& kLl^^^iJnoco_-_Thursday_j^__March_5j._19A£ GOOD EVExNING EVERYBODY: How dark the news from Java is may be gleaned from a preclamation issued today by the Lieutenant-Governor of the Island, General H bx Hebertus Van Mook. The defenders of Java may stag another Bataan Peninsula performance - may retire to some natural stronghold and hold out long and stubbornl)i( -- the Dutch governor-general indicated the probability that the Jap invaders would push on and on, and he used these words: "In this case we must find our strength, as '^acArthur did, in con­ centrating and defending certain areas where nature gives us an opportunity to resist superior forces. We wonder - is there in Java any equivalent of the Bataan Peninsula, a natural stronghold backed up by the power and supplies of I ! JAVA ~ ? the Island fortress of Corregidor? There is some talk that the Dutch may do a MacArthur on the plateau where their military headquarters are situated -- high ground protected by steep and rugged sides. As for the precise military situation - we can’t be precise about it. The Dutch military authorities explain that in a war of infiltration, such as the Japanese are conducting, there are no fixed lines. We know, however, that enemy columns appear to be closing in on^ Batav ia, the capital city,^JJ^hey are said to be only ten miles away. And at the same tiTire'-4bL5X_are advancing against the great naval base of Soerabaja. in the middle of Java, they are threatening to cut the island in two^They have advanced half way from the northern shore to the southern. The distance across Java there is a hundred and ten miles, and the Japs now have some fifty miles to go iC M H I" 11 il I ^ \ JAVA - 3 Today, as yesterday, we have a repetition of the old ugly picture of swarms of enemy planes hitting at the troops on the ground, with few allied planes to oppose them. ^et the Dutch are fighting hard and offensively - with the suppose of British and American contingents. m I The news from Java has brought a thrill to Amarillo, Texas, and especially to one particular home. From that hprae, however, there also emanates a note of repentance, with a woman's voice saying - ’’Guess I was wrong. In the defense of the Dutch Island, a r t ih brave part is being played by a unit of American artillery - Texas artillery. And honors are being paid to their commander, Lieutenant-Colonel Blucher Tharp of Amarillo. He sure knows his strategy and tactics. He served as an officer back in the days of the first V/orld V«ar. Then, back in civilian life, he kept up his soldiering - in the jqa National Guard. He gave every available minute to his guard outfit, drilling, planning maneuvers, studying tactics. And today his wife said:- ’’He gave so much of his time to the guard that we sometimes thought he was neglecting his family”. 5 i Well, you know how it is. Husbands have } FOLLOW JAVA - 2 a way of becoming absorbed in hobbies, and wives have a way of feeling neglected. However, all was forgiven today by ^rs. Lieutenant-Colonel Blucher lharp at Amarilb, Texas. She said: ”Now we are so groud of him**. Which doesn't mean that you should adopt the slogan:- "Neglect your wife and become a hero. ** 1 I- -1 til 'fB ; i±t a it I PHILIPPINES MacArthur’s blow against enemy ships was even more effective than at first reported., It is now dis­ closed that the three Japanese vessels xasik des­ troyed were loaded with thousands of troops. These transports sank rapidly because bomb explosions blewJ up the ammunition they carried, and the loss of life must have been heavy.] The air attacks were made by the P-40’s, fighter planes which ordinarily aren’t used for bombing. But they were put to that purpose - in the surprise blow that MacArthur launched through the air. II The War Department indicates that f BURMA 1 In Buraa the Japanese have definitely driven their way across the Sittang River, and are pushing on in f or^^e^j^ They are described as being in the area of t^he Important town of Pegu- / seventy miles northe/^st of Rangoon. There they are threatening to driVe a wedge between the southern { defenders and the^/'empire forces to the north - in the region of *4an X The British are scorching the earth as the} retire - destroying everything they can RUSSIA In Russia the Red Army reports a victory, with the capture of the town of Yukhnov; a hundred and twenty miles east of the key city of Smolensk -- about midway between Smolensk and Moscow. A Nazi infantry division is said to have been defeated heavily. i i if '1 i FRANCE In l^ashington, the Ambassador of the Vichy government of France had a conference today with Acting Secretary of State Sumner Welles, They talked of the British bombing of the suburbs of Paris, which the Acting Secretary has said was j ustif ied. The demeanor of the Vichy diplomatic emissary indicated anger - because of the Royal Air Force attack on the great Renault plant, said to be making motors for the Nazi war machine. In France, of course, Nazi propaganda is making the most of the heavy loss of life. French sources indicate that the total death list may come to a thousand. The Germans are saying - two thousand. Another matter discussed today by the Ambassador and the Acting Secretary concerned Free American recognition of/French rule in Pacific Islands, particularly New Caledonia. tssstt A E F Today somewhere in Ulster, a group of American soldiers dedicated themselves to a cause. They're mid-westerners from Iowa, and they unfurled a banner inscribed with the name of a city. No, SB not Des Moines, Cedar Rapids, or Dubuque. The slogan on the banner was "Remember Rotterdam! Out in Iowa there's a colony of Dutch who maintain the traditions of Holland. They have a yearly tulip festival, according to the old way along the shores of the Zuyder-Zee. This Dutch colony in Iowa has sai contributed its quota of soldiers and a number of these were in the mid western outfit that landed in Ireland yvssterday. Their demeanor, we are told, was quite different from that of the other doughboys of Nineteen forty two who laughed and shouted gayly as they marched to their new quarters. But the Dutch from Iowa were grim and serious. And today they unfurled the banner - "Remember Rotterdam". Referring to the Dutch city so savagely bombed by A E F - 2 the Nazis. Beneath the banner they held a ceremony in which they pledged their lives to the Allied cause and the liberation of the Land of their Ancestors. HITLER At Detroit they’re looking for Adolf Hitler - but not the one who began as an Austrian house painter. They’d like to get their hands on him too - but that isn’t the immediate question. The Adolf Hitler they’re looking for was bofn in Moscow - which, however, does not make him j a native of Russia. Moscow, Michigan, is the town. It all seems a little paradoxical - but, anyway. Adolf Hitler of Moscow, Michigan, registered for the draft in Detroit. He has now been called. but can’t be found. Just one of those quirks of the draft, maybe they’ll be looking next for a guy named Hirohito from Rome, New York. TAXES There’s an attempt in Congress to split the new giant bill. The bill plans to raise part of the money by doubling income taxes, and the remainder by imposing excise taxes on such things as cigarettes, beverages, transportation tickets and telephone service. The idea in Congress is to deal with the excise taxes first, before going on to the income tax. Because, by passing the excise items quickly, collections could begin right away. In Congress, there’s a good deal of opinion in favor of raising the huge amounts of war XBHsk money by levying a tax on all sales of merchandise. This, however, is opposed by the * I administration. Treasury Expert Randolph Paul * stated today that a general sales tax wouid bear ■ down too much on the lower income groups. Also - it would be in the direction of inflation, said he. ; TIRES t ■ From Washington we hear that the Government may start taking tires away from civilian users. This was stated today by Prince Administrator Leon Henderson. He said the government may adopt a policy of requisitioning tires owned by private users. »M Such tires would be transferred to what he called - "A preferred class of civilians." Doctors, certain types of delivery services, fire and police departments, and so on. The SxiHS Price Administrator admitted that such a measure would be drastic. "It is," said he, "a pretty serious thing to contemplate taking tires off cars of c iv ilian users." He went on to say that there is not a single pound of rubber left for the thirty million ss passenger autos in this nation. All of this transpired at a Senate hearing, where statements were made about the possibility of using sub­ stitutes for rubber. There was even a suggestion that automobile it tires may be made of rope and canvas, covered with shellac. m i ARTIST In the following story - you can’t blame the cops. What would you think if you saw a man painting pictures at the garbage dumps - and right in the vicinity of an important defense plant? That’s what the cops of Newark spotted, and presto- Taken to the local station house, he identified himself as Van Bearing Perrine, a veteran artist of seventy-three, whose paintings hang in museums throughout the country. The cops looked at him with deep suspicion - what was he doing in the liBH defense plant area? Artist Van Bearing Perrine explained - he was attracted by the garbage, the mountains of it, EH the smoke and burning fires. It was so artistic. He proclaimed his aesthetic purpose in these words:- ”1 wanted to express the light falling over the turmoil of the garbage." And did that make the policemen gape! Turmoil of the garbage! In the station house the artist I the easel was surrounded by four police radio cars, y ARTIST - 2 got out his xxH* canvas and easel and proceeded to paint pictures of the cops - no doubt express­ ing the turmoil of their faces. ,i I EXPLOSION In Iowa they’re investigating the frightful explosion at Burlington - twenty one victims killed in the blow up of a sixty million dollar ordnance plant. It was the second blast within three months. There’s no indication as yet of what caused the disaster, but sabotage is $ suspected - inevitably. In Washington, Senator Herring of Iowa said the explosion indicates what he called:- ’•Some poor housekeeping somewhere" I I DRAVO SHIP LAUNCHING Any good news? Yes, I think this might come under that heading. I, along with some ten thousand other insKBii people, attended a ship launching today. And I don’t think either the Japs or the Nazis would have enjoyed the ceremony either It was an ocean going ship, built for Uncle Sam’s Navy, built out here at Pittsburgh and launched here at Pittsburgh. A ship of steel, more than a hundred and thirty feet long, to be manned by a I Navy crew of sixty, and to do the job of a destroyer.4j The most interesting thing about it is thatl: this sea-going vessel, launched out here in the Ohio River, came off an assembly line! It’s c name? The P.C. Five Hundred and Seventy Three. A sleek, trim sub-chaser, so speedy they can’t even start up her engines and put her in her iHwk lowest speed without tearing up the Ohio River. The Secretary of the Navy in speaking of today’s event here in Pittsburgh, said:- I w DBAVO -SHIP-LAUNCHING - 2 Anytody familiar with the Navy knows that the letter "E" on the bridge, conning tower, or turret of a Naval vessel, means that vessel k * s has received the highest service award in gunnery or some other activity. It's the Navy's way of saying *w0ll don©* I The Dravo Corporation of Pittsburgh is the concern that is turning out these new smaller destroyers - sub chasers; and doing it on what it calls its "assembly line for combat vessels". And, today the first All-Navy E" award in the history of industrial America was presented - to Dravo. The ceremony took place in a vast hall of industry where giant cranes usually move back and forth, and where I H parts of ocean-going ships are made. Ten thousand U .ork.en, .ost of Ihoo In their over.lle, nhi n-a their j...ea tK. bnilding. Beer Ad.lral »illla« Carlelon Batta presented this first All- E nag. The temporary platform -as oro.ded ■Off _ DRAVO-SHIP-LAUNCRING - 3 with Naval Officers, pa representatives of Alleghany County, Congress and Senate, and others My part was to act as Master of Ceremonies, that is launch the speakers:- And then v/e all went outside to launch the P.C. Five Hundred and Seventy-Three. A thrilling sight that was, when she hit the water of the Ohio River. Made all the more spectacular by a lofty hill, buried deep with seventeen inches of snow, just across the river. The All Navy E, never given to anyone until today, is for outstanding performance in every department It means that every man in that vast Dravo plant can wear the Navy E insignia in his button hole. Said Senator Jim Davis: "The spirit of I' f Douglas MacArthur is now taking hold of the American:; people. And, this fighting spirit shown here in i, ; this great Pittsburgh plant, is needed in every workshop in the land." And the crowd raised a \ i ' I DRAVO-SHIP-LAUNCHING - 4 mighty cheer v/hen he added: ”VJhen men fight as MacArthur fights, caged in for the last stand, they have little time to think of their social security numbers, their hours of labor, or their retirement pay. MacArthur is not worried about an IR eight or twelve hour day." Just before the P C Five Hundred and Seventy Three slid down the ways. Congressman James A Wright made a statement that I am sure all of us hope is true. He said:- "We will devastate the enemy by such a awarm of ships, planes and tanks as the world has never before seen! " With Malays gone; with the Dutch East Indies almost gone; with the Philippines largely in the hands of the Japs; with the Mikado’s fighting men hammering at the gates of India; e ; k ii4E in ’ I I I i and perhaps ready to strike direct at North America; H yes, to see an ocean-going combat vessel coming off an Assembly Line, away out ksei here behind ..m DRAVO-SHIP-LAUNCHING - 5 the Alleghany Mountains, that cheered me up quite a bit. And I am leaving Pittsburgh tonight with this feeling: that every American, every farmer. every miner, every office worker, every Commentator too - and every person in Washington - had better buckle down and imitate these workers of Pittsburgh m - that is try and earn an All-Navy E Award, or its equivalent, if we are going to win a war against an enemy who has the jump on us. Now Nugh, back there in New York, will you say Solong until tomorrow for me?