La Grande evening observer. (La Grande, Or.) 1904-1959, May 14, 1945, Image 1

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La Grande evening observer., May 14, 1945, Image 1

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Newspaper Page TextWeather Data for 24 hours lo 7 a.m. Temperature: Maximum 61 Minimum 44 Precipitation 07 Forecast: Cloudy with shower tonight and Tuesday. la (Bra Kfth writer . f jtxWnaCMUhgVklvy.. 1 WASTE PAPt! , wmmmammattm (7Jl Willow CoMfVti ESTABLISHED 1896 LA GRANDE, OREGON MONDAY EVENING. MAY 14. 1845 FIVE CENTS ma Union Sales of E Bonds Will Be Emphasized to Speed War, Clamp Curb on Inflation The Union county war finance committee today launched the 7th war loan campaign, aimed to help finance the war ajrainst Japan and combat the danger of inflation on the home front, with a goal of $964,000, of which $741,000 will be in sales of 10 bonds to individuals. Pushing the sale of 10 bonds, intended chiefly for smaller income investors, is one of the chief objectives of the nation wide bond selling campaign, and to that end special efforts will be directed in Union county toward interesting individ uals in investing savings and "idle" money in bonds. : Participating in a move by the Red, Yugoslav Patriots Crush German Holdouts LONDON, May 14 (UP) Red armies and Y u g i s 1 a v pat riots wore believed today lo have crushed the last die-hard German resistance in southeast Vluropo, finally stilling the guns of war on the continent nearly a week after the reich's surren der. ((BBC said a detachment of British troops has taken posses sion of the tortified German is land of Hclogland in the north sea.) Fourteen German submarine i,nd two motor torpedo boats have put into British ports and sur rendered. Eight mora U-boats were ex pected at the American navai base at Londonderry in northern Ireland today. A Soviet communique report ed that Red armies had taken 1,060,000 prisoners in the first five days after Germany's un conditional surrender became ef fective last Tuesday midnight. Of, those, nearly 800,000 Ger man troops were captured in Czechoslovakia and Austria, where diehard nazis fought on despite their high command's or ders to surrender. The communique mentioned no further fighting in these areas, however, and it was likely that only a roundup of scattered rnnmy remnants remains in southeast Europe. Marshal Tilo anounccd that his Yugoslav partisan forces had dis armed four German and 11 pro nazi Ustachi divisions in north ern Yugoslavia and southeastern Austria. He reported the liber ation of a number of towns, among them Maribor, apparently without opposition. B-29 Crewman Is Missing in Action Mr. and Mrs. Roy Spencer, I'FD, La Grande, today received a telegram from the war depart ment advising that their son, Sgt. Lee R. Spencer, has been missing in action over Kawsaki, Japan, since April 10. Sgt. Spencer is a radio oper ator on a B-20 bomber. DOOLITTLE TRANSFERRED LONDON, May 14 (UP) Lt. Gen. James H. Doolittle, com mander of the eighth air force, has been transferred out of the European tronler, it was an nounced today. His immediate destination and new job were not disclosed. First German U-Boat Taken by U. 5. Reaches Atlantic Port ABOARD A COAST GUARD CUTTER, OFF CAPE MAY, N. J.. May 14 (UP) The German submarine U-858, first enemy warship to surrender to U. S. Onaval forcosineo V-E day, was brought to nrrchorage near Lewis, I'd., today with the American flag flying over il.iijinning tower. The stariand stripes, which re Placet) itjte rettf) white und bjack insignia of nasm, was fauscd five days agP Iv triunfptylDt American blutrjaipts 300 rii1ts . south oO-apeLjrsce, Newfound land, some 720 miles off the east ern seaboard. Strid of its d:struc tive ;,mvct under the terms of uncon- County Launches 7th War Loan American bankers association to center the efforts of financial in stitutions on getting farmers to invest their idle money in bonds, a meeting was held Saturday night at which this phase of the campaign was organized. Present were Trevc Lumsden, A. K. Parker, Virgil Wallsinger of Alicel, Norman Wyland, Sum mcrville, County Agent R. W. Schaad, W. C. Perkins, county committee chairman, and Lowell Williamson. "Idle" Money Sought It was pointed out at this meet ing that farmers and othcis who have earmarked savings for specific post-war improvements, replacemoryis or other capital capital outlay, can invest the money in bonds at this time, and then, if the money is needed' at any time after 60 days, the bonds may be converted readily into cash. Then conferees emphasized that one of the greatest thieatf to the prosperity of the country is that of inflation, and that tc invest the money in war bond? will to a large extent neutralize that danger. The special lists committee, headed by Raymond Gray, at a breakfast conference this morn ing, completed plans for solicita tion of investors in other than E bonds, chiefly the corporation; and similar large investors. The various community chair men throughout the county alsr got their campaigns under way, this activity including a meeting tonight in Union at which the campaign there will be given added impetus. G. I, Hess is chairman of the Union commit tee. Women's Groups Active The women's groups also laun ched their campaign today, com pleting preparations for operat ing booths in the banks and the Falk and Trotter stores through Sce E BOND . . . Page 7 Three Service Men Listed Casualties The names of two service men from Union county and one from Wallowa county arc included in current lists of wounded issued through iiie office of war inform ation. The men and their next of kin, who were previously noti fied, are listed as follows: Capl. William A. Cantrel, Mar ine? corps, son of Mrs. Edna B. Chapin, 1514 Monroe avenue. Sgt. Vrrncn A. Parent, (army in Europe) husband of Mrs. Maude L. Parent, Union. Staff Sgt. Myr D. Zollman, (army in Pacific area) son of Mrs. Ethel Zollman, Joseph. c'itional surrender, her torpedoes disarmed, and her deck guns dis mantled, the U-boat vat turnca i over by Atlantic fleet units to th ; jurisdiction of the fuurth naval ! district. Theffcrafl is the first German j undersets boat taken insail by the Injtcd States Since the stall of the war. 1 The prisoners of war said the sub Onk 1G allied strips during b. (3iJ months it wit in opera tion." Q'here were 14 unused torpe does in her tubes and racks. The crew said she had not made a single attack on this cruise. It as out of Hamburg eight weeks. I. Jin . . - . TYPICAL WAC Pvt. Cyn dia Boswell, Goldsboro, N. C, chosen as "Typical WAC" by enlisted military personnel at Fairfield-Suisun (Calif.) army base of the air transport com mand's west coast wiig. Churchill Blasts Eire, Pledges War To End On Japs LONDON, May 14 (UP) Tired but tjefiant, Prime ( Minister 'Ch'urchll) indicated in hs victory speech last night that he intends to lead Britain "till the whole task is done and the whole world is safe and clean." Churchill warned the people of Britain that they still face a fight to beat Japan and to preserve democracy in Europe. In what observers interpreted as a warning that Britain would not tolerate strong-arm politics, Churchill said "there would be little use in punishing Hitlerites . . . if totalitarian or police gov ernments were to take the place of the German invaders. Flays De Valera Stand Churchill also took the oppor tunity to let loose five years' pent-up anger on Eire's prime minister Eamon Dc Valera, scor ing him for the "shame" he had brought Ireland by his neutrality policy. Churchill described Dc Valcra's policy as "so much at variance with the temper and in stincts of thousands of southern Irishmen who hastened to the battlcfront to prove their ancient valor." Indicating his desire to stick to his post, Churchill said: "I wish I could tell you tonight that our toils and troubles were over. Then indeed I could end my five years' service happily, and, if-you thought you had had enough of me and that I ought to be put out to glass, I assure you I would take it with the best of grace. "But, on the contrary, I must warn you . . . that there is still a lot to do." He again pledged Britain to a Sec CHURCHILL . . . Page 3 Ickes Says Canada Aided at U.S. Loss WASHINGTON, May 14 (UP) Secretary of Interior Harold L. Ickes charged today that a Ca nadian power plant received top niority assistance from expan sion while domestic generating plants were denied such aid. Testifying before the senate small business committee invest igating the Shipshaw power and aluminum deal wilh Canada, Ickes said delays in producing the light metal at U. S. plants "resulted in the loss of more aluminum than was secured as a result of the Shpshaw con tract." "The aid given to the Canadian company contrasts sharply witli theK-cord of delays in the pro gram for production from the government plants in (ffcis ywrn try." kkes told the committee. Boi.W.-ville, Grand Coulee and other domestic generatingCjro ject were never given top prior ity ratings and "therefore were not installed as quickly," Ickes said. American Drive Aimed to Split Japs on Mindanao Guarding Big Enemy Forces Airfield Routed . MANILA, May 14 (UP) Two hard-pushing columns drove within 40 miles of each other to day in a smash to split Mindanao lengthwise following the fall of the island's biggest airdrome. While the Americans pushed ahead in the Philippines, 1,600 miles to the southwest in New Guinea, the Sixth Australian di vision cleared Wewak village and peninsula after a bitter fight. (An Australian army report, broadcast by Melbourne radio and heard by United Press at San Francisco, said the Wewak bat tle was the bitterest in the entire New Guinea campaign.) Heavy bombers dumped 280 tons of bombs on the Toshlen factories, one of Japan's largest military stores on Formosa. In the Mindanao fighting, Ma jor Gen. Rapp Brush's 40th divi sion quickly overran Dclmone airdrome with its three strips af ter a speedy 12-milc advance from its Macalajar bay beach head. The 40th routed an ene my force cast of the airfield and drove on two miles. Jap Supplies Captured - North of Dava the 24th captur ed a Japaricsc supply dump con taining an estimated $1,000,000 worth of airplane parts and en gines. Coupled with the capture of the Delmonte airfields, the taking of the dump represented a smashing blow at enemy air power in the area. The fighting on Luzon subsided somewhat but American troops maintained steady pressure on enemy lines. On Tarakan island, off;' Borneo, there was a temporary lull with only patrolling by Dutch and Australian forces reported. Himmler Indicted As Arch Criminal LONDON, May 14 (UP) The United Nations war crimes com mission has indicted gestapo chief Heinrich Himmler on charges of mass murder in the notorious massacre of Lidice and the Jewish extermination pro gram. Himmler's present where abouts are unknown. At least five allied govern ments have lodged charges of war criminality against Himmler, the bespectacled former school teacher who became Nazidom's chief hangman. The Russian government organ Izvestia demanded the immediate arrest, trial and execution of Doenitz. Move to Clear Up Presidential Succession Confusion Planned WASHINGTON, May 14 (UP) Rep. A. S. (Mjkr) Monrnncy, D . Okla., said today that he Intends to do something to end the confu sion in present laws governing succession to the presidency. "There are too many blind spots in the prese nt system," he said in an interview. "There are too many possible contingencies that neither the constitution nor congress have provided for. And now is the time for us to gel busy not when the contingencies arise. Baseball Results AMERICAN LEASUI New York at Chicago post poned, rain. Philadelphia at Di troit post poned, rain. NATIOIMt LCAGUE Pittsburgh I 7 1 Brooklyn Roe, Vandi nberg Pfund and Owen. Chicago 4 0 0 Salkeld: and ,5 New York 6 110 10 Innings. Q Chipman, Prim and Gilbspie. U'illiamc Vrrrtrinh DnH I.nmh.irdi. Cincinnati 9. H 11 0 Philadelphia q 4 8 Bosscr, Beck md Laxeman; Kennedy, Lucier and Mancuso, Peacock. WELCOME HOME FOR SOLDIEi", J'vt. Martin J. Fell, army veteran with 108 points (33 months overseas and four major bat tles) who was awaiting discharge at Jefferson barracks, sur prises his mother, Mrs. Louise Maloney, when he returned to his S.v Louis. Mo, home. He apparently is first soldier io return home under new point system. Man Facing Life Term Digs Out of Union County Jail Police throughout the northwest today were on the look out for George W. Durham, former convict who escaped Sat urday night from the Union County jail while awaiting trial on a charge on which conviction would mean a life term in the state prison. The escape was not discovered until approximately 12 hours after Durham had fled, and the wily clue to his where--abduts is believed to have been found by state police yester day in a car stolen about midnight Saturday from the ranch of Lee IJingham near Hot Lake and abandoned a short time Rebuilding After War Pictured As Youth Challenge A capacity crowd filled the Methodist church last evening for the baccalauretate services for the graduating seniors of L. Grande high school. Rev, Irvin S. Motz, pastor of the First Methodist church, de livered the sermon, "We Press On." He spoke of the lives he fore the graduating seniors, ire crisis of the world today and the challenge to the young people who will have a part in rebuild ing. The processional was played by the La Grande high school or chestra, and invocation was pro nounced by Rev. Floyd E. While, pastor of the First street Metho dist church. "Green Cathedral," Hahn, was presented by the a-eappella choir. Rev. Rollin W. Tomeraasen, pastor of the Zion Lutheran church read the scrip ture, and the hymn "O Master, Let Me Walk With Thee," Smith, was sung by the congregation Benediction was pronounced by Rev. O. A. Croflord, pastor of the Church of the Nazaiene. ml saifl lie win inwoiiuce on. xhiirtly to se t up a 12-mi.n com mission to sludy Hie entire prob lem and make recommendations to rongress. "The commission would be composed of 12 of the foremost constitutional 'authorities and jurists in the country," he said. "TheycKould go over the whole presidential setup hiy election, his succession and tell us what we should do," o Fai'lty Advocates Sludy F o r ni c r Pos'irtiaslcr-ijcneral James A. railey advanced u: same id last week. In a speed ' :.V. i'i... ...... ' n) j.. b(l of commcrciy-Oic urS-d the O No ddails companied the ....ii i . .r.'v. ....xs.rrvnessagc. Pufrt.on flew back to iWn and sharnlv criticized the present method of p'Qidential succession. The law stipulates that the ree retary ol state shall become ptrsi dent if both the duly - irttvted See MOVE . . . Page i later four miles from linker Durham's description has been sent to law enforcement agencies throughout the northwest. 11 said he fl-fcet, 5 inches tall; weighs 20B pounds and has an tipper front tooth missing. He was wearing a pair of light blue pants, blue woik shirt, black zip per jacket, blue-gray fedora hat and black oxford shoes. ' Faced Life Term Durham was captured by state police near Hot Lake following his escape from the state prison, and was brought here January 4, lust, for trial on a charge of being an escaped convict in possession of firearms. He was convicted on that charge and Acting Dis trict Attorney C. H. Eberhard had filed an information charging him with being an habitual criminal. Trial on that charge was delayed at the reciuesl of the defense un til June 4 after he pleaded not guilty. Conviction would mean a life sentence in prison. Sheriff Jesse Bieshears dis covered the jail break at B:3(l a.m. yesterday when he went to the jail with breakfast for two olh( r prisoners. The time of Durham's escape was set at approximately 8:30 p.m., Saturday when he went into Hie ofriee of County Engineer S. 11. Morgan to inquire for the eouilhonse janitor, William San derson. Morgan said he heard someone at the front door of Ihe eouilhouse, but thought it was someone trying to gel in and paid no allenlion. A short lime later, Morgan said, Durham, who was unknown to Morgan, entered Morgan's office and said he was looking for the janitor. He lefl upon being told Morgan did not know where ho was, Morgan said. Apparently Durham thin went . lo the rear of tin? courthouse and 'bloke a window through which ! lw left tin' liiiilding. Durham's unusual hi ight ap parently made H possible for rum See MAN FACING . . . Page 7 La (j'randc Pilot Reported Missing N?r. tnl Mrs. W. M. Pierson, IdVS Tenlt slrcjl, have been notif'd tlfttt their son, First Lt. Hay 1'iei'Min, 2.1, pilot of a C-4H, M u.. .i... . ' ,1 l.ll MO', Oil IIM' IIP IIH'w lP Chiiia-faWina On, has been mis i I ing since .Vhyi La Giande(Iom Spokane yester day after the message was tele phoned lo hirh there. Flight OffifC-r Lenn Pierson, brother of Lieutenant Pierson, is also on duty in that area, as an instructor. Drive Furious Resistance Of Enemy Stalls Okinawa Marines Japs Use Molotov Cocktail to Halt American Forces ABOARD ADMIRAL TURN ER'S FLAGSHIP OFF OKIN AWA, May 14 (UP) Japanese mortar, sniper and artillery fire stalled the American advance In heavy fighting on southern Okin awa today. Marines battling in the north ern approaches of Nahtt, the cap ital city, and soldiers punching at the defenses of Shurl were brought virtually to a standstill by strong enemy resistance. The Japanese used a variety ol weapons including the anti tank "Molotov Cocktail" against the two marine and two army divisions attacking along the live-mile Naha-Shuri Yonubatu defense line. The sixth marine division dug in on the northern rim of Nahu, a rubbled community with a pre 'nvasion population of 65,000. Ahead of the leathernecks lay wide mud flats of the Asato river valley. A crossing would take the marines practically under the muzzle of Japanese guns. , Counter Blow Repulsed The sixth repulsed an attempted counter - landing by Japanese north of the estuary. - Marines destroyed six lo ten enemy boats on a reef, killing approximately 40 Japanese. In the center "of the American line, (ho 77th army division ported slight local gains up to zl)0 yards in stiff combat which failed lo dent the main defenses of the town of Shuri. . Shuri, lying midway between the coastal towns of Naha and Yonaburu, is the central anchor of the Japanese defenso system protecting an estimated 40,000 enemy troops. The 77th spent Sunday ham mering at "Chocolate Drop" hill a brown, clay hillock less than 1,500 yards northeast of Shuri. School Singers Entertain At Meeting of Lions The a capella choir of La Grande high school, directed by Leroy Darling, presented the pro gram at the Lions club luncheon in the Stein cafe banquet room today. The choir, accompanied by Phyllis McLaughlin, sang the fol lowing numbers: Green Cathed ral, A Violin is Singing In the Street, Little David Play on Your Harp, and I'll Be Seeing You. The girls quintet, part of the choir, sang Prayer Perfect and Who Is Sylvia; and Miss Phyllis Me; Laughlin, accompanist, presented a piano solo Bre'r Rabbit. Gordon L. Capps, chairman of the club's sight conservation com mittee', announced that during the past two months the club had purchased four pairs of glasses for children whose parents' were unable lo provide them. C. D. Kelley and Clyde Lund, members of the safety commit tee, reported that residents are See SCHOOL . . . Page 3 Eisenhower Bans "Friendly" Treatment of High Germans PARIS, M.y 14 (UP) Gen. Dwighl I). Eisenhower an nounced today that "drastic measures" had been si.'t in mo tion lo end any treatment of high Nazi and German offi cials as "friendly enemies." Eisenhower's statement" fol lowed criticism by French" and other commentators of what they called preferential atll ttide adopted by American ar my officers toward Heidisinar shal Hermann Goering. "The generous Americans in vited him to lunch," one Paris radio commentator said. "One could think wc arc back in the oldages when opposing leaders were bowing lo each other." Elsenhower said his atten tion had been called lo press reports of instances of senior Fire Raid Razes Jap Industries GUAM, May 14 (UP) A 17,000-foot smoke column covered nine square miles of Japan's industrial hub of Nngoya today after more than 000 Superfortresses dropped 8,500 tons of bombs in the heaviest and most concert truted fire raid in history. Returning crew members said that the glow from flames crack ling through the heart of the city was visible 60 miles at sea. They teportcd no lighter opposition and meager anti-aircraft fire. . ' Large Area Burned The Superforts 'were believed to havo burned out more than twice the area covered in the two night fire raids of last march. The daylight attack made bom bing more effoctivo. Lt. Gl6n F. Jensen of Manning, la., pilot of one of the last plane over Nagoya', said he could sec huge columns of flame bursting all over the target sector. Specific targets included ..the Chigusu plant of the Nagoya arsenal, one of 'Japan's largest, as well as thousands of home or "shadow" industries. Jens e.n said the Imperial castle of Nagoya is located almost in the center of the area where he saw a gteat, fire column. . .; t Col, Carl Storrie of Denton, Tex., declared "it was a tjamn good job. A couple more like 1 hut and wc can scratch that town off the list. I'm sure the clus ters of fire bombs moro than cov ered the nine-squirc-mile target arca:'V"- :f ..:?-' u-.-i He said the extent of the fires was difficult to determine be cause smoke clouds covered ail but the outskirts of the city and spread out over the harbor area. Early reports indicated our losses were verv light. The lack Sec INDUSTRIAL . . . Pago 3 Independence of Austria Decreed By Renner Group LONDON, May 14 (UP) The Soviet-supported government of Austria today proclaimed the country's 1 independence , and re stored republican laws In an ap parent bid for Anglo-American recognition. The proclamation, broadcast by radio sender Austria, in effect dissolved the anschuss with Ger many and presumably reinstat ed Austria's constitution of 1920. "All Nazi laws are abolished and republican laws restored,'' the broadcast said. The move further snarled Euro pean affairs for the western al lies Both the United States and Britain have yet to recognize the Austrian government sot up by Premier Dr. Karl Renner with Soviet support. The United States and Britain also were tangling with Marshal Toto's Yugoslav government over contrnLof Ihe Italian port of Tri este and wilh Russia over the ar rest of Ifi Polish lindcjground leaders. The Austrian broadcast an nouncing the country's "inde pendence" recalled that the Unit-e-d Stales and Britain, along with Russia, had made Austrian inde pendence one of their war aims. American, o f f i c c r s treating Nazis and German officials as "friendly enemies." "Any such instance has been! in direct violation of my ex press pnd long-standing or ders," he said. "Drastic mcas-0 ures have lAen set In motion lo assure termination of these, errors forthwith. "Moreover, any past in stances of this nature arc by no means indicative of the at'Qudc of this army, but arc the re sults of faulty Judgment of the, individuals concerned, who will be personally acquainted with' expressions of my definite dis approval, j "In the name of this great force and in my own, 1 regret these occurrences."