Wilkes-Barre Sunday Independent

              A Paper For The Home
SUNDAY INDEPENDENT
The Weather
Scattered showers; cooler.
37TH YEAR, NO. 11-^4 PAGES
WILKES-BARRE, PA., SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 1943
PRICE TEN CENTS
ANOTHER FRENCH SQUADRON MAY JOIN FLEETS OF ALLIES
i
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OPA Bans Sales of All Dried Vegetables And Dehydrated Soups
Will Be Added To List of Foods On Ration List Starting March 1
Washington, Feb. 30. <UP)—The Offlcs of Price Administration to¬ night bsnned all sales of dry beana, dry peas, Isntila and dehydrated or dry aoups, effective immediately, and added thoae proucts to the list of foos which will bs rationed when rstioning of canned foeda starts March 1.
Frecxing of the additional pro¬ ducts was ordered three houra be¬ fore a similar frccse became effec¬ tive- at midnight—on all canned goods eoming under the new pro¬ gram. Housewives throughout the country today bought their last un- rationed supplies of commercially canned, bottled and frosen fruits, vegetables, juices, soups and drlad fruits. Needed by Armies
The Offics of War Infromation, announcing addition of the dry beans, peas, lentils and soups to the to-be-rationed list, said the step waa ordered by Secertary of Agri¬ culture Claude R. Wickard "because of the extremely heavy demands for dry beans and dry peas by our armed forces and the Russian army."
The OWt announcement quoted the Agriculture Department as say¬ ing that "because of reduced sup¬ plies of meet and other high pro¬ tein foods available for civilian uaa, civilian demands for dry beans, dry pass, lentils and dehydrated and dry soups bas been partlculsrly hsavy In recent weeks." Vmt, PelM Vfljsw
Wicker, It ssid. hsd rceemmend- ed that a low rationing point valut be placed on the dry products, which "ire sspeeially important sources of protein in the diets of Inw-income families." He urged that no steps be taken which would diacourage their production.
Point values will be published on Monday.
Dr>- edible beans and peas of all varieties are covered by tonight's order. The dehydrsted end dry soups include sll types such aa de¬ hydrated vegetable, dehydrated to¬ mato, dehydrated corn, dehydrated potato, dehydrated onion, dehydrat¬ ed cabbage, dehydrated boisht, dry cheese, dehydrated noodles and meat or chicken combinations, dry or dehydrated beans, dry or de¬ hydrated peas, dry or dehydrated soy benn. meat or poultr.v bouillon eubes, or any dry or dehydrated soup made of a combination of theae products or other ingredients.
AMERICAN CASUALTIES NOW TOTAL 65.380
Wsshington. Feb. 20. (UP)—Css- Ualtles of V. S. armed forcea total (1.1.380 on the basis of latest avail¬ able figures, the Office of War In¬ formation  reported today.
Armv casualties through Feb. 7 totaled 41.948, including .1..^3.'> killed. a.aoa wounded. 2.1,884 missing. 8.132 prisoners of war nnd 90 internees In neutral countries.
Naw casualties through Feb. 19 totaled 23,432, Including .VOeS dead. 2.087 wounded, and 10.197 missing.
The Marine Corps reporied 1,483 dead. 2.344 wounded, and 1,994 miaa¬ ing, and the Coast Guard 51 dead. 19 wounded. 174 missing.
Combined casualties for all branches were listed as 10,150 dead 10,959 wounded, and 44,181 missing.
CONGRESS FEARS W DEPLETION, STUDIESJEMEDIES
To Hold Hearings On Deferment Ideas; Army Defends Growth
Washington, Feb. 20. (UP)-*Con- gressional determination to keep the armed forces from depleting industrial and farm labor resources gained momentum tonight as the House prepared to act soon—possi¬ bly next week—on a bill to estab¬ lish deferment priorities for men with  dependents.
Meanwhile, there were Indica¬ tions that the administration, op¬ posed to legislative limitations on 1943 selective service quotas, might bc seriously considering a proposal to ameliorate farm labor shortages by transferring thousands of sub¬ sistence farmers to more produc¬ tive  areas.
The proposal was presented to a Senate appropriations subcommittee by Col. I,ievvis Saunders of the selective service bureau after Brig. Gen. Frank McSherr>', a former j deputy chief of the War Manpower Commission, had discussed it earlier before the Senate military affairs committee. The Immediate sena¬ torial reaction was distinctly un- favoraMt. WUI Otaa KIMaf Ml
House Demoeratlc Leader John W. McCormack of MaasschusetU said the deferment priorities bill, introduced by Rep. Paul Kllday <D., Texas > would be placed be¬ fore the House late next week or early the following week. The bill nould defer induction of fathers until mllitarylly available single men, single men with dependents and childless married men with collateral dependents had been drafted  in  that   order.
Several congressional committees scheduled further hearings next week on the complicated (iroblem of effective manpower utilization' and it appeared possible that nne 'of them would hold hearings in the inext two weeks on the pending National Service Bill under which ; both men and women could be drafted into wsr work. BanUiMMl Attacks Mae of Army
Meanwhile. Sen. John H. Bank- head <D.. Ala.> returned to the at¬ tack on administration plans to raise the armed forces to 11,000,000 men by the end of 1943. He warn¬ ed in a radio speech that the coun¬ try's productive strength might be¬ come so depleted by loss of indus¬ trial and farm workers to thc arm¬ ed services thst it would have to , agree to a negotiated peace as an I alternative to unconditional surren- {der of the Axin.
Lieut.-Gen. Brehon B. Somervell, chief of the Army services of sup¬ ply, disagreed with congressional i declarations thst an army of 7,.'«>o.- 000 men—this year's goal exclusive I of officers—could not be transport¬ ed oversea^ and supplied. Just re¬ turned from a tour of Africa, the Middle East and India. Somervell a.s.'scrted that the traivspnrt and sup- pl.v job "could be done."
"The aize nf the arm.v haa been set as a result of yenr> of research by experienced officers and ha.' been spproved by the President." he said.
U. S. Takes Over from ll Duce*8 Boyg
jAmericans Repulse Two Nazi Attacks
8th Army Pounding At Mareth Line as Big Squeeze Starts; Alexander in Tunisia
\Reds Sweeping Into Ukraine on ISO-Mile Front
Take 4 Nazi Anthors in Day Menacing Lines of Retreat; Poised for Still New Dashes
One  of   first   pictures   to  arrive   from   former   Italian   colony   of
ICritrea recently Is this showing  former Fsscist Italians building,
now used as U. S. Army headquarters.
Wilhelmshm¥en Sub Base Smashed Again by RAF
President Roosevelt Says Allies 'Have Turned tlte Corner in War'
St. L,ouis, Feb. 20 (UP)—Presi¬ dent Rooeevelt said tonight in a letter to the Poet-Dispatch that "after long month.s of preparation, of 'holding on,' we have now fjrned the corner in the wsr."
Now, the President said, "what we are on the march toward ulti¬ mate victory, there is an important job of education to be done so that the tragedy of war will not come again."
Mr. Roosevelt's letter was pub¬ lished along with the first of a series of articles discussing the aims of the war and the peace to follow. A similar message from Vice-President  Henry   A.   Wallace,
/»  Today'a laaue
Claaaifled Editorial     ... _ .^levies
Radle 	
Social  „ „.,i!!!IZ
Sports __	
B—It ..C—I .A—M ..A—1«
A—14
A—18
.In which he pointed out the advan- 'tages of air power in enforcing the I peace, was also published. .  The text of the President's letter:
"I want to t^ke this opportunity to commned the St. Lrfiuis Po.«t- Dispatch for its interest In publish¬ ing a series of articles which di»- cu».s the aims and objectives for which the United States anH thc United Nations are fighting. There cannot be too much discussion of this kind, and there could not bc a better time for it.
••This is particularly true because, after the long months of prepara¬ tion, of "holding on," we have now turned the corner in thc war. Our primary job in those early days was survival: wc had to beat thc aggressors back. Now that wc are on the march towsr J ultimate vic¬ tory, there is sn mportant job of education to be done so that the tragedy of war will not come again. We are fighting for freedom not only for our.«r1vr.« but fnr pII people everywhere
• \>rv finierelv vnurs ¦FRANKLIN D. RObspVF,LT."
Pilots Tell of Terrific Blast as Munition Depot Goes
By  ROBEKT  .Mt'SEL
London, Feb. 20. iUP>—The Royal Air Force rocked Wilhelms- ! haven with a 30-minute bombing ^ for the second succesaive night on Friday and punched at targets in France and Western Germany in an intensified aerial offensive' that cost 14 aircraft, considered | well spent on  the basis of results.'
The German radio stations went! off thc air at noon toda.v, accord¬ ing to the British Broadcasting! Corporation, indicating the possi-. bility that a daylight air raid was' In   prottress.
The war's 74th attack against Germany'.' naval and submarine baae st Wilhelmshaven was car¬ ried out by four-engined bombers which dropped their four-ton block busters into a "carpet of fire" sprrnil over the docks and nther installations b.v advance firebombs.
The air ministry announced that aerial photographa had revealed that 150 acres of thc vital Wil¬ helmshaven docks, submarine in¬ stallations and naval supplies had hecii destroyed in previous raida. >ialn >lunltlen Depot Hit
The air ministr.v said the photo¬ graphs established that the main ammunition depot at Wilhelms- hivrn had heen hit in the RAF raid Feb. 11. Thc terrific explo¬ sion which experienced boml>er crewmen described as exceeding anything they ever had heard, the air ministry said, was caused by a bull.srye hit on this ammunition dump, known to have contained torpedoes, mining materials, depth charges and complete naval am¬ munition for the Wilhelmshaven area.
This explosion, set off in a night raid. ir.'jst have shaken the founda¬ tions In wide areas of the town, thc air ministry said, and broken glass in most of the city's build¬ ings. Crewmen describing the blast said it was followed by flames lighting the sky for miles and silhouetting succeeding bombers against   the   tops of the  clouds.
Thc photographs revealed that of the ."lO long explosives sheds once arranged in parallel lines as part of the aiumuiiition depot at lest 40 have disappeared. The sites of these missing sheds are covered with great iraters, much larger than would have been caused by the detonation of the heaviest boiiib.s. indicating t'lnt the sheds own explosives wer.' up. l'ru<ih Distant Oil Tanks
Oil storage tanka 700 yards from the depot were crushed by tbe force of fhe expIosi»".i and others on thf 'oulh side of the harbor collapsed,
(The German high command said British   nuissnce  raiders   struck   tt Wpslcrn    nnd    Northwestern    Ger¬ many, including Wilhemshaven, last iContinued on  Paye B-12>
JAPS TRYING
BEFOREjIDCOMES
Seem to Fear President's Promise; Ignoring Losses
Chungking, Feb. 20. (UPi—The Chinese high commend announced today that Japanese ground forces. aupported by bombers in at least one lnat,aace, continued to push their ofTensives en four widely sepsrated fronts north, south and etst of Chungking and were mak¬ ing headway  despite hea\'y losses.
The communique reported san¬ guinary fighting on all four fronts in the 10th day of a new offensive which the Japanese military has described as a flnal effort to knock China out of the war. Seek Knockout Blow
Military observers believed the Japanese offensive was shapin.j up as sn effort for a knockout blow against China before the aid prom¬ ised by Preaident Roosevelt on the occaaion of Mme. Chiank Kai- Shek's visit to Washington can • Continued on  Page  B-12>
GANDHI'S CONDITION IS CALLED GRAVE
By WILLIA1I B. IHt KIN MIX
London, Feb. 20.  <UP)-American
forces dug   firmly   into a   new  line
lin  Central  Tunisia  tonight  despite
itwo stiff German   thrusts   to drive
I them out, while the Britisli Eighth
Army,   squeezing   the   enemy   from
the   south,   swung   into   position   to
flank  the   formidable  Mareth  Line
at   cither   end.
Gen. Sir Hiirold R. L. G Alexan¬ der, who planed the Eighth Arniy'.s brilliant campaign in which Ihe Afrika Korps was chased acrns.s Africa, arrived in Tunisia to as¬ sume his new duties as (Icn. Dwight D. Eisenhower's deputy in ; charge of land operations of Allied I forces.
I Allied headquarters announced that the Americans had abandoned 'their positions in the Oii.sscltia Valley in a line-straightening op¬ eration and had taken a new posi- jtion commanding that Central Tunisian area. Big Ouns Hit Mareth Line
While the Americans took up their new positions, 200 miles to the southeast, the British were softening up thc outer defenses of the Mareth Line with their big . guna snd consolidated positions st ;both ends ot the French-built forti¬ fications.
They wers reported to have cap¬ tured PjfeVUk'^'XIIknd, oh the line a northern flank and only flve min¬ utes' flying time from the Axis- held port of Gabes. On the south¬ ern flank, they were in flrm pos¬ session of Foum Tatahouine, cap¬ tured two days ago.
The Middle E^astern command said Eighth Army forces were "In conUct" with the Axis around Medinine. •'Verdun of the Mareth Line," guarding Its outer defenses midwsy slong the fortiflcations. A communique said British artillery was duelling with the Germans In that area. North of Foum Tata¬ houine. British patrols also had contacted the Afrika Korps, it announced. Tmo Attack* Stopped
Two German attacks, evidently designed to test the strength of the Americans after their retreat of last week, were repelled with tile aid of strong British  forces.
African dispatches said the Am¬ ericans had completely restored their position northwest of Kns- serine. lesa than 20 miles from the Algerian border, Thursday night after the Germans, with tanks and artillery, had achieved some In¬ filtrations. British Guards units dealt with strong German patrols in the Sbiba area, nearly SO miles north  of  Kasserlne.
Allied headquarters reports said the American abandonment of the Ousseltia Vslley was inevitable after the loss of the semi-desert plain to the south earlier this week. The Americans now rom- mand the valley while the British hold  the gap south of it.
The Guardsmen intercepted a strong German patrol, equipped with motorized infantry and tanks, and knocked out six tanks and six self-propelled guns. Vanks HoM Vital  Pass
The pass northwest of Kaaserine. held  by the American,  represented 'Continued  on   Page  B-12>
Battleship, 4 Cruisers, 2 Subs
At Alexandria; Captain of French Ship in New York Hints New Shift
By .SIDNEY J. W1LLI.\MS
London. .Sunday. Feb. 21 (IP)—The Red .irmy. sweeping "* '^^**^ '^" PA^R^S westward throuffh the I kraine on a l.tO-mile front, drove London. Feb. 20 (UP) — within ;]» miles of the Dnieper River yesterday, capturinx Official London quarters main- the key railway touns of Kra.«nograd, Pavlograd, (iotnya tained .strict silence tonigrht and Percschepino. concei-ning por.si.stent reporti
Thus in a single triumphant dav the fast movinx .Soviet *"'"'" authoritative French foices toppled four vital anchor posts of the crumbled -joi''^^/ <" ^^^ yrk that th« (iei man defences on a broad arc surging out beyond Kharkov, ^^^p "' '•'<' I* •¦<'"<^" "«val squa- and appaiently broke the la.st chance the retreating .Nazis "',"" "' "'"« warships and had to maintaining a foothold eaut of the Dnieper. "I'']"'"  "*m«lle«-  craft,  neutral-
Two   .Soviet   coiu.nunidue.s   broadcast   from   .Moscow   hm- '':;*l/„-^'*';?"*^"":Jl^^^^ ......_... »u    1 ., 1 IJ il     i- I  ¦        <• .1     cifled over the weekencl.
nounce the laiKl.sIide .successes on the frozen plains of the
Ukraine and ptised new threats to a new series of Ccin^an
ba.ses far to tlie nortliwest, west and southwest of Khaikov.
The capture of PavloKiad, lOU miles .south-soutliwest of
Kiiarkov and 30 miles west of Lozovaya, wiped out (ierman
resistance at a major railway junction and menaced Sinkei
The New York .sources have predicted that the FVcnch .s(|uadi'on at .Mtxandria will come over to the Allies, join¬ ing the sizable fleet of fight-
„•, .1    r II   r    1 • 1 ij     . r .<    . ing ships already flying tbe
niKovo, tlie fall ot which would cut one of tlie two remaining French   b
outlets for the Nazis in the Donets' Basin.
a n n e r   nf   (len    Henri Some   reports  have  hinted
Giraud    .-,. 	
fllcted on the Nazis, thc Soviet high   (hat the ships at Alexandria, com-
Kra.snograd.   another  junction   52 '¦""""""'• *»'''• manded  by Admiral Rene Go.lfroy,
miles southwest of Kharkov, repre- **"' H'**l'*»d l^ft already   may   have   left   port   en-
.sented   a   Soviet    conquest   which     ''''"' ""'>' remaining railway chan-  route to .Mlied navsl bases for re- menaced   Poltava.   80   miles   so'ith- "p' '""oin the Donets Basin In Oer-  pair  and   refitting, west   of   the   Ukrainian   industrial n'"" hands is a roundabout, aecond- ^n ^(0,1,, fenanred canital Ty   route   looping   southwMtward     ,^, ^    . »
^.it f-. v..„ n- I. "»>" Stalino, with on. branch cut-, ^ N'w.paper     correspondanU     at
Beady for New Da^ ^        ^^^^ northweat ta ¦m.lnlkavo, !*>?»«»«»'»• •»»*'• »»•» I*'?"*"?* *»
By seizing Peraacheplno, SB mU" m "mile, below Pavlom-ad, and an-, »^ "WMff•»"P to ¦dvlae thetr homa south of Krasnograd on the railway ^^^jj.   running   to   the   Kharkov- "'"^ea that they have not been per-
to   Dnlepropetrovsk,   the   Russians Crimean line above MelltopoL .muiea to transmit aispatrnes eon-
won   a   springboard   for   a   40-mlle     _. _ . ,...,» "'^ "Sgwrtmr the French ships there for
shoot down the line to the big bend ,, This route may be broken at any "
of the Dnieper and Its rich Indui- "m«    •»>    '^e    Soviet    merhanlted ">">"> trial region. column which was onl.v 29 miles to
the east, several days ago.
The   transfer   of Oodfroy's  squa¬ dron, including Ihe 22.189-ton battle-
Aside frnm their tactical Import-
ship, Lorraine, three heavy and ona
At the north end of the l,V)-mile
front,   the   midnight   communique     «"¦>!•• 'r.,ni i...-ir lacuci.. ,mp..ri- ^   ^^^  cruiser,   two  destroyers,   two
following a special bulletin revealed, *nce,   Pavlograd   and    Kraanograd ,ubmarines and auxlllar>- craft,  ta
the   Russians   seized   Gotnya,   rail-  represented   Impre.ssive  Soviet  vie- ^^^   ^,„^^   ^.^^   ,.^,j   intimated   In
way junction .17 miles northwest of '""¦'"¦ ,,"^,«"i„^*!'"  •»"»¦">»' xew  York  bv   Vice  Admiral  Ray-
heading    Giraud'a 'i naval mission to the United States.
Belgorod, putting them well on the  Popul«"«>n  »'  11,000.  ia  a  town  of .    1.,^^^
wav  to   breaking   the   next   major fI"'"'    ">'"»•     manufacturing    and
German  defense  line at  Vorozhba,  medical     and     chemical     schools. .     u. u
BO   miles   southwest   of  Kursk   and   Krasnograd,   town   of   13,00  also  l» ^ *'   »  press  conference   at   wh ch 120 miles northwest of Kharkov.     . a  milling center  but   is dominated ^'   ¦""""""f,  '^f   """'"'   "'   '"?
by the railroad industry. 33,000-ton battleship. Richelieu, ona
The Russian line from Peresche-
crulser and two destroyers in U. S.
Pino to Pavlograd forms an arc, one      To the north   three R"-'-'*" ^o'- j^j,^^^,^ ^^^^ ,^^„, j.,^^,^   Ftt^tiTi
end of which is only 39 miles from  iimns    reportedly    driving    swiftly
Included Godfrey's .squadron in hia
the Dnieper and the other only 40 against   Orel    puj-hing   up   14   miles  ,„„,„,„,. „, .^ ,„,j „ ,hii„ seo* miles away.   Now they can strike at  from     the     south     and    sweeping
the  river from  either direction,  or  through  several  towns   east   of the both simultaneously. ¦        (Continued on  Page B-12)
.\ew Doneta Basin Threat !
Above Rostov in thc Donets PillM AlUn PAIQI Basin the Red Army was straight- "Uim MHU FHIOI ening its lines for a further advance  /^P^  RAIDED  AGAIN
into   the   Donets   Basin   wilh   the 	
capture    of   Kuibyshevo,    i^   miles
northwest of the Caucasus gateway
Gen. MacArthur's  Headquarter's,
to   be   fighting   with   the   Allies   or
awaiting berths in Allied ports for
repairs.
Fredlet  Quirk   llerlslon
Fenard did not say when th« shipa at Alexandria would leavaj that port, but he left no doubt that Godfroy would transfer his fleet.
Following the  Fenard  statement
a   series   of   unidentined '^""'"L'"','""'• -'' '^^^"k'*"    IV^' «'«nie  a  dispatch   from   New York Allied planes caused  heavy dam- ^^^^^  Pertinax.  well-known  French
age  to  Buin  and  Falsi   In  a   night journalist,   quoting   predictions   off
city,   and towns.
The    midnight    communique    re- r„id Saturday, a communique from '"X."^"   informants   that   the   fata
t-a-nr .'„'''the"'ra "a^re "roX" -rnU^'ro^h."''   ""'"""" ^?^!-^^il^CB
I    J-     .- 1    ^ . wnnoiinfpa loniKni. ¦•ttl«>H   in   thr  next  48  hours,  or  Oy
indicating that great armored hat-      Ruin harbor wss  leserted of ship- "^""^ '" '"    " '        ^
lies   were   raging   as   the   Russians
ping,  apparently   because of previ-
tomorrow morning.
stamped out bitter resistance along ius'attaTk's.YhVcommunique said. ' Efforts to obtain clarification of the Sea of Azov coast and in the ^t Buin '3 tons of bombs were these predictions from the Brltisa adjacent Donet.s Basin area. dropped   and   smoke   columns   rose admiralty and other naval  "OurcM
Also captured  were 31   guns.  600 6,(lob  feet,  it  was  said. ">•'   ^"1"    m.„1J'"^,.'..   rfi-nS
trucks, 48 locomotive.,. 3.948 railway Torpedo . arryng planes attacked hush-hush attitude was displayed cars, some loaded with ammunition Japanese ships off Gasmata before "y other l»ndon nransis and other vaat stocks of equipment dawn Saturday, releasing torpedoes Godfrey's ships have been Inl¬ and supplies. Fifteen CJerman at one destro.ver and one cargo mobilized at Alexandria since July, plane.s In good c.mdition and 108 ship, but the results were not ob- 1940. under an agreement with damaged planes were lisfd among served, thc communique reported. "Continued  on  Page  B-18)
the Red army spoils, -^^^^^^^—^•^~~
Soviet as,'.ault force; al.so overran several towns and villages south- we.st of Voroshilovgrad, where the Germans were throwing large num¬ bers of tsnks and troops into ac¬ tion. All counter-attacks were thrown   hack   and   heav   losses   in-
UaSa Viarships Steam in To Bombard Japs on Attu
By DARRF.I.L BERRIUAV
Poona. Feb. 20 (UPl .Mohandas K. Gandhi's condition has taken a turn for the worse st the halfway mark of his 21-day f^st in protest against his internment, and now is grave, an official bulletin ssid to¬ night.
The 73-year-oUI spiritual leader of million.s of Indian nationalists was reported to be failing rapidl.v. accentuating fear that he could not survive   the  self-impojied   ordeal.
At the same time concern mount¬ ed over the possible repercussions if he should die. His own privy coun¬ cilor warned that in such event the task of reconciliation between Britain and India would be "ex¬ tremely difficult,"
Sir Te.i Bahadur Sapru sounded the warning at a non-party confer¬ ence In New Delhi which adopted a resolution calling for the imme¬ diate and uncondiUonal release of Gandhi "in the interests of the fu¬ ture of India and international good will."
There were reports that the go\-- ernment of India might soon reply to the resolution. So far il has given no sign of yielding to in¬ creasing pressure lo end Gandhis six months interment in the palace of the Aga Khan.
1%'ar   KunimarT
An announcement thst the French Fleet of nine warships and auxiliary craft, stationed at Alex¬ andria, had heen delivered into Allied hands waa expected mo¬ mentarily.
The Ru.«sian Army sla.shcd deep into thc Ukraine Saturday, cap¬ turing two impoitant (k-rmitn strongholds which had barred thc Soviet approach to the Dnieper River. Thc Red drive threatened to cut off the exit of Axis troops from   the   Donets   Basin.
The Red Army took Kra.<nograd and Pavlograd, main railway cen¬ ters which had been of strategic value to the Germans in move¬ ment of troops and supplies in the region southwest of Kharkov, Pavlograd is only .19 miles from the Dnieper, From either point, the Russians could drive toward Dnlepropetrovsk on the river bend Capture of these cities represented a quick Russian advance of from ,30 to .V> miles. From Pavlograd the Reds could push southward against the only railway affording escape   of   the   Germana   aouth   of
the   r)onets   to   the   shores   of   the Sea   of  Azov.
American troops that siiffer(?d reverses in Central Tunisia earlier in the week stiffened their re¬ sistance and fought off two Ger¬ man attacks while tile British Kighth Army at the southern end of the line got into pcsition to flank the Mareth Line at both end.s.
A new crisis appeared po.ssible for the British in India, where Mohandas K. Gandhi was in dan¬ ger of death from  his  protest fast.
The .lapanese apparcntl.v were engaged in a new and determined effort to knock China out of the war, Japanese ground and air forces were battling toward Chung¬ king from the west, south and east, in the tenth day of the of- fensi\'e.
Bombardment of German naval bases from the air continueil The latest attack wss upon Wilhelms¬ haven. which felt the sting nf Royal Air Forre explosives for the aecond  succesaive  night.
Washington,     Feb.     20.     (UP)—I American warships Thursday heav-' ily   bombarded  Japanese-held   Attu in   what  appears  to  have  been   an, attempt  to wreck enemy plans for converting that westernmost island of the Aleutians into an Important supply and concentration base.
Standing off Attu's rocky shore, a naval ta.sk force hurled a tor¬ rent of ^hells against Japanese shipping, supply dumps and sea¬ plane anchorages at two points on the island Holtx Bay and Chii ha- gof Harbor. It was the first time American surface craft had at¬ tacked Japanese pos.tions In the Aleutians since Aug, 8.
A Nav.v communique said results w ere   not   observed.      It   appeared, certain,  however,  that  the  shelling, was   effective.     Aerial   reconnaiss-' ance pver the island had acquainted American forces with its vital areas. Japa Strike Baek
Apparently in realiation for the bombardment. Japanese planes at¬ tempted to attaclt American posi¬ tions in thc Western Aleutian^, also on Thursday. The aiders inflicted neither damage nor casualties, the Navy reported, and two of their float-type planes were shot down
The Navy did not disclose the composition of the force which (helled Attu. but it waa believed to
have been made up moatly of (to- stroyers.
In the Aug. I bombardment, heavy damage was wreaked on Kiska Island, 170 miles eaat of Attik The new attack apparently waa mo¬ tivated by indications that tha Jap¬ anese recently have been trying ta make Attu sn important concentra¬ tion base in the belief that it might be safe from the aerial pounding ta which Kiska haa been subjected la recent months.
The Japanese have paid heavily for their only footholds In tha Weatern Hemisphere. Their laaaaa to date include 14 shipa aunk, at least four probably sunk and tt damaged. In all. «2 enemy plaaaa have been destroyed in the Aleu¬ tians Attark* In Holomnns
The Navy also announred tttn more air attacks on the enemy'a bases on the Central Solomona. Raiding V. S, aircraft struck Fri¬ day (island timet at Vila, on tka southern end of Kolombangara Island, and at Munda. in the New Georgia group. All American planea returned to base
It was the fiSth raid on Munda. 180 miles northwest of Guadalcanal, since Ameriean airmen began ham¬ mering at the base there Lata laal November.