The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

--.,0 A] 0 BLISHED Week Day cept turday. AAA r Oshawa Baily Times PROBS Rain, Becoming Colder Tonight. Tuesday, Colder With Snow. vor IB=o. n7 OSHAWA, ONTARIO, MONDAY, DECEMBER 16, 1940 Single copies 3c TEN PAGES HEATHER SLOWS UP BRITISH DRIV cvs e ¢ 'ghting Zone Now Astraddle Libyan Border EEKS SEE ANOTHER VICTORY May Be Greater Than Argyrocastro, Koritza; Kill General, Colonel Greek Moc tsinesrs Push On' Despite Des- perate Fascist Resist ance ! Survives Torpedo Aa Death of Senior Offi- cers Sign ¥or Italians' Headlong | Retreat -- Women Aig (By Daniel De Bucs, Associat- ed Press Staff Writer) i With the Greek Army on the | Southern Albanian Front, Dec. 16 (CP) -- Against odds of freezing weather! and bitter Italian rearguard resistance, | | Greece's fighters stated they pushed their lines |forward on | a snowy front running half the | length of Albania. | Greek infantrymen, swathed in khaki woollens, 'carried the brunt of 'the attack, it is re- ported in front line military dispatches reaching this base. The Italians ' continued throwing reserves into scatter- ed mountain battles, but all re- ports pointed to imminent Greek successes possibly sur- passing those gained in the capture of Koritza and Argiro- castro. rr. | HON. C. D. HOWE Minister of Munitions and Supply, | who was a passenger on the British | liner Western Prince, reported by! New York radio Saturday to have been torpedoed 400 miles off the Irish coast. He is believed to be safe. TWO FOOD SHIPS GOING TO EUROPE U.S. Red Cross Sending Food to Spain, Unoccupied France High Officers Killed Athens, Dec, 16 (CP)--An Italian general and a colonel were report- ed killed when the Greeks stormed an important position Fascist forces were trying desperately to hold. The Italians fled, leaving many dead, including other senior officers. the southern front, are driving hard » one of three re- ports in Italian Washington, Dec. 16. (AP)--The American Red Cross has made ten- tative arrangements to send food ships to hungry Europe--one to Spain and the other to unoccupied France--it was learned authorita- tively today. Actual departure of the ships de- pends on a successful outcome of negotiations in p ess between the United States and British gov- ernments, and the prospects there were considered good. While unwilling to exert pressure on the beleaguered British govern- ment for a general lifting of the blockade, the state department, it was learned, is seeking permission for an American ship to proceed to Marseilles with a cargo of condens- ed milk and concentrated vitamin products for undernourished chil- dren in unoccupied France. our troops scored ictory by storming and occupying afiother height which the Italians defénded with a gen- eral and colonel fat their head," one report said. ; "These two senior officers, with revolvers in hand, induced their "In this sectos another great Vi All Aboard Sunken Boat Said Saved Unconfirmed Reports Indicate Minister Has Reached Port London-- (CP) -- Officlals de- scribed as entirely unconfirmed reports published in Canada that Howe and all other passengers had arrived safely in England. They added there is reason to hope that Howe and the mem- bers of his party are safe. December 16.--Uncon- Toronto, firmed reports published today in an | afternoon edition of a Toronto newspaper indicated the safety of all passengers and crew of the Brit- ish liner "Western Prince." The dispatches published are as follows: Safe In Port West Coast English Port, Dec. 16.--Reports 1eceived here today said Canadian Minister of Muni- tions and Supply, Hon. C. D. Howe, and all other passengers and crew members aboard the tor- pedoed British liner "Western Prince" were safe in a west coast All Passengers Safe New York, Dec. 18.--All 67 pas- | sengers - abourd the torpedoed British liner "Western Prince" were reported rescued. The Cana- dian Legation at Washington confirmed that Hon. C. D. Howe, Canadian Minister of Munitions and Supply, and his three assist- ants aboard the ship were saved. It was not learned, however, whether the ship was still afloat or sunk. Expect Official Word Ottawa, Dec. 16 (CP)--An offi- | (Continued on Page 10, Col. 4) New York, Dec. 18 (CP)--The Steamship Bic Island reported in a message picked up by Mackay Radio that she was "being bombed by enemy aircraft 340 miles west by south of Tory Island," off the coast of Ireland. The report came 7:23 am., ED.T. The boat was a former Italian freighter seized by a Canadian war- ship after the crew attempted to scuttle it in the St. Lawrence River. The freighter originally was the Munson Lire Munardan. In 1934 she was renamed the Capo Noli and was placed in the Italian trade. The day Italy entered the war, her crew ran the vessel ashore in the St. Lawrence River near Big The British government has ruled out any relaxation of the blockade for food shipments to (Continued on Page 10, Col. 1) December 20, to January 6, 1941, an executive of the Red Cross Society told The Times today. With this information also come the request that the Chapters will please turn countries | Island, from which her name was { derived. Refloated she was declar- ed the property of the British crown last November. in all work an hand on or before Friday this week. Fight for Nibeiwa, Key Fort, Nearest Thing to Hell on Earth Eye Witness Story of Fighting for Sidi Bar- rani Tells of Fierce Resistance . By EDWARD KENNEDY Associated Press Staff Writer With the British Forces at Sidi Barrani, Egypt, Dec. 16.--(AP)-- Here les, the wreckage of Musso- lini"s flous plans for the con- quest of In this village, where the desert meets the sea and the Italians made their main stronghold in the strip of Egypt. they occupied as a starting point for their invasion, and for miles around it are strewn enormous quantities of Italian sup- plies, Vehicles, from carts to five-ton some wrecked, are lined up through the desert. Guns of all sizes, tanks, armored cars, countless cases of munitions and machinery, vast food stocks--everything a modern army needs--are here and in British hands. (The British government an- nounced the capture of Sidi Bar- rani Wednesday night, after three days of fighting.) British officers sald they were astonished at the amount of sup- plies the Italians had brought in. It greatly exceeded their estimates. (Continued on Page 9, Col. 7) Endanger Fate Vichy Government Actions Of France Nazi Reaction to Laval Dismissal, Refusal of Troop Transport Rights Seen as Vital Berne, Switzerland, Dec. 16. (CP) --The fate of conquered France's | Vichy government and possibly even believed to depend on how the axis Germans Bombing Italian Steamer Canadians Caught trucks, some of them intact and.| takes the week-end upheaval in cabinet of Chief of State Petain. Hitler's representative in Paris, Otto Abetz, was expected in Vichy today to talk to Petain, according |to diplomatic reports reaching | Berne. Berlin's approval of the ouster of | Pierre Laval as vice-premier and | foreign minister, observers said, | may hinge on what Petain tells Abetz. | Sources here satd~tmval, at first | reported under guard in his own | home, now is rumored to be a pris- | oner in the Chateau de Pellevoison | along with Republican: leaders who | face "war guilt" charges in impend- | ing Riom trials which Laval adver- tised. | Authorized sources in Berlin sald | Laval's dismissal came as a surprise and that, until the German govern- ment is fully informed of what it Etienne Flandin. occupy all of France stemmed from Petain's reported refusal to let Ger- | many send troops through unoecu- pied France to aid Italian forces in | Libya and Greece. The Nazi pre- | ference for the route through France, instead of through Italy, is said to be to protect Italian home morale. Although France is a beaten na- tion, informed sources pointed out that the transit of troops through the unoccupied zone without Vichy's consent would involve elaborate recy and protect the Nazl column from sabotage. While railroads In the occupied zone are closely watched and part- ly operated by Germany, army rail- (Continued on Page 10, Col. 3) Not Occupied By Germans total Nazi occupation of her soil is | means, the German press won't re- ; port that Laval is out, or succeed- | ed as foreign minister by Plerre- | Fears Germany eventually might | precautions 'both to maintain sec- | Malleable and Fittings Workers Get 2%% Raise All plant workers i in the factories ' of the Ontario Malleable Iron Co. | and Fittings Ltd. will receive pay increases of 2% per cent retroactive | to December 1, 1940, it was an- | nounced this afternoon by M. J. Fenwick, business agent of local 1817, SW.0.C. Mr. Fenwick told The Times that he had received letters to this effect over the signatures of A. G. Storie of Fittings Ltd. and C. G. Sherman, of the Ontario Malleable | Iron Co. Several weeks ago the | local union. petitiened -the-compan- | ies involved for an upward adjust- | ment of wages due to the rise in| the cost of living. Such an increase is provided for in the agreements | signed by the Companies and the union after the labor difficulty in April, 1940. The Labor Gazette placed the increase in living costs between the months of April and November 1940, at 2.4 per cent and this figure was accepted by the | companies and ratified by the mem- bership. | Auto Production In November At High Point Ottawa, Dec. 16--Production of automobiles in November reached a higher point than in any month since June, 1937, the Dominion Bu- reau of Statistics reports. The total units produced being 23,621 as com- pared to 21,151 in October and 16,- 756 in November, 1939. The total in June, 1937, was 23.841 Production in the latest month include 10,814 passenger cars and 12,807 trucks. During the eleven months of 1940 production of automobiles totalled 199,620 units, of which 98473 were passenger models and 101,147 were trucks. In the corresponding period of 1939 the total output of automo- biles was 138450, whereas in 1938 the number was 147472. Business Men Who Let Costs Increase to Avoid Tax Held Guilty of Gross Misconduct Hon. J. L. llsley Em- phasizes Need for Greater Enthusiasm for War Savings Program Toronto, Dec. 16 (CP).--No one can deny the seriousness of the situation, but with the help of the dominions the Empire "can and shall survive this mest trying of ordeals . , . weather this roughest of storms," Finance Minister Ils- ley told the Canadian Club of To- ronto, today. Mr. Iisley's speech primarily was about the war savings campaign, and the responsibilities it involvea for all Canadians. "We should regara our incomes as received in trust," he said. "We may legitimately. use them for meeting our needs and those of our families, but we should not regard them as our own to spend as We choose. "The nation has a claim upon them which ranks ahead cof our personal claims for non-essential purposes, The liberty we enjoy in (Continued on Page 10, Col. 1) Couple Overcome By Gas On Sunday Mr. and Mrs. Alex Gray, 100 On- tario street, were overcome by coal gas fumes from the furnace of their home about 3:30 p.m. Sunday and required the Fire Department's in- helator to revive them. Mrs. Gray told The Thnes that about 3:00 p.m. she complained of a severe headachc and on the sug- gestion of he. husband she went tc an upstair bedroom to rest. Mr. Gray remained downstairs but did not notice the gas in the house for about another half hour when his head also began to ache and he felt dizzy. Buspecting the presence of gas he went to the door t. allow fresh air into the house but coliapsed on the doorstep, His next door neigh- bor noticed him fall and summoned the Fire Department. He then rush- ed to the Gray home where he also found Mrs, Gray unconscious up- stairs. The unfortunate couple were carried to the home of a neighbor where: they were revived shortly and today are Suffering no ill effects. | night, | destroyed at Herford, GERMANS ADMIT BRITISH BOMBS DAMAGED BERLIN Railways, Factories, Utilities Bombed by R.A'F. Fliers London, Dec. 16 factories and utility services. in Berlin were bombed by British raiders last night, the air ministry | said. Berlin Admits Losses (CP). --Railways, | Slackened Speed Due To Rain, Sandstorms, Mopping Up Operations R.AF. Registers Direct Hits on Il Duce's Navy Cairo, Egypt, Dec. 16 (CP) | --Five direct hits on a concen- tration of cruisers and destroy- ers were made in a British air raid on the Italian port of | Naples Saturday night, it was | reported in a Royal Air Force Berlin, Dec. 16 (CP).--The Ger- communique today. CITY BUS LINES man high command claimed fou: persons were killed and 12 wounded in British air raids on Berlin last | and acknowledged some | damage. The communique claimed some houses were damaged and two hos- | | pitals were hit, while a suburban | | rau line was "temporarily disturb- | ed." The Nazis claimed a church was many, while one bomb is said to have started a fire in German factory. mand asserted the fire was extin- guished quickly, entailing no pro- duction disturbance, One raiding plane was Jectared (Continued on Page 10, Col. FOUR FATALITIES IN HOSPITAL FIRE Two Women, Two Babes Victims in Bathurst, N.B. Outbreak Bathurst, N.B, Dec. 16 (CP) -- Searchers dug through: the smould- ering ruins of Gloucester Hospital Eastern Ger- | a central | The high com- | today in a hunt for the bodies of | two of the four victims of a fire | the building | that swept through early yesterday morning. Two women and two babies died as a result of the blaze. Mrs. Ro- bert: Sealy of East Bathurst, and her three-day-old baby died a short time after they had been carried from the 20-year-old building. Bo- dies of Mrs. Peter Melanson of Petit Rocher, N.B., and Bathurst, had not been recovered. Flames, believed to have origin- ated in a pile of coal in the base- ment, crept up the elevator shaft and set the entire two-storey, 85- foot building afire. Ten persons were removed after Miss Anastasia Burke secretary to Dr. W. H. Coffyn who operated the hospital, had been awakened by choking smoke, A wall of flame cut off rescue workers from Mrs. Melanson and the Arsenault baby. Loss 'on the building was estim- ated at $45,000, partially covered by insurance. ' Mr. | : : a child of | the morning and even then, in many and Mrs. Bernard Arsenault, of East | STALLED AS ICE COATS STREETS Four Stopped on Simcoe North -- Avoid Mill Street Hill Harried officials of the local bus service had their troubles today as icy streets paralyzed traffic in many sections of the city and made travel dangerous in others, As an illustration of the difficul- ties faced in maintaining service, The Times informant said that it required 30 minutes for busses to reach Simcoe street from the garage on Hillcroft street. The rain did not begin to fall until about 5:30 am. which did not give -the city works aepartment sufficien! time to sand even the main streets before bus service began at 6:00 a.m. On many streets the rain washed the sand off the ice almost as fast as it was spread. At one time four busses were stalled on Simcoe street north near the corner of Elgin street and were rescued only after city trucks arriv. ed with sand. In the early part of the morning | all the busses in the city were placed on the Simcoe sireet run in an ef- fort to maintain schedules for work- ers. Drivers reported that the sub- way at the C.N.R. station was es- pecially dangerous. Many of the suburban routes were not put' into operation until late in cases, routes had to be revised and busses seldom went to the end of the route. Up to 11:00 a.m. drivers had nct attempted to go up the hill on Mill street and ended the run at the corner of Simcoe street south and Mill street rather than risk being stranded at the foot of the hill. All spare busses have been pressed into service to meet fhe sit- uation, The number of passengers travel- ling on the city busses has taken a decided upswing during December and extra service has been added to (Continued on Page 10, Col. 7) Ashes of Marquess of Lothian Deposited in Arlington Shrine Bishop of Washington Prays for British People at Rites Washington, Dec. 16 (AP)--With full military honors, the United States gave further expression today to the nation's esteem for the Mar- quess of Lothian, honoring his ashes with a temporary resting place among America's revered dead in Arlington National Cemetery. Under the mast of the battleship Maine, a short distance from the grave of the unknown soldier, a vault was prepared to receive the remains of the British ambassador, who died suddenly last Thursday. Funeral service--followed by pri- Jack, vate cremation -- were conducted yesterday at the Washington Epis- copal Cathedral, where the Right Rev. James E. Freeman, Bishop of Washington, prayed that God might "strengthen and sustain" the Brit- ish people "in this hour of their need." The 30-minute service of the Ang- lican church included no eulogy nor mention of the achievements of the 58-year-old nobleman, A calsson, escorted by a troop of cavalry, bore the body from the rambling British embassy to the cathedral through throng-lined streets. The casket, draped with the Union boré wreaths from King (Continued on Page 10, Col. 6) Key Italian Base of Bardia Threatened Though Egyptian Port of Sollum Still Held by Fascists Libyan Ports Heavily Bombed by R.AF. -- Fires Visible 60 Miles From Bardia Cairo, Dec. 16--(CP)--The British advanced forces are "well acrose® the Libyan frontier, the genera} headquarters communique said toe day. It acknowledged, however, thal Italians still hold strongly defended positions above Salum, the Egyptian port on the Libyan frontier. Among African objectives hit by raiding R.AF. planes were the Libs yan ports of Derna, Tobruk and Bardia. Fires visible sixty miles were left blazing at Bardia. The British are said to be forge ing ahead in the Scllum, Fort Cae puzzo, Bardia sector today in rains The communique said weather 18 still causing poor visibility. Rain may impede the British push, bu# it is not expected to stop it. Military circles said the British wanted to keep the Italians on the run and desert rain might cause some delay. The advance is expects ed to slow down because of mope ping-up operations and extended communication lines. 3 The mid-winter rainy season i$ now on in North Africa. ' Italians Resisting Cairo, Dec. 16. (AP)--Ttallass troops, battered almost incessantly by the big guns of British ware ships ranging along the coast, were reported fighting desperately today, in an effort to halt the British drive from Egypt near the Libyan frontier. Fighting centred near the coast in the sandstorm-swept borderlands in the vicinity of Sollum, five miles east of the frontier, and Fort Cap= uzzo, three miles west of the border, A British spokesman declared last night that although "it is well niglay (Continued on Page 10, Col. 5) MISSING FLIERS ARE FEARED LOST - IN LAKE MUSKOKA Accident Toll Incredsed By Crash of Dunnville Aviator Toronto, Dec. 16 (CP)--A sample of oil found during the week-end on Lake Muskoka during the search far two missing planes of the Royal Canadian Air Force will be brought here to determine whether it is off a type used by the R.C.AF., heads quarters here said. Lost since Friday while engaged in the search for another plane, the missing planes carried four men, piloted by Fit.-Lt. P. Campbell, Suse sex, Bmg, and Sgt. L. Glamorgan, Wales, with L.A.C. T. 8s Bates, Guelph, Ont., and L.A.C. W, R. Gosling,\Edmonton, as ohservers, Headquarters first reported Bates and LAC. My L O. Warren of Hampstead, Logdon, Eng., were obe servers, but corfected identification of the observer ywith Sgt. Francis today as Gosling, fnot Warren. Rain and poor ¥isibility over the Muskoka distri slowed down search operationsj today, but it ig planned to beginfdredging operas tions in the opel water of Lake Muskoka as soon a8 possible. Boats are havibg difficulty in reaching the spot Where the oil was found because of Mreacherous ice conditions, The, ig Reavy Rear | o 8 fi Page 10, col. & p 4)