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About La Grande evening observer. (La Grande, Or.) 1904-1959 | View Entire Issue (May 21, 1945)
van Iks C Ok s vise mi n See Columni K1, 1 Community Newspaper For Every Member of the Family ESTABLISHED 1S96 Trapping Enemy Force Aim In Shuri Encirclement GUAM, May 21 (UP) Marines and army infantrymen on Okinawa battled to complete the encirclement of Shuri today in a drive that" threatened to trap the main strength of tlie Japanese garrison in a one-square-mile area. Strong1 tenth army patrols entered Yonabaru, east port and anchor base for the sagging Japanese lino bisecting south ern Okinawa, front reports disclosed. Marines used flaming oil and anti-tank guns fired like Americans Split Luzon Japs, Take Mindanao Airfield MANILA, May 21 (UP) Amer ican troops, killing almost a thousand Japanese daily in the Philippines; split open an enemy pocket on Luzon and seized an other airfield on Mindanao, it was announced today. Gen. Douglas C. MacArthur an nounced 13,866 Japanese wet? killed in the Philippines in the past two weeks. Only 602 pri soners were taken. These figuros brought the total of Japanese killed or captured in the Philip pines campaign since the Ley It landing seven months ago yes terday to 369,818. Enemy Force Divided The 43rd division drove a wedge through a force of soveral thousand Japanese on Luzon by opening the highway from nova-hchc-s, five miles north of Man ila, to Ipo dam. The dam itself was taken two days ago. On the. east coast of Lyzon, in u.k'pp - f cogging, .shore-to-shoi e operation, Filipino guerrilas land ed at Dinanchican Point. 48 miles east of Manila and six miles be liw the port town of Infanta. On Mindanao Island, the 24th division seized Sasa airdiome north of Davao and advanced two miles beyond it to enter the vill age of Panacan. The 3lst division, driving up the center of the island, pushed throe miles more along the Sayre highway to within 11 miles of Mnlaybalay, capital of Budkinon province, Malaybalay is the agri cultural center of the middle Mindanao. GI's Over 40 Will Get Discharges WASHINGTON, May 21 (UP) Army enlisted men aged 40 or older were made eligible today for discharge on their own ap plication.. This represents a lowering of the discharge age from 42 years, which became effective April 17. The reduction affects about 30,000 enlisted men in the 40 and 41-year age groups. When the military situation permits, a further reduction will l:e made in the ase limit, the war department disclosed These discharges are separate from those made on the point system which applies to all ages . The new policy is also applic able to enlisted WACs 40 and older who have served for one year or more. Gl Gets Nation's Frorh President WASHINGTON, May 21 (UP) President Truman today personally presented the medal of honor to Tech. Sgt. Jake W. Lindsey in a ceremony of tri bute before congress to the growing list of heroes who have served their country "beyond the call jf duty." The 24-year-old soldier from Lucedale, Miss., was the 223rd serviceman and 100th infantry nun ia this war to be awarded th na lion's highest military honor. He was the first, however to receive,, it directly from the president in the presence of both houses of congress and the country's highest military and civil leaders and many foreign diplomats. Lindsey's great deeds, per formed against superior enemy forces in Germany last Movent ber, stemmed straight fiom his own. person; courage, l-Yno president said. The ceremony took plnre in a hushed house chamber. Seal of Main I Shuri. Casualties mounted by the hun- dieds in close-quarter, fighting as the Okinawa campaign entered its. 51st day. American dead, wounded and missing through Friday totalled 30,526 more than 10,000 greater than casual ties on Iwo. Japanese dead alone for the "period totalled 43,103. . Ma), Gen. John R. Hodge said the nightly enemy artil lery fire dropped from 15,000 rounds in mid-April io fewer than 1,000 in the past week. However, he warned there has been no corresponding weaken ing of enemy morale. The decrease in artillery fire might indicate tn ammunition shortage or the movement of heavy pieces farther south for the final all-out effort. U. S. Fleet on "Prowl" The Domei (Japanese) news agency said an American fleet was "on the prowl" off southern Japan. It appealed to be ap proaching Kyushu for new at tacks on the Japanese homeland, ulthought there were no late re ports in its whereabouts Monday (PWT), "'-... United Press'War Correspond ent Frank H. Bartholomew ob served the battle of Shuri from a ridge a mile and a half north east of Naha. From there he saw first division leathernecks emerge from their front lines and move southward along an escarpment paralleling Shuri on the west. On the opposite side of Shuri, soldions of the 96th infantry fought their way. southward in a great pincers move designed See ENCIRCLEMENT . . . Page 5 Local Budget Law Upheld By Court SALEM. Ore., May 21 (UP) Marion County Circuit Court Judge George Duncan today up held the validity of house bill 403, the "local budget bill" of the recent legislature, in the form in which it was signed by the governor. The complaint should be dis missed, he said. ,' Opponents claimed that a con ference committee report, adopt ed by both house and senate, was not enrolled in the bill, making it invalid as not being in the form the legislature intended. The suit will now go to the state supreme court, according to F. H. Young, manager of the group which brought the action The conference report would have lowered the amount muni cipal corporations could reserve for cash working funds from 15 to 10 per cent of estimated ex penditures. Highest Honor at Public Rites ed on thj front row to the left of the speaker's rostrum were the hero's nearest relatives his father and mother, Mr. and Mrs. Jake L. Lindsey and his sister, Mrs. Pauline Smith, .all of Lucedale. Lindsey was accompanied to the chamber by Gen. George C. Marshall, army chicf-of-staff. Gen. Marshall read the cita tion which summariied Lind sey's act, which includrd the knocking out of two enemy machine -juns. capture of two more and forcing the with drawal of two enemy tanks, tus securing bis unit's position. As President Truman placed the ribbon bearing the medal around Lindsey's neck he said history of the war is filled with countle-ss acts of valor by our soldiers Lnd marines, and he noted that of 100 infantrymen who have received the medal of honor, 50 died performing the acts for which they wore honored. LaborOuitsChurchillGovernmeni Pin Money Drive Is Accelerated To Boost Bond Sales Women's Division Agrees To Sell Quarter of Quota. Emphasizing the Importance of every bond purchase in the win ning of. the war in the Pacific, Mrs. Mary Gould Wilson,, chair man of the "pin money" cam paign of Ine women's division of the La Grande campaign tof the 7th war loan today urged that every family make a special ef fort to save small change and put it into bonds. "It costs $5 a day to care for a wounded service man, and $2.50 for a first aid kit for him," she said, "and every $50 bond that is purchased now will provide that first aid kit and a week's hospitalization for a wounded soldier, sailor or marine." She said war stamp books are bjing made available to everyone to simplify saving for a $50 bond, making it unnecessary for any one to keep any appreciable amount of "pin money" around the house. Mrs. A. B. Freisinger was hailed by Mrs. Wilson as one of the leaders in sales in the wome.i'j division. To date she has sold 100 bonds with sales value of S30.595. Thft women's division of the county, .war .finance tteommittee has accepted" the Job of selling 25 percent of the county E bond See PIN MONEY . . . Page 5 Lions Club Staff For Next Year Is Put In Nomination A. B. (Spud) Olson was nomin ated for the presidency of the Ln Grande .Lions club for the next year at the weekly meeting today in the banquet room of the Stein cafe, at which nominations of other officers were announced as follows: Marcus Roesch, first vice presi dent; Jesse Rosenbaum, second vice president; D. W. Hall, sec retary; C. M. Humphreys, treas urer; L. M. Chan, R. E. Jones and S. H. Weimer, directors; Gordon Capps, tailtwister, and Ray K. Kagsdale, Lion tamer. The election will be held nexl month. - Committee is Named President Horace J. Nelson appointed, Forrest Zirkle, C. R. Eberhard and Capps as a com mittee to confer with City Man ager Ed H. Ford to determine what can be done toward induc ing property owners to improve the appearane of some of the buildings in the business district. A. H. Labbc, chaiiman of the club's war bond committee, re ported the drive is getting under way with prospects for a good showing by the committee. Harvey Carter of the education committee, discussed the San Francisco security conference, and told of the influence Lions clubs were having there with In ternational Lions President H. J Skeen as an authorized consult ant. Zirkle, who was program chair man, introduced LeRoy Darling who presented winners of the national music contests. Marine Geralds, accompanied by Mary Snyder at the piano, played a flute solo "Serenade" by Shubert, "Low Tide," by Wil liams, was played by Mary Sny der as a piano solo; Dick John son, played "Beautiful Colorado" on the baritone horn; Ellen Mc Cormick, presented a piano solo, Forest Songs" and Duuro Ham mond, cornetist, presented "My Regards." Guests were H. E. Dixon, Jack Yeager, and H. E. Baer. H. D. Wilson, was intrexiuced as a new member. Weather Data for 24 hours to 7 a.m. Temperature: Maximum 59 Minimum 41 Precipitation Trace. Forecast: Cloudy and wairmr. piobably showirs tonight ami Tuesduy. (at ond LA (jRANDK. OKEtJON : V-' Til V CAPTURED BY AMERICANS Leni ReifenrtahL actress and one-time reported girl friend of Adolf Hitler, and Dr. Robert Ley, former German labor front leader, pictured after their capture by American troops. Retailers Blame Black Market i As Meat Supplies Grow Smaller Carving knives lay idle in kitchen drawers through the U. S. today as meat dealers reported black market operations cutting deeper into dwindling meat and poultry supplies. Lines lengthened before the corner butcher shop. And most houswives considered themselves lucky to obtain meat of any kind or poultry, the next best substitute. Tomorrow is Ldst Day to Register For June 22 Poll Tomorrow is the final day for voters to register for the special election on June 22. County Clerk C. L. Graham announced tint registration books for the election will close at the close of business tomor row and anyone whose regis tration is not un to date must register lo qualify to voio on the state building and educa tional proposals. One proposition is for crea tion of a $10,000,000 building fund for educational and other state institutions, and the other would levy a tax of 2 cents a package on cigarets to raise school support funds. Anyone who has lived in the stale six months or more is eli gible lo register lo vole. Local Man Named Officer of State Junior Chamber Vein Van Vrankcn, a director of the La Grande junior chumbci e-f commerce, yesterday was elec ted a vice president of the state junior chamber at the closing session of the annual convention in Salem, at which Lee Stidd of Portland was elected president. Price Schroeder, president of the La Grande organization, an nounced today that Stidd will visit La Grande Thursday, when a special meeting of the junior chamber will be held at 7:30 p.m., in the Slein cafe. He said tomorrow evening's meeting has been cancelled. Sehioeder and Al Long repre sented the La Grande group a', the slate conclave, which was one of the largi st assemblies held in recent years by the i-late organization. Others elected to vice presi dencies of the slate group .'ire Merle Nash of Eugene and Mar vin Hixson of Klamath Kail Bruce Gilbert of Bi ml was el"' -ted secretary, and Victor Milnis of Medford, treasurer. I-otlmi Tatum, retiring president, v.'.-s elected national director. Pendleton Golfers Win Local Match Pendleton golfers, participate I in the first three-way inter- j city tournament staged yesterday j by thel.a Grande Country rluh. j took all honors with a total -core of tw.'t, Chauncey Walker, club! pre-sidi nt, announced today. La Grande golfers gani'ied !8h'- points for second plat-' ! and Bak- r wound up in cellai position with Oa.'i. ) 'lllililil!!!!!f!i?g!iillli:!H:;!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!lllh Wallowa Covaivi MONDAY KVKMNU, MAY 21, : .at ',Qi m -y In Chicago, the meat packing center, officials estimate that sup plies have-dropped 50 per cent rri the past six months. Most markets have adopted a practice of opening only two or three days a week while other close as soon as the day's supply is exhausted. Black Market Blamod Almost to a man, the retaili-rs blameel Hie black market. "A retailer can gel all the meal he wants if he has a high-income clientele and will pay the price," one complained bitterly. In New York, half the butcher shops are closed und showcases in the ol'icrs are empty despite an enforced ban on meat sales. The war food administration has held out little hope for in creased meat, poultry and egg supplies in the number one popu lation center. It points out, how ever, that "fish arc coming int the market at the rale of 1 000. 000 pounds a day, 300,000 above the normal supply." San Francisco's market shelves invariably lire empty by noon. Fish Is plentiful and lamb avail able in small amounls. Poultry along the west coast Sec RETAILERS . . . Page 5 G. A, Smith Named Mormon Leader SALT LAKE CITY, May 21 (UP) George Albert Smith 75-year-old president of the Latter Day . Sainis (Mormon) church council of 12 apostles, today was named eighth president of Un church, succeeding-, He-ber J. Grant, who died last week. Hij r-ppoiiitment was announc ed after a meeting of the apostles. Church members will be asked to sustain the selection al the next Kcmi-unnual church conference in October. Many Nazi Spies Executed By U. S. PARIS, May 21 (UP) Fifty of the .r() nazi spies who infil tiated American lines during the Ardennes offensive last Decem ber have I. -en triid and executed and all but 10 of the others were shot and killed while trying to escape capture, allied headquar ters re veaL-d today. The fate of the lemaining 10 still was uncertain, according to Col. H. (;. Sheen, Washington, D. C, chief of headquarters counter-intelligence who directed the counter-measures that smashed the enemy plot. DANISH NAZI CAPTURED LONDON'. May 21 (UP) Co penhagen dispatches said today that Wei tier Best, former nazi governor of Denmark, has been turned o.i-r to Danish authori tiii after his arrest by allied troops. 1945 Tito Troops Quit , Corinthia; Trieste Situation Tense' ' Yugoslav Leader Would Compromise Italy Occupation LONDON, May 21 (UP) Mar shall Tito withdrew all 20,000 Yugoslav troops from Austrian Caiinthia today and expressed wllingntss to come to un agree ment with the western ullies on the occupation ot disputed veni zia Giulia province in northeast Italy. At the same time, however, Tito uxprcssed his indignation and surprise, over Marshal Sir Harold R. L. G. Alexander's al legation that Yugslnvia's attitude in the Venizia Giulia dispute was "all too reminiscent of Hitler, Mussolini and Japan." An Amcticun battalion which had been sent to Trieste to pre sent a united allied front with drew and rejoined the remainder of the I) 1st division in the Goriziu sector to avoid supply problems in the event of hostilities. James Roper, United Press correspond ent, said the situation in Trieste is "extiemely tense." British and New Zealand for ces remained In Trieste, along with un even greater number of Yugusluv trops. Sonic 1,300 of Tito's troops paraded through Trieste with 13 American-made light tanks, three British-made uimored cars, a Germun-inade light tank, 11 German guns and two light untl-tunk guns in a show of strength yesterday. Only 1,200 civilians watched the parade and they showed u noticeuble luck of enthuisiiism, Roper said. He estimated there are 65.000 Yugoslav troops In Venizia Giuliu. 4 War Criminals Captured By U. S. Troops; Fifth Slain LONDON, May 21 (UP) Four more accused war criminals, one of them the self-styled original "Lord Maw Haw," were held by the allies today. A fifth, Maj. Mario Carila, chief of the Italian SS, was slain by American fifth army troops in a mountain hideout in northern Italy. His 2l)-year-oId mistress was wounded in the brief gun battle. - In Moscow, the Soviet press calkd on the western allies to rrresl and try immediately mem bers of the Doenilz government and the German general staff. Any further delay may lead to real chaos in Europe and perhaps a thild world war, the Soviets said. European dispatches said the latest batch of accused war crim inal rounded up by the ullie-s were: Norman Baillie-Stewart for mer British officer who had been working for the German propa ganda ministly and foreign of fice for five years. He said he had made the original "Lord Haw Huw" broadcasts from Ger many. Kernund cle Brinon former Vichyile ambassaelor to Paris. Dr. Bernard Menetrel for mer personal physician and col laborator with Marshal Henri 1'rtain, and II. ij Amin El Husse ini, exiled grand mufti of Jeru salem, wanted for unti-Je-wish activities. DeValera Bids For World League Seat DUBLIN, May 21 (UP) Pre mier Eamon Ue Valera has made his first post-war bid for Irish membership in the new league of nations. De Val- ra, who was president of the old league, spoke during a military parade yeoterday and said: "As we wore a loyal memler of the old league of nations so we are prepared to become a loyal member of any new leagiiQ that nftghl be furnieU for col(tV live security if It promises to be an effective instrument of peace and guarantees to all nations full equality of rights." HEROIC COMMANDER Capt. Leslie E. Gehre, who brought "Big Bon," the U. S. aircraft carrier Frunklii, through tha most terrible ordeal any Amer ican ship ever survived. French Shooting In Beyrouth Stirs Political Crisis BEYROUTH, May 21 (UP) Disclosures that, French Senegal ese troops fired on Lebunesc' demonstrators imd killed several of them,yesterday brought a new midddla eastern politicul crisis to a heud today. The fatal shooting occurred near u French cooperative store in Beyrouth. The Senegalese troops were guarding the stores and opened fire when the demon strators approached. (A Cairo dispatch said clashes in Syria and Lebunon had put the whole middle-east on edge over French policy in the Levant stales. A Lebanese legation offi cial said 17 persons were wound ed when SeneguleEe troops dis persed crowds in Damascus.) The shooting climaxed a series of Incidents provoked by the ar rival of French troops in Syria and Lebanon, which have re-solved jointly lo refuse lo negotiate with the French on the question of landing additional troops in the two countries. The decision was designed to pluce the blame on Franco for any further clash es. Tokyo Mobilizes Youth For Defense TOKYO May 21 (UP) Japan reiterated its denial of peac-e feelers today and mobilized 20, UGel.OOO stuelents for the defense of the homeland. Sadao Iguchi, spokesman for the Japa.vso board of informa tion, was quoted by the Tokyo radio as naying that Japan "at no time, at no place and through no channi-l whatsoever has ever proposed peace to the United States and Britain." Truman Economy Program May Create U. S. Business Manager WASHINGTON, May 21 (UP) President Truman today is developing an economy pro gram that may lead to ap pointment of a "general busi ness manager" for the Uniteil States governmemt. Chairman Robert Hamspeck, D., (Ja. of the house civil serv ice commission, told the United Pre-ss the president has given considerable thought to the business manager idea. Such an official would be responsi ble for finding and eliminating waste effort money und per sonnel in the mnny government departments und agupcies with their 2,500,01 feeteral em ployes. "The presiilent definitely is interested in the suggestion that a general business mana ger lie appointed," Hamspeck said. "In my opinion he will give moie time to the manage Lose Something? Kiln a Classified Ad . Phone 600 FIVE CENTS ': Domestic; Policies p At Issue! LONDON, May 21 (UP) The Labor party decided t- day to break away from tht coalition jr o v e r n merit and force a British election, .d1 i)ito an unrent plea by Prime Minister Churchill to put off politics until Japan is :der feated. . v; '; Meeting nt Blackpool, the labor party rejected Churchill's .pro posal to continue - ttre coaUtlbr)' government and offered to go Ip the pools any. time. The sttji meant the death ln a short tlnv-ir possibly next month of the gov ernment Churchill formed flv years ago to guide Britain tq Vic tory in Europe. -i' In a ' last- minute maneuver Churchill suggested that an un precedented national referendum be held on whether the 10-yea-qid parliament should continue' i'l office.- . -',..'. Heady for Vol Test .V'i- :. Deputy Prime Minister Cfa ment R. Attlce and Home Secre tary Herbert Morrison, In a preu conference at Blackpool, sdld the party believed the election should be delayed until autumf), but was ready for it. in-JuiyC .the. earliest ipossibl. time.:-:- The convention, including 1,'lOtf delegates representing 3,000,000 . lumbers, was only two vpt short of unanimity in balloti'n against staying with Churchill' conservative majority In a com bined government until the war in the east is over. . ' Churchill made his proposition in a letter to labor party mem bers. He a c k n o w lodged the need for expression of the na lion's will to vote, but Urged that for reasons ubove party See LABOR . . . Page S' Striking Truckers i Threatened With f Federal Seizure CHICAGO, May 21 (UP)-Ap-proximately 0,500 members., of the Chicago independent truck drivers union today had an ulll matumo to end a five-day wajk? out or face seizure of their trans portation facilities. . " ... The drivers have been ' on strike since last Thursday in pro test to an 8 cents an hour wage increase granted by the war ta bor board. They said the wage boost is too small und does hot meet union demands. .'!" Deliveries of perishable foods, merchandise and war materials were hulled by the walkout.' Approximately 100 army arid navy trucks took over delivery of vital war materials into war plants. Firms making "C". ra tions for fighting forces in the Pacific, radar plants and small electrical equipment shop manu facturing for the navy were' af fected by the walkout. . ment side of government thari any president in my memory.'f Rumspeck came to congress irl 1029. Hamspeck was not proposing a housecleaning of government personnel or agencies. He had in mind an efficiency program which would insure the use by government of the latest time and money saving business machines and other methods by which private ftiterprise meets stiff competition. ;- "If you save just one cent on each piece of paperwork in government " snid Ramspeek,' "you will save millions of doU lars over p period of years.". ' Ideas of that kind appeal to Mr. Truman. He was yelling for economy ond efficiency in government throughout the Investigations of war produc?' tlun by the senate committee' which bore his name, , '
