La Grande evening observer., April 16, 1945, Image 1

aysTirymaiff
ESTABLISHED 1896
A
mericans
New Drive
Oyer Elbe
In Making
WITH U, S. SEVENTH
ARMY,- Germany, April 16
(UP) 'American troops
broke into the na.i shrine
city of Nuernberg today.
i. '
PARIS, April 16 (UP)
American forces brought the
ancient German strongholds,
of Leipzig and Nuernberg un
der siege fire today and, ac
cording to nazi reports, pre
pared to' launch a vast new
crossing of the Elbe on a 25
mile front directly west of
Berlin. "
First army forces had Leipzig,
key German military base for (
maintaining me souinuin una ui
the eastern (front, under bom
bardment from three sides and
were moving in for direct assault.
The seventh army pounded to
ward Nuernberg, the nazi shrine
city and a vital link on the Ger
man escape gap southward to
their Bavarian inner citadel. The
Americans were only six miles
northeast of Nuernberg at Lauf
and closing fast from three direc
tions. The third army was in the out
skirts of a "third large German
center, Cpemnils, 'a great chem
ical's and war industries center
about 30 miles west of Dresden.
Another third army spearhead
was either at or across the old
Czech frontier, viitually bisect
ing the third reich.
The ninth army fought fiercely
and successfully to retain its re
maining Elbe bridgehead at Bar
by, 15 miles southeast of Mag
deburg despite a tough counter
attack by three crack nazi divi
sions, after the American 3rd
armored division was thrown
hack across the Elbe.
The Germans, however, were
greatly concerned over indica
tions the ninth was preparing to
cross on a broad fiont from Slen
dal, 32 miles north of Magdeburg
to Wittenberg, 25 miles farther
north.
Red U. S. Airmen in Contact
Pilots of the ninth tactical air
force operating north of Dresden
See AMERICAN . . . Page 5
Hitler Calls for
All-Put Battle
To Save Berlin
LONDON, April 16 (UP)
Adolf Hitler said today the Red
army had launched its last mass
offensive and called on his troops
to drown the assault on Berlin in
"a sea of blood" and turn the
tide of war "at the very moment
v.hen destiny has removed from
Ibis earth the greatest war crim
inal of all times."
Hitler issued a special order of
the day to the troops of the east
ern front saying that the Red ar
my had launched a mass of fen-j
sive.
He promised that this offensive
and the attack in the west would
be beaten off if his troops stood
firm.
Meanwhile, an unconfirmed i
French report said Gestapo Chief j
nemrich Himmler had thwarted
a new German army plot to over
throw Adolf Hitler and sue for
peace. ,
The report, of doubtful authen
ticity, came in the midst of fever
ish speculation that major devel
opments can be expected on the
military 'and diplomatic fronts
btfore Prime Minister Churchill I
addresses commons Thursday.
Rumors were circulating in
Stockholm that Germany's capit
ulation could be expected today,
'piobably this afternoon."
C, Weather
Data for 24 hours ending 7 a.
m., April 1G.
Temperatures:
Maximum 59
Minimum 36
Precipitation ... Trace
Forecast: Partly cloudy with
possible showers tonight and
Tuesday.
LA CRANDE. OREGON MONDAY EVENING,
THE LAST JOURNEY The flag draped casket of the late Franklin Delano Roosevelt is carried on
an artillery caisson o.i the journey to his last resting place on his Hyde Park estate. The funeral
cortege passes along a roadway lined with a mi.itary .guard and is viewed by a sorrowing towns
people of the "squire" of Hyde Park.
Isolationism Is
Held Obstacle
To World Peace ...
:. Dr. James Millar, field execu
tive of Oregon c o u n c i 1 of
churches, guest speaker at a
combined luncheon of the Lions,
the Rotary, the Neighborhood
and the Soroptimist clubs, dis
cussed "Our World Today," be
fore approximately 2U0 persons
today noon at the I.O.O.F. hall.
Dr. Millar said there must be
a more intelligent understanding
of the proposals offered for world
peace, because the world today
is so complex and compact,
;. He said there is no simple solu
tion for world problems today,
because of the varied political
doctrines, socialism .in Russia,
fascism in Italy and in Germany,
which followed .the first world
war.
To solve the problems now
facing us we must have a pool
ing of the best brains, ability and
character in the world, he said,
adding that world problems can- j
not be easily solved occause we,
as nations, and individuals can
not place trust in one another.
As a solution to the question of
trust among nations he suggested
divorcing economics from poli
tics, and a policy of "complete
honesty."
Because it is a compact v ol Id
with countries brought into
closer proximity by faster travel
and better communications, we
must learn to live in harmony
tee ISOLATIONISM . . . Page 5
Byrnes Says He
Has No Plans for
Government Job
WASHINGTON, April 10 (UP)
James F. Byrnes, former war
mobilization director, said as he
left the White House today that
he had "no plans to come back
into the government."
Byrnes spent some time with
the president this afternoon, as
did Robert E. Hannegan, demo
cratic national chairman. When
Hannegan left the white house,
he was asked whether he plan
ned to come into the government.
"I did not discuss that," Han
negan sa'id. "Of course, I am an
xioies to be of any assistance to
Ihe president in any way I can
serve."
Byrnes said he had come to
talk with Mr. TrumafC about a
number of war mobilization prob
lems "unfinished business"
and to'icll the president allQic
could about them
He said he planned to rctuoj to
Spartanburg eithe tojuorrcW oftuaiy.
night or WcdneydjiyMnorni:. Other units of Gen. de C. A. de
Ed. Taulny, secretary-treasurer I.arminat's French forces crossed
ot the democratic national J)i- thc0rt.-hepeus marshes on the
mittce. parti.(jjate((yor a (jne in Other side of the estuary under
the Truman Hannean con.Q - cover of French naval guns and
ence, but according tVllannegarf vipened an attack on an estimated
there was no discussion nQi fed-Vlfj.Sno (IfirnWis holding out in the
iral job for
ir Pauley. U ()
mi. Uniat end Wallowa Countiti y"
Enter
Rites Are Held Around World
To Honor Memory of Roosevelt
,' -xJ. ,: ' ,8y tfniied Press .. , ...... .
Memorial services were held around the world Sunday and today
for Franklin Delano Roosevelt.
As. the body of their late commander-in-chief was laid at rest in
a garden at his Hyde Park estate, service men in the European,
Pacific and Mediterranean theaters of war paid solemn last respects
La Grande Marine
Is Killed, Soldier
Missing, In Action
Announcement that Pfc. Ken
neth D. Brown of La Grande, a
member of the marine corps, was
killed in action on Iwo Jima, and
that T5 Fabian T. Cote of Island
City, a member of the amphibi
ous forces, is missing in action in
I'urope, has been received by
. their parents.
Mr nnrl MrQ Miltnn .T. Rrown
wore acvised in a message from
Gen A A Vandegrift, marine
c,.ps commandant, that their son
wa killed March 28.
It was on his lDlh birthday,
February 19, that he landed on
Iwo Jima with his marine corps
unit, and he was killed a week
later. He attended Greenwood
school and was graduated from
La Grande high school. In addi
tion to his parents, he leaves a
sister, Mrs. Mildred Calven of
Kelso, Wash., his grandmothers,
Mrs. John A. Brown and Mrs.
Maude Curleman and an aunt,
Mrs. Bessie Simpson, all of La
Grande.
Mr. and Mrs. Dona A. Cote of
Island City were advised that
llieir son, who was a member of
the 658th amphibious tractor bat-
talion, has been missing since I
March 12.
Cole, who was 33 years old in
last September 24, entered the
armed service December 10, 1!I43.
French Battle to
Clear Bordeaux
PARIS, April 16 (UP) Tanks
pnd troops of the French Second
armored division battled inside
Hoyan today in a drive to clear
or.e of the two points blocking
the coastal entry to Bordeaux
harbor.
About 450 flying fortresses at
tacked German positions in the
Point de Grave area north of
Bordeaux today.
Maj. Gen. Jacques Leclerc's
veterans of t(ie north African and
Western front campaigns storm
ed into the city last night after
!a near-rccorcUair, naval and ar
i tfllerv bombardment to split the
naziStiocket around the Gironde
Point de Grave pocket.
APRIL' 16, 1945
Nuernberg
al special rites.
Thousands of American sol
diers and French soldiers and ci
vilians streamed into three Paris
churches for memorial services
Sunday morning.
The official French memorial
service at Notre Dame cathedral
was attended by Gen. Charles De
Gaulle, French officials and
members of the American diplo
matic corps.
Men of the armed services at
tended services throughout the
Pacific bases. At Guam Admiral
Chester W. Nimitz and his staff
attended brief rites in an open
air theater. A five-minute per
iod of silence was observed
throughout the island.
Hundreds of service men and
women of all allied nations at
tended memorial services at al
lied force headquarters in Italy.
In China, where formal mourn
ing began Sunday, Generalissimo
Chiang Kai-shek officiated today
at a memorial service in Chung
king with high Chinese officials
and American army and diplo
matic officials attending.
Chinese from all walks of life
filed into the U. S. information
library Sunday and inscribed
their names in an album as a
mark of love and respect for
Chinas staunch friend, a
(Chungking broadcast, reported
i by the FCC said. The album will
. P flown to the United States.
The American Catholic colony
in Rome held a ceremony of pro
pitiation for the American na
tion Sunday. The service was
attended by Prince Humbert,
other Italian dignitaries and
American officials.
At York, England, a muffled
peal was sounded on the bells of
the ancient church to coincide
with the time of burial. Special
prayers were said at services
during the day.
At Baghdad, the Iraq parlia
ment adjourned for the day af
ter hearing a tribute to the late
president by Premier Hamdi Pa
ehachi. The Australian cabinet began
consideration of striking a spe
cial postage stamp as a national
tribute.
BLIND AIDE NAMED
PORTLAND, April 10 (UP)
Theodore Hansen, chairman of
the commission for the blind and
prevention of blind ness, an
nounced today the appointment
of Rudolph Johnson as superin
tendent of the Oregon blind trade
school in Portland.
Johnson was for 14 years con
nected with the Oakland.. Calif
ornia industrial home for the
adult blind.
FIVE CENTS
New Coaches
Appointed at
High School
. Robert E. Quinn, for many
years popular director of athlet
ic at Eastern Oregon college, has
accepted a position in the aChlotic
department of La Grande high
school, Fred Palton, superintend
ent of schools, announced today.
"Bob comes to us with the co
operation of Eastern Oregon col
lege through the efforts of Dr.
koben Maaske, president," Pat
ton said.
The superintendent simultane
ously announced the acceptance
ef a position by Clifford Exley
ft Colville, Wash., who has been
engaged to teach freshman sub
jects and coach junior high
s;hool athletics.
Walk Takes Trades Post
Ron Walk, who has been teach
ing United Slates history and
tthleties and coached basketball
last season, has been assigned to
the trades and industries depart
ment, a position vacated by the
resignation of Lcc Powell.
"This completes the roster in
llio athletic department with the
exception that we are still look
ing for one more man for assign
ment in physical education and
to coach one major sport,"' Pat
toa said. . .,: ,-.. - . i...,
Quinn will coach one major
sport, football or basketball, and
will leach social science or phys
ical education.
During the last few months he
has been working on a doctor's
degree at Columbia university.
Previous to that time, he had
been connected with Eastern
Oregon college in the athletic de
partment since 1929. He came to
the local college from Pendleton
high school, where he had been
instructor and athletic coach
from 1926. His family has re
See NEW COACHES . , . Page 6
Superf orts Rain
Destruction On
Burning Tokyo
By United Press
Another huge American fleet
heaped new destruction on Tokyo
today while fires still burned in
a large area devastated by Sat
urday's B-29 attack on the capi
tal. Between 300 and 400 Super
fortresses blasted war plants in
southeast Tokyo and at Kawa
saki, an industrial suburb south
west of the capital. Tokyo broad
casts said fires ranged out of con
trol for seven and a half hours.
The 21st bomber command dis
closed that Saturday's raid burn
ed out 10H square miles.
The destruction included seven
factories which contributed to
war making industries, including
the Itabashc arsenal. Chemical
plants, powder factories and shell
plants were damaged.
Fires still were burning when
bombers arrived early today "to
continue the strategic destruction
of Japanese industries."
Radio Tokyo said approximate
ly 100 carrier-based planes and a
small number of Liberators
bombed and strafed southern
Kyushu, southernmost of Japan's
home islands. It was the first
Liberator strike reported against
Japan proper. s
In the Philippines American
See SUPERFORTS . . . Page 5 '
Sharp Cuts Seen
In Shipyard Jobs
SAN, FRANCISCO, April 10
(UP) A gradual decrease of
100,000 workers was reported to
day in west coast shipyards and
further transfer of personnel was
expected by the maritime com
mission in view of the declara
tion of the program for ship
construction.
Caft Fleaher, regional director
of the commission, said the peak
employment figure of 300,000 had
dropped to 200,000 at the present
lime. By July, the number of
nrrx was expected to be 125,-000.
President Says Price of Peace
To Nazis and Japs Remains :
Only "Unconditional Surrender!
WASHINGTON, April 16 (UP) President Trtiimw today solemnly reaffirmed the
"unconditional surrender" terms for ending the war, and Ritve our enemies notice that
America's great team of military commanders will be kept on the job of heating them
into absolute submission, '..:
Standing humbly before the congress in which he had served, the new president ate
pledged himself to carry on Franklin Roosevelt's program for enduring world peace and
"our efforts to improve the lot of the commo:i people." 1
Mr. Truman spoke in a packed chamber which gave him an ovation when he entered
and interrupted him 10 times with applause. The most prolonged outburst came when he
promised that our military leadership will be retained "unchanged and unhampered."'
Among the scores of notables present was British Foreign Minister Anthony Eden. ;;'.,
Addressing a somber joint session of the house and senate only one day after he watched.,
the body of his predecessor being laid to rest in the earth of Hyde Park, Mr. -Truman,
promised to support and defend Mr. Rooseve't's ideals "with nil my strengths and with
all my heart." Woven through his speech was a plea for aid from all Americans in car
rying out that pledge. "
But most of all, at this moment he wanted to dash any idea the axis leaders may have
hud that the change in administrations might bring an opportunity for a negotiated peace;-,
He aimed these words at Tokyo and Berlin:
"Our demand has been, and it REMAINS "unconditional surrender!" (He emphasize
the word "remains.")
Nothing shall shake our deter
mination to punish the war crim
inals even though we must pur
sue them to the ends of the
earth."
Then he ran down the list of
our lop commanders who have
brought Ihe war within sought of
victory. And he said:
"I want the entire world to
know that this diicction must
and will remain unchanged and
unhampered!"
And then he promised to carry
forwtird. with the world organ
izntlon plan for lasting peace.'
"We Shall Not Fall"
"Wo will face the problems of
peace with the same courage
that we have faced and mastered
the problems of war," he said.
"In the memory of those who
have made the supreme sacrifice
in the memory of our fallen
president we shall not fail!"
He told his listeners the world's
great nations must work together
to build and maintain pcuce.
"We must not only have hope
but we must hnvo faith enough
to work with other peace-loving
nations to maintain the peace,"
he said.
"The responsibility of the groat
Sae AID . . . Page 3
Soviets Penetrate
Oder Defense Line
In Great Assault
By United Press
Tho Red army In Austria has
captured Fuerstenfeld, 25 miles
east of the city of Gras, a Mos
cow communique reported to
day. Fuerstenfeld is 150 miles
southeast of B e r e h lejgadon,
Adolf Hitler's mountain retreat
in the southeast corner of Ger
many. Graz lies approximately 90
miles southwest of Vienna on
the Mur river..
LONDON, April 10 (UP) The
Red army attacked on a 110-mile
front east of Berlin today in a
general offensive to capture the
devastated nazi eiipital and link
up with allied armies in the west.
In the first few hours of the
long-expected assault, the nazis
conceded, the Russians penetrat
ed the last-ditch nazi defense
line between Kuestrin and
I iankfurt due east of Berlin and
seized a new bridgehead across
the Oder midway between the
capital and Stettin.
Marshal Gregory K. Zhukov's
First White Russian army threw
the main weight of its all-out of
fensive against the German line
from Wriozen, 23 miles northeast
of Berlin, to Kuerslenborg, 42
miles southeast, under cover of
a terrific air and artillery bom
bardment. With the attack, the Russians
engaged the last sizeable organ
ised portion of the German army
still fighting in the reich. Allied
observers believed as many as 90
German divisions 1)00,000 men
had been waiting on the eastern
approaches to Berlin for the So
viet offensive.
Cause of Airlines
Crash Is Probed
MOHGANTOWN, W. Va., April
!fl (UP) Federal and county
authorities searched the wreck
age of Pensylvania Central All
lines plane today for a clue to
the cause of the crash that killed
17 passengers omfl three yrow
members.
The 20 bodies, most of them
burned biyond recognition, were
recovered last night by a search
parly that trudged three miles
up the side (6f Cheat mountains,
eight miles northeast of here, to
reach the smouldering wreckage.
: rri
National Unity Asked Byf
Truman to Achieve Peace
Calling upon the nation for unity ot effort and thought and for Us
guidance in his service as chief executive, President Harry S. Trui.
itifin today presented his first message to the country. Highlights,
of the address, delivered to congress this morning, follow:
In His infinite wisdom, Almighty God has seen fit to take from us
a great man who loved, and was beloved by, all humanity.
No man could possibly fill the tremendous void left by the pass-"
ing of that noble soul. No words can ease the aching hearts of un-'
told millions of every race, creed and color. The world knows it has
lost a heroic champion of justice and freedom.
"Our demand has been, and it I
remains unconditional surren
der. "So that there can be no posr
siblo misunderstanding, both
Germany and Japan can be cer
tain, beyond any shadow of
doubt, America will continue the
fight for freedom until no ves
tige of resistance remains!" ;
"We nre deeply conscious of
the fact that much hard fighting
is still ahead of us."
"The grand strategy of a
"United Nations' war has been
determined ... We are now car
rying out our part of that stra
tegy under the able direction of
Admiral Leahy, General Mar
shall, Admiral King, General
I Eisenhower, Admiral Nimitz and
I General MncArthur.
"I want the entire world to
know that this direction must
and will remain unchanged and
unhampered."
"Nothing shall shake our deter
mination to punish the war crim
inals even though we must pur-
sue them to the ends of the
1 earth."
On the peace:
"Having to pay such a heavy
I price to make victory certain,
America will never become a
party to any plan for partial vic
tory! 'To fettle for merely another
temporary respite would surely
See PRESIDENT . . . Page 5
Allies Open Big
Spring Offensive
On Italian Front
ROME, April 16 (UP) The U.
S. Fifth army opened a crushing
attack in the Italian mountains
below Bologna today and Gen.
Mark W. Clark announced that
the allied 15th army group's gen
eral spring offensive now is on.
"Hit them with all you have
rot, and with God's help we will
have a decisive and perhaps final
victory," Clark said in an order
of the day.
The whole Italian front was
el laze. British Eighth army
forces were beating back the
Adriatic wing of the German I
line. Fifth army troops were
striking along the approaches of
Bologna and to the west were
slugging up the Ligurian coast
toward La Spezia and its great
naval base.
Record Bombing Raids
Tho U. S. lljth air force
eclipsed all its previous records
in the attack preliminary to the
new offensive. It sent 1,233 heavy
bombers to drop 2,374 tons of
bombs on tactical targets south
of Bologna.
The Fifth army drive was
alongside the left wing of the
Lighth army which attacked last
week. Polish units of the Eighth
scored the biggest victory of the
campaign by capturing Imola,
strategic transport center on the
trunk railway 22 miles southeast
of Bologna.
The Germans were fighting
doggedly everywhere on the Ital
ian front. Authorities said there
was no sign that they intended
(R) give up an inch of Italian soil.
Nation Pays:::
Last Tribute
To Roosevelt
HYDE PARK, N. Y., April 16
(UP) The body of Franklin Del
ano Roosevelt rested today in the
soil of a sunny rose garden on
the family estate overlooking the
Hudson river.
A few minutes before 10
o'clock yesterday morning, a lone
gun in a nearby field stilled those
waiting In the hedge-locked gar
den with the first round of a 21
gun presidential salute. Forty
seven minutes later the simple
services for the 31st president of
the United States were over.
As the echo of the gun faded,
the strains of "Hail to the Chief"
flayed by tho West Point cadet
liMid came through the nearby
woods. The funeral procession
moved up the hillside paced by
the muffled drums.
Cadets Form Honor Guard
First came the band, then 600
West Point cadets. The presi
dent's flag-draped casket rested
on a black caisson drawn by six
brown horses. Behind it was
Mrs. Roosevelt and her family,
Picsident Harry S. Truman and
his wife and daughter.
Inside the garden, the late
president's aged aunt, Mrs. James
R. Roosevelt, waited in a chair
beside the gruvesidc. At her side
was Fala, the president's dog.
Planes Fly Procession .,;
Planes flew across the proces
sion, low on a straight course...,
A drum began a dirge. Three
biuts and a slow roll, three
beats, slow roll, three beats, slow
roll endlessly.
As the procession neared the
garden the band took up Cho
pin's funeral march. In an un
dertone the drums kept the
ihythm.
The hand played the Star
Spangled Banner, then the hymn
enosen by Mrs. Roosevelt, "Near
er My God to Thee."
At 10:30 a. m. the caisson -was
drawn into position. Eight en-
See MORTAL .. . Page 5
College Receives
Two Scholarships
Receipt of two new all-tultloh
scholarships to Eastern Oregon
c.'llege were announced today by
President Roben J. Maaske, one
to go to a high school senior and
the other to a sophomore at the
college. Each scholarship is val
ued at $74.
The Eddy Bakeries are the
sponsors of one scholarship,
which will be awarded to an out
standing high school graduate in
the eastern Oregon area served
by tho bakeries.
Tho scholarship to go to a col
lege sophomore has been given
by Mrs. Delia Wagner of Wag
tier's dress shop.
o