attack upon United States soil in this war, although Japanese submarines off the Pacific coast and German submarines off the Atlantic have sunk some ships and damaged others. Once before, in the World war, a German submarine disguised as a freighter, shelled the mainland in an attack on a tug and a string of barges off Orleans, Mass.

Only casualty was a helmsman, who lost part of a hand. 25 Minutes Witnesses said the first shell was fired at 7:10 p. m. (8:10 p. m.

MWT and that the attack continued until 7:35 p. in. twilight. The coast was blacked out at 8 p. from Gcleta 25 miles south to Carpenteria.

Radios only were silenced in the remainder of southern California. The all clear was given at 12:12 a. (1:12 a. MWT1. Several flares were sighted just off the coast during the blackout.

Police at Ventura. 27 miles south of here, presumed they were dropped by U. S. airplanes searching for the submarine. However, army officials gave no information 'at this point.

Witnesses at Goleta said the submarine seemed to head south after the shelling. The Los Angeles district press relations office of the Hth naval district made public the following account of the shelling, obtained from S. W. Borden, superintendent of the Bankline Oil company at Elwood near Goleta: Lcro Sub "At 7.10 p. m.

one large submarine came to the surface about one mile off shore and fired approximately 13 shells from a deck gun. One direct hit reached one well, causing minor damage to the pumping unit and derrick. (A war department communique said 25 rounds of 5-inch shells were fired.) "There were several close misses on a crude oil storage tank and (Page 2, column 8) MAINROADSliN STATE ARE OPEN Pierre. Feb. 24 (AP) Central South Dakota dug out today from a beneficial weekend snowstorm which caused some traffic inconveniences brought out smiles to farmers Who were concerned aftar the driest January on record.

A temperature dip is faced in most sections of the state tonight. From Pierre, where all the blanket of snow was heaviest, the hish-way department reported all main routes in the state open, but said the going was tough from Pierre to Hayes on U. S. 14. from Vivian to Chamberlain on U.

S. 16. and west of Wessington Springs on State 34. At Huron, the meteorologist warned shippers and stockmen that lows of 10 Mow zero may be expected tonight in the north and west, while the other parts of th-j state may be in for 5 below zero weather. Spcarfish recorded a minimu.n of 8 below Tuesday morning.

London, Feb. 24 -(Pi Prime Minister Churchill told the house of commons today that Japan rules the air and is exercising a temporary and "waning command of the sea" m-4he area of her operations, but he predicted a final victory, which he said might come unexpectedly, over the axis. The Japanese also are employing numerically superior land forces of about 26 divisions probably 390,000 combat troops and 100,000 additional men in supply and auxiliary forces in the ABDA (American, British, Dutch, Australian) area, he added, and their command of the air "makes it costly and difficult for our air reinforcements to establish themselves and secure dominance." Losses Increase Efforts to reinforce the area are further complicated by Britain's "very heavy" shipping losses since 1939, losses which he admitted had shown a most serious increase in the last two months. Thus, as a result of Japan's entry into the war. Britain must rectton with "an evident prolongation of the war" perhaps until 1943 or 1944.

But he announced that he shortly would submit a scheme for postwar reconstruction because "we cannot be sure as in the last war that victory may not come upon us unexpectedly." Even without sensational victories, he suggested a successful conclusion of the war might come for the united nations through the effects of attrition. "It would not be necessary even to push back the German lines over all the territory they have absorbed. Germany might be defeated more fatally in the fourth or fifth year of the war than if the allies had marched into Berlin in the first, year." Joint Council Announcing that Generalissimo (Page 6. Column 6) RUSSIANS BATTLE EAST OF SMOLENSK By EDDY GILMORE Moscow, Feb. 24 (AP) Intensive battles raged east of Smolensk today as Russian dispatches reported the Red army surging on from Dorogobuzh, only 50 miles from the key city in the central front.

The retreating Germans were reported burning everything in the territory they yielded. "The initiative is now in our hands." a dispatch from the western front said. It told also of a solemn meeting of Red army troops in that 'sector yesterday to hear Premier Stalin's order of the day. After hearing the phrase 'Red banners must float over all occupied territory," the Red army commanders and soldiers took an oath to liberalize all nazi-occupied territory. Violent Attack Dorogobuzh fell after a violent attack launched at dawn yesterday after hours of artillery preparation, soviet authorities said.

Massed infantrymen, led by tanks, supported by field guns and covered by planes, headed in force toward Smolensk, a key German base 230 miles west of Moscow. Coincident with this activity it (Page 6. Column 6) The Weather (By The Associated Prit) Shippers forecast: Protect from minimum temperatures as follows: North, 5 to 10 below; cast, zero to 5 below; south zero to 5 above, west 5 to 10 above. South Dakota: Cold east and central portions tonight. Nebraska: Continued cold extreme west, somewhat colder central and east portions tonight.

YESTERDAY'S RECORD R000EVELT EXPECTS MORE WA3 REVERSES President Stresses Need OP 'Uninterrupted Production' To Turn The Tide. Washington, Feb, 24 -(APi -President Roosevelt admonished tha American people last night to pre pare themselves for further revers cs on the war fronts, and even he spake an enemy submarine raking a spot on the California const with gunfire. By the grimmest coincidence, tha bombardment opened up just bo-fore Roosevelt reached that portion of his speech in which he declared that the nation also could expect to suffer continuing losses at tha hands of axis undcrseas raiders in both Atlantic and Pacific "before the turn of the tide." To speed the turn of that tide, Roosevelt called for "uninterrupted production" to build up an overwhelming superiority of war supplies for the ultimate grand offensives of the united nations. Stresses Two Words The president's voice was sharp as he stressed the two production" although he made no specific mention of ttia series of work stoDDaaes which. for various reasons, halted war production in some industries yes terday.

Roosevelt was unaware of tha California coast bombardment while he delivered his 33-ininuto radio address, but he said earl in his talk the buttle ahead was "warfare in terms of every continent, every island, every sea, every air line in the world." The capital was not unduly surprised to learn of the bombardment. The immediate reaction was that such forays showed a poor understanding of American psychology, and that, instead of creating mortal terror, tney would have the oppo- sue ettect of making the fighting mad. pcopla And a fighting mad people, many thought, would rise at once tu tha "prodigious effort" to whichs President Roosevelt summoned tha United States last night. Real Test "The task that we Americaaf now face will test us to the uUer-niost," the comnnmder-in -chief de clared, in ever before have we am so little time in which to do much. The axis, he reported, was exerting every ounce of strength, striv-ins against time, in a supreme ef.

iort to destroy the lines of communications linking the united nations, so that the allies would be isolated and then conquered one by one. The united nations had forced to yield ground and misUt ive to yield more, he acknowledif. "rage column COMBINE BURMA, INDIA COMMANDS London, Feb. 24 i.Ti- Britain made her commander in chief in India responsible today for operations in Burma, indicating that the steady advance of the Japanese had made the defense of the two great British possessions a single military problem. An announcement in New Delhi said the India commander.

General Alan Fleming Hartley, had as- One Result The shift command was said to have been one result of the visit to India of China's generalissimo, Chiang Kai-shek. The Japanese have thrown freshi troops into a mounting Burma offensive which has driven the British back upon the Sittang river, last natural barrier guarding the Rangoon-Lashio railway which feeds the Burma road, a military commentator declared today. Presumably Japanese forces freed by the fall of Singapore now have joined the invasion of Burma. Within 70 Miles Withdrawing from the 30-mile sector between the Bilin and Sittang rivers in a stubbornly-fought rearguard action, the British now hold positions within 23 miles of the railway town of Pegu and within TO miles of Rangoon itself, which lies to the southwest around the head of the gulf cf Martaban. The alt-India radio broadcast an RAF communique from Rangoon reporting attacks by American volunteer and British fliers against Japanese land and air forces.

Four enemy planes were destroyed on the ground, with no loss to the attackers, the coaununique said. '0: DEFENDERS OF JAVA NEAR ZERO HOUR Enemy Bombers Hit Dutch Army Headquarters At Bandoeng; Batavia Raided. Batavia, N. E. Feb.

24 -0P) Urged by the governor-general of the Dutch East Indies to face the foe with "faith and an iron will," the allied defenders of Java neared the zero ivnir today in the battle for this last' bulwark blocking the Japanese from the vital united nations supply lines in the Indian ocean. There was no new official word on the situation in southern Sumatra and in Bali. A brief Indies high command communique reported only fresh aerial blows at Java, the heaviest of which was aimed at military objectives around Bandoeng Dutch army headquarters. Three low-flying formations of enemy bombers, apparently without fighter escort, were greeted by a blasting barrage of anti-aircraft fire from Dutch guns and new, British-made cannon. At least one bomber was shot down and others were damaged.

Few Casualties But in the face of this intensive fire the planes circled the city and then swooping even lower, machine-gunned various parts of the town, causing a few casualties. Aneta news agency reported that only light bombs were dropped, but that damage was made to appear more extensive because of a thick cloud of smoke from several oil drums which caught fire. "The only known fatality in the raid was a rat found near a bomb crater," said Aneta. Batavia. the capital, was bombed for the first time Sunday, it was permitted to be disclosed "today, but little damage was done.

Two previous raids on the Batavia area had been directed mainly at outlying airports. BERLIN CLAIMS 8 MORE SHIPS SUNK Berlin (from German broadcasts) Feb. 24 -( A special German high command communique said today that German submarines operating in the Atlantic and off the American coast had sunk eight more ships totaling 63.000 tons. The text of the special announcement: "German U-boats sank from convoys in the Atlantic and off the American coast a further eight ships totaling 63.000 tons. "Five of the ships were tankers." Agencies Agree No Sabotage On Normandie New York.

Feb. 24 (Jp) Three agencies investigating the origin cf the fire That swept the former French liner Normandie and left it a fallen hulk were agreed today that saboteurs had nothing to do with the cause or spread of the blaze. Earlier announcements by the Third naval district and the New-York district attorney's office that their investigations proved the fire was caused by sparks from an acetylene burner igniting bales of life preservers were corroborated by city fire officials yesterday. Washington. Feb.

The 'jf house went on record today by a we are a heavy one-sided vote for repeal of legis- tr011 of enem' every day that lation providing for pensions for y'. congressmen. Specifically, he said, "to date-- To make way for the vote Rep. i Peaii Harbor wa Martin J. Kennedy iD-NY) with-j nave destroyed considerably mora drew an objection which had block- Japanese planes than they have deed earlier consideration.

l'J'ed of ours." Kennedy later explained that he; Moreover. Roosevelt disclosed, objected for three reasons: One, I The United States government will acquire actual ownership of most of the enlarged Rapid City municipal airport the city commission learned in a postponed meeting Monday night. City Manager A. S. Holm nnd City Attorney Boyd Leedom, who returned Sunday from a week in Washington, D.

reported to the commisson that the. government is starting condemnation proceedings to acquire the airport and its expansion areas with the exception of about 100 acres. The reason, they told the commission, is that the government wished at least a 25-year lease on the property in view of the better than being spent there, whereas under existing laws the city could give no better than a 10-year lease. Will Pt City Under the plans the government will pay the city for what lands it owns outright and will fulfill options or contracts applying to added acreages in the process of being acquired by the city. The city will also be paid for its original improvements at the field.

Condemnation proceedings were chosen as the method of acquisition as it would (Page 2, column 5) BRITISH BACK TO SITTANG RIVER Mandalay. Burma, Feb. 24 (AP) Fighting raged today for 100 miles along the lower Sittang river, to which the British had withdrawn after abandoning their Bilin river line 30 miles to the east. Compulsory civilian evacuation of Rangoon. Burma's capital, was carried out Feb.

20. Unofficially it was learned that depots containing supplies that could not be carried away were set afire by authorities. General Who Took Singapore Visited Ft. Meade Omaha. Feb.

24 (API Major Robert W. Allen, now on the surgeon'! staff at Seventh Corpi area, recalled today that Lt. Gen. Tomoyuki Tamashiia. commander of the Japv.ieta army that took Singapore, visited at Fort Meade.

S. for several wcrks during a tour of trmy posts in 1933. "He was a crack horseman, who rode daily," Major Allen said. "He played golf and billiards. He had wide knowledge and was good entertainer at the dinner table." At the time, the major declared.

Fo: Meade was reception center for CCC enrol-lees. Tamashita. then a major, seemed unable to believe that the CCC was a relief movement and Inquired pointedly if its purpose was not military preparedness. Major Allen added. At one time Tamashita asked for and was given a map of the post.

He inquired if there was a later map and was told no. "Well." replied Tamashiia. "a map 1 saw before I came here had a theater not shown here." The theater was a new one. Major Allen recalled. West Palm Beach, Feb.

24 6P) An American-owned, tanked, the 5.287-ton Republic, of Houston; Texas, was torpedoed by an enemy submarine off the Atlantic coast with an apparent loss of five lives. Twenty-eight survivors, two of them slightly injured, were brought ashore, the navy announced today. The republic was owned by the Petroleum Navigation company of Houston. The navy did not make public the spot at which she was attacked by two torpedoes from the enemy raider. The 28 survivors were warmly received at an unidentified community, where residents provided them with sandwiches, coffee, whiskey and warm, dry clothing.

Capt. Alfred H. Anderson, 52, Houston, a veteran of 36 years at sea, said he didn't see the torpedoes, but "there were two explosions just like that'' and snapped his fingers sharply. Third Mate Charles A. Felder, 62, Houston, Texas, was the only member of the crew who reported seeing the enemy submarine.

"It was a whopping big one," he said. Felder, rounding out 47 years as a sailor, was credited with accidentally saving the life of Radio Operator John Samuel Lake, Jacksonville Beach, Fla. "The third mate," said Lake, "saved my life when he tapped on the window a few minutes before the explosion and invited me to have a cup of coffee. I left the radio room and picked up the cup of coffee. "The crash hit.

It wrecked the radio shack completely. The chair I had been sitting in was splintered." SPEECH PLEASES CONGRESSMEN Washington, Feb. 24 (JP)-Democratic and republican members of congress joined today in terming President Roosevelt's address of last night a straightforward and complete summary of the war situation. Typical comment: Representative McCormack of Massachusetts, house democratic leader it was the greatest of his many great messages perfect, practical and realistic. Republican Leader Martin of the house: It was comforting to hear the president give assurance of progress in our production efforts.

The president's assurance that ve may soon take the offensive also is pleasing. His appeal for unity and sacrifice will find a wholehearted response from the American people. As he well stated, the war must go on until we win a complete victory'. Senator Ball A great and inspiring speech. I was most interested in the way the president laid out the strategy.

Senator Murray iD-MonL): It was the most effective speech the president ever made. It is receiving that he was in favor of the pen-sions; two, that there were separate repeal measures pending and that! the question should be acted upon i independently, and third, that the procedure suggested would not per mit full explanation of a member's position. Sec Rules Committee The objection forced administration leaders to go to the rules committee for a special order which would make the legislation in order for debate. Arrangements were made for sponsors of some the dozen -odd repeal bills introduced in the house to make brief speeches and time also was reserved for Chairman Ram- speck (D-Gai of the house civil JAP SUB ARMED WITH TWO GUNS Washington, Feb. 24 (JP) The war department announced today that army and navy aircraft and surface vessels have started a search for the enemy submarine which shelled the Bankline oil refinery near Ellwood, last night.

The department's communique said damage from the shelling was slight, and no casualties were reported. The submarine, apparently Japanese, fired 25 rounds of five-inch shells at the refinery, the department said. In the Philippine fighting the department said, there was no ground activity on either side in the last twenty-four hours, but enemy aircraft dropped a number of incendiary bombs. The communique said Two Guns "The submarine appeared on the surface of the ocean about one-fourth mile off Ellwood. which is twelve miles west of Santa Barbara.

Firing was from two five-inch guns." The fact that the submarine carried two five-inch guns, informed persons said, indicated it was one of a fleet of huge, long-range sub-mersibles built by the Japanese in 1939 and 1940. The Japanese were reported to have 19 of these under water approximately 350 feet long, ranging from 2.180 to 2.500 tons, and with a cruising range of about miles. They were said to be equipped with two 5.5-inch guns as against the armament of a single gun, usually a 3-inch rifle, carried by most submarines. Carrying a large crew, they were reported to have a speed of about 17 knots on the surface, and about 9 knots when submerged. ORDNANCE CHIEF SAYS SHELLS OKAY Washington.

Feb. 24 (pi Rear Admiral W. H. P. Blandy, chief of the navy's bureau of ordnance, said today that the navy was using some ammunition made more than a decade ago, but added that "mere age is no criterion of its effectiveness." He appeared before the house naval committee at an inquiry ordered as a result of a radio report quoting an unidentified naval lieutenant as saying that anti-aircraft aboard his ship in the Pacific was made in 1930 and was only 30 per cent effective.

Blandy said that both he and Navy Secretary Knox were "very seriously concerned" over the report and added. "I am not going to stop until I get full information." Repeatedly, Blandy emphasized that all ammunition was tested at regular intervals, and that the navy had received no reports of its better th.m normal," he said. vice committee who originally spoil- sumed direction of the bitterly-con-sored the expansion of the civil ser-; tested campaign in which the Japa- ncse are approaching Rangoon and (Page 8. Column 8) the railway that feeds the Burma fyyd. 189 Men Lost As Two Navy Vessels Break Up Off Newfoundland hi lo pp Rapid City 17 -4 Airport 15 -3 Aberdeen 24 2 Bismarck 20 1 Casper 17 -7 Chadron 19 -4 Cheyenne 22 -2 Chicago 29 25 Denver 23 -2 Fargo 21 3 Huron 23 3 Lcmmon 16 -5 .11 Minneapolis 23 14 Newcastle 22 1 North Platte 24 12 Philip 19 9 Pierre 19 2 Sioux Falls 28 13 Spcarfish 14 -8 Tvnctall 25 10 Valentine 13 11 .12 Walcrtown 25 7 Wash ington.

Feb. 24 iA') A United States destroyer and a naval stores ship have been pounded to pieces off the rocky east coast of Newfoundland in a roaring gale, the navy announced today, with a loss of at least 189 officers and men. Among the dead was Lieutenant Commander Ralph Hickox, 38, of Washington. D. who commanded the Truxtun.

a four-stacker of World war vintage. The commander of the stores ship, the Pollux, was not identified but the navy reported him safe. Heavy Loss The heavy loss of life was attributed to the fact that the two ships, constituting a portion of a convoy, were torn to wreckage under the merciless battering of wind and wave very quickly after they ran aground. The double disaster occurred in daylight but visibility was extremely low. The point at which the ships went aground was described as near the entrance to Lawrence harbor on which is located the town of Lawrence, Newfoundland.

The certain dead aboard the Truxtun placed at 7 officers and 90 men and there was a possibility that three more deaths would be confirmed later, the navy said (Dead aboard the Pollux were 1 of-I 6, column 3j widespread commendation and ineffectiveness. The navy had test-should have a tremendous force in ed somo ammunition in storage uniting the people of the nation in i since 1920 and found it this hour of danger..