It's great news fro m the fa tel l ing of the bi g sea and air a ction off the coast of Indo-China. But, apparently it's only a b e ginner - with more word of victory still to come. The latest ~ tonight tells us that a radio black - out still covers the operations of Admiral Halsey's fleet off the coast of the mainland of Asia. The action 1s s going on, and it is believed that Halsey could right now report still more enemy ehips sent to the bottom if it were not for that radio blackout which is necessarily maintained. As things stand, we know that our warships and planes have sunk twenty-five Jap ships including light cruisers and several des t royer escorts. The victory occurred in attacks on Jap convoys off the coast of Indo-Cbina, and at least thirty ~ nine enemy planes were destroyed in big sky battles, as ~merican air power swept the co~st of the Asiatic mainland north fro m Saigon, capital of French Indo- China. T h at's the farthest penetration into Jap ~UBSTI_J!TE_PA.Ql.FIC - 2 territory the Navy has made thus far, striking all the ay to the mainland of Asia -- Indo-China being straight across the south China Sea from the Philip ines, a distance of eight hundred miles. That far-reaching blow means the cutting of the Jap lines of communications to the Dutch East Indies, Malaya and Singapore. In other words, American sea and air po\er stands tonight across the lifeline of the stolen Japanese empire. [OLLO, P_ClFIC The bulle in from Admiral Nimitz tonight tells us also of the sinking of a JapaneRe super- battelship. This occurred weeks ago, in the second battle off the Philippines. The sea monster in question as the usashi, newly built and of the largest class -- a forty-five thousand ton ie r armed with nine sixteen inch guns. The Musas1i was one of the mystery battleshi.s that the Ja s w ere known to be building just before theputbreak of the war - sea giants of forty-five thousand tons. The scene of the sinking was in the area of Leyte, and occurred when the Japs made their attempt to surprise the meric a n fleet and smash MacArthur's inva ion. We knew previoasly that two Japanese battleshi s w e re sunk in that o p eration - - vessels of the Y ama · iro class, twenty-nine-thousand- tonn . rs, and now Admiral Nimitz tells us that there is conclu·ive evidence t a t the us · shi was also destroy d . ' he Jap superbattleship ~le · up and sank. Late news tonight brings some details about the typhoon in ~hich s veral hmerican destroyers floundered. lt is described as a record-breaker. The wind ble at one hun red and fifteen miles an hour and the barometer sank to just about the lowest pressure ever recorded -- in the tropical tempest that caused the loss of American destroyers. The latest word from the invasion front on the island of Luzon is that Japanese resistance is stiffening. More enemy opposition is being encountered true at the left 1z flank of the beachhead. Where the Jape are putting up a strong fight. And, we hear that the forward American units are enter.ing what the new• dispatch calla •The Japanese zone of concentration•. These advances forces have crossed the lano River. The aain invasion force baa pushed inland tor up to ten miles, but forward patrols have thrust ahead still farther - across the Agno. That's the atreaa where the Jape we _· e expected to aake a atrona stand. The belief is that a big push in that sector could be made right away -- except for the fact that the American drive must p rotects its flanks. MacArthur aust consolidate at the sides before hurling his main drive forward. 0 Yl..cMrLet•s listen to the Jape for a minute~..._ fHILIPPIN~ - "2-. the ene ■y radio announcing some things that may well be true. Tokyo says that we have landed three divisions on Luzon, two infantry and one armored. Also - that another big convoy has arrived in Lingayen Gulf, bringing heavy reinforcements to Genaal Irueger•s invading forces. And the Jape expect still more trouble. They say there are signs of new American aaphibioua blows, new landings, to be made on Luzon. The Jap1 think that the next invasion atroke aay break on I■ Batangas, which ia south of Manila, or aaybe the new landings wil l be made on Lamon Bay, which is acroaa Luzon from Manila - r~aight across and on the east coast of Luzon. The Jap uncertainty about two such widely separated places has · a pleasing sound - MacArthur apparently being up to his old strategy - of keeping the Jap guessing. lQLLQW PHU,llflll2 Off the coast of Luzon American naval forces have sunk forty Japanese vessels: l~n•-w~ eaall craft trying to reinforce the ene ■ y•forty six ) aaall freighters and coastal vessels atteapting to unload. &nd -- •1t was like shooting sitting ducks• 1a7a an t ■azt••• officer who was in the attack. J I ' I l ) l TL y ------------ --- - -- --- i I R t.c r m h 11 l r ~ ~in C i ' fla 5 1i p er a 1.in . . L iv OI ZO I us A m 0 the Cornman e of o ne of l, t nmerican tr er in t, e i io ine i lV i u . .rl Q ' h e e av e h ard t at name before - Roosevelt, )r ~ klin D . oos , veJt? ThP s' •ip er in uestio1 is Fran lin • o o s e v 1 t, Jr. , t i rd s on o th r ·iden t. ' . use hoosevelt are versa t ile Elliott · in n i, istinction for oto r a.ph ic ' f\A-c .,.....-v'\ ..,._ , .. - Q. • t, a@ r• ff'"M ~ i n he w a r o f th a i r , corumandi J b destr yer in the re AnL, · s for father - we s~~m te have heard t h at L , t o, .a s . . t.l,in do with the war. T:1 . dis at.ch from th. fla s 1 ip out t 1er e tells us, liK ise, that still ano her destroyer is com anaed b C rles ~rancis AdAm s , son of the former e cr tar of th aav, o served un d er t reaia nt oover. 0 - Y~ 5 ~ . ~~- ...,,.,, ___ ~ » - ~~~ ~ ~-~ ~ ~ ~ ~ - t o - o , WESTERN FRQJiI On the western front in Europe Allied forces today closed the Belgian salient. in on what was left o verywhere at the western end of the remnant of the bulge, British and American troops pushed forwa d for speedy gains - the araana in full flight. The armies are still driving to trap the Nazis, noirole what German forces are\1.eft at the western ip of the salient. Enemy units have been••• au ed, and others are being surrounded. it •o• appear that Field Marshal Von Rundatedt has succeeded in getting the bulk of his araor aid infantry out of the trap. Once again the Germans were aided by the weather - the battlefields of the ali salient being swept by snow and blanketed by fog. This again has tied down Allied air power and under the cover of the blinding weather, Von Rundstedt is getting out most of his forces - the Germans executing what today's dispatch calls:" ARapid but orderly retreat". ~ JISTERti FRO NI - 2 To the south, the Nazis are continuing their •junior offensive". And today's news tells of fza further enemy gains. One German thrust against French troops made progress in the direction of Strasbourg, which city is threatened. on · tbe other hand, American araored forces are counterattacking and all accounts indicate that the •junior off,nsive• though making advance• i• being kept under control. - t ne o'c l oc. on ~ond y , Lh , r ek Civil r will come to H n of .- icial end - t 1 a 0 t tem or rily. h truce as c o nclu de d to ay - to take onday. he si ning was done by the B ritish ' omm a nd r in lrre ce, Lieutenant General cobie, on one han, anu by a repre entative of the Left in g la on t e ot te r. !he terms are a compromi e, 1 th t1e riti h cone ding one point about hie t1ey • e greatly concerned. T i is uestion of host ~ es. The Left ingers are holding a large number of Greeks who belong to c o nservative pariie, that is -- leading ersonal i ties • h o are in favor ·· · th e overnment in h L n e 11 u , • h i c h t 1 e r i t, i .. h su p p o r t • ' l y are hos ta ~es - an one o f t h r b arities in recent times has been t he i 11 in o . no t n e s • ' 1 h I a z i s d i a i t , n d , orl a . n a A itPvolutionaries ave b en no ,n t · oo t h ost e es. S o t e Briti s h wanted to procure the release --- 0 Jeir r k s upporter e ld v , i th th Blas. w ar tola that nine-t nt C' of the lon ~na stubb rn ne g oti t1ons bet-w en G neral co ie ana t 1 e L t II i I' concern d th uestion of the hosta es. In the end, the ritish yielded the point and the Elas nad it · way. 1hey r holdin g the hostage~ while the ne e otiations or n perm nent political settlem•nt in Gr ce o on. o baaly tn riti ~ h t ke th concession tney baa to make is in i c a ted by : n announc m q nt in Lo don -- statem ~ nt is ued from number Ten Downing Street, the re idence of Prime inister urchill. 'h aeclaration says: "T tdkin, na holdin of ostages is barb rous custom cond mned by International L · • .' is · Jesty's Jovernment must make clear, therefor ~ , that no truce can be endured or rip n into eace un cs or·unti t he bo s taa s ta·en bJ t, 1 E lus ave e n f · ctiv l,r saf 0 uar d ed and r lea s a." GE CE - 3 ---- · - ritish r n into some ne Balkan ix embarr • s aent to a .. -- ., ith Kin Peter of Ju oslavi r fusing to gree to a 1 gency. '' it ou t consultin ither the Britisn overnment or the Mini:·ters of his own exilP.d 4 e ~ narch is ued a a cl r . tion s~yin not . inc doing. And this thr e atens s me Dl}W \'8ft1tt~-&f 1:,~ µ o l i t i c a l ~ ~ ! R f ~t~icientl,v alrea y. Jugos l ·. v i ngled ' he u ctu 1 o w cr in l' i e nl an country is Com unit r .; 1 i o, w.o i b eked ' to a e , , r c em i t .ith th Prime Minister of t ~xilod Ju ~ o- ~l av uo ver met, n c n 1 ion of "'.ic was th t Kin . Peter uld a iv Ul hi :. r yal G F ' CF - 4. -------- rer l W c lu r l C , Y . I B ri i h e 1, i , n u s o i f rmed th l on rch in ov,nri ht term .;, . one t m bo iP.S ·reat Brit in, e.n l s o ~oviet ~sia ·n is own ?Jini ters, v. · ich i som d e " ia.nce. One o . is Yinister'S sai to a.: "H is acting lik e a e i v 1 onarc. e c nnot tell wh·t e , ·, il n xt ." to ~ .ich the echo would eea to respon · - it's a ick os of tim to be acting like a Medieval onarch. va st mount of work <a into the produc ti on of a s u p erfortr e s, but ie re manufacturing tt mat the rat of more than a hundred an tn.irty - fi ve mont. itlerto, the B- 9 production f i ure hll 8 b en kept a secret, but today it V, s disclosed by J.h. Kru ' I airm ·•n of t, e .. r Production Board. • h stated that one lant alon ..... b uildin 8 hundred a mo11 t l, ana auot.h r plant t irt , - i Ve, and two other p aut,s at-\ ne in to t=aia B-29 p roduct · on, with figures fort 1 m not iven. 00 rou t. l ot o r ·· . u r a ain t i · t ur . t w ork -or- ' i , t 1 w n o f ore Con bill, a r a ■ n ! ' b . C ongressm n May of Ke ntucky, · rovi es , that ~en wno r P fuse to take war jobs, or stay on w a r jobs, shall be draft ed into the Arwy for labor service . ' 1 is is opposea b. the Ar my , · , i t h L i e u t 11 n t en e r a l" : nu d en , r my rod u c t i on l.Jirector, m i kin 10 following st t m nt to the Military A ff irs ~omm 1 tt e o t uo u · e of Repre entati v es . u 1 ) eakin , .' men who re use war joh's, he saia "It would be bad to t th m into the A rmy." ~ , en hats ould be done ~ ith t em? eneral ,A nuas n speaking ·or t l e , rm , ro osej that µenalties be p rovided. heavy fine a n d im risonm nt. ijnde? H state tl o t ~ ucn 1alties in a w ork-or- f i. . ht 1 w , • ou la L elp to cure a 8 nt ism, 4- ~ ~ 1 k w-u~.~- w ic ~ s aja. ... K u a s n o clared t h at A 1'- absent i 1& almost t,ic a ba we slould orw l l y e>..p ct t or ar 1 e. i,Q t.iftlee of peac9, alu>M 111 i t~r, on o f ti ol ... t c e s on eart is - u · s1 , fa ou in on n d st r for sno· n i c . no l ' e 1 · c ' ld p 1 · c , r i ht n w, is the hus i i.t n L m in , sh ir t n, , ,, erP f urnace . ~ - t i t ~ e a ~ ~ i cons 1 i ci o u its absen ce. ich mi ht lea d OU t t .. de that. t 4! oviet Di l omuts on tne ban~s o f t n J otomac w ere tr . in t reµoduce t e t mper ure of t. eir 0 n f r st· OSCO - a sort of s · iver : ome s et home. But that's not tl e r • s on at a 11. '! ' h e oviet lmbt.ss· i s col t becau the ~ rtuss1ans ave A. useo. u al t re i u . _ oil r t i on c o u 0 ons for J _ nuary. -e-o n. s i. med & " tro 1 € mo n t n • s lt 1 i o t, me ft t, e f o i l • Ma ; v l, e Mo • .11 n s c o , , a s , o s s 1 h l e , l.t s rem i ~ somet.,iup &-f e ~ e0pP&uAi0&l 1'\ U I I j 11 ., A Y --- ---------- -- Today's news dispatch ictures Soviet Ambassaaor Uromvko and is aiplomatic staff as s ivering at their desks and working in overcoats. bnd ~robab y s nging one o t ose sad Russian tunes G , ~ A L 4 A - ~ with the ords - • ·r ake ae back 1 !:" J. lt " ' Moscow.• AC - tte Pe i &--t. be &-t o p.y of et Vt AC s er v 1 u g o v er s e a,a •r.o, as. k.i. oge t.t re, c ~ ld un * wr &t~ a l etter. Ba1,.. T ree years ago, two burgl1 rs broke into a h0use at edfora, a · 6achusetts, and ~ ere doing all ri ht - until a young w man of the neighborhood intervened. Betty Lee 8alash, twenty years old, nabbe the t•o robbers - capturing them a nd turning them over to the police • . Since then Betty hks beco~e a IAC, and is now serving in a war zone overseas. -- bo what could she now do about burglars a~~in breaking into a house at Medford, ahsachusetts? It was the nome of her parents this time~ aaa the reb~ePe e~ele je•elry and- 1,:-ive hund.red dollar~ of the · family l!Ulvinge. J.nti• Som ew here overseas Bett of the AC's, when she heard about it could only write a letter - a lett . r to t e robber? ~hi,.-...slle &<Wlt. t.e t,i,e newspapa1=a ia-- ~etnc;-H'-?t was rinted to ay. A AC - 2 - - Here's what she tells th crooks who robbed her 9 arents' ome: " e are iving our time, our strengt and our lives over here for you, and benind our backs you rob our homes. Yust you," she writes to t ' · burgs.rs, "Aob the kids ho are fighting so th € ir family and your family and everybody's family - - ,, will have a better , orld to live in? We apq over ~e•• And that ought to appeal to the better nature of the burglars - if they have a better nature. Maybe tney '11 be shamefaced and ,/ill return the jewelry AMJ ~ five nundred dollart1 to Betty •a parents. And maybe t1eir better feelings might be touched by ~~ . patriotis~, an ~ t .e '11 decide to go strai gh t, and lead an on~st life hereafter. It will be nice to tnink t 1at - but we o t n ink of such funn t h ins, don't we? ~--~~ ~~~ PIILIPPIIE§ Here~• the latest Just off the wire. Two new landin&• on Mindoro Island. MacArthur'• troop• atruck on Monday and Tuesday, landing on the eaat coast•• of Mindoro on Monday and on the leat Tueaday. lo oppoaition was encountered••* by A ■erican troop• in these two l•■ii• lat~•t in•a•ion blowa, which probably were indicate4 by atorie• that the Japa told •••eral da1• aao of a bi& A ■erican in•a•ion force paaaing throuah Philippine inland••••• BBITISB_CRITICISM British criticisa of A ■erican policy continues ••xtka -- with the London Ti ■es today taking up the complaint that the United States baa not aade clear its poaition in world affairs. The London Ti ■ea auamone the Washington governaent to ta•• what it calla - •a bolder and more active lead•. And states - that Europeana · cannot be sure of the part that Aaerica will really play in a poat-war organization. The iritiah newspaper, which often reflects the Yiewa of the London Foreign Office, declares that iaolationisa is still a force in tbe · United States. •Isolationis ■ in it• manifold guises•, aaya the London Tiaes. And adds - that the new Congress in laahin:gton should take a definite stand toward the probleaa that Europe has to face.