Sweetwater Reporter (Sweetwater, Tex.), Vol. 45, No. 171, Ed. 1 Tuesday, December 23, 1941 Page: 1 of 8
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Fifth Sub Attack
Made On Shipping
* Off West Coast
Tanker Shelled But Not
I Sunk; U. S. Naval Bombers
May Have Scored
SAN FRANCISCO, Doc. 23—
(UP) — Twelth naval district
)headquarters "announced today
that an unidentified submarine
shelled the Richfield, tanker Lar-
ry Doheny off Estrro Bay ai 3
o'clock this morning.
3 The submarine, presumably
Japanese, did not sink the Do-
hon.v—which was able to flock
at Estero Bay.
II was the fifth submarine at-
tack on 0. S. shipping off the
^California coast since last Thurs-
day morning.
The attack on the Doheny was
500 miles north of Point Arguel-
lo where a submarine shelled
the Standard Oil tanker M. M.
Storey yesterday morning.
The Larry Doiieny, a vessel of
7038 tons, was built in 1021 by
the Sun Shipbuilding conipany,
Chester, Pa. It is 130 feet' long.
It was formerly known as the*
•jFoldenfjord. Its home port is
Los Angeles.
The attack on the Doheny was
heard for miles up and down
Estero Bay—and also in San
Luis Obispo, four miles inland.
Residents reported they
heard a loud explosion fol-
lowed by two others—giv-
ing rise to reports the sub-
marine had sliot torpedoes
at the Dolvny. The iiavy,
however, said I lie siibmersi-
hie only attacked with jjiiii-
fire.
Constable Ray Oenardini of
the coastal town of Cavuco re-
ported the shelling lasted until
^ 5:30 a. m.
** "We heard three explosions at
3:15 a. m.," Oenardini said. "The
last was a big one. Then we
heard smaller explosions."
Oenardini estimated that the
action was six miles offshore.
Escaping the submarine, the
tanker raced to Estero bay and
docked at the oil loading sta-
tion.
There was a possibility that
American bombers may have
t}sunk or damaged one of the
enemy submarines but today's
attack apparently established
that at least one other still is*
operating within sight of the
California coast.
Seamen who survived the first
four attacks and a resident who
watched one of the attacks from
her seacoast home, revealed that
in two instances the bombers
who answered pleas for help ar-
J rived while the submarines still
were in the vicinity and that in
both cases their depth bombs pro-
duced terrific explosions, in 'U
eating that perhaps they ha
found their mark.
Q The navy and army, however,
kept mum on their activities and
gave out no information regard-
ing possible success of their
night and day hunt for the
submarines which approached
J within two miles of shore to at-
tack American vessels.
West Texas' Leading City More Than 15,000 Readers
Sweetwater Reporter
BUY IT IN SWEETWATER
"West Texas' Leading Newspaper"
DEDICATED TO SERVICE
15TH YEAR
SWEETWATER, TEXAS, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 23, 1911
NUMBER 171
Huddle On War Strategy
All Boats Ordered From Lakes As City
Moves To Present Possible Sabotage
Abandoned Girls
f I -Returned Home
The two young girls from Ok-
lahoma, abandoned afoot at
Lake Sweetwater by their boy
friends nearly two weeks • ago,
9 have been sent to their homes
in Duncan of that state.
The girls, 15 and 17. had
created a problem, particularly
after parents of one said they
had "given up", and didn't care
*7 much whether they were re-
turned to the home circle or
not.
Law requires, however, that
parents must look out for their
youngsters when possible, and
t the child welfare office here
under direction of Fern Car'l,
provided bus transportation to
Duncan. One of the girls had
been in Sweetwater before, and
declarer! she liked the town. She
t, came here, ho waver, without
the formality of parental con
sent. Neither girl had funds.
They were brought to the at
tention of authorities when a
lake employe i two young
f girls were in I, together out
there try ire keep warm in a
cold drizzle. Their friends ha I
skipped with their car.
Weather Forecast
* 19 ' By Unlt,?d Press
WEST TEXAS—Sunny today
and clear tonight. Colder.
EAST TEXAS—Fair and cold-
er tonight. Temperature n<ar
~ freezing in extreme north' st
™ portion.
Tulia Man Held
On Charge Of
Rail Tampering
Denies Interfering With
T&P Switch; Bail Set At
$5,000 In Justice Court
First evidence of sabotage in
Sweetwater district, sabotage
that might throw a troop tram
or passenger train off the tracks
and cause heavy loss of life as
well as delays in wartime trans-
portation. has been discovered
by railway police and sheriff's
men.
A switch of the Texas and
Pacific railway company was
tampered with two days ago.
J. O. Stroud, Tulia, Texas, is
in, county jail awaiting hearing
before the next district court
grand jury after charges were
See TULIA Page 8
Russians Hammer
Deep Wedges Into
German Positions
MOSCOW, Dec. 23 — (UP) —
Strong Russian forces, launch-
ing another phase of the cam-
paign to drive the Germans
from the Moscow, front, have
hammered deep wedges into
enemy lines in the important
Malovaro-Slavets .sector 70 miles
southwest of the capital, front
dispatches said today.
Maloyaroslavets was the re-
r test German frontal position
< n the Moscow front when the
Red army began its offensive.
initial Russian thrusts pen"
trated fortifications in the fac-?
of stubborn enemy resstane
The momentum of the drive <5a:
ie Soviet columns sev
d miles into German posi-
t! 'IS.
The offensive has been opcr-
ted in successive stages, cul
minating in the Maloyaroslavets
nssault:. It opened southeast • '~f
Tula, -followed by a drive on
the Klin sector, northwest >f
the capital. Then came thrust
at Kalinin, the northern sal-
ient. and Volokolamsk and
Mozhaisk on the central front.
The Russians admitted strong,
German resistance in the central
sectors designed to gain enough
time to permit the retreating
main bodies of Germans lo
reach "prepared" positions.
Reports from the northern
front said Russia ski units,
tanks and, infantry were driving
through snow to flank elaborate
German fortifications and re-
lieve Schlisselburg fortress out-
side Leningrad.
X
Hong Koiiir Commander Talks Toudi ^ 'oser Watch To
"" —"" ~ Br Maintained On
W ater Reservoirs
January I Given Owners
j To Remove Property And
All Fishing Lines
All boats were ordered off
Lakes Sweetwater and Tram-j
inell, effective .Ian. 2, and an or-
dinance was passed empowering
the mayor to set up an agency
President Roosevelt
Winston Churchill
the war capital of the
Washington, l>. ('., became in reality
allied democracies this week as the heads of two great Knjj-
lish-speaking nations met for a momentous council on the
world-wide strategy to be used in smashing Hitler and his
satellites of the totalitarian avis. His coming unannounced
until he was actually at the White House, Winston Churchill,
prime minister of Great Britain and leader of an embattled
and heroic British empire, an A President Koosevelt, leader of
;,,, A in' t nation once more involved in w orld-wide war-
fare, and their staffs of military, naval and economic experts,
a., hum encased in conferences at Washington upon which
the fate of the world for generations to come impends.
Sir Mark Voting, left, governor and commander-in-chief of
Hong Koiiu. gave the Japanese short shrift when they de-
manded he surrender the British crown colony. Sir Mark is
pictured with a Canadian commanding officer after the first
Canadian contingent arrived to reinforce the island.
★ ★★★★★
Heroic Hong Kong
Defenses Holding
By George E. Baxter
I'nited I'ress Staff Correspondent
HONG KONG, Dec. 23— (UP)—(10:10 a. m.—8:10 p. m„ Mon-
day, CST)—British Empire troops, aided by civilians of the Colon-
ial Civil service, still are fighting today, in prepared positions and
in isolated strongpoints, against the attacking Japanese.
Canadians, Britons and Indians of the garrison are defending
——— the southern and southeastern
parts of the island.
They are aided there and in
I Isolated defense posts in other
| areas by civilians and the nor-
j mally unarmed, and completely
to coordinate all defense activi-1
ties of this community at a !
meeting of city commissioners'
in the Municipal building last
n ight.
The ban on boats follows sim-1
liar and often more drastic mea-
sures taken by cities of Texas I
and America to safeguard mu-
nicipal water supplies. Guards
and lights now placed at vulner-
able points of the lakes and
da:n have given some security,
but the city manager and com-
missioners acted last night to
take the added precautions with-
f! iHely.
Abilene
mi- closing the ip
rt;4*iti*S been done
and Dallas.
at
Monday Biggest Day
For MaiI Volume In
Pout Office History
Sweetwater Must
Lead. Not Follow!
Granted that Sweetwater and
immediate environs have a pop-
ulation of 12,000, the raising of
$4,000 as the city's part of a
$50,000,000 national war chest
drive of the American Red Cross
should be done nuieklv.
Why!
Monday night little Wastolla
produced a crowd of 30 for their
Red Cross meeting and these
folk proceeded to donate S(it)
then and t' >re, and others pro-
mised to well their total
amount.
II. Wall r and Judge Delas
Reeves countv chairman of the.
drive, s, oke ai the meeting, with
Frank t lecklt ;erving as chair-
man.
The av rage donation was $2
apiece, which according to any-
one's simple arithmetic would
mean $21,000 for Sweetwater.
"I^et's go, Sweetwater," the lo-
cal leaders say. "We don't ask
the $21,000. but our city must
lead, and not follow, on this
patriotic matter of raising a
mere $4,000."
Monday, Dec. 22, set an
all time record at the
Sweetwater postofficc when
the cancelling machine rea l
22,r>:<!l pieces of mail. This
compares with tin nevi larg-
est single day of business,
Dec. 20 t!l.l!l. win li 22,<Mtf
pieces of mail were dispat-
ched.
A. G. Lee, postmaster, al-
so reported stamp sales for
Monday reached $(144. Par-
cels delivered in Sweetwat-
er for the day totaled I ISO
and parcels received through
the windows for dispatch
were I.">00.
,\n estimate of 2tt,otMI
pieces of first class mail
and Christmas cards were
received Monday and distri-
buted through the carriei-s,
and postoffice boxes, Lee
said.
untrained, administrative mili-j
tary personnel.
"Fighting continues along the
lines held yesterday at the
southeast corner of the island of
Hong Kong and there have been I
local successes for us in the i
south," this morning's commu-1
nique said. . |
The communique, noting the
participation in the last stand of j
administrative and military per-
sonnel, said 'hat they were fight-
ing in advanced posts and show-
ing great determination anil
courage.
In many cases, it was noted.
Additional security will be
effected when filter tanks
are protected by new fenc-
ing and top covering. This
action also was authorized,
and City Manager K. C. Hop-
pe is proceeding with plans.
Matter of banning boats from
the lakes was discussed thor-
oughly before the unanimous
action. Men with trot lines and
boats at the lakes are expected
to co-operate with the city, and
were given New Year's day, a
holiday, as a concession for get-
ting lines and boats out of the
area. The action was necessitat-
ed by difficulty in protecting the
water side of the dam and its
improvements when boats could
approach closely. Boats occa-
sionally have drifted down on
See LAKE BOATS Page 3
v
British Columns
Cut Off Retreat
Of Axis In Libya
Rv Walter Collins
UP Staff Correspondent
CAIRO. Dec. 23—(UP)—Brit-
ish communiques reported today
that Imperial columns now
block the Axis line of retreat
on the Gulf of Sirte, south of
Benghazi; and asserted Axis air
they are beating off enemy units j "ower h,a« ^tiered a shattering
which are attempting to over- j hl,mv Wlth the destruction „f ,,i
positions.
Singapore Looks
For Major Battle
SINGAPORE, Dec. 23—(UP)—
Disnntehes from the front indi-
cated today that the biggest bat-
t.U of the Malaya can^nhrn was
imminent along the east-west
British empire line, 300 miles
north of Singapore.
Non-essential civilians were
evacuating the vicinity of Ipoh
in the western area for Kuala
Lampur, 100 miles to the south,
though it was said there was no
mass evacuation.
A Malaya command communi-
que reported the front general-
ly quiet.
It reported some fighting yes-
terday and said Japanese planes
wen active. Three Japanese
planes were believed to have
been shot down during the day
and the loss of three British
planes was admitted. Six Japa-
nese planes were damaged se-
verely In a British raid on a
I vereiy in a nrn isn ri
I Japanese-held air port.
run their
"In other areas they are fight-
ing to the last," it was added.
See HONG KONG Page 5
v
Divide Voters
Authorize Bonds
To Replace Gym
Qualified voters of Divide
Saturday went to the polls and
voted in big majority for 810.
000 in school bonds to replace
the school's gymnasium destroy
ed by fire several weeks ago.
The vote was 77 to 31. accord-
ing to Bob Boyd, judge of the
election. While a majority only
was required, the voters gav ■
the proposition three votes more
than 74 which would have been
a two-thirds vote.
"Loss of our gymnasium has
been a hard blow to the com
munitv." H. D. Norris. superin
tendent of schools in Divide, said
Monday. He anticipated early
a'-tion on lx>nd issuance and
sale, with a Jan. 5 date for
sale. The state school hoard
must pass on the bonds, He
hoped construction work could
be started by Feb. 1.
Luzon Defenders
Sink 3 Troopships j
By Frank Hewlett
United Press Staff Correspondent
MANILA, D'e. 2:!—(UP)—Jungle-toughened American and Fili-
pino troops fought on even terms or better today against a massive
Japanese attack on l.u/un Island and unofficial reports said at
i "Miiimrd with thousands of in-
vaders, have been sunk in Lingayen Cult.
The Japanese attackers used air power in an attempt to ease
-— terrific American presur. on
their beach beads along the Lin-
gayen coast 135 to 15tl miles
north of Manila.
But Gen. MacArthur. U. S,
generalissimo, reported that the
Japanese have failed t« better!
their position in nearly 48 hours i
of the fiercest land combat the!
Philippines have yet seen.
American tanks and Am-
erican artillery battered the
Japanese divisions an es-
timated six to eight are in-
volved in the attack—and
newspaper reports said at
least three of the 8tl odd
transports which appeared
in tli,'* Lingayen Gulf have
been sent to the bottom.
(Three Japanese transports:
might carry 3,000 to 5.000 troops. :
The 80 transports were esti-1
mated in Washington to have j
aboard 80,000 to 100,000 troopst. :
A communique of far Eastern I
army headquarters indicated j
that invasion fronts were blaz '
ing throughout northern Luzon
island as the Japanese, develop-
ing their landing on the gulf |
coast 110 miles north of the capi-
tal. attacked also in the Vigan
and Aparri areas.
Newspaper dispatches said
three troop transports, contain-,
ing thousands' of Japanese, had j
been sunk by artillery fire off j
San Fabian, in the Lingayen j
sector, and that two Japanese j
planes had been shot down.
Brauehitseh Had
! Heartv Trouble'
BERLIN. Oec. 2.1 — (Offi-
cial radio recorded by I P)
—Gen. Walther von Braueh-
itseh told the German army
that he had asked Adolf Hit-
ler some time ago to relieve
hini as commander-in-chief,
because he had heart trouble.
It was officially announ-
ced that. Adolf Hitler re-
ceived von Brauehitseh in
arewell visit, and that he
had not been put at dispos-
al (in the reserves) or off
duty, although his further
services "are not yet intend-
ed."
a
nlanes in the air and on the
ground.
The Royal Air Force, drivinc
in for a killing blow on German
and Italian aviation in North
Africa, reported that 17 enemy
nlanes have been shot down in
air combat and 37 more were de-
stroyed on the ground in a sur-
prise raid on an advance land-
ing ground at Jedabiya. 100 miles |
south of Benghazi.
(In London a military spokes-
man said it appeared that Ger-
man Gen. Erwin Rommel may he
forced to stand and ficht at Ben-
ghazi instead of falling back to-
ward Tri|ioli because of the Brit-
ish success in cutting off his
line of retreat).
The RAF' lost only three
planes in downing 17 of the en-
emy's, a communique said.
In addition to cutting off re-
treating Germans and Italians,
the British rushed reinforce-
ments to positions covering Ben-
ghazi, capital of Cyrenaiea,
where pressure on the Axis for-
ces is increasing, a communique
said,
"It now is reported that along
the whole line of the enemy's
retreat west of Mekili the coun-
tryside is littered with aban-
doned material," headquarters
said. Mekili is a vital highway
junction south of Dcrna.
Annual Red Cross
Chapter Meeting
Called January 3
Annual meeting of the Nolan j
County chapter of the Ameri-
can Red Cross will be held a? j
the countv courtroom at 2 n.
m. Jan. 3. Dr. Albert Brann. j
chairman of the chapter, an i
nounced today.
Officers for the coming year i
will be elected, reports of indi-
viduals and committees will be
considered, and other business J
transacted.
All persons in the countv who
took out annual memberships
during the recent roll call arc
members in good standing for
the year 1942 and they are urg
"d to attend the annual meet-
ing to have a part in naming
organization officers.
Dr. Brann said he is anxious
to have representatives from ail
communities in the county to
aid in forming a strong perman-
ent countv-wide organization m
enable the County Red Cross to
hotter meet the present call for
$4,000 additional war chest
•unds. and future calls made
bv the government of the Na-
tion.
KING TO BKOACAST
NEW YORK. Dec. 23 - (UP)
—King George VI will broad-
cast a Christmas Day message
at 8 a. m. (CST) over the Col
umhia Broadcasting System it
was announced today.
— v
FN'FCUTE DUTCH
LONDON. Dec. 23 - (UP)—
The official Netherlands news
agency Aneta reported today
from Lisbon that four Dutch
citizens had been executed by
German troops lit the Nether-
land- for assisting British
fliers.
All remaining infantry, ar-
tillery and engineer corps
officers were called to colors
for immediate active duty to-
day as the combined I'nited
States • Philippines armies
girded for the most savage
Japanese attack of the Pa-
cific war.
A 4 p. m. army eommuniqu
said fighting continued on th
northern front with no materia1
change in positions.
The Japanese were very activt
in the air. it said.
The situation in the Davao
area of Mindanao island, south
of Manila was still obscure, it
added.
The Far Eastern headquan
ers communique, issued at 11
a. m. said:
"Very heavy fighting is going
on on the northern front."
It reported intensified Jap-
anese bombing activity and sa 1
that eight Japanese planes ha 1
been sliot down in recent days
b\ three pilots, one a Filipino,
the others Americans.
Lieut. Jose Kare, on rec-
naissancc. shot down a Jap-
anese fighter. Mai. Emm eft
O'lbinncl, Jr., New York
City, shot down four and
1 lent. Jack Adams and his
«'ii w shot down three.
The 8 a. tn. communique had
aid that principal fighting ha.l
See PHILIPPINES Page 5
Master Plan For
Hitlerism Defeat
Beinjr Developed
First Meeting Of
Conference Summoned
For 1 1*. M. Today
By Lyle C. Wilson
UP Staff Correspondent
WASHINGTON, Oec. 23 --
(UP) — President Koosevelt to-
day called a meeting of the
"United States - (ireat Britain
war council" in the White house
eabliii t room for I p. m., CST.
The meeting will mark the
first formal gathering of the
joint council — so described by
he White House — under the
iirection of Mr. Roosevelt and
British Prime Minister Winston
Churchill who arrived at the
executive mansion last night.
Others at the conference will
>e:
For the United States — Sec-
tary of War Henry L. Stim-
. Secretary of >'avy Frank
,n a Li. ut (Jen. H. H. Am-
ir
Air
arn
ope
r put
en.
elite
:hief
jtn
of Staff for
. ge C. Marshall.
f staff; Admiral
!' irk chief of naval
Admiral Ernest
ing. commander-in-chief of
the I S. fleet; and Harry L.
Hopkins, lend lease aide to the
president.
Britain — Lord
minister of sup-
Si Dudley Pound,
Sir Charles Por-
Sir John Dill, for-
hief of staff.
For Great
Beaverbrook
ply: Admiral
Air Marshal
tal; and Gen.
mer British
The council call was announ-
■■ ^ h,- sfe~hen T. Early presi-
dential press secretary, who
said:
"That group you might
call the United States-
British war council."
The Church ill party included
Lord Beaverbrook, British sup-
ply minister Aiso with the par-
t\ from London came Avereil
Hairiman. the U. S. lend-lease
"expediter" wh ■ has been sta-
tioned in. Britain.
After driving to the White
House with the president last
night from a nearby air field,
Churchill dined with the chief
executive an-! thtv at up until
1 a. m.. in ;he president's oval
study discussing their mutual
problems, W hite House Sectw
tary Stephen T. Early said.
One room has been set aside
in the White House proper as
a workroom for Churchill, Ear-
lv said There are maps on the
walls.
The unprecedented White
House conferences between
Mr. Roosevelt and Churchill
w i re understood literally to
be dividing the globe into
four major war theaters to
organize the allies for "de-
feat of Hitlerism through-
out the world."
The\ are expected to set up
an interallied war council.
Thet'f was speculation wheth-
er that move would lie follow-
er ultimately by nomination of
a supreme commander in-chief.
But there seemed to be good
ground to believe that the least
to come from the Washington
conference of the leaders of the
English peaking peoples would
be a unification of command in
various theaters of war.
Under any such division of
responsibility, United States
military and naval officers
would '.ret the tough and hazar-
otts job of lickine the axis in
he Pacific and the Far East.
'?ut the first job out there is to
: hold our own —ours and Great
Britain's — and none here min-
mize the tremendous nature
->f that assignment.
Churchill arrived in Washing-
n by air last nisht out of a
nist of speculation and secre-
. He left London Dec. 12. He
• - met at a service airnort by
It-. Roosevelt, the first' meet-
•e between the two men since
hpy a'ed the eicht point At-
■ee CHURCHILL Page 5
e —
cURSNO FDR PICTURE
CHICAGO. Dec. 23 — (UP)—
! Rose Hoffman. 10. German-born
dishwasher, was held on disor-
derly conduct charges today for
allegedly shouting curses at
newsreel pictures of President
Roosevelt signing a declaration
of war against her native coun-
I try.
__v
!JAPS CONCENTRATE
CHUNGKING, Dec. 23 —(UP)
I —A Chinese military spokesman
| said today that the Japanese
; had concentrated 20.000 troops
near Yokow, possibly for an at-
tack to divert the Chinese offen-
I sive in the Kowloon-Canton
1 area.
m«
UJMI
H
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Sweetwater Reporter (Sweetwater, Tex.), Vol. 45, No. 171, Ed. 1 Tuesday, December 23, 1941, newspaper, December 23, 1941; Sweetwater, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth282464/m1/1/: accessed May 22, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Sweetwater/Nolan County City-County Library.