Battleship Yamato, Five Other
Combat Ships, 391 Planes Lost
In Fight With U.S. Navy Airmen
GUAM, April 7 (UP) Japan's greatest battleship, the '10,000-ton Yamato, and five
other warships were sunk today by aircraft of Vice Admiral Marc A. Mitscher's carrier
task forces in a naval-air battle fought in the East China sea. More than a fourth of
the enemy's remaining fleet was destroyed in the engagement.
Three hundred and ninety -one Japanese aircraft were shot down or destroyed
by American airmen in air battles Friday and Saturday ranging from "embattled Okin
awa to Kyushyu, Japan's most southerly home island.
Japan thus gambled her waning surface and air fleet in a desperate attempt to stem
the inexorable advance of allied arms, and lost heavily again.
A light cruiser of the Agano class, a small cruiser and three destroyers were sunk by
U. S. pilots in addition to the Yamato in the battle off southern Japan. The enemy's
fleet consisted of 12 warships.
Three U. S. De (foyers Lost
American battle losses' were seven aircraft and three destroyers. Several destroyers
and smaller craft were1 damaged, fleet Admiral Chester W. Nimitz announced.
Twenty-two Japanese planes were destroyed or damaged on Kyushu airfield by navy
search planes, in addition to the 391 shot down in a great aerial victory reminiscent of
the "Marianas turkey shoot" off Guam June 18, 1944.
Today was the first time the sequestered Japanese navy has ventured forth to do
battle since the great battle of Lcyte Gulf Oct. 24-25, when the U. S. seventh and fifth
fleets inflicted a decisive defeat on a three-pronged surface thrust at the American
New Jap Premier Has
Pessimistic Outlook
By United Press
Premier Admiral Huron Kantaro Suzuki Saturday an
nounced a new "battle" cabinet for Japan and, in a forebod
ing inaugural statement, warned his people that the war sit
uation "warrants not the least bit of optimism whatever for
our nation's survival."
"The enemy has now finnly established themselves on our
homeland," Suzuki said, referring to the American invasion
of Japan's Okinawa prefecture less than 400 miles from
Kyushu.
He offered to die in battle, if
necessiiiy. i
Following his investitive as
premier, foreign minister and
greater east Asia minister, sue- j
ceeding the discredited Kuniaki
KOISO, tjll.UKl rcvcaicu uiuiscJi iu
be thoroughly pcssimlic over
Japan's chances of holding off
the Pacific Allies.
Outlook Noi Pleasant
"The present war, which is
fought for the very existence of
our empire, has come to the most
important crucial stage, which
warrants not the least bit of op
timism whatever for our nation's
survival. If the situation con
tinues lfVe this, the basis of our
nation's existence might be
threatened," Suzuki said.
The statement was broadcast
by Tokyo radio and recorded by
United Press, San Francisco.
Army Shakeirp Revealed
Along with announcement of a
new cabinet, consisting of two
other admirals, a general and a
group of career civil servants, it
was disclosed that the Japanese
army administration had been
reshuffled.
The reshuffle included creation
of n general army command and
a general army air command in
the Japanese homeland, pre
sumably to strengthen the na
tion's defense against an-anticipated
Allied landing. '
Marshal Gen. '.Sugiyaiv.a, .war
minister in this Kois-'j cabinet,
and Marshal Shunroku- Hata.
former supreme-comantler of the
See PREMIER . . . Page 8
U. S. Bombers Hit
German Airfields;
Luftwaffe Routed
LONDON, April 7- (UP)-Ahoul
2.150 American -warplancH nllack
d four-air fields in nm thorn
Germany .today. .Iii beating (iff
the mo it 'concentrated counter
attacks for mopths, -the fighter
escort alone shot down at least
C3 nazi planes.
Sumo 1,300 Flying Fortresses
;;nd .Liberators of the eighth air
!'rce carrii-d nut the attack. They
'"re supported by 850 Mustong
nd Thunderbolt fighters.
The early ropoit on tile bag of
'irman planes did But include
'he number shut down by II"'
el '- a- bombers. First account;
"idic.itcd that the air battle; was
of the greatest since the hoy
"i.v of the German air force,
i'argcls included the h o in e
ises of iet-prnnclled fighter
ianes, three ordnance and am-!
munition dcpat,s,)an oil depot and
The' Germans aho said Italy-'
used bombci s were
over Aus- j
ria today.
-O-
--
It r II : s-'imers can get extra fuel oil ra
il ealher s -fj,-. f,hct.ng wat this sum
Oa'a for( hours cnTna 7 a.fti.tDmrv. SS
-."v ; - r. . tj i
temncraturWU
Maximum ....
Minimum .
Precipitation
57
Ti
.08
unset-
tor-cast: Cloudy V.d
I t"night(g)d Sunday.
d
Sirebst Navy Uiniofc
"
j Vi
! M
U1L-J,
FORMS NEW JAP CABINET
Premier Boron Kantaro Sui
uki, chore, ' today announced
He formation of a new Jap
anese cabinet and warned hit
people that there is "not the
least bit of optimism" for Jap
an's survival.
Growing Interest
Fn Aviation Seen
By State Aide
Lt. Col. Leo G. Devaney, di
rector of aviation in Oregon and
wing commander of the civil ail
patrol, was in La Grande today
on official business in connection
with the CAP and the state board
oi aeronautics.
His trip through eastern Ore
gon, includes Ontario, Baker, La
Gi.-ancle and Joseph.' He went- to
Heppncr late today for an organ
ization, meeting' of a CAP unit
and to select airport sites. .
On the Joseph trip he inspect
ed the municipal airport site as
well as a private site at Wallowa
fake, both fields being construct
ed by Contractor Ray Dun-more,
he said. 1
, Col. "Devanev said Iheic ha:
t been a marked increase in inter-
est and activity in the CAP and
that increased interest in Ihls
vicinity has been noted.
He explained that while the
organization is not at present en
gaged in active duty, the activi
ties are being directed toward
See OREGON Page 7
t()l tltU'l'St Will (:d
iXo tixtfC Flicl OH
' Aus- j S WASHINGTON Aprd ) 7 (UP)
O i .Thc office of pi JM administ',
I linn announced toSii, how con-
The additional lations will be
issued to eligible persons every
where except the Pacific north
west. Extra coupons wi''. be is
sued there only if the regional
supply situation improves.
: Philippines bridgehead
In both the aerial and naval
counter - attacks, the Japanese
were attempting to disrupt our
successful invasion of the Ryu
kyus. The counter-attacks were
divided into two phases.
The first was off Okinawa
where large forces of Japanese
planes attacked American ships
and 'shore installations in the
late afternoon of Friday.
Destroyers Screen Yamato
The second was on Saluiday
when Mitscher's first carriers en
gaged the Japanese naval ves
sels caught emerging from the
inland sea. They were sighted
by naval search aircraft as they
'le aded into the East China sea.
The force of destroyers screen
ed, the Yamato was sinking
anese navy.
Mitscher, steaming toward the
Japanese force at high speed,
sec BATTLESHIP . . . Page 7
Shipbuilders Seek
Guaranteed Wajre,
Short Work Week
CAMDEN, N. J., April 7 (UP)
he industrial union of marine
and shipbuilding workers of
America. (CIO), today called for
establishment of a guaranteed
annual wage and gradual taper-ing-off
of the work week to 35
hours for all shipyards workers.
Union President John Green
announced that the proposals.
! adopted at a quarterly meeting
of the general executive board,
were designed to take up the
slack in employment at shipyards
as wartime production is cur
tailed. The union proposed that a
guaranteed annual wage of $:j.00()
be set ud immediately for skilled
shipyard mechanics on a basis
of 50 work weeks and two weeks
vacation. Other classifications
of employes would be paid in
proportion.
"We further propose," the un
ion said, "that this annual wage
be paid for a 35-hour week, to
be instituted as soon as possible
lo enable a careful tapering uff
in the W-ar production program,
instead of an abrupt, cataclysmic
shut-down which may result in
the permanent impairment of the
shipbuilding industry.'1
Japanese Defeated
Fn Central ISurma
CALCUTTA. . April 7 (UP)
The Japanese 15th' army has
been decisively defeated on--lhe
central Burma plain- and is no
longer considered an t ffeclive
fighting force, the southeast Asia
command reported today. ' --
"Our troops have " reached the
-nd of the definite phaso of opw-
-""" "'i "" miuiu-1 iiiii-c-iounns ol .Japanese rouib.it
nting the large force of Japanese j ail craft engine production.
Letween Mfindalny and Meiklila. The escorting Mustangs Jv,l
the communique said. i rln-.vn 21 encniv fihti is, t.r.li-
Formations of two oilier ,I,,p- ; sl.ly drstrnved s"ix more .-iiirl dam
" armi.-s in Burma, the 33rd :.K1 )0. Two American figlHeis
and 23th. have al.w sulf'-rt'd con- were lost hut one oilol u :i'; n s-
sidcralile casualties,
Consolidation of the ailifd posi
tion is under way. -
Wallowa County
Soldiers Killed
The-.war department tori
.''U' d a casualty list containing the 1
nam re' of T.733 killed a'ifl'
I wounueu a(H! uoi w oo w ere wikvii ,
.ir.soner in the varioust'V ar thea
ters. The list included the names of
two Wi.'ftWa county soldiers kill
ed in action n the European
previously notified. 1 ISo- are: 1
T5 Carl M. Hyney. the son ofW-'king to the wesoa.st. e
Mrs. Etta J. Hyney. Wallowa. I was caught in g) Grande; and
Pvt. G ;an L. Makin. the son of returned to face prosecution in
Mrs. Mori L. Makin, KnU i prise. Uaker.
KSTAHMSHEl) 1S96
Hannover,
2, x a a
R
ussians
Center of
Capital Is
Assaulted
LONDON, April 7 (UP)
The Devlin radio said today
that the German army had
lost Moedling, southern sub
url) of Vienna, after bloody
fighting from house to house.
LONDON, April 7 (UP)
A dr.'imatic In'oadctist from
Vienna said todav that the
Russians had broken into the
Austrian capital and were
nearinjr the center in heavy
street fightinn;.
The rattle of trunfire punc
tuated the broadcast, Iyondon
newspapers s a i d. Speakers
called on the inhabitants
nearly 2,000,000 in 1939 to
stand firm.
"Volksstuimors (home guards)
are going into line," the broad
cast said. "With I he German
Wehrmacht, Grenadiers and SS
men, they are going lo defend
their homes.
"Every yard of ground is be
ing defended to the last, but the
Russians have increased the mo
mentum of their attacks. Fight
ing is now going on around and
in Vienna itself . . . Gariison un
its arc fighting against the Rus
sians on the edge of the city's
center."
Cathedral Sounds Alarm
Monitors said the announce
ment was preceded by the ring
ing of the bells of St. Stephen's
latkedr.-il, which also sounded
the alarm when Turks stood at
the gates of Vienna many years
ago.
There was no immediate con
firmation of the report that the
Russians were nearing the cen
ter of Vienna, but Moscow dis
patches said the Red army was
fighting for the Simmering dis
trict just inside the city limits
en the southeast.
Tin; Red army reached Simmer
See AUSTRIAN . . .- Page 7
Fighter Ilanes
Escort IJ-29s Fn
Kaids On Japan
GUAM, April 7 (UP)- U. S.
army fighter planes, appeared
ever (he Japanese homeland for
the first time today when lon'g
lange P.-5I- Mustangs from hvo
.lima escorted an estimated -KM)
Siiirirfortrcsses in a eiushing al
.laek on .aircraft factories on the"
island of Honshu..
The air armada., largest land-k-isul
force ever lo' strike the
enemy homeland, rained Inch
i xplosivts un the ' .Nakajlina-Mu-siihino
' factory near Tokyo and-'I'.'.-
gianl Mitsubishi plant at
Nauuya. Hclwncn them, these
l.-.clories ,-iccount for Voueliiv
I CllCfl. : t)
The plants previously had been
j n.ided by lt-2(i.s from tlu M--u i-
nas. herjous damage to them
ivould badly cripple Japanese air
ci aft producljon.
Woman IS'abbed fere
T or linker Theft.
BAKER, Ore. April 7 (UI'l-
u.mi.-r noieuii opnelor thought
iitr oiu west icwivs wnen
(!und a blanket wiW&ng andvri
note promisinB later navment. I
signed I wo Gun J(io)-.." '
But the pistol-toting monicker
I'.elonEed to Mis. Jackie Gan Jsr) -
i.un wiles city, Montana, hit' h-
l,A GRANDE.
A
7,
'It.. $
FHU1TS OF OPPRESSION As so may thousands of Nail yic
Jirr.i have done. Hitler's people themselves now fight for food.
Photo above shows Grmm womtn battling over food loft behind
by retreating German troops. Woman at right has just knocked
dowi the older one l center. At left, a one-armed man, possibly
a war casualty, doffs his hat, perhaps in politeness, perhaps in
salute lo Amazons fighting ability.
Vast Gold Reserves of Germany
Captured by American Troops
WITH THE (KITH INFANTRY DIVISION AT MERKF.HS, April
7 (UP) American troops today captured what was believed lo b?
the entire German gold reserve, huge sums in German and foreign
currency, and a large store of German's most valuable art 'treasures
hidden in a salt mine.
The treasure trove, evacuated
from Berlin in the last six weeks,
was found here in one of the
largest salt mines in Europe DO
miles west of Weimar.
Officials Captured
German officials, captured at LONDON', April 7 (UP)-I3er-the
trove, estimated there was 1 jn 1T),)rtL,d (onj(!U that Aclolt
IOC tons, ol gold in the mme. . Huk.r had 0,.dLT.d ,L. st.);tiull
that would be W4.MOO0O at the , Ity and (,vilm.nl
American rate ol $.K a troy ls wllh dislI.k.tSi U1S t,xc.,lld.
""nt0- I lag party gauleiters or district
In addition, the Germans said, j 1, adi-rs and their subordinates
there was aboiit S3,00,0(),()0() f, ,mi the government setup,
in paper roirhsmarks, 2.IW.i,n(l j The first mizi broadcasts re
in U. S. dollars, about $4411,-; nortiiiir the clianue in the basic
01)0 in English pounds, as. well
as- 100,000,(10(1 French francs,
4,QOG,000 Norwegian crowns, and
I lesser amounts of other currency
in the mine.
Art Trcasuros Found .
The art treasures Include orig- ;
inals by Raphael, Rembrandt,
Van Dyke, ' Durier .and Hi.;ir. i
The Germans said there were :
1,000 cases of paintimis and star '
tues. If)') tapestries, thousands of
engi livings and '120 eases of Un
original Goethe colleMion from
Weimar-. j
Thu gold was sliiicd in a chain-
her 2.100 feet below the'grounil.
The. doors of the -gold- vault had
bfon jammed "and it was impos
sible : immediately, to verify the
story of t)le" German officials.
However, with Hie American
troops v.hieli found the trove I
See VAST GERMAN . . . Pago 7
Chinese-I'ijssian
1. .A t.. .". J ,
luaitiwav iYienacea
SIAN, North China, Ap'ri) (i I
(Di!.-iv(fl - till') .lapane.si i
meehaiu.i 'I cidunins art piivliiiii.'
toward this ancient walled city
today in rliiV" 'which, if un
chicked. iiiii.'ht cvenliiallv srlV"i
Chil-a'c I .-i-k door" i)f,d lo ,bo
vi' t Russia. ,.
Chine:e euunli r-tittfii. ks ye:,ti r
j day ti nipoia.'ily halted Japanese
spearheads converging from"; the
i ast and soutn toward Sian. Sian.
capltM of Shi n.si provinc-', lies
approximati ly 3(if)"-'miles almost
directly r.ottli pi) Chu.oliing. ,
Observi is heij" belgyV the J,-p,
a.'ir).,e iilan a ciiikaign in not ill
China this srrlmi i- similar to last
ear's east
China campaign. If
tm- pt-;.-
! ought
in (gjfonsi(S) co!itu&5.
evrntually sevei' ttie
i"e
C Irnnti-huvi.-t
link. cuttmgofl
C hungking from l(gi)i.how. capi-
tal of Kansu province, and deny
( hennailtSli fighters and bom-1
hers the use o-orth China air
fields.
!
7itjjll,'l!t"",","l!'!l!!llli
Union and Wpllowa Counfiei
OREGON SATURDAY EVENING, APRIL 7, 19-13
Bremen Isolated
a a a a a a t . .a ' jbK a: nt
Battle
TnmW'T'i 1
I. T
i 1
Separation Of Nazi
Party And State
Ordered y Hitler
policy of naisin did not make
char its full import. It came at
an hour when the organised ro
sislaiice of the Gorman army
was crumbling and tht' question
was arising' win ther the irazis
still ruled the reich and if so how
long they could continue lo do
so.
The "UNII news agency in a
fioadeast dispatch said Hitler
had .ordoVed A cloarcul separation
in the government and party
po.sts, as n.veahd in uai press
corn spo'ndenee.
I'ind. Job too Big
The C'.'rman radio said Hitler
had found that , the . war had
proved it jmpossilile for .onr man
to carry, out effectively .the
tasks of two or nton- offices.
It said the order would nol
i. lb ct the "close and harmoni
ous cooperation between the
party and stale in all decisive
' in st inns, many times tested and
.- ulfk-ionlly assured."
The ,'innuiincement of the parly
hill in policy followed diselo--ine
that the imzi old guaid, Hit
i's SA stormtioopers. had been
.'iiinmoned to a sacrificial de
Icivo nf Germany.
Willie hn Kchcpmatin, SA chief
of :'tiiff, issued an older of the
f'a.v adinonishnig the Hi ownsi.'irts
to lo.-iki. the "lilmosl Siie-iihces"
in a supreme effort to ciu.'-li th.'li
eni.uiiei, not only in the homc
liel liiil "in enemy-occupied ter
iiiirtijs and cveiy where."
Tax Gim in i union ers
Are Reappointed
Apiil 7 (fit')
SAI.EM, On
Hi aiipointmt nt of Earl Fisher
ind Charles V. Galloway as
incmh'Aa of th state tagcom-
Hussion was announced Ijv tnn
Mate board of conlr.Vf) follow..;
:i special nutting of the board
i this morning. Thefiinis of the
two commissioners ixnire June
4. The reappointments are for
fuu i- year terms.
1 a
I I lists'
In Vienna
State Observance
Of Sunday School
j Week Is Urged
SALEM, Ore, April 7 (UP)
Governor Snoll today urged the
people of Oregon lo support
national Sunday school week,
April 9-15.
"Encouregomeni of the Sun
day schools and Sunday school
attendance can be an import
ant factor in eliminating juve
nile dolinquencv and in speed
ing the gonoraf spiritual awak
ening," the governor said.
Can Salvage To
Be Resumed As
Tin Crisis Grows
Responding to the govern
ment's plea for salvage of every
ounce of available tin, the Union
county salvage committee, head
ed by L. A. Rohncnkmnp and R.
W. Schaad, today announced the
resumption of can collections in
La Grande and urged every
housewiffe to save cans .for
monthly collections.
Due to the distance from East
ern Oregon counties to the de-
tinning plant in San Francisco
officials of the salvage division
of the war production board have
considereif it uneconomical to
move salvaged cans from this
area, but the tin situation has
become so acute in recent months
that every possible source of this
highly important commodity is
bein" combed.
First Collection April 25
In cooperation with the junior
chamber of commerce, the coun
ty committee has arranfwrf to
have the first locai'collcction of
cans made on April 25th In con
nection with the waste paper
collection of the Junior chamber
and hoy scouts.
Thereafter collections will be j
marie one day during the last
week of each month, on duvs lo
be specified in advance of the
collection dale;.
The salvay chairman em
phasised thai cans must b
properly prepared hf house
wives. U . l. .1 I .L. . ,..t
be removed, placed inside the
can, na inw can uafivitvu aw
reduce space required for ship
ment ami time in handling.
Labels also must b removed
frcm all cans, and the cans
e'enhed and kept from rusting.
Hnhncnkami) announced that
See TIN CAN . . . Page 7
Cost! Wajre Pad
Agreement Seen
WASHINGTON, April 7 (UP)
, The soft coal wage conference
reported lo' the war labor lioard
loday that it expected l' reach
''an agreemeiil, at least in prin
ciple" on all controversial points
of a new wage agreement by
Monday, night.
Chairman Kzra Van Horn said
the conference appointed thrue
subcommittees this morning lo
deal with "technical questions."
Thev 'Tcporlod progress," he
said.
Coliseum lit ly. Van Horn said,
Ihi' opi tutors will not meet with
the war labor board as scheduled
to report a breakdown of nego
tiations. They will send a litter
to VVLB reporting the nj-w turn
of events.
A mericans Step Up
Action In Italy
HOMK, April 7 (UP) Ameri
can Fifth army troops captured
Mt. Folgorito and plunged on
Ujy.-ard Spczin, some 20 miles to
the mifthwesl, against scattered
resistance today as their offen
sive went into its third day,
The British destroyers Marine
andi,ookout supported the nd
v;"'' with bombardment from
the.igurian sea that silenced
enemy gun batteries. Fighters
and fighter-bombers also were in
action.
Syimk
FIVE CENTS
Nazi
In North '
Tottering-
PARIS, April 7' (UP)
Two American nnd one Brit
ish army today drove across
the Weser river on a tifty
mile front, striking a little
mere than 130 miles from
Herlin and splintering the
eonnections of Hannover and
Hremen with the central Gen;
man front.
' The American PSrst army hur
dled the Wescr to join the Brit
ish Second and American .Ninth
which already were well forward
of the last river barrier before
Berlin short of the Elbe.
The First army crossing was
made northeast of Kasecl and
advance troops pushed 1,500
yards txjyond the river at an un
disclosed point for a gain of -30
miles from their jump-off point
near .Paoterborn.
Lang Gains Established
The Ninth and, Second armies
scored: gains, of 2J to 2fi miles,
cruckmtf tho whole nortlMsm
flank of the German positions,
despite nazi reserves rushed in
from Denmark (n a desperate ef
fort to hold tho battle iines.
British forces wore ISO miles
beyond the Rhine but the ad-,
vanccd point was under a secur
ity blackout. However, Harm
over was rapidly being encircled
from the northwest, west, south,
nnd southeast, where American
troops were only 11 miles front
the city.
(Swedish dispatches said Has;
die Hannover went off the aif
suddenly at 11 a. m. a He
Hashing a warning that tiw
Americans were nearinet the
city)
Other British forces were re
ported within 10 to 12 miles
Sec HANNOVEK . . . Page 7
Army, Navy Join
, rf $lt
In Rescue Of .
Flood Vittims
NEW ORLEANS, La April 7
(UP) Army assault boats, na
val amphibious planes and heli
copters were pressed into servi($
today to evacuate trapped famii
lies from flooded districts in cen
tral Louisiana where the swolllii)
.Mississippi has inundated an
estimated 500,0(10 acres of rich
farmland.
The river is still under control
in most places, but disaster offi
cials warned that "the f iatht has
just begun" and predicted that
Hie worst would come next week
when the river and its trilnit.ri
ies reach lljeir crest. , '.,
Army field kitchens and cnW
genty Red Cross housing arid
medical units were working
around lite cluck to cure for tho
ever increasing number of rotu
gees. An estimated 12,000 pel"
sons already have been uvacuatcd,
from flooded areas, and officials
raid that the flood waters of Mis
sissippi tributaries and indepenst
nt streams hav risen into mof4
than :tO,O0O homes.
IHack Market Curb '
Jty Flit Demanded
WASHINGTON, April 7 (UP)
With,,, a blistering attack on
OP A "inefficiency" Sen. Burton
K. Wheeler, D., Mont', demanded
today that the FBI take over the
drive against the "flourishing"
food black market.
He said black markets and rrjfl
point rings wcro operating "so
openly and bruzenly" in major
cities like New York and Pitts
burgh that there were only two
conclusions:
"Either there is inefficiency in
the OPA localrofflces or local of
fices are involved in the Block
market operations."