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About The Oregon statesman. (Salem, Or.) 1916-1980 | View Entire Issue (March 16, 1945)
Newspapers have been under lire from the present administra tion, notably from President Roosevelt and Secretary I ekes. The latter, regularly after a Roos evelt reelection taunts the papers with lack of influence since the majority of papers have regular ly opposed Mr. Roosevelt. Now the Saturday Review of Literature has prodded Virginius Dabney, editor of the Richmond, Va. Times-Dis catch, in contributing an article on "What's Wrong with Newspa per Editorials?" Dabney, who is one of the better men in thetraft, complied with reluctance, and he certainly doesn't spare the rod when he attempts to answer the question. Conceding as "good points" of American newspapers the fact ' that they are "the most inform ative and the freest papers in the .world," Dabney admits they have their shortcomings, one of which is their editorials which "are not the force in ' American life they ought to be,; or that they -were generation or two ago." He puts the blame on publishers who run their papers as big business, look on them as properties rather than as instruments for public service. He writes: , . : "The fact that the average Am erican publisher is not: only conservative,- but frequently reac tionary, and the further fact that he often imposes his views upon his editor, is the greatest single reason why the American editor ial page has declined so sharply in influence. Instead of letting trained newspaper ' men conduct the paper, an art and mystery about which ; (Continued on Editorial Page) Electric Mines Slow 41st Push On Mindanao MANILA, Friday, March .16-(P)-Extensive enemy use of electrically-controlled land" mines; and increased artillery and automatic weapon fire slowed the 41st divi sion doughboys driving northward from captured Zamboanga Wed nesday but they widened their Mindanao, island beachhead to 28 miles, headquarters said today. The Japanese resorted to elec tric mines forthe first time in the southwest Pacific. A headquar ters spokesman reported the Yank advance was definitely impeded. Bombs nit Mindanao 'Along the coast, however,; Maj Gen. Jens A. Doe's infantrymen -raptured Manicahan on the east flank and San Ramon on the west to take in 28 miles of coastline. Heavy bombers hit eastern Min danao, meanwhile, with 200 tons of bombs. A Japanese destroyer and five - other ships were sunk in the Chi na sea by four Mitchell medium bombers. ; American rail and ship ! trans portation was operating in Manila again.. ,.- ' :i H;. ;Japs Attempt Landing On Luzon the 158th regimental ; combat team destroyed a concen tration of enemy barges and dis persed a Japanese landing attempt at Bolo, on the south coast. Formosa was hit with ! 174 tons concentrated plans. in j a hydroelectric Brewery Founder Dies in Vancouver VANCOUVER, BC-(CP)-Fritz Sick. 85, founder . of the Sick Brewery interests, died In a hos pital here today. He had been ill for some time. ' l Sick was honorary chairman of Sick's Breweries, Ltd., and his family operated breweries in Van couver, Great Falls, Spokane, Sa - jem? and Seattle. He had ceased active management of the busi ness, one of the largest of its kind In North America, several years ago. Nazi Peace Feeler Conveyed To British Legation, Rejected STOCKHOLM, March 15.-(fl- A German peace feeler recently was conveyed to the British lega tion here through a -third party and was rejected, an unofficial British statement said today, and the Swedish newspaper Aftondid ningen asserted tonight there were rumors that similar German, pre-' posals had been made to Russia. Aftontidningen ' said that in "certain Stockholm quarters" there were peace rumors in con nection with Russian Ambassador Madame (Alexandra) Kollontay's projected trip to Moscow.",; "She is supposed to deliver German proposals to Premier Statin," Af tontidningen said. :.,, NINETY-FOURTH YEAR Prussian Pocket Is Sliced Trapped German Force Severed By Breakthrough By Romney Wheeler i LONDON, Friday, March lMfl3) Russian shock troops in a seven- mile breakthrough to the; coast of Frisches Haff (lagoon) southwest of Koenigsberg, sliced the German" East Prussian pocket into two vul nerable segments yesterday in . a bitter mop-up prelude to the cen tral offensive toward Berlin. ! f. Isolating the besieged and shell torn provincial capital of Koenigs berg from the main force of trap pedenemy . troops, the Third White Russian army reached the coast on a four-mile front -and were hurling the battered rem nants of 200,000 nazi troops back to the sea along a blazing 39-mile line, Moscow's communique dis closed. ' . - --' - i Simultaneously, Berlin' said that soviet forces had fought into the outskirts of Gdynia on the Baltic coast and were battling across the canal-webbed Vistula delta south of Danzig. The enemy said violent Russian blows against the suburbs of Stet tin had been thrown back while Russian heavy guns raked the island of Wollinat the northeast ern extremity of the Stettiner Hadf. , ' . The Third White Russian army reached the" coast of. the Drisches Haff, Moscow said, alter a seven- mile sweep across the ' coastal railroad and highway linking Koenigsberg with the East Prus sian fortresses of Meiligenbeil and Braunsberg. Elements of what Berlin said were seven Russian armies cap tured the coastal village of Heide Waldburg, five miles southwest of Koenigsberg, after it had changed bands repeatedly in the bitter, prolonged fighting since late Jan uary, when the Soviets first took it Power of New 11-Ton Bomb SaidAivesome LONDON, March 15.-)-The awesome power of the new l ll- ton British superbomb, which tosses 10-ion clods of earth about like pebbles, was told today by an eyewitness. The witness, said the air minis try, was a bomber command staff. officer who stood off 2500 yards and watched what happened when the enormous, delayed fuse missle exploded in a test "Huge clods of soil, weighing five to 10- tons each, sailed hun dreds of feet into the air," the officer said. "There followed a large cloud of dense black smoke The explosion was a vast boom and I felt the quaking of the earth shock. , The officer reported the exploi sion formed an ."enormuos crater" after the bomb penetrated to i great depth. Nazi Phone Lines ' To Stockholm Cut ; k STOCKHOLM, Friday, March 18 .-)- Telephone communica tions between Berlin and Stock i holm - have been severed since p.m. Thursday, the Stockholm press reported today. Best Stockholm informants said that as far as they knew there was no basis for this report beyond the fact that Madam Kollontay proba bly was going to Moscow soon. ' - . .' .- . - . . Meanwhile the unofficial Brit ish statement said that "An ap proach Was attempted a few days ago through , m third party to junior member of the legation staff and the third party was told at once that the British legation was not in the least interested in any such approach.". . r j .... . .. " - -- . v. C (Official .British quarters in London said they knew nothing of the reported incident) ; . Resigns Doke of Windsor ns As Governor Of Bahamas NASSAU, Bahamas, March 15 -yFV-The Duke of Windsor, an nounced today that he has resigned after serving for longer ithan 4 years as governor of the Bahama Islands, a tiny colonial outpost of the mighty empire of j Which he ohce was king. j I He said he had made no im mediate I plans for the future af ter he relinquishes his post in April. . ! j He added that he and his Amer can-born duchess, for whose love he relinquished the crown, will remain at Nassau for at least an other month. ... - - : W. L. Murphy, 58-year-old col onial secretary to Bermuda, will succeed.' the duke. ! ' The news of the duke's resigna tion caught Nassau by I complete surprise. ... : Stayton Pastor Is Transferred STAYTON, Mar. 15 The trans fer of ; the pastor of St "Mary's' parish, Rev., .George Sniderhon,! to St. Cecelia parish at Beavertoni has been announced, effective as: of March 15. Coming to St Mary's will be' Rev. Mathew Jonas, who leaves the parish at Vetboort aft-f er having served there j for 10 or 12 years. : :N ;Rev, Sniderhon came! to Stay-: ton from St Peter's ! Church in Portland in February,! -1936, and has .built the parish up both in membership and financially. He added' rooms to the school which has shown ft 50 per cent increase in . enrollment . ; , . ; nesig Giant AircraftlCarrier to Be V A ; ' ' - :v ;.; rvS.v r"-; - ... - r '1 Workman nn( nnkMnr 3 laanched soon at Newport News, I- (Ar wlrephoto from navy) Salem, Oregon, Friday Morning. s Y frranijr Moor Senate House Coasting; Milk, jVeterans Measures Pass i 1 it By Wendell Webb" Managing editor. The , Statesman Aiming for adjournment some time tonight (a possibility, .albeit -emote one) the house ox repre-1 itatives faced a comparatively 1 eas sdiedul todar i. while , the stillbehind senate was confronted I with some of the most controver sial legislation of the session, Thursday the senate gave final approval of the house-passed milk pastuerization; measure (HB 234) by a ivote of; 17 to 12; stamped O. K. on thei bill providing edu cational grants for veterans (HB 347 j; I assured; a short form for state income tax payers (HB 388), and approved jby a vote of 28 to 3 the -creation of a new state board of health (SB 89) i J The latter now goes to (the house. - I j : J j Action Deferred The senate refused to call from committee the; house bill (HB 207) providing fori firemen's pensions, on jne grounds nremen were cov ered in tne public employe re tirement measure (HB 344) on which action I was deferred until today. Action also was delayed on the county; manager permisslvi bill, (HB 212), -and 4 on the bill prohibiting commercial fishing in most coastal streams HB 378), i-assea in t tne : senate were measures increasing: from 3 to 4 Helper cen the state's "Ukef from pari-mutuel h betting (SB 333); allowirig logging" trucks to proceed if their overload is less than, 2000 pounds (SB 337); pro viding i for reciprocal recognition of out-state motor vehicle licenses (SB 182); extending an interim study, of motor vehicle taxation (HJR 14), and barring Japanese aliens from holding property (SB House Through Early Considerable doubt remained Jf ituiirusu tuc UUUK WUU1 Xlll ished its Thursday calendar in mid-afternoon, then recessed for an; hour awaiting more business from the senate. - I; The house! gave final approval to senate measures which Exempt life insurance annuities from tax until the amount of the ther, powers: of confiscation (SB lit); fix circuit judges salaries at $6000 (Multnomah and Clackamas counties $7000); provide that pre cinct committeemen shall be chos en at general elections (SB 321), and! validating past marriages con - summated before expiration of the six 'months (waiting period after divorce (SB-288). ; ... ' !' ! fisheries Study Voted . The .house: also adopted a reso lution (SJR 10) !J renewing, the 'fisheries interim committee two years, and ended legislation creat ing a game reserve in Polk county for six years (SB . 215), allowing logging trucks to haul fish scraps ; I - ! Pacing Big Day th hnll af the new f5.00Q-tea aircraft earrler Midway which will be Va.The giant flattop will carry i March 161945 War Soon Over If This Soldier i Gels Operating WITH THE U. S. ARMY BE- YOND THE RHINE, March IS-(JF) One soldier staged a one-man Ger man roundup today. - He started to the rear with 19 prisoners in tow. En route, the Germans called to comrades in the wpods to surrender. j When the soldier reached the prison) cages he was guarding 340 Germans. I j el ni S 1 llin 11111 SnAO VJA XXXCtll kJlkUly .1. Made j WASHINGTON, March 15-(ff)- : A (deep si a sh in the supply of leather for civilian shoes in April, May and June was disclosed by the war production board today. From meagre figures made pub lic, it appeared that only 10 to 15 per cent as much cattle hide would be available for ' civilian shoe uppers as at present, most of the rest going to meet enorm ously , increased army demands for footgear. An office of price administra i tion spokesman, however, said no change in shoe rations was I contemplated, beyond fthe tight eiiing announced; in December when OP A said the next ration stamp - "probably will not be : validated until some itime next Jammer" instead 6t Majf 1."" ken's Shoes Bit 1 WPB said the "impact of this shortage would fall particularly on men's shoes and on tne van ous juvenile types which custom arily utilize this, type (cattle hide) of leather.. I Plans are being laid, -the agency announced, for a "greatly in creased" production of fabric shoes as a substitute lor leather footwear. Officials hone to estab lish, a definite program setting aside textiles for -non-rationed types of shoes. . Supplies Cut Sharply The WPB said total supplies of cattle hide for civilians for the first half of this yeaf would' be 49,745,000 square feci compared with 90.570.000 square feet in the last half of 1944. WPB said virtuallyi thf entire cut' comes in the approaching quarter, which, would mean that only about 5,000,000 stjuar feet of cattle hide will go to civilians about 45,000,000. square feet in each f the preceding three quar ters. f ;'- . .;: ;.. I oh return trips (SB 32), and rais ing the salaries of most j district 1 attorneys (SB 103). f In the meantime, Gov. Earl Snell signed into law the house bill (HB 52) removing (the; $40 ceiling from old-age assistance, ' c Both the senate and house will take up at 9:30 ajn. today In an effort, to shorten the session which now is in its 68th day . 18 days after pay ceased and two days beyond the old - record. ' P (legislative details pages 3 and D. ' ' ! , - Launched Soon 4 Lk; WF! 1!v.Q' V 1 1 more than 80 twin-engined planes. DeepSlashjin Leather Pries Sc. Portland Team From Eugene; Baker, Medford And Oregon City in Semi-finals The 26th annual Oregon high school basketball tournament opened at Willamette university yesterday before record-breaking opening day crowds both in the afternoon and evening ses sions, -and when the first day's shots had been taken four teams marched into tonight's semifinals 'while four others stepped back to consolation play set for . In the opener Washington high's Portland Colonials nabbed 45-32 victory over Eugene in. the day's feature game. Baker fol lowed by nosing ; out . Newberg, 33-32, Medford marched over little Vernonia, 44-29, in ! the night ses sion opener and Oregon City belt ed Hillsboro, 43-25, in ; the night- j cap. It was a great day for the pre-season. prognosticated:; for all four winning teams had many backers. - -. J . " . j Today Eugene and Newberg open consolation play at 830 a. m.. followed by a Vemonia-Hills- Yesterday's results: A" championship fll-bt: Washington 45, Eagene 32. Baker S3. Newberg 32. Medford 44, Vernonia 29. Oregon City 43, Billsbore 25. Today's games: i r A" consolation 1 9:39 ajn. Eugene vs. Newberg. 10:45 a.m. Vernonia vs. Hills bore, . i ' "B" championship openers 3:00 p.m. Grant Union vs. Clatskanle. J . 4:15 pjn. Arlington vs. Keeds- port f "A" championship 7:30 i pan. Washington vs. Baker. I 8:45 pjn. Medford v Oregon aty. - . 6 .1: a boro clash. Winners will battle Saturday morning for fourth place p -;--.. At 3 o'clock this afternoon "BH divisioners open up for the cham pionship, Grant Union of John Day going against Klatskanie in the opener and Arlington trying Reed sport in the; finisher. Then at 7:30 tonight the "A" division semi-finals start, Washington play S?S.r oetosintmaho Woman Although np official count was possible, yesterday's spectator crop bulged the WU gym at the seams and formed what is expected to be the largest opening-day mark in History. JJver 500 fans were turned away during the afternoon! session and reports were that an other 500 were left out at night Indications point to similar throngs for both the semi-final and final engagements in the "A" division. Ir - U h-Asks UsMuHi hr i ' T " I Mr. and Mrs. Britain About Romania Coup WASHINGTON, March 15-W) The United States invoked the Crimean charter today in an ef fort to prevent 'Romania from falling completely; into the hands of a communist minority. : .Under Apparent Russian pres sure the Romanian government of Premier. Nicolal Radescu was overthrown on the last day of February and succeeded March 6 by the administration of Premier Petru Groza , of : the communist controlled front .,. national democratic The United States action was disclosed by a state department announcement: r.ll ' "American ' representatives - in Romania have kent the depart ment informed of recent develop- ments. we tninx mat some as pects of the political situation re quire, consultation among; the three principal allies and we are discussing this situation 'with the British and soviet governments." Income Tax; Payers 1 Now Will Be Given; : Break in Oregon ; - State income taxpayers of Ore gon who earn less than $5000 a I year. will be permitted to-use a so-called short form in filing their income tax returns under a house bill (HB ' 388) 'approved by the 1 senate Thursday." The federal government already provides short form., . - - Storm Cuts Away Sand; Ruins Homes TILLAMOOK,:!, March 15-()-Bay Ocean peninsula lost 15 more feet of coastline! during the win ter storms and owners of the few summer homes remaining on the strip are salvaging them. ; No. 333 Takes Opener this morning. . mi rs mast German Staff Headquarters -1 . T LONjX)N, Friday, March The German, army's general staff headquarters n e a r Berlin was smashed yesterday in one phase of a 2100-plane American -raid which Was followed last night by the; 24th consecutive RAF night bombing of the enemy capital. The attacks concluded one of the biggest j and most successful days of the war for the allied air force. The American bombers sowed 3500 tons of high explosives and incendiaries in the vicinity of Ber lin, including the German army's nerve center at Zossen, 20 miles south, where some 650 especially- briefed, bombardiers of the Eighth air force had little trouble pick ing put the target in clear weath er.!'. The visual bombing of Zossen, the highest ranking offi- where cers o; ! the wehrmacht were be- lieyed engrossed in attempting to run the war on. both the eastern and wjestern, fronts, probably will rank among the best accomplished by! the; Eighth air force, its offi cers laid. .Returning crewmen were jubilant over the success of the mission. Train Kills S' ' It Woodburn WOODBURN, March 15. -While her husband waited for her, Mrs. Engle Nicholson, 61, walked into the second section of the Southern Pacific train, number 16, and was almost instantly killed, at 11 o'clock' this morning. A high wind was blowing and she had her head bent against it and apparent ly never saw or heard the train. The body was carried 30 to 40 Air. ana Mrs. Nicholson came here Monday from Star, Idaho, and were guests -at the Rov Len hardt 'home. The body will be shipped Saturday for final serv ices af Star. Besides the widower, three sons, Sgt Norman E., in New Jersey, Pfc Donald in England and Pfc. Marvin in Italy survive: also sister, Mrs. Myrtle Boston of Mich igan and a brother, Henry Lorison ofiTiLamook. , Airs, Nicholson was crossing Front street at Hayes. The train did not slacken speed and it believed crew members were un aware; of the accident Meanwhile the husband waited at Evenden's I Drug Store for her. Many persons on Front street witnessed the acH,, n8 per cent; utilities. 1 cident, and as the crowd gathered I the waiting husband finally joined it;to discover "the unknown wo- I man killed', was his wife. j Wtathcr Max. SJ Bala . .IS Saa rraacisee Inm 4S SI 17 At 44 M .45 ST SS SMtttei. Wtllaattti river T ft, S la. Churchill Says Might Be Won J ' . By Alex H. .Singleton LONDON, MarehViyPr-The was in Europe might wen end "before - summer ends or even sooner," Prime Minister Churchill told a conference of the conserva tive, party today; - i : Victory lies before u certain and perhaps near," he declared.' .v In making his prediction on the defeat of " Germany, ; Churchill pcinted 'out that with it . "war conditions will no longer prevent as they have hitherto prevented, the holding of a general election,'' Britain's first since 1935. , ; He isaid the liberal and labor parties had indicated that they Berlin Reports U.S. 15 jh Joins First -Bridgehead By Austin :Bealmear PARIS. Friday,! March m-UPr- The US First army deepened iti' Rhine bridgehead to-six miles yes-. terday, seizing command of more than a- mile of the great six-lane military highway to the Ruhr, and the Germans' said five American armies were striking . along 235 miles of the blazing western front '. ; The drive j beyond the Rhine gained more I than a mile during '. the day, swept up four more Ger- man towns and stabbed into five others. The Germans said the new US 15th army, had sprung into . action on the bridgehead, where 100,000 American soldiers now were massedj . j , The US Seventh army broke a long lull with a general assault on . a 50-mile front from the Saar to the Rhine in a synchronized attack with the US Third army, and gained three jniles or more, driv ing the Germans into retreat to the Siegfriedl line. : Third-Gains f Miles The US Thrd jjrmy smashed six miles south- from its newly-won ' Moselle rjreri bridgehead near. Coblenz in an offensive that was cutting in 80( miles or so behind the Siegfried! line facing 'the Sev- -enth army front j f ' ' Already the push had sealed off' the Rhine transit city of Coblenz, was hearing? the: Rhine south of the city, was; pinching off the en emy's "little! Ruhr" - - the Saar basin - - and was challenging the nans', last 150-mile grip on the Rhine's west! bank. The Thiianny was by far the deepest intoGermany of any al lied army in the West. As it closed on Boppard, in ancient Rhine cen ter six mile4 south of Coblenz,! It was 80 miles north of the Saar border, and nearly 70 miles west of the enemy frontier. Patrols Cross River It was disclosed officially that the Ninth army had been sending patrols across the Rhine, in the area north of puisberg and that they had clashed with the enemy on the east' bank, from .time I to time before withdrawing. . The , Germans . who also havo sent patrols across the river: to the allied side, ! obviously seizing an opportunity lafforded by these patrols clashes to : bolster home front morale, claimed a Ninth army attempt to cross the Rhine had been smashed. The Rhine crossing by the First army at Remagen, where the Am ericans now hold 11 miles or more of the east bank; was so solid that it was announced officially the danger of its being dislodged now was past I 1 Red Gross on ! Final Lap for $80,500 Quota With $72,398.40 raised, the 1945 Marion county! Red Cross war fund campaign ; today enters the final lap of its race toward an $86,500 goaf. r - t Still the lowest on a percentage basis, the rural division Thurs day night reported $15,380.06 of its $27,500 jgoalj And every cent in that fund came, from communi ties which ad gone over the top. (See story on page 2.) I The race! for top place among percentage 'collectors is between' the educational division, with. $3156.32, of 185 per cent of its quota, and : the women's division, with. $13,862.54, or 154 per cent of quota, j . '. '' ;:':. y' - . Among the "also over-the-top' divisions " ire contractors, with $4879.16, or , l'ljl per cent; gov ernmental, 'with $7094.97, or .101 per cent; professional, with with $1562.50, or 104 per cent i - -i ' Rain Showers ; today becoming light rain In the afternoon,! continued cool tem peratures . in the mid-Willamette valley area, predicts VS. weather bureau, McNary field,' Salem, t -- ! Europe War This Summer would resume! their liberty of action in that! election and end the coalition government of which ; he is head.! i '-; .'Therefore, Churchill declared, the 1 conservative party must con sider' the' if sue' of the election to come and he drew it clearly as a show-down fight between forces of the right arid left V ' - The prime minister demanded a future of .''fee enterprise" for Britain and exhorted the conserva tives to stand j firm . against eco nomic programs of nationalization "borrowed: from foreign lands and alien minds" and against the ideas of the "stay-at-home, leftwing in telligentsia." ; ! "f1