La Guardia accused in school inquiry
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Völkischer Beobachter (February 8, 1944)
Schwere Verluste der Amerikaner bei Cassino –
Erneute Abwehrerfolge bei Witebsk und südlich der Beresina
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Folgen der Stalinschen ‚Verfassungsänderung‘ –
Churchill und Roosevelt ziehen ihre Nutzanwendung
Von unserer Stockholmer Schriftleitung
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U.S. Navy Department (February 8, 1944)
Communiqué No. 504
The U.S. submarine CISCO (SS-290) and the U.S. submarine S-44 (SS-155), are overdue from patrol and must be presumed to be lost.
The next of kin of personnel in the CISCO and the S‑44 have been so informed.
Press Release
For Immediate Release
February 8, 1944
Navy Consolidated Catalina sinks German U‑boat
Struck by heavy flak from the anti-aircraft guns of a Nazi submarine, while still a considerable distance from her target, a U.S. Navy Consolidated Catalina kept straight on her course to make a definite “kill” of the U‑boat, in the South Atlantic some months ago.
Survivors of the U‑boat sinking were subsequently rescued by the USS SIREN (PY-13), a converted yacht acting as a patrol vessel, after they had been adrift in the ocean for some 16 days in life rafts dropped by the naval flyers at the time of the submarine’s sinking. The USS SIREN is commanded by LtCdr. Charles K. Post, USNR, 47, of Bayport, Long Island, New York.
CINCPAC Communiqué No. 33
Organized resistance on Kwajalein Atoll has ceased and its capture and occupation have been completed.
The Pittsburgh Press (February 8, 1944)
SENATE PASSES FEDERAL SOLDIER VOTE BILL
States’-rights group beaten in showdown
Administration forces, however, face another fight in House
Washington (UP) –
The Senate today approved the administration’s federal ballot soldier vote bill after rejecting repeated last-ditch efforts by a coalition of Republicans and Southern Democrats to impose at least restrictive amendments.
The measure was sent back to the House, where a similar coalition succeeded in defeating a federal ballot plan last Thursday.
The federal ballot provision was written into previous House and Senate soldier vote legislation by a Senate vote of 46–40, on motion of Majority Leader Alben W. Barkley (D-KY).
Taft’s plan defeated
Mr. Barkley’s motion carried after the Senate rejected, 45–41, restrictions on federal ballot use proposed by Senator Robert A. Taft (R-OH) and the Republican-Democratic coalition.
The Taft amendment would have authorized a federal ballot only for absentee voters whose home states failed to make available, upon application, a lightweight state ballot.
After the adoption of Mr. Barkley’s motion, Mr. Taft made another attempt to keep his amendment alive by moving that it be taken to conference between the House and Senate. He lost again, by the same vote of 45–41.
House must act
With the defeat of this motion, Senate action on the federal ballot plan – in the form of an amendment to the varying state ballot plans passed by both Senate and House – was automatically completed without further votes. It was an unusual thing for the Senate to amend a bill it had previously passed, but the parliamentarian ruled it could be done.
The House now must act on the Senate federal ballot provisions. In view of last week’s overwhelming vote for state ballots, it will presumably reject the Senate plan and throw the matter into conference.
Separate bill approved
However, to guard against the possibility that the House would kill the federal ballot provisions in the pending measure, the Senate also put its federal ballot provisions into an entirely new and separate bill. This was passed, 47–38.
The new measure also goes to the House, where the administration hopes to keep it on tap as a final resort to keep federal ballot legislation alive. No federal ballot legislation can become effective without affirmative House action on the Senate provisions in one bill or the other.
Rome beachhead lashed by waves of Nazi planes
Allies fight with backs to sea; 19 Germans shot down in air battle
By C. R. Cunningham, United Press staff writer
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German bombers kill 22 in crowded U.S. hospital
Five nurses among victims on Rome beachhead
By Daniel De Luce, representing combined U.S. press
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Fortresses batter arsenal city of Frankfurt
Record Allied air fleets pound Europe; Liberators hit French coast
By Walter Cronkite, United Press staff writer
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Two U.S. submarines lost during raids against Japs
1,525-ton Cisco, 850-ton S-44 bring to 19 total of U.S. underseas craft destroyed
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200 tons rock Paramushiru
U.S. shelling of Japan’s base unopposed
By Russell Annabel, United Press staff writer
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U.S. again tells Finland to end war with Russia
Hull reveals warning that Helsinki must face consequences of hostilities
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Shades of coal strike –
MESA, Murray take a leaf from Lewis’ strike book
Labor board defiance and no-contract-no-work plea follow successful pattern of UMW
By Fred W. Perkins, Pittsburgh Press staff writer
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Davis ‘willing’ to run again for Senate post
Washington (UP) –
Senator James J. Davis (R-PA) today announced his willingness to run for reelection.
Mr. Davis said:
If the Republican Party leaders feel that by reason of my years of experience I can be of service to our country and Pennsylvania at this critical time, I am willing to be a candidate for reelection.
Mr. Davis was first elected to the Senate in 1932 and reelected in 1938.
Tax bill sent to Roosevelt; veto possible
Republican says rest of year will be spent simplifying levies
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Murray seeks federal stage for steel case
Change in national policy is avowed purpose, he tells WLB
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Invaders slay 8,122 Japanese in Marshalls
264 captured; U.S. dead total 286; factors in victory cited
By Charles T. Lucey, Scripps-Howard staff writer
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Two lieutenants awarded Medal of Honor
Washington (UP) –
President Roosevelt today presented Congressional Medals of Honor to two fighting men, one of whom thereby became the first soldier in this war to win both the Congressional Medal and the Distinguished Service Cross.
Lt. Kisters
The soldier thus honored was 2nd Lt. Gerry H. Kisters, a 24-year-old ex-furrier of Bloomington, Indiana, who went to the White House from the War Department where Gen. George C. Marshall, Army Chief of Staff, had presented him with the DSC.
Lt. Walsh
Sharing the White House ceremonies was Marine Lt. Kenneth A. Walsh, a 29-year-old native of Brooklyn officially credited with shooting down 20 Jap planes in the South Pacific. Lt. Walsh had previously been awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross.
Lt. Kisters’ feats were performed in the Tunisian and Sicilian campaigns. In Tunisia, he wiped out, single-handed, an enemy artillery crew, for that he received the DSC.
In Sicily, he helped to capture one enemy machine-gun crew and then, though wounded five times, went on alone to wipe out a second, that won him the Medal of Honor.
Present at both ceremonies were Kisters’ wife, Mrs. Nola J. Kisters, and his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Richard G. Kisters, all of Bloomington, Illinois. Gen. Marshall and Adm. Ernest J. King, Commander-in-Chief of the U.S. Fleet, led a parade of high military officials to the White House presentations. Lt. Walsh’s wife and sister-in-law, Jean Barinott, were present.
Lt. Walsh won the Medal of Honor for tearing into superior Jap formations on two occasions last August and shooting down three enemy planes in one fight and four in the second.