The sun. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1937-1972, May 28, 1943, Image 2
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THE SUN, NEWBERRY, S. C- MAY 28, 1943
Washington, D. C.
SUBMARINE ANTIDOTE
A history making event took place
recently in the long war against the
submarine. Official tests were made
of the helicopter, which, despite op
position of the navy, has been urged
by officials of the army and War
Shipping administration for anti
submarine patrol.
Within a few hours after the pub
lication of a Merry-Go-Round story
on this subject, a group of officials
from Washington, including highly
interested and highly placed officials
of the British admiralty, British ship
ping mission, and the RAF, stood in
amazement, on the deck of a tanker
offshore while a little airplane with
a crazy rotary wing on top landed
and took off frorp a deck space not
more than twice the size of the plane
itself.
It was a Sikorsky helicopter, pilot
ed by a boyish colonel who remind
ed everybody of Charles Lindbergh
in his younger days—H. F. Gregory,
from Wright Field, Dayton, Ohio,
who knows more about helicopters
than anybody else in the air force.
Gregory made 24 landings on the
tanker during the two days of trials.
He operated under all conceivable
conditions—when the tanker was rid
ing at anchor, when she was run
ning at 15% knots, when she was
headed into the wind, and when she
was running with the wind.
The War Shipping administration,
which supplied the tanker, had of
fered to remove the mast, to provide
a safer landing space. But inven
tor Sikorsky scorned that as “too
easy.” Accordingly, his plane was
set down by Colonel Gregory in the
space between the mast and the
deck house, with only a 14-foot clear
ance on either side.
Far-Seeing ‘Eyes.’
To the British and American ship
ping experts whose ships are going
to the bottom every day, the sig
nificance of this feat was inescap
able. They firmly believe the heli
copter can be used to supplement
the escort vessels for the greater
protection of merchant ships in con
voy.
It is too light to carry much strik
ing power of its own, except a few
rockets, but it can fly out ahead of
the convoy, hover over the sea, spot
the wolf pack, and report by radio
to the escort vessels. This saves
movement of the escort vessels,
which in present practice have to
maneuver constantly around the
merchant ships, with heavy con
sumption of fuel oil.
Moreover, the helicopter, without
firing a shot, brings alarm to the
prowling submarine and causes the
U-boat to dive.
Earlier acceptance of the helicop
ter was prevented by the navy’s bu
reau of aeronautics, which contends
that the machine is defenseless
against the guns of a submarine.
The defenders reply that the plane
can dart about so crazily that it is
too evasive to be easily hit. More
over, helicopters can be built for
$15,000 each, and the loss of a few
would not be serious, compared with
the loss of escort vessels.
In any case, the matter has gone
beyond the stage of argument.
The War Shipping administration is
determined to have helicopters, and
if the navy won’t come along, WSA
will make a deal with the coast
guard to train pilots, and another
deal with the war department to
place the planes on its ships.
• • •
ARMT AND COAL MINES
John L. Lewis would have got the
surprise of his life if he could have
had a dictaphone recording of the
conversation of Secretary of War
Stimson and Gen. B. B. Somervell
regarding the use of troops in taking
over the coal mines.
Lewis had expressed public ap
prehension that the army had a plan
to seize the coal mines in case of
a strike. Undoubtedly subordinate
army officers did have such a plan
in mind.
But when Secretary Stimson sat
down with Secretary Ickes, plus
General Somervell and other army
officers, the army expressed vigor
ous opinions to the contrary. Gen
eral Somervell, accused by some of
wanting the army to take over all
civilian activities, made this re
mark:
“The last thing we want is an is
sue of the army against the people.”
Secretary Stimson also expressed
relief that Secretary Ickes, known
as a staunch defender of civil lib
erty, had been selected by the Presi
dent to handle the coal crisis. He
offered Ickes every co-operation but
expressed the hope that he would not
have to use troops.
* • •
CAPITOL CHAFF
C. Freshman Representative Charles
La Follette is the only Republican
congressman who supported the
President’s foreign policies in the
last campaign. La Follette also has
a libera] labor record.
C. Radio Operator R. W. Dunn, who
first received the coded message of
an armistice November 11, 1918, is
eager to serve again. He has en
rolled as a junior radio operator
in Pan American Airways Seattle
school, preparing for Alaska serv
ice.
As Axis Troops Surrendered to Allies
Covered by a Sherman tank, German prisoners prepare to move on
after surrendering themselves to Allied forces in North Africa. A short
time later all organized enemy resistance had ceased in all sectors, and
an estimated total of 150,000 German and Italian troops had been taken
prisoner, together with their commander. Col. Gen. Juergen Von Arnim.
Vast quantities of guns and war material of all kinds were captured.
Wash Day on Amchitka Island
The only washing machine on Amchitka island—our newly acquired
Aleutian island base—gets a rush of work, and not only on Monday.
Gathered around, washing, helping and kibitzing are, left to right, Paul
Duale, Warrensville, Ohio; Albert Kordyak, Chicago, 111.; John Wilson,
Baltimore, Md.; Emerson Eagleton, Cleveland, Ohio; and Anthony ISal-
vatorieldo, Newark, N. J.
F. D. R., Churchill, Plan Final Victory
With the trumpets of the great Allied victory in Tunisia still rever
berating around the world, Winston Churchill, Great Britain’s prime min
ister, and President Franklin D. Roosevelt, met once more in Washington
to further plan the “unconditional surrender” mapped out for the enemy.
This was the first meeting of the two leaders since the historic conference
at Casablanca. Shown at left is the President, and, at right, Winston
Churchill, with his inevitable black cigar.
Quints Hold Center of Stage in Launching
Eighty thousand spectators packed the huge Butler shipyards at Su
perior, Wis., to witness the floating of five brand-new Allied vessels—and
also the Dionne Quints’ first appearance on American soil. The Quints, who
acted as sponsors, are shown before a U. S. immigration officer.
Best of Care
Primary concern of medical corps-
men aboard every navy ship is the
life and health of shipmates. From
the instant a man falls until he is
borne ashore he gets the best of care
that science can provide. This ma
rine, wounded in a raid, is being
carefully removed from a subma.
rine hatch.
Vitamins for Victory
Bobby Zavattaro, five - year - old
husky who was crowned “child
health king” in New York, has taken
to farming. Here he is shown work
ing on his plot (in soil box) on the
roof of the Children’s Aid Society
building, where some 20 children are
raising vegetables for vitamins and
victory. Joan Culeton, four, lends 9
helping hand.
It Will Be ‘Cooler’
Fear of cooling off in the “cooler”
fills the face of eight-year-old Eddie
Conlan as he looks up into the im
posing figure of the law. A temper
ature of 85 in New York prompted
Eddie to cool off in the East river,
but alas, the law put an end to that
cooling thought.
T. R. Wins Honors
Brig. Gen. Theodore Roosevelt
makes his way through a slit
trench, somewhere in North Africa.
The general and his son were both
cited for gallantry by the war do
partment.
whip both of them,” even though
the “both of them” included Gene
Tunney and Jack
Dempsey.
Commander Tun
ney never agreed
with Mr. Brisbane.
The commander was
always quite certain
that Joe Louis, Jack
Dempsey or himself
could take care of
any gorilla that ever
adorned a jungle or
a zoo.
We thought of this
the other night as
we stopped in front of Gargantua’s
circus cage in “The World’s Great
est Show.” The last time we saw
Gargantua, about two years ago, his
weight was announced at 450 pounds.
On this last occasion his weight was
given out at 600.
At the moment, we wondered just
what would have happened if Tun
ney, Dempsey and Louis together
had entered his cage to throw right
and left hooks, plus straight jabs
or right crosses.
Tunney has always insisted that if
you nailed a gorilla squarely on the
jaw he couldn’t take a punch and a
quick collapse would follow. That
could be true. But tangling up with
600 pounds of cat-like quickness and
jungle ferocity still leaves Gargan
tua 1 to 3 in our book, or maybe
1 to 10.
Slow Courting
So far there is no early prospect
of any little Gargantuas arriving on
the scene. His mate is stiff in the
next cage, where steel touches steel,
but his trainer has been unable to
detect any fondness on either side.
“It may take another year,” one
trainer said, “to bring about their
friendship, and it may take longer.
There's also the chance that Gar
gantua might prefer his bachelor
life on to the finish. We can’t af
ford to take any such risk right
now.” Gargantua apparently has a
disposition composed almost exclu
sively of vitriol and TNT.
Pound for Pound
The best pound-for-pound fighter in
the circus, or anywhere else, is the
black leopard or black panther. Here
is a much smaller animal that even
a tiger will detour. Lightning-quick,
powerful, the black leopard has only
one real pleasure in life—and that
is to fight.
“He is the only jungle animal who
is always looking for a fight,” Frank
Buck says.
“Most animals only take the war
path for food. The black leopard
takes the warpath
for fun. And he is
tough even for a
tiger, who will out
weigh him more
than Joe Louis will
outweigh Beau Jack
or Henry Arm
strong.
I found it general
ly agreed among
circus trainers that
nothing now exist- Joe Louis
ing on this earth,
minus tanks or airplanes or machine
guns, could handle a big, wild buff
elephant. Here is one party that al
ways gets a wide detour.
So far as the United States is con
cerned, “Bring-’Em-Back-Alive”
Buck not only rates the grizzly bear
far above any U. S. animal contend
er, but he also gives him at least an
even chance against the tiger and
the lion.
The grizzly is big, quick, power
ful—and both mean and smart. He
is well protected, with a thick coat
of hair around the throat—barbed-
wire entanglements that defy claws
or fangs. But after looking over
Gargantua again, it is still my belief
that Messrs. Tunney, Dempsey and
Joe Louis combined would spend an
extremely uncomfortable afternoon
or evening in his cage.
I would like to suggest to Messrs.
Tunney, Dempsey and Louis that if
they invade Gargantua’s lair they
ride in on the inside of a tank.
Game Time
One of baseball’s leading experi
ments should be to find the right
time to start a game that will suit
the needs or desires of war workers
without causing any absentee snarls.
Cincinnati tried an 11:30 a. m.
game on Monday and the result
showed an improved attendance over
the same Monday date in 1942. Ap
parently there won’t be any big
crowds through the week from Mon
day on through Friday. But there
can at least be an improvement.
Grantland Rice
Changing Times
It was something of a jolt to set
the Yankees moving into May with
out a hitter among the first five in
the American league. Apparently
the power that once belonged to the
big bats of Ruth, Gehrig, Meusel.
Dickey and DiMaggio is now trans
ferred to pitching arms. Manager
Joe McCarthy, one of the most con
servative, will make no predictions,
but he will tell you he is satisfied.
That coming from McCarthy is a
hurst of optimism.
THE LETTERS OF ALL-OUT
ARLENE
Dear Terry:
It is nice getting your letter, brf
I wish you would not gripe so much
about conditions at home. How can
we girls do our best in war unless
we know that our husbands and
sweethearts are contented and hap
py? If you want to keep our morale
up you men must do the best you
can to keep the home fires burning
while we are away at war.
• • •
I know you have tried to get into
uniform and were rejected for phys
ical reasons, and I think you should
take it more philosophically. After
all, this is, more than ever before, a
woman’s war, and I am not sure it
is the kind of struggle you should
be in. Believe me, life in the army
is tough and full of hardships, and
you know very well how unaccus
tomed you are to such things.
• • •
You must remember, Terry, that
you have always taken life comforta
bly. We girls have to get up at
5:30, drill hard and accept severe
discipline. Some of us were talking
about it only last night and there was
much comment on just how much
women should expect from men in
modern war.
• • •
Many of the girls feel the same
way I do about it. Mrs. Willoughby,
one of the married women at this
camp, for example, says that all
she wants to know is that her hus
band is looking after things at the
house all right. She got word last
week that he was eating out in
cheap restaurants a lot instead of
cooking himself up some good food
at home, as instructed, and it un
dermined her morale terribly, she
says. Then there is Mrs. Druffle, an
other married enlistee, who was do
ing splendidly at camp and was in
line for promotion when she sud
denly went all to pieces. It devel
oped that it was due to news from
the neighbors that her husband,
Geoffrey, was not taking the Pom
eranian out for walks regularly.
• « •
I am more worried about you
than if we were married, my deai.
The ration news bothers me no eiid.
Are you getting enough to eat? And
are those places where you and I
used to go for those lovely steaks
and chops open now? I never eat
here in camp without worrying
about you, and I was tempted to
wrap up a chop and mail it to you
this noon.
• • •
Well, bear up the best you can,
write me often and knit me a sweat*
er or two. I know how lonely you
must feel, but duty is duty. This is
an all-out war and I am going all
out in it. No other course is think
able. You are my pin-up man, and
it is the thought of what a nice boy
you are that keeps my spirits up.
* * •
Take care of yourself, don’t wor
ry too much about what the future
may hold for me, and if you really
want to bake me a cake go ahead.
All my love,
Arlene.
• » •
TO THE SPARS
Twinkle, twinkle, little Spar,
Pulling hard to win the war,
Mastering the old half-hitch,
Learning which boat-end is which.
Qualifying with an oar.
Always saying “hatch” for “door,”
Knowing downstairs is “below,”
Saying to a man “I’ll row!”
Learning all that matters most
Of affairs along a coast,
Marking what the service teaches
As important at the beaches.
Twinkle, twinkle, little Spar,
Finding what the few things are
That a Coast Guard boy can do
That a woman can’t do, too.
• • •
“New York’s 2,200 restaurants and
144 hotels have made a pledge not
to raise prices above the April 4
to 10 level and to have no dealings
with black markets.”—News item.
Wanna bet?
• • •
“The Skin of Our Teeth” and
“Dragon’s Teeth” are two Pulitzer
prize winners, and it strikes us that
the awards must have been made
this year by the American Dental
Association.
• • •
Elmer Twitchell, in fact, thinks
that in keeping with the dental note,
the prize for fiction should have
been announced as going to “Drag
on’s Teeth” by Uppers Sinclair.
• • •
Uncle Sam has at last got around
to breaking with Adm. George Rob--
ert, high commissioner of Marti
nique. This automatically releases
‘he entire script for comic opera.
• • •
Huh!
“OPA Chief Prentiss Brown em
phasized that the success of the
program rests upon the American
people. Hq called on them to re
fuse to pay prices above the ceil
ings established.”—News item.
All right? A customer goes into
a market, finds no attention paid to
set prices and refuses to pay. What
happens? The proprietor shrugs his
shoulders. The customer notifies the
OPA. Then he sits back to await ac
tion. But in the meantime how does
he eat?