Tribune: "Government Goes After Grafters.... Life Imprisonment or Death Penalty for Guilty Officials." A Special Tribunal is being set up for them.

The Editorial is dedicated to — what else? — the cotton gift from Japan.

"Conscription Age Lowered in Japan" — to 19 from 20 — "to insure complete victory in the present war." The 19-year-olds will win it.

Daihon-ei reports on Japanese air victories over Rabaul. On December 23 they shot down 24 out of 75, including 4 "probables." The next day it was 58 out of 135, including 5 probables. They lost 6 planes on each encounter. On December 21, 5 out of 8 P-38's were bagged over the Marshalls. Over Tarawa, 7 out of 27 B-24's were downed in two encounters. The Japanese lost 2 planes. It's fairy tale season again.

The Americans dropped 360 tons of bombs over Cape Gloucester in New Britain. All Manila is asking where Cape Gloucester is and why it merited 2,900 tons of bombs since December 1.