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About La Grande evening observer. (La Grande, Or.) 1904-1959 | View Entire Issue (July 5, 1945)
. . . . ' f A Community Newspaper For Every Member of the Family ESTABLISHED 1896 Douglas To Speak At Forum William 0. Douglas, asso ciate justice of the U. S. su preme court, will address a forum meeting of chamber of commerce members and the general public about the first of September, it was an nounced today by C. H. Rey nolds, chairman of forum meetings, at the regular meeting of the board of directors of the organization held today noon. Justice Douglas is at present vacationing at his summer cabin on the south fork of the Wallowa river above Lostine. Space Reoccupied . Reynolds said details, such as time and place and the subject on which Douglas will speak have not been determined, but will be announced as soon as possible. Rc-occupation of space in the chamber offices by the AAA of fices, which have been in the Sacajawea hotel, was announced by Ray Gray, president. Gray said that the motorists' associa tion will pay rent of $30 monthly to the chamber. Board members voted to send offers of cooperation to officials of the veterans' bureau which will shortly establish offices in La Grande for the re-employment of returning veterans and advising them generally on welfare mat ters. CAA officials have informed the chamber that a report of the San Francisco proceedings of last year, during which La Grande made application for a main line air stop will be released shortly. ' - Highway Signs -A. K. Parker, chairman of the Eastern Oregon college coopera tion committee announced a re cent drive for money to assist in the passage of the state building fund bond issue whr.ch passed easily resulted in collection of $871.50 to date and money is con tinuing to come in. Cash ic- ccived over the $500 voted to sup-1 port the project which will be ! used for general chamber promo tion. After discussion, it was voted to request the Union Pacific rail road to increase reservations held for La Grande more than one. Gray pointed out this request is on a permanent basis and not to conflict with present war restric tions. The establishment of new and more complete highway signs at the three entrances to the city was discussed and it was moved that the highway department be contacted to determine the ex tent of their cooperation. Two Billions In Projects Planned SEATTLE, July 5 (UP) En gineering projects costing $1,666, 018,127 have been authorized or aic contemplated for the Pacific northwest after the war, the Pacific Builder and Engineer re ported today. The trade journal said the fig ure represented heavy construc tion only and excluded building construction aid airports. Those projects, the magazine suid, will bring the contemplated construc tion to more than $2,000,000,000. Largest single project reported in the .survey is the $277,000,000 Columba basin irrigation system. Thirty-six other reclamation pro jects will bring the total in that category to $509,986,000. Olhcr construction listed by the magazine includes 12 projects under the jurisdiction of the army i ngineers in Portland (dams, locks, etc.) $273,500,000. Cigaret Shortage Blamed for Break SAN FRANCISCO, July 5 (UP) After less than 24 hours c f liberty in San Francisco, here the tobacco shortage has c, sed up a bit lately, two escaped county jail prisoners were back in the clink today with a brand new excuse for thjir break. The men, Charles M. Jones, 27, and Clarance M. Jacobsen, 30, said they just had to get out of jail because: "We were short of cigarcts, and it was getting on our r.er- es." LA GRANDE, INVADING AUSSIES CROSS BALIKPAPAN B RIDGE Seventh division Australians, fanning out from bridgehead after a new invasion of Botnew, cross a bridge on the outskirts of burning Balikpapan. .idod by hammering allied warplanes, the column took the great oil center. Registration at Summer Session Will Be July 19 Lylo H. Johnson, registrar of Eastern Oregon college, has an nounced registration for the sec ond half of the summer session wi)l be Thursday, July 19. The course offerings for the second session have been care fully worked out so that local citizens wishing to take classes for credit or on an auditing basis may do so. Courses which will appeal to townspeople are geography of South Ainrica, taught by Prot. Ralph Badglcy and meeting at 2 p. m.; music appreciation, taught by Dr. Henry Ehlers at 9 a. m.; contemporary social prob lems, taught by Dr. Joseph II. Gaiser at 9 a. m.; geology, taught by Charles W. Quainlance at 3 p. m.; adolescent psychology at 3 a. m. and child development at I p. m., taught by Prof. Rcy L. Skecn, and American literature at 11 a m., taught by Prof. Amanda Zabcl. Two courses required for certi fication to teach in the schools of Oregon are being offered, namely, Oregon history and or ganization of schools. Spaatz Will Lead U. S. Air Forces Against Japanese WASHINGTON, July 5 (UP) Gen. Carl A. Spaatz, who com manded the U. S. air forces in tho strategical warfare which des troyed German resources from the air, will direct the strategic air attack on Japan, Undersecre tary of War Robert Patterson an nounced today. Spaatz will command the 20th air force, whose B-29s have been battering Japan's resources for more than a year, and the Eighth air force, which is now being re deployed from Europe. Maj. Gen. Curtis E. Lcmay, who has commanded the 21st bomber command, will become commander of the 20th air force under Spaatz' overall command. Gen. Henry H. Arnold has held command of the 20th heretofore in addition to commanding the entire U. S. army air force. Lt. Gen. James A. Doolittlc al ready has been designed to com mand the Eighth air force in the Pacific. Like Lcmay, he will function under Spaatz' overall command. The new strategic command will be known as United States strategic air forces in the Pacific USASTAF in the Pacific." Its headquarters have not yet been designated, but it was speculated they probably will be on Guam. Okinawa was regarded as an other possibility. l.t. Gen. Barney M. Giles, who has been deputy commander of the 20th air force, will serve as deputy commander of USASTAF urdcr Spaatz. Spaatz will report directly to Arnold: who has been named executive agent of the joint chiefs of staff for this purpose, Patter son said. Weather Data for 24 hours to 7 a.m. Temperature: Maximum 89 Minimum 45 Forecast: Clear tonight and Friday, warmer tonight. OREGON THURSDAY EVENING, JULY 5, 1915 Firemen Get Share Of Water at Blaze Mrs. W. T. Phy, manager of the Fo'ioy hotel, used her own lire- extinguisher scrvico in competition with the city fire department. Fi.-emeu, wi.o were called this morning to put out an awning fire, started by a burn ing cigaret, arrived in rime to be liberatelly doused by Mrs. Phy, who at that moment threw a bucket of water on the awn ing, extinguishing the small b.'ne, and startling tho firemen. "It's humiliating," chuckled one fireman. Independence Day Observed Quietly; Many at Picnics Independence day was obser ved quietly in La Grande, the noisy, colorful fireworks of other years necessarily being unavail able. A large number of local citizens attended the Oregon Trail Days celebration in Baker, it being the first fouith f July celebration in eastern Oregon in several years. Picnics, large and small, were the order of the day yesterday with every available spot on both the Grande Rondc river and Catherine creek made use of by those seeking a day in the open. By noon today no accidents of any consequence had been re ported, most of the celebrants having confined their activities to fishing, swimming and the usual picnic actvities. MacArthur Hurries To Curtin Funeral CANBERRA, 'july 5 (UP) Gen. Douglas Mac-Arthur was hurrying here today for the- spe cial state funeral to be held to morrow for Australia Premier John Curtin, 60. Curtin dkd from heart disease at 4 a. r.i. to day at Canberra Lodge, his offi cial residence. He died in his sleep. MacArthur immediately sent the Duke of Gloucester word hi would speed here by plane from the South Pacific battle areas. The duke, in a message of Cur tin's wife, called his death "a shattering blow to Australia." (In Manila MacArthur issued Hie following statement: ("He was one of the grcate.it of wartime statesmen, and the preservation of Australia from in vasion will be his immemorial monument. I mourn him deep-' iy." After the service here, Curlin's , body will be flown 2,00!) miles across Australia to be buried at the little Karrakatta cemetery. ;it Clarcniont, in West Australia, from where he first went lo par liament in 1923. Acting Prime Minister Fran cis M. Fordo will continue to run the government untir,the labor party elects a new leader. Paint B-29s Black SEATTLE, July 5 (UP) Boe ing Aircraft company announced today that its giant Supeifoi'l now are being painted black on all lower wing and body surfaces as a camouflage measure. The: ebony color, Boeings said, is ex tremely effective in baffling Jap anese searchlight crews during low-level night incendiary raids by the hugo B-20s. ,V D 3 Two Communities In South Return To United States By United Press The nation's millions, more than ever aware of freedom's cost, returned to their war jobs today determined the next Independence day will be celebrated in a world at peace. The fourth wartime anniver sary of the adoption of the dec laration of independence was celebrated with comparative j calm yesterday throughout most of the country. Missing from the national scene were the parades, lofty oratory and flamboyant fire works displays that character ized the holiday in peacetime.- The nation death toll wasl low. ; " "' ' " .-'. In the deep south, two Civil war communities sobertly re turned to the union. Residents of the free state of Dade, which seceded from Georgia and the rest of the nation in 1860, saw the stars and stripes run up See TWO . . . Page 7 Jul v 4 Fatalities In State Only 3 By United Press Independence week deaths in Oregon at "noon today stood at three with two attributed to drowning and one lo a fall. Near Ashland, Leo Walter Hoffman, 9, son of Mr. and Mrs. Fred Hoffman of Talent, Wash., fell from a rock into Emigrant lake, where his parents had stop ped for a picnic lunch. At Boring, Ruth Joan Brandt, 15, an unskilled swimmer drop ped into a hole while swimming in the Columbia river near Crown Point. She was caught in strong cui rents. In a second Ashland accident, Mrs. L. B. Maplesdtn, 20, Kla math Falls native and ranch em ploye, died today after a fall to the pavement Tuesday which oc curred when her horse ran way with her. Her husband, Dan. is overseas. 'Jap Bomb Balloon' Turns Out Blimp SALEM, July 5 (UP) -Oregon's amateur sky - watchers are nearly on the beam. Yesterday police authorities (jot so many calls fiom people who thought they were seeing a Japanese balloon, and said Hie course of the object could be traced inland from the coast. The "Jap balloon" was a U. S. navy blimp on the way l Salem for Independence day festivities. Eclipse Monday Visible Here Dr. Charles Quainlance of Eastern Oregon college faculty, .speaking as an astronomer, today announced that a partial eclipse of the sun will be visible in the Grande Ronde'valley at 5:20 a. m. Monday, July 0. Though in some parts uf tile nvrthwest the eclipse will be to tal. Dr. Quiiintancc said that the totality in eastern Oiegun will probably not; be more than 50 percent, giving a darkness com parable to thatioi 40 minutes af'.cr sunset. SIA To Use Philippines As Major Bases for Invasion of Japan MANILA, July 5 (UP) Australian troops pressed ahead from the captured center of Balikpapan to clean up the entire oil port today, while Gen. Douglas MacArthur indi cated the Philippines might be the major base for the inva sion of Japan. , "I . The Australians had taken most of Balikpapan town, and now are pushing toward the Pandansari oil refinery area to the northeast. They fought against moderate opposition Churchill Fears Communism Will Replace Socialism Warns Against Any British Swing to Lef t Policies By C. T. HALLINAN LONDON, July 5 (UP) An estimated 27,000,000 voters went to the polls today for Britain's first general election in 10 years. Political Observers saw a possi bility of a swing to the left that could unseat Prime Minister Churchill's conservative govern ment. , All signs pointed to one of the I closest contests in British history, matching the bitterness of the campaign. Churchill himself laid down a blunt ideological challenge to the opposition when he invaded the laboritcs' southwest London strongholds. Ignoring catcalls and exploding firecrackers tossed by hecklers in the crowd, Church ill declared the course of all Eu rope hinges on the British elec tion. Fears Left "They are looking from tne continent to see1 which way Bri tain is going to 'go," he said.' "Tf there should be a landslide to the left, many countries on the con tinent would slide not into decent socialism but into the violence of communism. If we go down, all the ninepins of Europe will fall." Looking tired after the most strenuous of his 16 election cam paigns, the prime minister never theless radiated belligerent con fidence at each of his many street corner stops. Count July 26 His chief opponent, laborit.' leader Clement Attlee, also fin ished his campaign before a crowd of 1,500 persons at Bcth nal Green, where he denounced the conservative 1) r injecting "bogies" into the election. "We are asking that, for the first time in the history of Bri tain, a working class party should be given power to carry out a policy that puts the interests ol the common man first," said Att lee. The ballots will be counted July 26, and the final results are expected to be known by 4 p. m. of that day: Sub 'Trigger' Long Overdue in Pacific WASHINGTON, July 5 (UP) The navy today reported the sub marine USS Trigger is overdue from patrol operations and must be presumed lost with all its offi cers and crew. The loss brings to 45 the num ber of American submarines sunk or missing during the war. A submarine of the Trigger type normally carries a crew of 80 to 85 men. The lost submersible was skip pered by Cmdr. David H. Con nolc, Madison, III., who is listed as missing. The Trigger participated in the battle of Midway and was award ed a presidential unit citation for outstanding performance In com bat during other war patrols. Persons living in a 100-mile strip extending from Cascade, Ideho to Butte, Mont., in a north easterly direction, will view a total eclipse, the first seen in Un united Slates in 13 years, though it will not in any area be visible for more than a minute or two, tile actual totality being over in abcuc 30 seconds. The eclipse, the first partial eclipse visible to the northwest since 1943, will sweep across the United Stales in a northeasterly direction, across Canada and into Asia. FIVE CENTS through streets filled with rub- ble from Sunday's prc-invasion bombardment; which was estim ated to have destroyed 60 per cent of Balikpapan. End of Campaign MacArthur's communique today announced the end of the Philip pines campaign with destruction of 23 Japanese divisions. Only 30,0000 enemy troops remained lo wage guerilla warfare from a force once numbering 540,000. In weighing the results of the victory, MacArthur said signific antly they include: "Tho acquisition of u great land, sea and air base for future operations both to the north and to the south comparable to the British islands in its use us u base for allied operations from the west against Germany." Buildup The implication is the Philip pines will be the scene of a tre mendous ouild-up of American armed strength just as England was in the few months preceding the 'invasion of western Europe. MacArthur said American ground, air and naval forces in the Philippines had "inflicted the greatest disaster ever sustained by Japanese arms." The communique disclosed the Japanese had 18 divisions in the Philippines at the timo of tho Leyte landing. ..They stripped other defenses, Including -tlm homeland, of five more divisions for the Philippines fighting, only to have all 23 wiped out. The Americans used 17 divisions, most of which now will be free for other operations. The Borneo beachhead now measures eight miles long and two miles deep, according lo the communique. Earlier Australian radio reports of the capture of Manggar airfield, 12 miles north cast of Balikpapan, apparently were premature. But the Aus sies had taken the Sepinggang airfield, 5 miles east of Balikpa pan, and gone on to seize the vil lage of Batakan-Kctjil near the Balakan river. Potential Water, Land Resources Shown in Report BOISE, Ida., July 5 (UP) The preliminary draft of a compre hensive report on the potential development of land and water resources of the Columbia river drainage basin has been com pleted by the Pacific northwest headquarters of the federal bu reau of reclamation he-re, and has been sent to Washington, U. C. office for further study. This report will be made pub lic when presented lo congress later this year, according to R. J. Newell, acting regional director for the bureau here. It will list potential irrigation and multiple-purpose projects and outline their benefits, in cluding the total area of new land which can be brought under irri gation, the acreage which can be furnished a supplemental supply of water, the production of addi tional blocks of hydroelectric power for new industries and farms, flood control, navigation and recreation impiovem.'iits, and preservation of wildlife. He said that only 12 minutes will b required for it to sweep from Cascade, Ida., to Hudson's Bay, on airline distance of 1,440 tulles. f5r. Quainlance slated il would bt- interesting to see if newsprint can be read in the dim light. The United Press stated the eclipse will be 81) per cent visi ble at Walla Walla, 01 percent at Seattle, 66 percent at Eugene, and 77 percent at Portland. The be ginning of the total eclipse bell will be at Smiths Ferry, Ida., near Boise. I i Y Aral-ore In Jap Island Attacks GUAM, July 5 (UP) Japanese radio said two powerfdj American air fleets totaling 800 Superforts, Liberators am) lighters attacked the Tokyo area, the port of, Nagasaki anvKBfK other targets on Honshu and Kyushu today, Pro-invasion softening up of the Japanese homelaniMM rnnl'iiH thl-niicrh it JMHi litvninrlit Aav with mnrninir anA afmfe&v;y non assaults pased by Superforts and Liberators with v'?MI strong fighter screen, Tokyo broadcasts reported. Wm Nn.stop . mm Raiding-forces were reported ranging widely over tlwMgfvJ main Japanese islands in what had become virtually a nonw&ij; stop offensive by daylight. First enemv accounts snid nine Stmerforta nnrl nhnnt 10(ifefe5 long range Mustang fighters on the Chiba, lbarka and Togkigi perfectur area. A few hours later about 200 Liberators and fighters attacked objectives in Kyushu. The heavi est blow was struck at Nagasaki and nearby Omura, the Japanese said. Other targets in Miyazaki, Oita, Saga and Nagasaki prefec tures were attacked. Hit Airfields Thundering in across the Jap anese coast in three formations, the raiders bombed and shot up ground targets in eastern Honshu for a full hour. The attackers cenjerect their fire on Japanese airfields in Chiba, Ibaraki and Tochigi pre fectures cast and. north of Tokyo proper. The same general area was pounded by a similar Superfortress-fighter team yesterday. Meanwhile, Tokyo reported an American battle fleet was men acing the northern coast of Japan after a surprise bombardment Tuesday against Japanese - held Sakhalin island in the sea of Ohotsk. Deep Strike Tho strike carried American naval power almost within sight of Russian Siberia for the fleet's deepest penetration of Japanese waters since the war began. There was no immediate confir mation from Admiral Chester W. Nimitz headquarters. Tokyo said American surface units had broken through the Kurilo island barrier and steamed more than 500 miles westward. Five warships of unidentified types-steamed into Tarakal Bay and opened a heavy bombard ment of shore installations at Shikuka. American submarines, which shelled and machine gun ned Kaihyo island south of the bay Monday, surfaced off Shi kuka to join the attack. U. S. Will Break Relations With Poles in London WASHINGTON, July 5 (UP) Tho United States will break ofl relations with the Polish govcrn-ment-in-cxile today or tonight and formally recognize the new born Polish govornmoit of nat tional unity at Warsaw. The action will complete the switch in this country's Polish policy which began at the Crimea conference when the United States, Britain and Russia agreed to promote jointly a more demo cratic Polish government. It was to be based on Ihe Soviet-sponsored provisional government then functioning at Lublin. Lane Leaves Arthur Bliss Lane, who has been waiting here for several months for u settlement of the Big Three dispute over Poland, left this morning by plane lo take up his assignment as U. S. am bassador lo Poland. The formation of the new War saw regime was completed last week when Poles from within Poland and from abroad wore brought into the provisional gov ernment, now seated at Warsaw. Freo Elections Russia has recognized the Lub lin government from its incep tion, but the United States and Britain have maintained diplo- j malic relations with the exit government in London. American recognition of the newly-formed government has been withheld pending a pledge on the part of the new Warsaw govrnmenl lo give the people of Poland "free, unfettered elec tions." Britain was expected to join the United Stales. Navy Ordered to Seize Rubber Mill WASHINGTON, July 5 (UP) Piesiflent Truman today ordered the navy lo seize Ihe Goodyear Tire & Rubber plants at Akron, O.. scene of a 10-day strike. Truman acted after the United It ll b b c r Workers of America (CIO), refused to abide by re pealed war labor board orders for the 16,700 strikers to return to work. The strike began June 16. Truman acted on the recom mendation of economic stabiliza tion director William H. Davis. Davis said Goodyear production was "urgently needed by our military forces." The plants produce heavy-duty tires, aircraft tires, refueling hosu and olher rubber products. The president's seizure order authorized the navy to lake any action necessary including use of armed forces to provide pro tection for the plants and all per sons employed in them. Airl ROQr hit Honsh Combat Casualties Reach 1,036,937; 239,533 Are Dead : Army Figure Now 911,397, With Rest 125,540 ' WASHINGTON, July 5 (UP) I Announced U. S. combat casual- tics in this war reached 1,036,9371 today, an increase of 6,258 in the! past week. Total includes 239,533 killed. The army listed 911,397 of the overall figure, with navy, - marl rine corps and coast guard cas ualties totalling 125,540. Undersecretary of War Robert P, Patterson, announcing the army figures to a press confer ence, also revealed Japanese cas ualties in Okinawa and other Ryukyus islands to June 28 were estimated at 118,000. He said they included 107,046 killed and 10,578 prisoners. American ground casualties in the same islands to June 27 totaled 8,252 killed, 34,165 wounded and 1,761 missing. " ' - "A significant indication of mopping up operations in an area far behind the present theater of war," Patterson added, "comes in a report 318 Japanese have been captured during the first six months of this year and 1,500 na tives evacuated from the Mar shall islands. , "During June, 54 Japanese were killed and 145 were cap tured on Soipan." The overall U. S. casualty table: Army 191,684 566,117 38,343 Navy 47,849 64,236 11,237 4,218 Total 239.523 628,353 49,580 119,471 Killed Wound. Missing Prison. . Totals 115,253 911,397 125,540 1,036,937 -T- Japanese Leave Indo-China in Sampans, Junks CHUNGKING, July 5 (UP) Japanese troops withdrawing from Indo-China in junks anfl sampans skirting the Asiatic coastline are under attack by u concentration of U. S. 1th air force planes, Lt. Gen. A. O: Wedcmcycr announced toduy. .' More thun 200 enemy troops fleeing towai'd Hongkong through the Gulf of Tonkin and Hainan Slrait were allocked and strafed by P-51s, the communi que said. " Fighter missions nave been concentrated on the Japanese withdvawul thirou;gh Hainan Strait, Wedcmcycr declared. Jap anese forces in Indo-China have been virtually cut off from over land communication with south China by the Chinese offensive which has reached the IndoJ China border. , To the north, American fight ers and bombers destroyed or damaged 33 enemy railroad loco motives, while other planes sup porting Chinese ground forces continued to strike at enemy shipping along the Siang and west rivers, hitting junks, sam pans, barges an dpowcr boats. Two U. S. aircraft were lost. No enemy air opposition was en counterccl. ASK SUGAR CZAR WASHINGTON, July 5 (UP) The Republican congressional food study committee today call ed upon Secretary of Agriculture Clinton P. Anderson to appoint a sugar czar to relieve the sugar shortage. Bulletin WASHINGTON, July S (UP) President Truman today an nounced the resignation of Sec-, relary of Troasury He.iry Mor gsnthau, jr., and tho retire ment of associate supreme court Justice Owen J. Roberts. The president told a newt conference Morganlhau will remain in the cabinet post un-i til the chief executive returns from ihe Big Three meeting, He said the meeting will take place sometime within the nex( three weeks. Asked whether Morganlhau would be made American dir. rector ol ihe International fi nance iot-up under ihe Bretioh Woods jsgrenvni, ihe presi dent said he (tan noi answer, now. u. They concentratecM,j es in the TokycMw m mm Mm
