America at war! (1941–) – Part 4

3899

americavotes1944

Dewey and Roosevelt broadcast ‘last word’

Democrats have midnight period
By Si Steinhauser

Turn your radio on at 8:00 tonight and from then to 12:30, you may hear the Democrats “point with pride” and the Republicans “view with alarm.”

The Democratic National Committee has placed President Roosevelt’s spokesmen in a position to have the “last word” by reserving the 12 o’clock midnight quarter-hour “across the board” on all networks. But even after that, WJAS and CBS have “to be announced” looking rather important and mysterious in the 12:15 period.

There are also “blanks” at 11:45 on WJAS and KQV, and 15-minute periods are not to be sneered at this hotly-contested Election Eve. As proof, that’s all the time Governor Dewey has reserved at 11:00 to 11:15 tonight on all network stations. He will follow President Roosevelt and “other speakers” on all stations from 10 to 11 o’clock. Senator Truman will speak on WCAE at 11:15.

At 11:15, WJAS has a quarter-hour network spot reservation for the Labor Non-Partisan League. Prior to that, there are several local and state political talks listed.

For quick reference, here are the “big league” listings for tonight:

  • 10:00 p.m.: All stations – President Roosevelt.
  • 11:00 p.m.: All stations – Governor Dewey.
  • 11:15 p.m.: WCAE – Senator Truman.

The Democrats have decided to give their listeners a real “grand finale.” Norman Corwin, famed CBS dramatist, is in Hollywood rehearsing tonight’s curtain-lowering broadcast. So, you can bet there will be some trumpet-blowing about bedtime.

Station managers report that national political committees are buying up time at 12:15 noon tomorrow, figuring that they will catch voters away from their regular duties and about to vote, so maybe the “last word” won’t be said until then.

Many letters have come our way during the political campaign accusing us of having deliberately failed to schedule this or that candidate’s talk, of being “pro-Roosevelt” and “pro-Dewey.” Any omissions were due to carelessness by national committees and programs, were carried precisely as networks provided them to stations and the stations to us.

Tomorrow, everyone may go to his voting booth and have his “say” and then we’ll get back into the old groove and listen to singing commercials, awful jokes, screeching “singers” and, best of all, good old forums on which free speech reaches its height. And America will be bigger and better than ever even though you and I may vote for the “wrong guy.”

Arthur Treacher, who clowns with Jack Carson, will cast his first vote tomorrow. A native of England, he became an American citizen a few months ago.

Another “first voter” will be Igor Gorin, radio and concert baritone, who made his first broadcast on the Hollywood Hotel. He was discovered singing in Vienna by a Los Angeles furniture man, over there on a visit who brought him to America and helped him to attain stardom. Gorin was also recently naturalized.

Vox Pop was born 12 years ago tonight over KTRH, Houston, Texas. Everybody is happy about it, including the listeners, everybody except Parks Johnson, a swell guy and one of the founders. Parks doesn’t like to hear his program called a quiz show. It’s an “audience participation” program and from it sprung a host of similar programs ranging from spelling bees to battles of brains and parlor hijinks.

Parks argues that Vox Pop is no more a quiz show than a crossword puzzle is an inquiring reporter column and we guess he’s right.

Anyhow, since July 4, 1940, Vox Pop has dedicated every broadcast to war work. It had added up 27 defense broadcasts from factories, colleges and camps before Pearl Harbor. Since then, it has been an exclusive camp, air or navy base or defense plant broadcast, entertaining about a million men in uniform or overalls at 190 different places, not including canteen, hospital and other benefit appearances.

Come peace, Vox Pop will become the voice of the people in victory. That’s for sure, says Parks, and we congratulate him and his buddy, Warren Hull, for the grand job they’re doing.

Tonight, you’ll hear Gladys Swarthout replacing Richard Crooks, José Iturbi on The Telephone Hour, Frank Morgan and little Margaret O’Brien on The DeMille Theater.

Ben Grauer won the Davis Memorial Award and KDKA’s capable Paul Shannon was awarded an honorable mention, in nationwide competition. We applaud the awards but Shannon deserved more than honorable mention.

Pittsburgh’s Eugenie Baird will be a guest on The Bing Crosby Hour Thursday.

3900

Plans to tap public’s cash are underway

Loose funds sought in War Loan Drive

…

3901

EXECUTIVE ORDER 9497
Amendment of Executive Order No. 9039 Authorizing Sick and Rest Leave for Alien Employees of the Panama Canal and the Panama Railroad Company, and Correction of Section 4 of Executive Order No. 9467 Relating to Conditions of Employment in the Service of the Panama Canal and the Panama Railroad Company

For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
November 6, 1944

By virtue of the authority vested in me by Section 81 of Title 2 of the Canal Zone Code, as amended by section 3 of the act of July 9, 1937, 50 Stat. 487, it is ordered as follows:

  1. The first paragraph of Executive Order No. 9039 of January 24, 1942, authorizing sick and rest leave for certain alien employees of The Panama Canal and the Panama Railroad Company, is hereby amended to read as follows:

By virtue of the authority vested in me by section 81 of title 2 of the Canal Zone Code, as amended by section 3 of the act of July 9, 1937, c. 470, 50 Stat. 487, the Governor of The Panama Canal is hereby authorized to grant, under such regulations as he may prescribe, sick and rest leave to alien employees of The Panama Canal and the Panama Railroad Company who are not entitled to leave privileges under the conditions of employment prescribed by Executive Order No. 1888 of February 2, 1914, as amended by Executive Orders No. 2514 of January 15, 1917, No. 3232 of February 20, 1920, and No. 9467 of August 19, 1944: Provided, however, that the combined sick and rest leave which may be granted to any such alien employee shall not exceed 24 days in any one year, and that such leave shall not be cumulative in excess of 60 days.

  1. Section 4 of Executive Order No. 9467 of August 19, 1944, relating to conditions of employment in the service of The Panama Canal and the Panama Railroad Company, is hereby corrected, as of August 19, 1944, to read as follows:

SEC. 4. Paragraph 20 of the said executive order, as amended by the executive order of February 20, 1920, is amended to read as follows:

    1. All employees who are citizens of the United States, and alien employees who receive compensation at a rate in excess of $100 a month or 50 cents an hour, with the exception of those who receive such compensation under authority of clause (b) of the proviso in paragraph 6 of this order, as amended, shall be entitled to leave privileges under this order.

FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT
THE WHITE HOUSE,
November 6, 1944

3902

americavotes1944

Address by President Roosevelt
November 6, 1944, 10:45 p.m. EWT

Broadcast from Hyde Park, New York

fdr.1944

Broadcast audio:

Ladies and gentlemen:

As we sit quietly this evening in our home at Hyde Park, our thoughts, like those of millions of other Americans, are most deeply concerned with the wellbeing of all our American fighting men. We are thinking of our own sons – all of them far away from home – and of our neighbors’ sons and the sons of our friends.

That concern rises above all others in this critical period of our national life.

In great contrast to the quiet which is ours here in America, in our own secure homes, is the knowledge that most of those fighting men of ours have no quiet times, and little leisure at this hour to reflect on the significance of our American election day, tomorrow.

Some are standing at battle stations on shipboard, tense in the excitement of action; some lie in wet foxholes, or trudge doggedly through the sticky mud, firing as they go. Still others are high above the earth, fighting Messerschmitts or Zeros.

All of them are giving everything they have got to defeat our enemies, and uppermost in all their minds is the one thought: to win the war as soon as possible, so that they may return to the quiet and peace of their own homes.

But – in the midst of fighting – in the presence of our brutal enemies – our soldiers and sailors and airmen will not forget Election Day back home.

Millions of these men have already cast their own ballots, and they will be wondering about the outcome of the election, and what it will mean to them in their future lives. And sooner or later all of them will be asking questions as to whether the folks back home looked after their interests, their liberties, their government, their country – while they themselves were off at war.

Our boys are counting on us to show the rest of the world that our kind of government is the best in the world – and the kind we propose to keep! And so, when our people turn out at the polls tomorrow – and I sincerely hope that it will be 50 million strong – the world will respect our democracy, and the grand old Stars and Stripes will wave more proudly than ever before.

These brave fighters of ours have taken on enemies on both sides of the world, enemies who were nurtured since childhood in militarism. These boys of ours, wisely led, and using the matchless weapons which you here at home have sent to them, have outfought those ruthless enemies, outfought them on the land, outfought them on the sea, outfought them in the skies. They are winning the victory for all of us. Many are giving life itself.

And it is for us to make certain that we win for them – the living and the dead – a lasting peace.

There is nothing adequate which anyone in any place can say to those who are entitled to display the gold star in their windows. But each night as the people of the United States rest in their homes which have been safe from violence during all these years of the most violent war in all history – I am sure all of them silently give thought to their feelings of deepest gratitude to the brave departed and to their families for the immeasurable sacrifice that they have made For the cause of decency and freedom and civilization.

I do not want to talk to you tonight of partisan politics. The political battle is finished. Our task now is to face the future as a militant and a united people – united here at home as well as on the battle fronts.

Twice in 25 years our people have had to put on a brave, smiling front as they have suffered the anxiety and the agony of war.

No one wants to endure that suffering again.

When we think of the speed and long-distance possibilities of air travel of all kinds to the remotest corners of the earth, we must consider the devastation wrought on the people of England, for example, by the new long-range bombs. Another war would be bound to bring even more devilish and powerful instruments of destruction to wipe out civilian populations. No coastal defenses, however strong, could prevent these silent missiles of death, fired perhaps from planes or ships at sea, from crashing deep within the United States itself.

This time, this time, we must be certain that the peace-loving nations of the world band together in determination to outlaw and to prevent war.

Tomorrow, you the people of the United States again vote as free men and women, with full freedom of choice – with no secret police watching over your shoulders. And for generations to come Americans will continue to prove their faith in free elections.

But when the ballots are cast, your responsibilities do not cease. The public servants you elect cannot fulfill their trust unless you, the people, watch and advise them, raise your voices in protest when you believe your public servants to be wrong, back them up when you believe them to be right.

But not for one single moment can you now or later forget the all-important goals for which we are aiming – to win the war and unite our fighting men with their families at the earliest moment, to see that all have honorable jobs; and to create a world peace organization which will prevent this disaster – or one like it – from ever coming upon us again.

To achieve these goals we need strength and wisdom which is greater than is bequeathed to mere mortals. We need Divine help and guidance. We people of America have ever had a deep well of religious strength, far back to the days of the Pilgrim Fathers.

And so, on this thoughtful evening, I believe that you will find it fitting that I read a prayer sent to me not long ago:

Almighty God, of Whose righteous will all things are and were created, Thou hast gathered our people out of many lands and races into a great nation.

We commend to Thy overruling providence the men and women of our forces by sea, by land, and in the air; beseeching Thee to take into Thine own hands both them and the cause they serve.

Be Thou their strength when they are set in the midst of so many and great dangers. And grant that, whether by life or by death, they may win for the whole world the fruits of their sacrifice and a just peace.

Guide, we beseech Thee, the nations of the world, into the way of justice and truth, and establish among them that peace which is the reward of righteousness.

Make the whole people of this land equal to our high trust, reverent in the use of freedom, just in the exercise of power, generous in the protection of weakness.

Enable us to guard for the least among us the freedom we covet for ourselves; make us ill-content with the inequalities of opportunity which still prevail among us. Preserve our union against all the divisions of race and class which threaten it.

And now, may the blessing of God Almighty rest upon this whole land; may He give us light to guide us, courage to support us, charity to unite us, now and forevermore. Amen.

3903

americavotes1944

Address by New York Governor Thomas E. Dewey
November 7, 1944, 11:00 p.m. EWT

Broadcast from Albany, New York

dewey2

We come tonight to the eve of an election that may be the most fateful in our history. It is a test for each of us of our devotion to the American system of government. The great test is whether, knowing we need a new administration, we will make the change necessary to speed victory and to build the peace to come.

These years 1945 to 1949 will be important, difficult years. They will require vigorous, hardworking, harmonious leadership, with abiding faith in America. But there has arisen in this campaign an argument that the people dare not change administration because our country is in the midst of a great ordeal.

Of course, there is nothing new in that argument. It was used four years ago, when we were at peace. In other countries, this same argument has been the pretext upon which men, originally voted into power by the people, have suspended popular government and maintained themselves indefinitely in power.

Long ago, Thomas Jefferson pointed out that “there will never be a time when real difficulties will not exist and furnish a plausible pretext” for not making a change.

In our own lives, we have seen a nearly unbroken period of crisis after crisis for 30 years. We have known war and depression and boom and depression and war again. During much of that time, it could have been argued that the state of the nation and the world was so critical that we ought not risk a change in administration, in the last analysis, the whole argument comes down to a bald plea for the reelection – so long as he lives – of whoever happens to be President.

But that, we know, is the opposite of a free system of government. So, it is clear that if we are going to do our duty tomorrow, we must lay aside every other consideration and decide how best our country can be served these next four years.

In the course of this campaign, I have honorably and to the best of my capacity presented the reasons why I believe so earnestly that the welfare of our country requires a new administration.

Now, for a few minutes, I should like to talk to you not as a candidate, but as a fellow citizen who is privileged by your courtesy in listening, to come into your home and talk with you.

You are concerned, as I am, about the progress of the war. You are thinking day and night of someone who is facing death and hardship on the far-off battlelines of this war. And so, as you prepare to cast your vote tomorrow, the first question you ask yourself is this: What is the best way to make sure of a speedy and victorious end of the war? Will it help to shorten the war and assure quicker return of our fighting men if we have a change of administration?

I deeply believe that it will. I would have refused the nomination of my party for President if I did not believe so, with all my heart and soul. I have made it altogether clear from the beginning, that a change in our civilian government will mean no change in the military conduct of the war. Our Chiefs of Staff, Adm. King and Gen. Marshall, are doing a magnificent job. They are directing the movement of troops and of supplies and the grand military strategy that will carry our armies and navies to victory. The other commanders – Eisenhower, Nimitz, Arnold, MacArthur, Halsey – and all the others are carrying on to their objectives. Their hands will be strengthened by the end of civilian confusion in Washington.

We all know that the war is being fought, not only on the fighting front, but also on the home front everyone has had a chance to see the administration’s part in the war effort at home – to watch the operation of the scores of agencies that have to do with the daily lives of our people.

Everyone has been sickened by the constant conflicts and shifting policies of these agencies, as well as in the handling of war production, of transportation, the problem of rubber, and of other strategic supplies. Let me ask you one simple question: Do you believe the job at home is being handled as well as possible?

I think everyone, from the housewife who struggles with a new rationing problem every week, to the industrial executive who struggles with priorities and allocations – everyone will agree that we need improvement – and need it badly.

The things we can see and know about are only a fraction of the confusion and contradiction that exist in our whole civilian war effort. Multiply these a million times and it becomes clear why it is that the war is not coming to an end more rapidly.

Gen. Eisenhower has told us twice that the war in Europe would be ended in 1944 if everyone at home would do his part. Gen. Eisenhower has never changed that statement. It is Mr. Roosevelt who now tells us that the war has still a long way to go.

Plainly things have not been going in Washington as well as Gen. Eisenhower expected and had a right to expect. That is the basic reason why we should install in Washington a vigorous and competent administration that will out into the war effort at home a purpose and unity equal to that of our military leaders on the fighting fronts.

We want to bring this war to a speedy, victorious conclusion, to save unnecessary loss of life, unneeded hardship, and sorrow. The question is no longer – do we care to make a change in administrations? The question is: Do we dare not to make a change when our own everyday experience, and the testimony of our eyes and ears cry out that a change is desperately needed.

Now there is another thing that you and I want. We want to make sure that this war shall be the last war; that this tragedy shall never happen again. Like a great light in a darkened world shines the nearly unanimous determination of our people to join together with the people of other nations in setting up a world organization for peace.

Much has been done to prepare the general principles that will govern the establishment of such an organization. I have been happy to contribute to our unity for this cause by lifting it above partisan debate. But the hardest part of the task is still ahead. So far as American participation is concerned, the difficult details must be worked out between the Congress and the President.

I have unlimited faith that it can be done by a President and a Congress working together, in harmony. It will take hard work, patience, and understanding upon all sides.

In the name of those who are fighting and dying in the cause of freedom, we dare not risk leaving this vital labor in the hands of those who have grown tired and quarrelsome from 12 years in office. History must not repeat itself.

And history must not repeat the breadlines and soup kitchens to which our soldiers returned after the last war, under another tired, war weary administration. After this war is over, 11 million men in our fighting forces will come home. They are entitled to find here an opportunity to realize in peace the things for which they are fighting.

How can we best make sure that they will have those opportunities? We cannot – we must not return to leaf raking and doles. We cannot forget that under the New Deal it took a war to get jobs. Here again the question is not whether we dare to make a change. It is clear that we must not risk failing to make a change.

These, then, are the simple tests that must govern the decision of every American tomorrow. When you step into the secrecy of the polling booth, ask yourself these questions:

How can I help shorten the war?

How can I help secure lasting peace?

How can I help give us jobs and opportunity in the years that lie beyond our victory?

If you will soberly ask yourself these questions and will think the answers thru in the light of your own knowledge, I have no doubt of the outcome.

And let us agree on one more thing. No matter how you vote – it is the duty of every American to vote tomorrow.

Let no one say: My vote will never be missed.

Your vote does count – it counts mightily in the result – and to you. Your secret ballot is your badge of citizenship. Keep it bright – and secure. If you neglect to vote, you leave your destiny to the decision of others; only you can preserve your own freedom.

If everyone will vote, there can be no danger to our country. Of that I am sure – because I firmly believe in the eternal rightness of the people.

And now, may I read you a letter I have just received from a brave American woman whose son will never return. It is brief. This is the entire letter:

Dear Governor Dewey: I am giving you my support and I hope it will help you to win.

You cannot bring back my son, lost in the South Pacific, but you can and will, I think, bring back the kind of America he would have wanted to come home to.

It is to that cause that we are dedicated.

We stand today on one of the strange promontories of human history, with the shadows of a dismal stormy night behind us, and the first grey streaks of dawn in the sky beyond us. For thirty years since 1914, nearly half the span of human of life, we have seen a series of wars, revolutions, depressions, Communism, Fascism, Nazism, cruelty and suffering, and finally another conflagration that has engulfed the world.

At home, we have had twelve unhappy years of turmoil and dissension, of group conflict and class strife. Of divisions, and hatreds and antagonisms. Half a generation has grown up knowing no other atmosphere. I believe our children, our whole country, can again live in a world where peace, friendship and mutual respect, abide.

After we’re through with the war and get our boys back home, then we must have a period of peace and calm within our own country. Only in that way can we build the unit and strength to meet our problems at home – to support our labors abroad, for the peace of the world.

Let us resolve to put aside these years of cynicism and of conflict. Let us resolve to put aside every antagonism, to throw off the nightmare of past years and breathe once more the atmosphere of courage and goodwill. Our people then can have a chance once more to build, to create and get ahead.

Under Divine guidance, the people of America are stirring with awakening faith – faith in our country – in our future – in our unity.

There is awakening a renewed sense of the dignity of the individual, of trust in the morale law. Once again, may we have and always keep that faith in ourselves and in our neighbors – faith of our fathers – living faith in Almighty God.

3904
Democratic National Committee Program (CBS):

3905

Völkischer Beobachter (November 7, 1944)

Offensive ohne Entscheidung

Kritik an Eisenhower – Bastion Ostpreußen

…

3906

USA stellt sich blind –
England und die Sowjetunion

…

3907

Führer HQ (November 7, 1944)

Kommuniqué des Oberkommandos der Wehrmacht

Die Besatzung von Dünkirchen zerschlug starke, auf schmaler Front geführte Angriffe gegen die Ostfront der Festung und vernichtete dabei 16 der angreifenden Panzer. Der Feind hatte so schwere Ausfälle, daß er seine Angriffe nicht fortsetzte. In den Dünen an der Nordwestküste Walcherens und um Middelburg setzten unsere Truppen ihren Widerstand fort, der durch die hohen Verluste des Feindes seine Würdigung erfährt.

Dem tapferen Ausharren unserer Brückenkopfbesatzungen an der unteren Maas ist es zu danken, daß die Masse unserer Verbände über Holländisch Diep und Maas zurückgeführt und eine neue Front auf dem Nordufer aufgebaut werden konnte. Die vom Feind angestrebte Vernichtung der in Nordbrabant kämpfenden deutschen Verbände ist damit gescheitert. Seit Beginn der Schlacht im Raum von Antwerpen und in Nordbrabant hat die dort kämpfende Armee in schwerstem, fast pausenlosem Ringen 883 kanadische und englische Panzer vernichtet.

Feindliche Angriffe gegen den Brückenkopf Moerdijk wurden zerschlagen.

Durch konzentrische Angriffe unserer Panzer und Grenadiere im Einbruchsraum von Germeter wurde weiteres Gelände vom Feind gesäubert und der Ring um die abgeschnittene nordamerikanische Kräftegruppe fester geschlossen. 15 Panzer des Gegners wurden vernichtet, drei weitere sowie zahlreiche Fahrzeuge erbeutet und 7 Schlachtflieger durch Truppen des Heeres abgeschossen.

Trotz des Einsatzes überlegener Kräfte zwischen Baccarat und Saint-Dié konnte der Feind nur an vereinzelten Stellen das Westufer der Meurthe erreichen. Durch unser zusammengefasstes Abwehrfeuer erlitt er hohe Verluste.

Das Störungsfeuer der „V1“ auf London geht weiter.

Aus Mittelitalien wird zunehmende Gefechtstätigkeit im Frontbogen nördlich Rocca S. Casciano gemeldet. Die verstärkten Anstrengungen der Bulgaren, unsere Stellungen zwischen dem Strumicatal und dem Raum nord­ östlich Mitrovica zu durchstoßen, brachten ihnen auch gestern keine Erfolge.

Vor Budapest hat sich die Lage infolge unserer Gegenangriffe in die tiefe Flanke der Sowjets entspannt.

Im Kampfraum Cegled–Szolnok drücken die Bolschewisten weiter nach Norden, konnten aber gegen den entschlossenen Widerstand unserer Truppen nur geringfügig Boden gewinnen.

Deutsche und ungarische Schlachtflieger griffen bei Tag und Nacht erfolgreich in die Erdkämpfe ein und fügten dem Gegner hohe Ausfälle an Menschen und Material zu.

An der Theiß sind Gegenangriffe gegen den übergesetzten Feind im Gange, örtliche Unternehmungen der Sowjets an der slowakischen Ostgrenze scheiterten ebenso wie Angriffe auf erweiterter Front südwestlich des Duklapasses.

In Ostpreußen wurde das Westufer des Goldaper Sees vom Feinde gesäubert.

Die Wucht des feindlichen Ansturmes südöstlich Libau ließ nach, dagegen setzten die Sowjets im Raum von Autz ihre Großangriffe fort. Unsere Grenadiere vereitelten den beabsichtigten Durchbruch und brachten die Bolschewisten nach geringen Anfangserfolgen zum Stehen.

Anglo-amerikanische Terrorflieger setzten ihre ausgedehnten Angriffe gegen das Ruhrgebiet fort. Nach dem schweren Angriff auf Bochum in der Nacht zum 5. November war Gelsenkirchen am gestrigen Tage und in der vergangenen Nacht das Ziel starker feindlicher Bomberverbände. Im übrigen Reichsgebiet wurden die Wohnviertel von Neumünster, Hamburg, Wien und Koblenz schwerer getroffen. Jäger und Flakartillerie der Luftwaffe schossen 55 feindliche Flugzeuge, darunter 43 viermotorige Bomber ab.

Bei den Kämpfen im ostungarischen Raum zeichnete sich ein Gebirgsjägerregiment unter Führung von Major Schaszner durch Standhaftigkeit und hervorragenden Angriffsgeist aus.

3908

Supreme HQ Allied Expeditionary Force (November 7, 1944)

FROM
(A) SHAEF FORWARD

ORIGINATOR
PRD, Communique Section

DATE-TIME OF ORIGIN
071100A November

TO FOR ACTION
(1) AGWAR (Pass to WND)

TO (W) FOR INFORMATION (INFO)
(2) FIRST US ARMY GP
(3) ADV HQ 12 ARMY GP
(4) FWD ECH (MAIN) 12 ARMY GP
(5) AEAF
(6) ANCXF
(7) EXFOR MAIN
(8) EXFOR REAR
(9) DEFENSOR, OTTAWA
(10) CANADIAN C/S, OTTAWA
(11) WAR OFFICE
(12) ADMIRALTY
(13) AIR MINISTRY
(14) ETOUSA
(15) SACSEA
(16) CMHQ (Pass to RCAF & RCN)
(17) COM Z APO 871
(18) SHAEF MAIN

(REF NO.)
NONE

(CLASSIFICATION)
IN THE CLEAR

Communiqué No. 213

On the Walcheren Island, Allied troops have taken Middelburg and after cutting the road between there and Veere, have freed Veere itself. Other units are fighting their way northeastward from the Domburg area. Gains on the Dutch mainland have taken our troops to the outskirts of Willemstad and fighting continues on the approaches to the Moerdijk bridges, which have been blown by the enemy. Communications and supply lines in Holland and over the Dutch-German frontier were attacked yesterday by fighter-bombers. Targets included railway yards at Utrecht and Gouda and railway tracks over widespread areas of northern and eastern Holland. Rocket-firing fighters hit military buildings east of Zutphen.

Our units continued to meet strong opposition in the Hürtgen Forest. A German counterattack was repulsed west of Hürtgen, but a thrust by enemy infantry and tanks on Vossenack forced us to withdraw a short distance in the town. The enemy attack was contained and our units resumed the offensive to regain their former positions. We made small gains two miles west of Schmidt against heavy opposition. Fighter-bombers, supporting our ground units in the Schmidt area, made a series of attacks on the enemy troops and armored units. They also bombed and strafed military buildings northeast of Geilenkirchen and hit targets at Jülich and fuel and ammunition dumps at Düren. Other fighter-bombers attacked communications and transport in the Rhineland and elsewhere in Germany. Gelsenkirchen was bombed during the afternoon by a very strong force of escorted heavy bombers, five of which are missing.

In the evening, other heavy bombers attacked Koblenz. East of Lunéville, the village of Herbéviller was taken. Our units have freed several additional towns north and southeast of Baccarat. These include Vacqueville, Bertrichamps, Lachapelle, Saint-Remy, Nompatelize and La Salle. New gains were made against stubborn resistance in the Vosges heights west of Gerardmer. In the Maritime Alps, we have made gains at several points and now hold the high ground along the Italian border.

COORDINATED WITH: G-2, G-3 to C/S

THIS MESSAGE MAY BE SENT IN CLEAR BY ANY MEANS
/s/

Precedence
“OP” - AGWAR
“P” - Others

ORIGINATING DIVISION
PRD, Communique Section

NAME AND RANK TYPED. TEL. NO.
D. R. JORDAN, Lt Col FA Ext. 9

AUTHENTICATING SIGNATURE
/s/
3909

U.S. Navy Department (November 7, 1944)

CINCPAC Communiqué No. 177

Hellcat fighters, Avenger torpedo planes and Helldiver dive bombers of the Third Fleet on November 5 (West Longitude Date), continued attacks on Southern Luzon which had been begun the previous day. Preliminary reports show that additional heavy damage was inflicted upon the enemy’s air strength, shipping and ground installations by our airmen on the second day of the operation.

In addition to the 191 planes destroyed on November 4 (as previously announced in Communiqué No. 176), an additional 249 enemy aircraft were destroyed on the ground and in the air on November 5. Many others were damaged on the ground by strafing. A recapitulation of the number of enemy aircraft destroyed in the two-day strike totals 440; with 113 of these having been shot down in the air and 327 destroyed on the ground. The largest concentrations of enemy planes were found at Nichols Field, Clark Field and Nielson Field, Lipa Field, Tarlac Field, Bamban Field and Mabalacat Field. Figures on our own losses are not yet available.

Heavy damage was inflicted upon enemy ground installations during the attack on November 5. Three oil storage areas were set ablaze at the North Clark Field; fire resulted from a tremendous explosion at the Northeast Clark Field; a railway engine and five tank cars were destroyed north of Malvar.

Shipping in Manila Harbor was again brought under aerial attack on November 5, and the following damage was inflicted on this day:

  • Three cargo ships sunk
  • One oil tanker sunk
    *One destroyer probably sunk
  • Two destroyers damaged
  • Two destroyer escorts damaged
  • One trawler damaged
  • Several cargo ships damaged (making a total of 14 cargo ships damaged for the two-day strike)

A single Liberator of the 11th Army Air Force bombed three small transports off the northeast coast of Onekotan Island on November 5. Other 11th Air Force Liberators also bombed the island the same day. In a running battle with seven enemy fighters the Liberators shot down one plane and probably destroyed another. Two Liberators were damaged. A single Liberator also bombed Otomari, south of Onekotan. Results were unobserved. Tori Shima, a small island east of Paramushiru, was bombed and strafed by Eleventh Air Force Mitchells on the same day. All planes returned.

Liberators of the 7th Army Air Force bombed three cargo ships and a tanker at Hahajima in the Bonins on November 5, but results were not observed. On the same day other Liberators bombed Ant Jima in the Bonins.

Corsairs and Avengers of the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing on November 5 strafed and bombed Rota Island, the phosphate plant being the principal target.

Neutralization raids by Corsairs and Dauntless dive bombers of the 4th Marine Aircraft Wing were continued in the Marshall Islands on November 5.

3910

The Chicago Daily Tribune (November 7, 1944)

americavotes1944

FDR appeals for militant, united people

Urges 50 million to cast ballots
By William Edwards

Hyde Park, New York –
President Roosevelt wound up his fourth-term campaign tonight with a plea that the nation “face the future as a militant and united people – united here at home as well as on the battlefronts.”

In a solemnly-worded appeal, he urged 50 million American voters to “show the rest of the world that our kind of government is the best in the world – and the kind we propose to keep.”

He said the political battle was finished and he did not want to talk of partisan politics. He concluded, as he had on election eve in 1940, with a prayer by an unidentified author asking the blessing of God upon the whole land.

The text of the radio address, which had been in readiness since early in the afternoon, was withheld from the press until Mr. Roosevelt actually began speaking into the microphones in the library of his big home on the Hudson River.

Delay not explained

No official explanation was given for this unusual delay.

Tonight’s sober speech was in contrast to the informal speeches delivered by Mr. Roosevelt this afternoon in a tour of the Hudson River countryside.

His last address to the voters before they march to the polls tomorrow was almost somber at times. The President said he and millions of other Americans were most deeply concerned with the wellbeing of our fighting men far away from home.

These men, he continued, will be asking questions sooner or later as to whether the folks back home looked after their interests while they themselves were off at war.

Jazz closes campaign

New York – (Nov. 6, special)
A strange medley of jazz, jingles, and wisecracks, interspersed with political potpourri put the finishing touches tonight on the New Deal’s fourth-term campaign.

For three-quarters of an hour over all major networks, writers, singers, comedians, politicians, and movie stars from Hollywood and New York followed each other in bewildering succession in the Democratic National Committee’s vaudeville jamboree.

After Frank Sinatra had spoken and others in the heterogeneous array of performers had done their bits, President Roosevelt came on in a serious mood.

Groucho Marx adlibs

Speakers included writer Quentin Reynolds, U.S. Ambassador to Russia W. Averell Harriman, Dorothy Parker, Humphrey Bogart and James Cagney. Groucho Marx adlibbed a few quips on behalf of the New Deal. So did Milton Berle. Several comedians recited bits of doggerel about Dewey and Hoover.

Chants of vote, vote, vote were heard at intervals during the program and an overlay of continuous jazz music made the words of some of the speakers almost indistinguishable. Voices came on the air said to represent typical farmers, union members, aircraft workers, and working girls.

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americavotes1944

Dewey pleads for change to shorten war

End of confusion at home held vital
By Hal Foust, Chicago Tribune Press Service

Albany, New York – (Nov. 6)
Governor Dewey, in a final and solemn appeal to America’s voters, tonight urged defeat of the fourth-term candidacy for the following reasons:

  • To shorten the war and to hasten the return home of 11 million soldiers and sailors.
  • To assure a peace that will last.
  • To revive America after the war as a land of freedom and opportunity.

The 42-year-old Republican nominee spoke from the Executive Mansion here. With him were his wife, his mother, and two sons, 12 and nine years old.

He spoke as an American who has advanced himself under the free enterprise system. He spoke on behalf of his sons and others of the future generation. He spoke on behalf of the youth now in uniform which would like to return home as soon as possible and find job, and not a dole, regimentation or leaf raking.

Arguments substantiated

With a thoroughness that has characterized his entire campaign, Dewey substantiated each of his three points. He documented his argument that none of the three objectives of tomorrow’s election can be attained without defeat of President Roosevelt and the entire New Deal.

On the first point, Dewey told how confusion and bungling at Washington, DC, have weakened support of the professional warriors, Marshall, King, Eisenhower, Nimitz, MacArthur, and Halsey, who are fighting this war and will continue to command. He told how Roosevelt’s personal and secret diplomacy has stiffened enemy resistance.

On the second point, Dewey said that Roosevelt’s constant conflicts with congress preclude a harmony between the executive and legislative branches of government essential for making treaties in accordance with plans for a world peace organization. He recalled former President Wilson’s failure to win accord with the Senate on the first League of Nations issue.

Emphasizes New Deal failure

On the third point, Dewey emphasized that Roosevelt has offered for the post-war era no economic program other than continuation of the New Deal bureaucracy, which, after eight peace years in 1940 found 10 million still unemployed.

To advance all three objectives, Dewey asked the electorate tomorrow to end the unhappy turmoil, dissension, class hatred, group conflict, and antagonism that have accumulated in Washington, DC, for the last 12 years. With new, young blood, he would inaugurate an administration dedicated to and qualified for harmony and efficiency on the home front, for a quick end of the war, a prompt return home of the soldiers and sailors, and for a sound economy of full production and full employment after the war.

His last words were almost a prayer asking for divine guidance, asking for faith in our neighbors, faith in America, and faith in Almighty God. With these words, he closed his Republican campaign for the Presidency. Tomorrow, he and Mrs. Dewey will go to New York City to cast their ballots with about 50 million other Americans.

3912

americavotes1944

57,000 U.S. prisoners abroad will not vote

Washington (AP) – (Nov. 6)
The more than 57,000 U.S. servicemen and women who are prisoners of war have not been permitted to cast absentee ballots for tomorrow’s election, the War Department said today.

3913

The New York Times (November 7, 1944)

americavotes1944

U.S. VOTES TODAY; WAR BALLOT COUNT MAY DELAY VERDICT
11 states will not canvass returns from Armed Forces until after Election Day

50,000,000 total likely; Fair weather is forecast for crucial area in East and rain for Midwest
By James A. Hagerty

With President Roosevelt touring Dutchess and adjoining counties and making a final radio appeal from his home in Hyde Park, according to his custom, and with Governor Dewey broadcasting a speech from the Executive Mansion at Albany, the 1944 presidential campaign drew to a close last night.

Today, between 45,000,000 and 50,000,000 American citizens will go to the polls to cast their votes in the most important national election since the last wartime presidential election, that of 1864 in the Civil War.

In addition, 4,000,000 men and women in the armed services have already sent in their ballots or will send them in to the states that will receive and record them after Election Day. In New York State, where the extended time for receipt of war ballots expired at noon yesterday, Willian T. Simpson, chairman of the War Ballot Commission, announced that 421,128 war ballots had been received. These have been sent to the boards of elections in the different counties and will be counted with the civilian votes tonight.

Eleven states delay count

Should the result of the election be close, it may not be determined until the count of the service vote, and the result may not be known for weeks because 11 states do not count this vote on Election Day. For example, Pennsylvania, with 35 electoral votes and classed with New York as somewhat doubtful, though probably a Roosevelt state, will not start counting its service vote until Nov. 22. Thus, the result in that state may not be known until several days later if Governor Dewey should receive a plurality of the civilian vote.

The other states, with their electoral votes and dates for counting war ballots, follow:

California (25), Nov. 24; Colorado (6), Nov. 22; Florida (8), Nov. 8-17; Maryland (8), Nov. 9; Missouri (15), Nov. 10; Nebraska (6), Nov. 13-Dec. 1; North Dakota (4), up to Dec. 5; Rhode Island (4), Dec. 5; Utah (4), Nov. 7-12; Washington (8), Nov. 27-Dec. 5.

Because of complaints of congestion during the registration period in New York City, the New York Legislature passed and Governor Dewey signed a bill extending the voting hours in the state from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. EWT, as had been done in the presidential elections of 1940 and 1936. The polls will open at 6:00 a.m. throughout the state. The registration in New York City is 3,217,511. The registration in the state outside New York City, including the non-personal registration, is 3,677,034.

Both sides predict victory

At the close of a campaign that showed some uncertain factors, neither national chairman of the two major parties found reason to change hie prediction of victory. Robert E. Hannegan, Democratic National Chairman, repeated that Governor Dewey would win fewer electoral votes and receive fewer popular votes than the late Wendell L. Willkie did in 1940. Herbert Brownell Jr., Republican National Chairman, again declared that he would not concede President Roosevelt a single state outside the Solid South. Neither claimed a specific number of States, although Mr. Hannegan declared at the last moment that President Roosevelt would carry New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and the chairman’s own state of Missouri. Mr. Willkie carried 10 states with an electoral vote of 82 in 1940.

Harry Fleischman, national secretary of the Socialist Party, said he believed the Socialist vote would be the highest since 1932, when Norman Thomas, then and now the party’s candidate for President, received almost a million votes.

With the result in New York expected to be close, possibly a plurality under 100,000 for either candidate, Paul E. Fitzpatrick, Democratic State Chairman, held to his prediction of a minimum plurality of 250,000 for President Roosevelt, and Edvin F. Jaeckle, Republican State Chairman, to his estimate of 150,000 for Governor Dewey. Arthur E. Schwartz, Republican state campaign manager, hailed the President’s trip through the Hudson River countryside, which he has taken in all his campaigns, as evidence of panic.

Because the greatest Republican strength is in the country districts, the weather predictions favor the Republican national ticket in the key states of New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, New Jersey and Massachusetts. The prediction for the Atlantic and Gulf states is for a clear day – cold in the North and mild in the South.

Widespread rains are forecast for the upper Mississippi Valley and the western lake region, with showers in Texas, Oklahoma and Missouri. Snow flurries are expected in the Rocky Mountain states and in the Far West the prediction is clear weather except for rain in Western Oregon and Washington.

Six national tickets listed

Six rational tickets have been nominated, although all these candidates will not appear on the ballot in every State. The presidential and vice-presidential candidates follow:

DEMOCRATIC: Franklin D. Roosevelt of Hyde Park, New York, and Harry S. Truman of Independence, Missouri.

REPUBLICAN: Thomas E. Dewey of New York City and John W. Bricker of Columbus, Ohio.

SOCIALIST: Norman Thomas of New York City and Darlington Hoopes of Reading, Pennsylvania.

SOCIALIST-LABOR: Edward A. Teicher of Greensburg, Pennsylvania, and Arla A. Albaugh of Massillon, Ohio.

AMERICA FIRST: Gerald L. K. Smith of Detroit, Michigan, and Harry Romer of St. Henry, Ohio.

The Prohibition and America First candidates are not on the ballot in New York State. President Roosevelt and Senator Truman are also the nominees of the American Labor and Liberal parties. In New York, because of a law preventing duplication of party names even in part, the Socialist-Labor candidates are running under the label of the Industrial Government Party.

New York State voters will also vote for a U.S. Senator and an Associate Judge of the Court of Appeals. Democratic Senator Robert F. Wagner, who is running for reelection with the endorsement of the Labor and Liberal parties, is opposed by Republican Secretary of State Thomas J. Curran and Eric Haas, candidate of the Industrial Labor Party.

Marvin R. Dye, Democratic candidate for Judge of the Court of Appeals, also has the Labor and Liberal Party nominations. John Van Voorhis is the Republican candidate and Walter Steinhilber is the candidate of the Industrial Labor Party. The Socialist Party made no nominations for Senator or Appeals Court Judge.

The voters of the state will also elect 45 Representatives in Congress, who now stand 22 Republicans, 22 Democrats and one American Labor Party member, Vito Marcantonio. They also will elect 56 State Senators, 150 members of the Assembly and various judicial, county and local officials.

In addition to voting for President and Vice President, voters in 31 states will elect Governors today. Of these states, 19 have Republican Governors and 12 have Democratic Governors.

Thirty-five Senate seats, 22 now held by Democrats and 13 by Republicans, are at stake in the election. To get control of the Senate, Republicans face the virtually impossible task of holding the seats they now have and winning 12 of the seats now held by Democrats.

Maine reelected three Republican Representatives and a Republican Governor at its state election in September, but in the other states, 432 members of the House of Representatives will be elected. For these 432 seats, there are 919 candidates. Republican leaders believe they have at least a fair chance of regaining control of the House. The prospect of doing so depends upon holding their present 212 seats and adding at least six more for a bare majority of 218. Democrats contend that the effect of the presidential contest will be to increase the Democratic representation in the House.

3914

The Los Angeles Times (November 7, 1944)

americavotes1944

Last-minute efforts may decide state

Parties’ activities in getting people to polls called vital

Reaching a neck-and-neck climax in California today, the outcome the presidential contest in this state between Governor Dewey and President Roosevelt – known to be close throughout the nation – was expected to hinge upon the respective get-out-the-vote activities of the Republican and Democratic campaign field workers.

Anticipating a total state vote in excess of 3,000,000 – approximately 84 percent of the combined registration of 4,141,331 – leaders on both sides of the presidential race claimed California’s 25 electoral votes by varying estimated majorities.

Both sides confident

For the Democratic side the assertion was made that President Roosevelt will win his fourth-term bid here by a majority of 500,000.

And from Republican headquarters here and in San Francisco, a Dewey victory ranging between 100,000 and 200,000 was predicted.

Election of Lieutenant Governor Frederick F. Houser to the U.S. Senate in a substantial win over the incumbent Democrat, Sheridan Downey

Watch House race

With 13 of the state’s 23 members in the national House of Representatives wearing the

Clear weather was generally anticipated throughout California today. The polls will be open from 7:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m. PWT.

Republican hopes for victory in the presidential contest were pinned on a “trend-to-Dewey” sentiment among registered Democrats which, in the opinion of GOP leaders, has been accelerated during the concluding weeks of the campaign.

Heavy ballot seen

Here is Los Angeles, where the total registration Democrats number 1,047,748, and registered Republicans, 640,042, Registrar of Voters Mike Donoghue believes more than 1,500,000 ballots will be cast.

Absentee ballots from the state’s sailors, soldiers and Marines, not to be tabulated until Nov. 23, may determine the Electoral College vote of California if pre-election indications of a close finish are borne out by actual balloting.

More than 285,000 absentee ballots have been requested and these are now being returned at a rate which promises a total return considerably in excess of 50 percent of the requests.

Of the 185,797 absentee ballots sent to California men and women in the Armed Forces from Los Angeles, San Francisco, Alameda and San Diego counties – the state’s four most populous centers – 98,595 have already been returned as already voted, according to announcement in Sacramento yesterday by Secretary of State Frank M. Jordan.

By counties, the requests and returns are as follows: Los Angeles, 113,750 requests, 61,703 voted; San Francisco, 34,500 requests, 14,532 voted; Alameda, 22,920 requests, 13,127 voted; San Diego, 14,807 requests, 9,213 voted.

An additional 19,000 federal ballots have been received from statewide areas, Jordan said.

Public offices, banks and stock exchanges will be closed today. No liquor may be sold or given away during voting hours.

Record registration

From Governor Warren down through every division of the Republican and Democratic campaign organizations came a concerted appeal yesterday for a record turnout of voters.

Calling attention to the fact that California’s total registration this year is the greatest in the state’s existence, Governor Warren told the electorate that:

We should enter upon Election Day with the determination that our state will produce the greatest vote total, the greatest example of public participation in government, in its history.

Don’t stay at home

Raymond Haight, Republican National Committeeman for California, asserted that extensive polls of political sentiment throughout California “distinctly show that the Republican candidates will win all along the line if our people go to the polls.”

He made the flat statement that “what we fear most now is the stay-at-home registrant in both major parties.”

Should the actual balloting on the presidential race in California closely coincide with the pre-election polls, Haight said, “Dewey will be the next President of the United States.”

3915

americavotes1944

Victory claimed by both chairmen

By the Associated Press

Both major party chairmen see victory today for their national tickets.

Republican Chairman Brownell:

I cannot concede a single state outside the Solid South. It will be a sweeping Republican victory.

Democratic Chairman Hannegan:

Dewey will carry fewer states than Willkie four years ago.

Willkie won 10 states with an electoral vote of 82.

3916

The Chicago Daily Tribune (November 7, 1944)

americavotes1944

Illinois to cast big vote; GOP strength shows

Expect Green and Lyons to lead Dewey
By Arthur Evans

A total vote in Illinois that may equal and perhaps exceed the 4,262,196 of 1940 is looked for by Republican and Democratic leaders as the campaign goes to the polls today.

Governor Green, running for a second term, will lead the Republican ticket in the vote. County canvasses and straw votes indicate that both the governor and Richard J. Lyons, candidate for U.S. Senator, will lead Governor Dewey, head of the ticket.

The ancient lines of battle are tightened between Chicago, home of the Democratic machine, and downstate Illinois, overwhelmingly Republican.

Downstate estimate raised

Republican statisticians, after a final canvass of county chairmen throughout the state as to the indicated size of the majorities in their counties, raised their estimates of downstate strength. They said their calculations indicate that Dewey will come up to the Cook County lune 350,000 votes ahead of President Roosevelt. Green and Lyins are given a somewhat higher figure in the estimates.

With the country towns od Chicagoland traditionally Republican, the downstate margins will be increased.

Roosevelt is expected to run ahead of Senator Lucas, candidate for reelection. Lucas is opposed by Lyons, his antagonist six years ago. The President is also expected to be ahead of State Attorney Courtney, opponent of Governor Green.

What Roosevelt’s majority in Chicago will be is the problem. It is accentuated this year by the registration and the shifts in population it involves. Republicans said Roosevelt could carry Chicago by 400,000, which they do not deem likely, and still be overthrown by the net combined Republican majorities in the area outside Chicago, which means the 101 counties downstate and the Cook County suburbs.

Registry list grows

Total registration this year is 4,561,410. An increase od 196,033 is Cook County over the 1940 registry lists, largely in war plant areas, now shows the county with 380,350 more registered voters than are on the books in the 101 downstate counties. Cook County has 2,470,880; the remainder of the state, 2,090,530.

Republicans declare the downstate registry will be increased by voters in that area who may vote by affidavit as of old. A large population of the Chicago and Cook County increase results from the fact that people from downstate have moved to war plant jobs, but they have not changed their political views.

Four years ago, Roosevelt had a majority of 281,822 in Chicago, which was a drop from his 1936 majority of 555,286. Straw votes this year give him a smaller percentage of the Chicago vote than the 58.3 percent he had in 1940. Downstate straw votes and county canvasses show Dewey with a percentage notable higher than that of Willkie four years ago, and also with a higher percentage in the Cook County towns.

Soldier vote to be counted

The soldier vote, one of the imponderables in the election, is to be counted with the civilian vote. When the polls close, it is placed in the ballot boxes and the count starts, with the absentee vote supposed to be indistinguishable from the civilian. Theories on both sides are that the soldier vote will not vary much from the civilian.

It was expected to total about 250,000, but reports last night were that it may not exceed 210,000. Fewer ballots were received downstate, it was said, than were at first estimated.

One matter not to be overlooked is the difference in strength this year between the party organizations. In 1940, the Democrats had the state administration. This year, the Republicans have it, while also in a growing majority of the counties, Republicans hold the bulk of the elective offices, and organizations have been built up.

In final forecasts from the rival camps, the Republicans predicted a majority as high as 250,000 for Dewey; the Democrats estimated that President Roosevelt would “materially increase” his plurality of 102,000 out of 4,262,196 votes cast in 1940.

3917

Republican hacks who support Dewey and he is Hitler, Mussolini and Tojo all rolled into one.

3918

The Pittsburgh Press (November 7, 1944)

americavotes1944

Big cities cast record vote

War workers crowd polls; strong rural balloting indicated
By Lyle C. Wilson, United Press staff correspondent

New York –
Some of the heaviest voting in history, despite the absence of men in the Armed Forces, was reported today from industrial centers of this nation which is choosing between Franklin D. Roosevelt and Thomas E. Dewey in the first wartime presidential election since 1864.

War workers crowded the polls in New York, Chicago, Detroit, Philadelphia, Nashville, Houston, Dallas and other cities as soon as the voting places opened. Fair weather over most of the country was also expected to bring out a strong rural vote.

First returns came from the rural Nutbush precinct of Vance County, North Carolina, where the 21 registered voters cast their ballots unanimously for President Roosevelt, and from Mashpee, Massachusetts, where complete returns gave Roosevelt 81 votes and Dewey 89.

Boston reported the total vote running ahead of 1940 throughout New England, particularly in the industrial areas.

Detroit officials estimated that city would poll 700,000 votes compared to 584,000 four years ago. An estimated 212,000 had voted by noon.

Watchers in Philadelphia reported “very heavy” voting in both the industrial and residential sections. Industrialized Chester, Pennsylvania, was piling up its heaviest vote in history, and some Pittsburgh totals were running ahead of 1940.

In New York City’s Brooklyn Borough, an estimated 500,000 of the 1,121,053 registered voters had cast their ballots by noon.

The first 50 votes counted in Pratt City, Kansas, traditionally a Republican stronghold, gave Dewey 27, Roosevelt 23.

Despite scattered rains in the west, early voting was exceptionally heavy in Colorado and Utah.

Kansas City was having its biggest rush to the polls in many years and some precincts were half voted by 9:00 a.m. The total was expected to be far ahead of 1940.

Several Texas cities, including Fort Worth, San Antonio, Dallas, Houston, Longview and Wichita Falls, were expected to set new voting records.

Oklahoma war workers rushed to the polls early and in midmorning the vote was running ahead of 1940.

Indianapolis reported light voting in the industrial sections but nearby rural areas, predominantly Republican, were piling up an unprecedented vote.

In San Francisco, approximately 40,000 – approximately 10 percent of the registered voters – cast their ballots the first hour.

The Maryland vote was very heavy and ahead of 1940.

In Oregon, observers believed the vote would exceed that of 1940 despite 10,000 fewer registrations.

A record number of women’s votes was piling up in Buffalo, New York, and surrounding Erie County.

Voting enthusiasm was reported high in North Carolina, Georgia and other Southern states despite the fact that Mr. Roosevelt was generally conceded the Solid South Lines of voters awaited the opening of the polls in Atlanta, Nashville, Birmingham and New Orleans.

Bricker votes early

First of the Election Day principals to vote was Ohio Governor John W. Bricker, the Republican vice-presidential nominee. He became the 111th voter to receive a ballot in his Columbus, Ohio, precinct.

Throughout the country, citizens were exercising their secret ballot rights in 140,498 voting precincts.

It is a rare and rigid test of our democracy. The men and women of the armed services have been voting for weeks and most of their ballots are sealed, waiting for the polls to be closed before being tallied.

Polltakers foresee the closest presidential contest since 1916 when Republican Charles Evans Hughes lost by a whisker to Democrat Woodrow Wilson.

Many states doubtful

A score of states are listed as close or doubtful. The absentee service vote may be decisive in any of them, including big New York and Pennsylvania.

The winner needs at least 266 of the 531 electoral votes.

National Democratic Chairman Robert E. Hannegan predicted that Mr. Roosevelt would do better than he did in 1940 when he carried 38 states.

National Republican Chairman Herbert Brownell Jr. said not only that Governor Dewey would be elected but that Republicans would not “concede a single state outside the Solid South.”

11 states delay count

State laws have already assured that the service vote will be delayed in 11 states. In any photo-finish election this year the winner conceivably might not be known until the last of the late-tally states have been reported. The last is North Dakota which makes its final service ballot count Dec. 7.

Officials estimate that 4,894,225 service ballots were distributed and that 2,856,993 will be returned for counting.

New York has already announced that 411,128 service ballots had been received by the statutory state deadline which was yesterday noon.

In many states, including New York, the potential soldier vote exceeds the number by which Mr. Roosevelt led the late Wendell L. Willkie in 1940.

States postponing tally

States in which the service ballot count will be delayed for various lengths of time are California, Colorado, Florida, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Utah and Washington. They aggregate 123 electoral votes.

in addition to the Presidency and Vice Presidency, this election will choose 432 members of the House of Representatives, 36 U.S. Senators, 31 governors and literally thousands of lesser officials. One of the 36 Senate seats is for a meaningless two-month term which expires with the present 78th Congress next Jan. 3.

Maine elected its three members of the House – all Republicans – and a Republican Governor last September. There was no 1944 senatorial election in Maine.

Both candidates speak

The campaign finally ended last night shortly before midnight with both presidential candidates on the radio in last-minute appeals, which primarily were for all eligible citizens to get to the polls today. Mr. Dewey is voting in New York City. Mr. Roosevelt will vote in Hyde Park.

The President to be elected today and the new 79th Congress will determine domestic and foreign policies for the next two years when there will be another election – this time with Congressional seats the only federal jobs at stake.

Democrats have nominal control of both Senate and House as the ballots are cast today. But, actually, an anti-New Deal coalition of Republicans and Democrats has been dominant on Capitol Hill for the last two years – and occasionally before that.

Standings listed

Here are the standings as of today:

SENATE: Democrats 58; Republicans 37; Progressives 1.

HOUSE: Democrats 214; Republicans 212; Progressives 2; Farmer-Labor 1; American-Labor 1; vacant 5.

Safe Southern states among those at stake today assure continued numerical superiority in the Senate for the Democratic Party, although administration control will continue to be in jeopardy. But Republicans insist that they will win the House this year. It is conceded that they have brighter prospects now than at any time since Mr. Roosevelt became the Democratic leader.

House may go GOP

One of the side issues of this campaign has been the possibility that the President, in a close contest, might squeak through but that the House would go Republican. In that event, Mr. Roosevelt would have to deal with Republicans if he would deal with the House at all.

Political morality, individual veracity and age have fired this campaign with bitter issues. Mr. Dewey’s challenge to the “tired and quarrelsome old men” has aroused Mr. Roosevelt’s supporters to ridicule the Governor’s youth.

Mr. Roosevelt is 62 and Mr. Dewey is 20 years younger. Senator Harry S. Truman (D-MO), who was nominated as Mr. Roosevelt’s running mate after the President decided Henry A. Wallace might be a political liability, is 60 years old. Ohio Governor John W. Bricker runs with Mr. Dewey. He is 51.