1944
Publication Days Published daily except Saturday and Sunday by Students of the University of Kansas
Daily Kansan
Weather Forecast Increasing cloudiness and warmex tonight and Saturday. Rain or snow Saturday.
NUMBER 97
LAWRENCE, KANSAS, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 1944
41st YEAR
Allies Invade Truk in Carolines In One of Major Moves of War; Japs Say Fighting Is in Progress
(International News Service)
The Japanese radio led the war news of the world today with a report that American troops had invaded Truk. With official Washington and Pearl Harbor silent since issuance of a 39-word communique announcing that a major onslaught against the great enemy base in the Caroline islands "had begun," progress of the daring enterprise could be followed only through Japanese eyes. Admiral Chester W. Nimitz, commander-in-chief of American naval forces in the Pacific, said nothing in his an-
to land in the fortified islands. His huge force of battleships and aircraft carriers may have been sent to Truk merely to blast the base from sky and sea, to soften it up for landings sometime in the future.
It would, therefore, be of propaganda value to the Japanese to claim the troops had stepped ashore, enabling them to assert some sort of victories when Nimitz's flotilla has accomplished its mission and returned to its starting point, presumably in the Marshall islands. Thus there was reason to treat the Japanese version with considerable care.
Is One of Major War Moves
The Japanese broadcast told of heavy American motored and mechanized detachments going ashore and said that fierce fighting was in progress. One account by the enemy propaganda agency, Domei, however, said that the attack might not develop into full scale invasion.
Whatever the actual object and outcome of the thrust may prove to be, the attack on Truk represented one of the major American operations of the war and won elaborate praise from the press of Great Britain, which said that penetration to this mighty enemy base was far ahead of the time table that had been anticipated.
Landings on any of the 70-odd small and large islands which comprise Truk would involve enormous, almost insurmountable, difficulties. All of them are enclosed by a coral reef necklace which has only two entrances. It was at Truk that the enemy consolidated its forces for the sneak blow against Pearl Harbor. Many observers attached great importance to the use of the word "begun" by Adm. Nimitz in his communique, a fact interpreted as confirming that the initial assault carried out by hundreds of bombers was to be followed by other action designed eventually to immobilize the base.
Pearl Harbor dispatches said that (continued to page two)
1,000 U.S. Lives Lost In Troopship Sinking
Close on the heels of the announcement by Japanese radio that American troops had invaded Truk came the news, issued by the United States army, that an Allied troopship carrying about 2,000 American soldiers, had been sunk in European waters, with a loss of half the men aboard. This comprises the greatest toll ever exacted from United States convoy forces.
Inspector of ASTP Pleased With Morale And Discipline Here
Highly pleased with the morale and discipline among ASTP students here, Col. Malcom A. Craig, director of the ASTP activities in the Seventh Service Command, returned to Omaha, yesterday afternoon, after completing a two-day tour of inspection of the local AST unit.
Colonel Craig spoke briefly to the entire command at retreat formation Wednesday evening. He stressed the purpose of the program, the need of the army for educated enlisted technicians, and the necessity for strenuous effort on the part of all concerned in order to meet the program's requirements.
Colonel Craig expressed himself as being well-pleased with the morale and discipline of the trainees and the thoroughness of their academic instruction, Lt. Col. W. L. McMorriss, director of the local AST unit, reported. Colonel Craig was especially impressed with the facilities provided by the University, Lieutenant Colonel McMorris added. These facilities include academic classrooms and laboratories, barracks in Lindley hall, drill hall and military classrooms in the Military Science building, and Hoch auditorium which is used for physical education and special examinations.
While at the University, Colonel Craig conferred with Chancellor Deane W. Malott and other University officials, discussing and clarifying various aspects of the Army Specialized Training Program.
Washington, (INS) Over scattered Republican protests, the house yesterday authorized a 30 million dollar government development program for the production of synthetic liquid fuels from coal, oil, shale, and agricultural products. The vote was 140 to 13. The bill, which now goes to the senate, authorizes the Secretary of Interior to construct and operate one or more demonstration plans and to sell their output on the commercial market after federal and state agencies have been offered the product.
House Authorizes Program To Produce Liquid Fuels
The University of Minnesota has opened a new course in production supervision designed to cover the modern supervisor's and foreman's jobs.
Minnesota U. Has New Course
New Semester Schedules To Be Available Monday
Schedules for the new semester classes should be available Monday, the College office announced today. Students may obtain copies in the College office and in the registrar's office.
MM's Graduated In Ceremonies This Afternoon
Their four-months training period here completed, the 124 members of the seventeenth division of Machinist's Mates received their diplomas from Lt. A. H. Buhl, commander of the Naval training school, in graduation ceremonies held in Frank Strong theater this afternoon.
Congratulating the men on their work, Lieutenant Buhl handed each man two diplomas, one from the Naval school, and the other from the University of Kansas.
With the diplomas, all but twelve of the men received a promotion to fireman first class, one rate higher than the fireman second they had upon their arrival. The other twelve men received the petty officer rating of machinist mate third class in recognition of their superior records while in training.
Dolan Named Henor Man
Jack Doan Haien, Ann Arbor, Mich., was named by Lieutenant Buhl as the honor man of the division, having a grade average well above his division mates. Trainee commander Ross W. Poole, Battle Creek, Mich., and his assistants, platoon leaders Albert C. Schlutter, Jersey City, Clarence M. Smith, Barnesboro, Penn., and Jack Haien were also commended by the station commander.
While here the division has been under the command of three different division officers. Placed in care of Lt. Pederson upon their arrival last November, the command was shifted to Lt. J. L. Zelko last month when Lieutenant Pederson was transferred to sea duty. Within a week, however, Lieutenant Zelko was transferred also and Lt. (jg) Paul Ashby took over the command for the rest of the training period.
Following their departure from the station, nearly all of the men will receive nine days leave before reporting to their next duty, which is to be with the fleet for the majority of the division. Chief Yeoman George Starkey said. A few of the men will receive more schooling in other lines.
Those men receiving MMC3 ratings are: Ray Beckner, Youngstown, Pa.; Martin Ganjoian, Avenel, N. J.; Raymond Greskamp, Indianapolis; Jack Haien, Ann Arbor; Lawrence Meeks, Wheeling, W. V.; James Plinkin, Elizabeth, N. J.; Robert Plisky, Michigan City, Ind.; Ross Poole, Battle Creek, Mich.; Albert Schlutter, Jersey City; Clarence Smith, Barnes-boro, Pa.; Russel Van Liew, Harrison, N. J.; and Henry Wendeler Lester, Pa.
Washington, (INS) — President Roosevelt today vetoed a bill which would have prohibited the use of government funds for food subsidies. In a strongly-worded message to congress, the President charged that the anti-subsidy measure if approved would bring about inflation.
FDR Vetoes Food Subsidy Bill
Prof. Schuman of Williams College To Speak on Postwar Europe At 10:30 Convocation Monday
Prof. Frederick L. Schuman, well-known writer, traveler, and professor of political science on the staff of Williams College, Williamstown, Mass., will speak at a University convocation at 10:30 a.m. Monday. His subject will be "The Riddle of Postwar Europe.".
Professor Schuman is one of the most widely known scholars and students of contemporary American life in this country, said Dean J. H. Nelson $ ^{a} $
Monday Convocation Schedule Announced
The following changes have been made in the morning class schedule for Monday and Friday of next week.
Frederick Schuman will speak on "The Riddle of Post-War Europe" on Monday. The schedule for Monday morning will be:
7:30 classes—7:30-8:05
Classes 7:00 8:00
8:30 classes 8:15 8:50
8:30 classes—8:15-♩:50
10:30 classes—9:45-10:20
9:30 classes----9-9:35
On Friday, Feb. 25, E. R. Weidlein will speak on "Science and the War." Convocation will be held at 10:30. The regular class schedules will be followed for the 8:30, 9:30, and 11:30 classes.
11:30 classes—11:45-12:20
Navy V-12 10:30 classes, in which final examinations have been scheduled, will meet as planned. All other 10:30 classes will be dismissed.
Convocation—10:30-11:35
Mercury Drops to Zero
The temperature dropped to zero this morning as the result of the cold wave.
$ ^{2} $Dean J. H. Nelson.
Many audiences have been impressed by Professor Schuman's accurate predictions of coming events. As early as 1935, he had forecast a second world war, and in 1935, prophecied a major European crisis would occur on March, 12, 1938. It was on this very day that the Nazis marched into Austria. Predicted Coming World Events
In 1937, he foresaw the partition of Czechoslovakia, and the peace of Munich, and predicted that a universal war would begin between 1938 and 1940.
Portssor Schuman also forecast the German-Italian-Japanese alliance in 1938, and said that France would be defeated within a year after the war had begun.
On April 3, 1940, in the Knoxville News-Sentinel, he predicted the Nazi conquest of Rumania, the renomination and reelection of President Roosevelt, and the rift between Berlin and Moscow in the event of big Nazi victories.
At the same time, he also foresaw the defeat of the Allies on the European continent, and the coming of the American policy of all-out aid to Britain and China.
(continued to page two)
MM's Feast on Big Steaks In Graduation Farewell
Dining on steaks of a size unheard of in present civilian circles, the members of the seventeenth division of Machinist's Mates to be graduated from the Naval Training school spent their last evening together before their graduation and departure for sea duty at a banquet in their honor at the community building last night.
Seated at red, white, and blue decorated tables the 124 men of their division and their wives and friends listened to farewell speaches from the commanding officer, Lt. A. H. Buhl, and other officers of the ship's company, and heard the personal good-bys of trainee commander, Ross W. Poole, and of the division honor man, Jack Haien, who was named last night.
Chief Yeoman George Starkey, master of ceremonies, explained that the banner, "Adios Orphans", which was pinned to a blue background behind the speakers table, signified the double play "from Pederson to Zelko to Ashby" through which the division has gone in way of division commanders. At first, under the command of Lt. O. N. Pederson, the command was shifted to Lieutenant Zelko upon the transfer of Lieutenant Pederson, and then to Lt. Paul Ashby when Lieutenant Zelko was transferred.
Commenting that the banquets for Machinist's Mates were nearing an end because only the eighteenth division is left, Chief Starkey introduced Master Sgt. William Kollerender, his army uniform conspicuous in the mass of blue, as the best friend of the Navy in Lawrence. Chief Starkey then related that, when he was planning the best banquet seven months ago for the eleventh division, plans for the dinner broke down the day of the party. Taking his troubles to Sergeant Kollender, Chief Starkey said that the veteran of many barbecues of the University's ROTC unit relied up his sleeves, led the navy to the community building, and personally prepared the first Machinist's Mater banquet.
Program Has Somber Note
The program, although kept lively by the performance of Chief Starkey as master of ceremonies and his jokes at the expense of Navy veteran Chief Bosun's Mate Charles Ormsby and welfare officer Lt. (Jg) C.V.MeGuigan, contained a somber note in the fact that within a month the majority of these 124 men would be serving on the seas, a note that was accentuated by the announcement during the dinner of the Navy's attack upon Truk.