La Grande evening observer. (La Grande, Or.) 1904-1959, June 11, 1945, Image 1

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La Grande evening observer., June 11, 1945, Image 1

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Newspaper Page TextBITln) A Community Newspaper . For Every ember of I he Family (mot end Wo owe Comfiti ESTABLISHED 1S9G Yanks Crack Last Okinawa Doughboys Repulse Enemy Counter-Thrusts to Forge Hold at Base of Fortress GUAM, Juno 11 (UP) A spearhead of American infan trymen established a foothold at the rim of the Yaejo-Dnke plateau fortress today while other 10th army forces smashed forward in the outer defenses of the last Japanese defense line of Okinawa. Front dispatches said elements of the 17th infantry divi sion, seventh division, who scaled the escarpment Saturday afternon and repulsed six Japanese counter-offensives during the week end, still were under heavy machine-gun and mortar fire from entrenched Japanese. An inexorable drive southward slowly but steadily was herding the Japanese garrison toward the cliffs overlooking the southern Okinawa shoreline. At least two towns and i-jui hills were captured in the outer works of the so-called Iloman- Hanahusuku defenre system bi seeling the southern tip of Oki nawa. Iloman already is in American hands, while the sixth marine divisions captured all the beach territory between Iloman and Naha. Enemy is Trapped The last ranged remnants of the Japanese garrison of Oki nawa, once 80,000 strong, were trapped on the ridge and escarp ment at the southern tip of the island withlheir backs to the sea. To the northwest, two regi ments of another marine divi sion linked up on the oast Chimi seacoast and completed the en circlement of nn.-isolated enemx pocket just . below the - Oroku peninsula. , U. S. Ship is Sunk Though the bloody ground battle of Okinawa fast was near ing an end. the Japanese con tinued to throw suicide planes against the American fleet off Ihe. island. One light warship was sunk Sunday, Pacific fleet headquarters announced. The loss brought the toll of American ships sunk or damaged in the battle of Okinawa or asso ciated operations to 78, mostly light unils. Never before has U : U. S. navy suffered such losses in a single campaign. Enterprise Marine Killed in Pacific The reath of Cpl. George J. Evans of Enterprise, a member of the marine corps, is reported in a navy depailment casualty list released today. He was previ ously leported wounded in action in the Pacific area on the casual ty list of May 17. His next of kin, who was pre viously notified, is given as his wife, who resides in Enterprise. THREE FLYERS KILLED SAN DIEGO, Calif., June 11 (UP)- The navy has announced the names of three fliers killed when their bomber crashed into the sea off San Diego last Wed nesday while on a routine flight from Long Beach, Calif. Coast guardsmen recovered the bodies. The victims included: Lawrence A. Simington. 32, AMM 3C, Salem, Ore. U. S. Airmen Save Iwo Base From Blasting by Derelict Superfori IWO JIMA, June 11 (UP; While thousands of American , troops watched, one of their own P-61 Black Widow night fighters shot down a derelict Superfortress to keep it from crashing with its bomb load on this tiny island air base, it was disclosed today. The strange air drama began over Osaka when an anti-aircraft shell ripped into the pi lot's compartment, killing the pilot, stunning the co-pilot and locking, the bnb bay doors with the bombs still inside. The Supcrfort lumhei.rl hack far behind its formation. The Black Widow lighter, on a rou tine patrol, encountered it far out to ,C)I.V., ' The .fighter was manned by. Lt. Arthur C Siiepherd of Se attle, Wash, and Lt. Arvid Shulenbcrgei oL Waihingtop' Springs, S. D. O p I?Aioold i LCI1SUS KeVeaiS Increase in Farm Acreage in County The area of Union county un der cultivation has increased and the average size of the farms is larger, than in 1935, John Kallak, in charge of the 1945 farm census, reported today in Salem. A United Press dispatch quotes Kallak as reporting the number of farms in the county declined from 1,255 in 1940 to 1,208 this year, and 1,399 in 1935. The census figures show the total area in farms in the county this year as 4!)0,10M acres, as com pared with 471,173 acres in 1940, and 4G3.53G acies ten years ago. The average size of the 194 farm is 411 acres, which com pares with 375 in 1940, and 34C acres in 1935. He also reported a decrease in the number of farms in Lake county in the past five years, and an increase in Lane county. In the lattet enumerators found 5.351 farms as compared with 4.454 in 1940, and 4,(149 in 1935. The acreage there is below the 1935 total, and the average size of the farms, 95.9 acres, is small er than in 1935, but is greater than in 1940. Kallak said all the figures are subject to recheck and revision. Chinese Close On Former U. S. Bases CHUNGKING, Juno 11 (UP) Chinese forces moved nearer to recovery of two former American air bases today with a three pronged advance toward Kwei 1 i ii and an attack on Japanese forces in the suburbs of Luichow. 90 miles to the southwest. The high command said there were indications the Japanese already have started withdrawn from the great base of Kwcilin, 350 miles southeast of Chungking. One column of Chinese has reached a point 10 miles north west of Kweilin, and a second was striking toward Yining, 12 miles northwest of the base. Other Chinese troops, have reach ed Liangchiangyu, 12 miles west of Kweilin. They led the crippled Super fortress back and warned oth er aircraft to stay out of the way. Fearing a landing might ex plode the bomb load, the co pilot ordered the crew to jump, set the automatic controls and jumped out himself. The body tif the dead pilot remained in the plane as it headed out to sea. "As soon as it cleared the island, we started firing all eight guns," Siephcrd said. ''The first mirsts went into the left outside engine which began to smoke. But the bo.nVer continued to fly and loss of r the .engine swung it so that it headed back toward the island. 'Wt held our fire until it Q cleared the island again and then gave it everything. .) '- 'Finally the plune plunged into the sea." LA GRANDE, Jap War Plant Is Hit by 280 Bombs In Superf ort Raid Tokyo Area Is Again Hit By Incendiaries GUAM, June 11 (UP) B-29 Superfortresses scored at least 820 direct bomb hits on the Hi tachi engine works at Sukagawu, 115 miles northeast of Tokyo, in a precision demolition raid Sun day, it was announced today. Japanese broadcasts said other American planes kindled fires at two airfields in the Tokyo area today and, 830 miles to the south west, joined 10 warships in a bombardment of Minaini Daito island Sunday. Damage is Extensive The 21st bomber command said photographs taken during the raid on Sukagawa, one of five objectives of 250 to 300 Supep fortresses Sunday, revealed ex tensive bomb coverage of the target. Results at the other four tar gets, ranged on a semi-circle around Tokyo, were believed equally good. They increased the destruction wrought in urban and industrial areas of Japan by the B-29s to at least 92.G square miles. Seventy planes, three battle ships, three cruisers and four destroyers attacked Minami Dai to Sunday, radio Tokyo said, The planes presumably , came from new American bases on Okinawa. 200 miles to the west. Pacific fleet headquarters was silent on the report, but an nounced yesterday that a naval task force shelled Okino Daito, 120 miles south of Minami Daito, on Saturday. Return To Peace Basis is Subject Of Red Cross Parley Looking to the time when America will hove returned to the pursuits of peace, Red Cross officials and workers from five counties came to La Grande dur ing the week-end to confer with regional officials from San Fran cisco on various phases of the work on whih emphasis is laid by the organization in time of peace. The sessions were held in the headquarters of the Union county chapter. First aid and water safely, nursing, disaster service, accident prevention, special services and publicity were discussed at vari ous sessions at which representa tives of . chapters in Union, Wal lowa, Umatilla, Baker and Wasco counties participated. Fifty Red Cross personnel were present it the various sessions which ended Saturday. Officials from the area head quarters here for tiie conference included Edwin Carroll, assistant manager, Pacific area; E. S. Os born, regional director; Norns Baker, director of public infor mation; Miss Edith Olson, deputy director of nursing service;Mrs. Violet Knight, assistant to ad ministrator of volunteer services; Ben Carpenter, assistant diiector See RED CROSS . . . Page 7 Decision in Bridges Case is Def erred WASHINGTON, June 11 (UP) The supreme court again de ferred action today on a number of important pending cases in cluding the five-year legal tan gle involving government at tempts lo deport Harry Bridges, west coast labor leader, as ar alien communist. The court already has delayed by two weeks its customary sum mer adjournment and an addi tional one-week extension wa ordered today. This means an other decision day will be held next Mondays When the tribunal rules in the case of the Anstralian - b o r n Bridges, it will be deciding not Only whether he actually is a communist but also whether com munists are just, members of an other political organization oi whether they advocate rebellion against the United States. OREGON MONDAY EVENING, JUNE 11, 1945 : : miJ'iJkl PATTON, DOOLITTLE RETURN HOME Two be-medaled war heroes Gens. George S. Patton, jr., (left) and James Doolittle, staid beside Los Angeles' Mayor Fletcher Bowron as ihey salute colors following giant city ovation for them after their arrival home. Tears Flow as Patton Consoles Families of Wounded Soldiers - HOLLYWOOD, June 11 (UP) Gen. George Patton, jr., and Lt. Gen. Jimmy Doolittle be gan their military leaves today after basking for two days in the glare of all the kleig lights Hollywood could muster. Patton went home to San Marino and Doolittle stayed in Los Angeles. Both planned to get the first rest they had had since their arrival here Satur day. "We're just a coupla lucky old bums." Patton said, at Ihe end of a wild two-day home coming celebration. "The men deserve all this honor.". Hollywood had outdone itself to fete the Third army com mander and the Eighth air force leader during their "re cess between wars." The celebration was climaxed with a jubilee Saturday night in the Los Angeles memorial coliseum and ended yesterday after the generals attended church services. Veterans Approve Japanese Return SAN LUIS OBISPO, Cal., June 11 (UP) Delegates at the con vention of the military order of the purple heart yesterday ap proved the federal return of loy al Japanese-Americans lo Cali- I fornia. Legislative action to make j teaching of U. S. history crmipul l sory in all California cpuhli schools, was also recommended. 1 Ray Dorris, Portland, Ore., was endorsed as national commander for 1940. Stilwell Says War May Last Two Years TENTH ARMY HEADQUAR TERS, Okinawa, June 7 (Delayed) (UP) Gen. Joseph W. (Vine gar Joe) Stilwell, chief of army ground forces, said today that tlu war in the Pacific well may la;t another two years. Even after Tokyo and the main home island of Honshu fall, lie said, "it is quite possible that we will have to fight the Japanes in Manchuria." Ban On Export of Sugar is Proposed WASHINGTON, June II (UP) The house republican food committee today urged that non military sug,!' shipments over seas be stopped for -six months. This would make available ap proximately 170.000 tons ulWiigar a month for home canning mid industrial use that otherwi'i would be expoiled, the cutumit U e repot ted. Patlon burst into tears as he tried to encourage families with wounded sons. "There's less risk in going to war today than there is in get ting into a slippery bathtub," he said. "But God damn it, it's not fun to tell men you love to go out and die," he shouted. "But by God they did it!" Patton also spoke to 200 Sun day school children at his Epis copal church in San Gabriel yesterday. "You kids are tho soldiers, sailors, and nurses of the next war," he told them. "And there will be another war because there have always been wars." Doolittle, who lead the first air raid on Tokyo, said little during the festivities. When he spoke to the crowds that gath ered wherever he went he told them simply how lucky he was to gel home and how good a general was Patlon. Ike and Monty Get Soviet Decorations ' FRANK FUHT-ON-MAIN, June 11 (UP) Gin. Dwight D. Eif-m-howcr and Field Marshal Sir Ber nard L. Montgomery today wore Russian decorations es'imate'd lo be worth anything from $12,010 to $100,000 each as a result of the visit here yesterday of Morshal Gregory Zhukov. Zhukov, deputy commander of the Red army, flew to Fiankfurl from Berlin lo present Eisen hower and Montgomery with the coveted Russian order of vietorv Tile decoration is a magnificent affair made of diamonds, rubies and platinum. Before yesterday, only seven lop-ranking Russian lield commanders had received it. Nazi Plot lo Blow Up Canal Revealed DUBLIN, June II (UP) An Irishman who served in the Brit- l ish army and was captured said today that the nuzis had plotted i to blow up the Punamu canal. The soldier, John Gushing, said l.e was detailed to lead a sabot age squad to blow Up the Gatun locks of the canal after he pre tended to fall in with the Ger mans. C'ushini!. who. v:n captured at Lille in I M0, still that Id Murch, 1041, many Irishmen Were taken from other camps and .tit in a special Irish camp near Berlin. The Gel mans lold them tlty would g'-t special-.) treatment if they did special work. FIVE CENTS Line Bowman Goes On Trial on Charge Of Slaying Father Completion of Jury Selection Is Expected Today Albert Forrest Bowman, 28, of North Powder went to trial to day in tho circuit court of Union county on a indictment charging him with the murder of his father at the family ranch near North Powder. Indicating that the death pen ully may be asked, each prospec tive juror was asked by the pro secution for his or her altitude toward capital punishment. With two special venires of approximately 30 talesmen call ed, both the prosecution and etc lense exprested the hope Ihey will be able to complete the selection of th juiy by the close of the court session this after noon. At the noon recess five jurors' had been passed for cause and one talesman excused. Tentatively in the jury box when the afternoon session open ed were Mrs. Zilla Carlson, Sum merville, Mrs. Jane Ford La Grande, Ed Van Vlaek, Cove, Eugene Becker, La Grande and Earl Sager, Elgin. Ross Badger of Union was ex cused for cause. Acting district attorney C. R. Eberhard is conducting the prose cution, assisted by deputy district attorney .George Cochran, ..and the defense attorneys are Henry Hess and S. H. Burleigh. Governor Moves to Get Big Tourist Trade For Oregon SALEM, Ore., June 11 (UP) Oregon's $50,000,000 tourist in dustry can easily be doubled and perhaps trebled, Gov. Earl Snell said today in announcing a meet ng of those interested in the tour ist trade. The meeting, an all day affair, will be held at the statehouse on June 15. The governor said that many organizations and agencies such as chambers of commerce, automobile organizations, the highway department and others, including individuals, have shown interest and concern in the possi bilities of increased tourist trade. They will all be represented ut the meeting. "We must get our house in or der" the governor said. "We still have a war to win . . . but the time to lay the groundwork is now. "To. get the best results and do the best possible job it is neccs siuy to coordinate our efforts. There should be close coopera tion. That is the main purpose of Ihe meeting on June 15," the governor added. "It is my opinion that we should develop a well-coordinated statewide program of tourist promotion," Gov. Snell concluded. Few Jap "Suicide" Flights Succeed SAN DIEGO, June II (UP) Only ohout one per cent of Jap anese suicide planes aimed at American warships ever gel through, Vice Adm. Marc A. Mit- scher, commander of famed car rier lask force 58, said today. Milscher, who said suicide at tacks have cost the lives of three officers und 18 enlisted men on his own staff, arrived here to start a 30-day leave before re turning lo Ihe Pacific. Ship Repair Men Threaten To Strike LOS ANGELES, June 11 (UP) Shipyards in the Los Angeles harlor area, working on elsmnged war ships, face Ihe threot of repuirmens' strike today over a wage dispute. Members of 10 AFL unions Voted 2,058 to 100 to walk out. After the war Iftbor bnaid ship building cfimmis.ilon dtnlecl the union's petition fur 1 1. 6 per cent higher w.gs for the inwi rcpairj ing damaged ships than (or those woiking on new ships. Light Resistance Is Met by Aussies in I Four-Point Assault ? !'' See Invasion Map-on Page 5 1 ; MANILA, June 11 (UP) Allied headquarters announced' today that Australian forties had invaded Borneo,, seized control of strategic Brunei Bay on the northwest coast, and. thrust more than two miles inland toward Brunei, capital o the sultanate of the same name, to Led by Gen. Douglas MacArthur, troops of the Australian ninth division landed against scattered opposition on Labuaiv island at the entrance to Brunei Bay, on Muara island along its eastern shore, and at nearby Brooketon.on the mainlands With "negligible" casualties in the first phase of thV invasion, the Australians captured Labuan town and air field, and on the mainland moved 4,000 yards from Brookes- A. B. Olson Elected President of Lions Club for 1945-46 Members of the Lu Grande Li ons club today elected A. B. Ol son "us president for the next year. The election was held dur ing the weekly meeting In the Stein cafe banquet room, and re sulted in the selection of other officers u follows: Marcus Rocsch, first vice-president; Jesse Roscnbaum, second vice-president; D. W. Hall, secre tary; Milliard Smith, treasurer; Lores M. Ghun, Gene Delrick, Horuce J. Nelson, S. H. Weimer and R. E. Jones, directors; Gor don L. Cuplpjs, tailtWiater, and Ray R. Rugsdale, lion tamer. They will be installed at the meeting next Monday noon, with Lyle Johnson officiating. The club voted to give $12 us a scholarship to send a local youlh lo the Oregon State college See A. B. OLSON . . . Page 7 High Court Frees Bund Leaders By Divided Decision WASHINGTON, June II (UP) The suprume court today direc ted tho ucquittnl of 24 former loaders of the- Germun-Amerlcah bund, including its one-timo na tional president, Gerhurd Wil helm Kunze. They were convic ted of udvising bundists how to evade the draft laws. The cx-bundists, sentenced to prison terms of five years each by the southern New York fed eral district court, appealed after Ihe second circuit court of ap peals affirmed their convictions in March, 1043. They claimed they were denied a fair trial because of wur hys teriu and "prejudical" newspaper comment. The decision was 5 to 4. Jus tice Owen J. Roberts wrote the majority opinion: Chief Justice Harlan F. Stone wrote a long dissent, asserting that the bund leuders hud not acted "innocently." Justice Stan ley Reed, William O. Douglas and Robert H. Jackson shared his views. Missing Canadian Bomber Located VANCOUVER, B. C, June 11 (UP) The wreckage of u plane, believed to be a LibcratdV miss ing for two weeks with eleven men aboard, has been sighted in the Slesse Crock area near the American border and paratroop ers are speeding to the rescue, the western air command an nounced loday. The command said that eL'fi nite signs of life were seen around the wreckage. The bomber cuiried a crew of eleven Royal Air Force men when it vanished In the moun tainous country on a routine flight on June 1. Small Fry Satisfied Although Ice Cream Cone Costs $4,243 TACOMA, Wash., June 11 (UP) A head of unruly blond hair and u grimy fist clutch ing three checks uppeured un expectedly across live drug counter. "I want some money," piped a small voice. The clerk leaned ueross the counter und poured down into the blue eyes of barefooted 7-yeai-old Billy Brooker, attired in tattered lungerees and a superman sweatshirt. "I want some money," the lot repeated impatiently. The clerk glanced at the cheeks and his eyes flew open. The largest wus for $4,080. The two accompany'nig chee'ti were fi4i $157 and $10 Bspectely. "SMry. There isn't that imich .money in (He store," Ihe clerk explained patiently as he diul ed pbllce headquarters. "Will you settle for un ice cream 0 ton toward Brunei town. The Australian ninth division put three, assault forces ashore almost simultaneously on Lab nan island at the entrance to the bav. at Muara island on the east- cm shore, and nearby BrooketoiJ' on the mainland.- . . Gen. MucArthur, accompanied by Gen. George C. Kenney, com mander of the far eastern air forces, and Australian officers, went ashore with the assault waves on Lubuun island. , The landings were preceded By shuttering nuvul and aerial bom burdments by joint Australian and American air and naval for ces. . . JV The allied fleet lobbed shells into the beach in a preliminary barrage, while planes plastered the enemy defenses inland. j Late Sunday afternon a fourth landing was made on the east at. In nf I.nhunn Islnnrt nnnnsilp the original beachhead. Labujt island is in the mouth of Brunei Bay, and commands the entrance to the sweep of water leading to. the port and city of Brunei, where the Japanese had a naval base, , . . ,: ' Brunei is a small sultanate,' be.: tween British north Borneo arid Sarawak. It was seized by the Japanese in January, 1B42. T,h city of . Brunei had a pre-war, population of 30,135, of whom only 00 were Europeans. -...Ah- Increase in Winter wneat, ueciine in : Barley Predicted : WASHINGTON, June II (UP) Tho depurtment of ugrlculture toduy estimated that the winter wheat crop will be 797,255,000 bushels. ' This would substantially ex ceed last year's crop of 764,073, 000 bushels. V Tho department said, howevtjr, thut one of the coldest Mays on record hud held back general crop development after an auspi cious start earlier this season. The department said the winter wheat crop is expected to ke the second largest on record. Above average yields were anticipated on a fairly large acreage of spring wheat bringing the prospective total wheat production to 1,085, 000,000 bushels, the biggest crop ever produced. The department said oats and hay promi&a above average pro duction. The indicated out yield ijS 1,334,370,000 bushels compared with 1,100,392,000 last year. The barley crop was estimated at 257,788,000 bushels compared with 75,903,000 bushels last year. Pears woro estimated at 31,519,, 000 bushel, compared with 31, 958,000 last year. Weather Duta for 24 hours to 7 a.m. '.' Temperature: Maximum 74 . ..' Minimum 45 Forecast: Partly cloudy wilh probable showers tongiht and Tuesday. cone?" Billy would. At police headquarters, Billy related his story in a matter of fuel tone to detective B. C. S a g e n. He had picked the checks up from the floor of the central post office after seeing a man drop them while emptying a postal box. ... Officers hurried to the post ofllce and confirmed Billy's acs count. The Washington. Co operative Egg und Poultry a. sociation's postal box had been "forced open and all the mall removed. Further, search turn ed up an additlonul $1,500 in checks und negotiable stocks, discarded in a nearby alley.' The cuse was turned over to the postal inspector. Meanwhile, Billy reflected' on tho price of on ice cream cone. He decided inflation had. come.