Oldest Newspaper In Alaska. “The News of The Day In Pictures” Member Of The Associated Press
THE NOME NUGGET
VOL. 43. No. 63. NOME, ALASKA, Wednesday, July 30, 1941. Per Copy m
Japs Bomb U. S. Gunboat In China
*
40,000 Japanese Troops Occupy Indo-China Bases
Optimistic Red Army Reports Invasion Broken
Red Army Declares Hitler’s Drives
Toward Moscow and Kiev Broken
In Most Optimisic Communiques
UNDATED July 29 (/P) — A
Red Army bulletin declared that
Hitler’s drives toward Moscow;
and Kiev, “are breaking against;
the firmnes and stubbornness of
our troops.” In some places the j
Russian troops opened counter
attacks, inflicting heavy losses on 1
the invaders.
Kilter's command asserted that
the Red armies in the south were
thrown back from Bessarabia,
“the buffer state,” into the Uk-;
raine and gave this picture of thei
action at the vital central front;
“The enemy’s powerful groups,
which were over-run in the
course of our break through the
Stalin Line, in the direction of
Smolensk, are now virtually wip
ed.” A Nazi communique report
ed that encircled Russian troops
“eastward of Smolensk” were
facing annihilation and a great
number of prisoners will be re-|
ported in a few days as a result
of "this tremendous battle of des
truction.”
On the Leningrad front, the|
Germans said Soviet forces west)
of Lake Peipus, which trapped;
units assigned to mop up in Es
tonia, “are also facing destruc
tion.”
German, allied and Russian
troops are reported to have reach
ed the region of the Dester river
which separates Bessarabia from
the Soviet Umkraine and “Bess
arabia is thus completely liber
ated.”
Throughout the night, a Soviet
communique said, violent fight
ing raged in three main sectors:
on the Nevel and Smolensk
fronts, guarding Moscow, and at
the Zhitomir front, in the south,
protecting Kiev, and was one of
the most optimistically worded
Soviet communiques of the war,;
contrasting sharply with yester
day’s report by the German com
mand that Nazi troops were on
the threshold of victory in the
Smolensk sector.
LaCuardia & FDR
Discuss West
Coast Defenses
WASHINGTON, July 30 </P) —
Strengthening of the West Coast
defenses by the United States
and Canada were discussed with
the President by Mayor La
Guardia, chairman of the joint
U. S.Canadian defense board. La
Guardia wouldn't go into detail
on the particular projects involv
ed, but said only, emphasis is
placed on West Coast defenses.
The Mayor aslo disclosed that
the President wanted a real
survey as soon as possible to de
termine the route of the propos
ed highway to Alaska, to facili-i
tate the emergency movement of
personnel and equipment. La
Guardia said the big question is
selecting a route, adding that
commissions have studied the pro
ject for years without any action
being taken.
Germans claimed the Russian battlefront had been broken, but the
Red Army reported Soviet lines holding except in a few pieces.
Russians said German panzer thrusts in the Vi^na area (1) had been
nipped off and that Russian counter-attacks in the Brody and Lwow
sectors (2) had led to the recapture of PremyszJ. Russians claimed
a firm hold on the east bank of the Prut river (3).
U S. Gunboat Tutuila. on Yangtze,
Damaged By Bombs During Jap
Air Raid on Capital, Chungking
T
SHANGHAI, July 30 iJPt —The
United States gunboat Tutuila,
370 tons, which has had many
close calls from Japanese bombs,
suffered damage to her sma’l
boats and other deck gear today
as Japanese raiders soared over
the Chinese capiatl of Chung1
kir.g and dropped a bomb ten
yards away. A dispatch from
Chungking said one of the resi
dences of the U. S. embassy on
the south bank of the river, op
posite the capital, was also dam
aged but the extent of the dam
age was not given, nor was it
clear which residence was involv
ed.
No One Injured
No one aboard the Tutuila was
injured. The Navy spokesman at
Washington said the vessel’s
stern and superstructure were al
so damaged slightly.
No Justification
For Jap Bombing
WASHINGTON, July 30 UP) —
The United States lodged immed
iate representations with the Jap
anese government for the bomb
ing of the gunboat Tutuila at
Chungking. Under Secretary of
State Sumner Welles made the
announcement after a brief con
ference with Japanese ambassa
dor Admiral Nomura, but declin
ed to indicate the nature of the
representations. Welles said the
gunboat was across the Yangtze
River from Chungking proper,
thus indicating that the United
States will contend that there
was no justification for the mis
take by the Japanese bombers.
Fire Unknown
Kodiak Power
KODIAK. July 29, (William
Lamme) —An early morning fire
of unknown origin completely
destroyed the community power
plant, plunging the town into to
tal darkness and jeopardizing the
lives of 17 persons in the hospital
and tons of meat and produce in
three local refrigerating plants.
The loss, estimated at $18,000, is
fully covered by insurance. Iron
ically, the Rural Electrification
Administration alloted, last Sun
day, $125,000 for the construction
of a new municipal power plant.
The city is hoping for emergency
government relief.
Asks for Authority
Establish Ceilings
For Prices & Rents
—
WASHINGTON, July 30 ■<£*)—
President Roosevelt, asserting
that inflationary price increases
are threatening “to undermine
our defense efforts,” asked Con
gress to authorize him to estab
lish ceilings for prices and rents.
He said, “We face inflation unless
we are to act decisively and with
out delay.”
The President also requested,
in a special message, authority
to purchase materials and com
modities when necessary to as
sure price stability,” and to deal
more extensively in excesses in
the field of installment credit.”
While refraining from seeking
authority to limit wages, he said
he expected the voluntary coop
eration of labor to prevent labor
costs from rising abnormally.
Write to your friends and rela
tives on the ‘Outside,’ using Sour
dough Stationery. They’ll get a
big kick out of it.
Captain of U. S.
Destroyer Drops
Bombs Near Sub
WASHINGTON. July 29 (JP) —
The Senate Naval Committe re
ported a release today which
quoted Secretary Knox as testi
fying that the captain of a United
States destroyer dropped three
depth bombs off the coast of
Greenland, when he believed his
ship was in possible danger of
of an attack 'by a submarine.
The testimony contained the re
port of the committee which re
commended that no further in
vestigation be made of the news
paper reports of shooting by Am
erican naval units in the Atlan
tic, convoying British merchant
men.
Secretary Knox was quoted as
saying that “one United States
destroyer, operating off Green
land, heard an SOS from a steam
er and proceeded to the location
and picked up 60 survivors of
the steamer. While engaged in
this act of mercy, the operator of
the listening equipment reported
to the captain that he thought he
heard a submerged sub. The cap
tain immediately turned in the
direction indicated and dropped
three depth charges. In doing this
he very prudently exercised the
rigiht of self preservation, for
had there been a sub there, his
destroyer might have been sunk.”
No Assurances
For Continuing
Japan Trade
WASHINGTON, July 29 (JP) —
Secretary Welles said that the
United States had given no assur
ances to Japan that licenses
wotild be issued to permit con
tinuing of trade. He made the
statement in explanation of the
clearance that will be given to
Japanese ships, leaving American
ports under the present condi
tions.
Japan Offers Portion Indo-China
To Thailand For Allegiance As
40,000 Jap Troops Occupy Bases
UNDATED. July 29 (JP) —Jap
an’s swing to the south, assumed
an even broader aspect, risking
newr Anglo-American resentment.
A Reuter’s report from Bang
kok said Japan offered Cambodia
of Indo-China to Thailand in re
turn for her allegiance to Jap
an’s new order in Asia. Such a
division of Indo-China would vio
late the French and Japanese pro
toccl signed by Vichy which
pledges Japan to “respect the
territorial integrity of Indo
China and the sovereign rights
of France over all parts of the
Indo-Chinese union.”
British authorities in Shanghai
said they would protest if Thai
land is forced to grant special
privileges to any third power,
obviously in reference to Japan.
Tokya broadcasts scoffed that the
British forces in northern Malaya
are an active threat to Thais.
Informed Shanghai quarters
were unable to confirm reports
that Japan has served demands
on Thailand but observers recall
ed that Tokyo made similar charg
es outside of threats, just before
making demands for the bases in
southern Indo-China.
In Washington the State De
partment silently followed the
course of events and White
House supporters in the Senate
urged the administration to hold
unswervingly to its far east pol
icy. Senator Pepper declared:
‘'Now is the time to let Tokyo
know whether we mean business.
Tokyo, unhappily, knows no Lan
guage except force.”
Japan’s occupation of southern
Indo-China went into high gear
as warships and troop transports
brought garrison troops and mill
tary supplies to Camrahn Bay. At
Hanoi it was announced officially
that 40,000 Japanese troops were
stationed in southern Indo-China
and that troops have already
moved into bases at Nhantrang,
200 miles northeast of Saigon,
and into Tourane 300 miles up
the coast frorh Saigon.
Hopkins, Coordin
ator of Lend-Lease
Arrives in Russia
MOSCOW, July 30 (IF) — Sec
retary Harry Hopkins, coordinat
or of the U. S. Lend-lease pro
gram arrived here by plane on a
surprise visit, presumably to dis
cuss with Russian officails, the
needs of the Red Army to fight
■Germany; also two United States
army officers, Brig. Gen. Joseph
McNarney and Lieutenant John
Alison of the Aair Corps. Presum
ably their discussions were de
signed to proceed concurrently
with those going on in Washing
ton between U. S. officials and
Lieut. Gen. Filip Golikov, en
gineer, and General Pepin of the
Soviet army, there on a special
mission.
460 Trained U. S.
Construction Men
At No. Ireland
LONDON, July 30 i(/P) — A
corps of 460 trained U. S. con
struction men arrived at a nor
thern Ireland port and were
greeted aboard ship by Captain
Margesson, British War Secre
tary. The port was not identified
and E. MacPherson of New York,
second in command of the group
told Margesson that he under
stood that their work was to be
in connection with certain harbor
facilities. The War Secretary an
swered: “We are mightly glad to
see you here.” The Americans
will form a self-contained colony
with their own police and med
ical services.
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Freddie Cochrane
Takes Welter Title
From Fritzie Zivic
_ ■ K
NEWARK. N. J.. July 29 (&)—
Freddie Cochrane, rugged red
head, took the world’s welter
weight championship away from
Fritzie Zivic, in a rough and
tumble 15 round bout, by a de
cision. Zivic weighed 145 pounds
and Cochran 142%.
Cochrane’s left hand worked
overtime as he took all that Zivic
had and came back for more,
pounding hooks off the cham
pion’s face before, a crowd of
10.090. The bout was very close,
the AP scoring 7 rounds to each
man and one round even.
Navy Asks
Money For
Kodiak Base
WASHINGTON, July 28— The
Navy Department asked Congres
sional authority today for $245,
000.000 worth of shore base con
struction, including urgently
needed facilities for underground
storage of oil in Hawaii.
The Chief of the Navy’s Bu
reau o Yards and Docks, Admir
al Ben Moreel, declared it was
of the utmost importance to com
plete bombproof facilities for oil
storage under a mountain in Ha
waii. Facilities are needed to
store four and one-half million
barrels of fuel oil. The Admiral
estimated the cost of this work
at $16,000,000.
He also told the Senate Naval
Committee of plans for new sub
marine bases at Kodiak, Alaska,
and at the tiny Pacific islands of
Midway and Wake.