i Yanks Speed to
Off Entire Peninsula
ST.
Weather
MIBUNE
NANTES CAPTURE
EXPECTED SOON
Bradley's Armored Columns
Race Virtually at Will Be
low Rennes in Push.
Forecast! Clear and wanner to
stent and Saturday.
Temp.
ftlichfttt yesterday . 89
Lowest this morning . 66
United Press Full Leased Wire
United Press Full Leased Wire
Thirty-ninth Year
MEDFORD, OREGON, FRIDAY, AUGUST 4, 1944
NO. 114.
Violence Flares in Philadelphia Trolley Strike
FUEHRER OKOERS RUTHLESS PURGE
Block
NAZAIRE AND
MEDFORDeMli
1
Supreme Headquarters,
AEF, Aug. 4 (U.R) The
French city of Rennes, ancient
Norman capital, hai been oc
cupied by Allied troops but
the enemy continues to put up
some resistance, it was an
nounced today.
Supreme Headquarters, AEF,
Aug. 4. (U.R) American mobile
forces sped at least 20 miles
southward beyond Rennes in
Brittany today, and informed
quarters here expected them to
capture the great French ports
of St. Nazaire and Nantes within
24 hours, blocking off the entire
Breton peninsula for a quick
mopup.
At supreme headquarters the
occupation of the whole peninU'
la by Lt. Gen. Omar N. Brad
ley's flying columns careening
through it at lightning speed
seemed to be a matter of days
and a few days at that.
Race At Will
Responsible sources said this
evening it would not be surpris
ing if Bradley's advanced elem
ents already had reached the
German positions covering St.
Nazaire and Nantes on the Loire
estuary. '
Front dispatches revealed that
United States armored columns
had raced virtually at will to
points 20 miles below Rennes,
31 miles from the south coast,
and 17 miles southwest of Dinan
in a many-pronged push threat
ening to collapse the last organ
ized German resistance on the
peninsula.
Only in the area of Rennes,
ancient Norman capital which
Washington said yesterday had
been captured, was any formid
able German resistance reported
and bypassing elements already
were speeding far on beyond
that knot of opposition both to
the south and the west.
Drive On St. Malo
Bradley's westbound right
wing swept along the coast to
ward Brest and opened a frontal
push against St. Malo, which
was bypassed by a column strik
ing through Dinan to Broons, IT
miles to the southwest and 31
miles northwest of Rennes.
At headquarters it was be
lieved the elements of four Ger
man divisions believed to be in
Brittany might undertake one
stubborn stand somewhere in
the Breton hills. But if so it was
regarded as foredoomed.
The distance of the American
vanguard from their goals on
the south coast was measured
best not in miles but in terms of
the resistance ahead of it and
the speed with which it could be
Vsupplied with food, fuel and
ammunition.
The only definite news here
this evening was that the hard
riding tankmen were well be
yond Rennes and pushing
strongly along the north coast
beyond Dinan.
Supply Strained
Airmen who flew over the
battle area below Avranches
said the roads were packed with
supply vehicles and reinforce
ments, sharply contrasting with
the deserted highways on the
German side.
Injecting a note of caution,
however, observers pointed out
that the spectacular speed of
the American armored advance
in the last 10 days would strain
any supply service, and difficul
ties were increasing with every
mile of advance. . .
As in the German sweep
I through France in 1940, the
enemy had been broken on the
Breton front, his communica
tions ripped asunder, his avail
able reinforcements exhausted
and his entire campaign plan
thrown into disruption.
SIDE GLANCES
By
TRIBUNE REPORTERS
Sarah and Harold Tolle sitting
out on the hillside to enjoy the
evening scenery and give the
mosquitoes a treat.
Traffic Cop Dick Baize ex
hibiting a regular "rogue's gal
lory" of himself in the form of
photographs taken at a sidewalk
stand.
Lt. Tinsley saying goodbye
with suspicious fervor to news
paper men who had pestered
him for news during his tour of
duty as camp PRO.
Elva Jennings thinking up em
barrassing questions to ask a cer
tain frequcst visitor at the courthouse).
U , lira til - Vt s wjwmm sates i .,
(Acme Ttlephoto)
Police stand guard outside this Philadelphia building, d imaged In rectal outbreaks that followed strike of city's
3800 transportation workers. The city, center ot vital ar industries, awaits federal Uitervention as final
move to end paralyzing tieup which started over resent ment at company announcement that Negroes would
be trained as motormeo-
4
FLORENCE HEART
Rome, Aug. 4. (U.R) British
Eighth army forces broke into
the southern section of Florence
today after a swift four-mile ad
vance that routed the Germans
from their main hill defenses be
low the Arno river and drove
them back across the stream into
the heart of the historic city.
Official reports said fast-rolling
South African patrols thrust
into the city from the south .to
day and found that five of the
six bridges crossing the Arno
into northern Florence had been
destroyed by the retreating
enemy.
It was indicated the Germans
had withdrawn their main forces
into Florence or beyond the city
to their Gothic line defenses in
the mountains farther north.
(German broadcasts recently
had hinted that Florence would
not be defended, asserting that
the Nazi troops had made it an
open city to prevent destruction
of its art treasures.
LAST JAP DIES IN
By United Press
Allied forres captured Myltky
Ina in northern Burma today
clearing the last Japanese ob
stacle to reopening an overland
supply route from China to In
dia, while American marines and
army forces on Guam battled to
hem Jaoanese defenders into a
narrowing nockrj on the north
ern end of the Island.
Mvitkvina was occupied by
American. British, and Chinese
forces after they had killed al
most the last man of a 3.000
enemy garrison which had de
fended the citv against siege
since last May 17.
The fall of Myltkvina elves Lt.
Gen. Joseph W. Stilwell's forces
a jumning off place for contact
Ine Chinese troops advancing In
to Burrrn from the Salween river
area of Yunnan province. Join
ing of the two forces would form
the first link between China and
Burma since the fall of the old
Burma road to the Japanese.
Envoy to Vatican
Quits Nazi Cause
Vatican City. Aug. 4 (U.R)
Baron Ernst Von Weizsaeker,
German ambassador to the Vat
ican, has deserted the Nazi
cause and informed the Holy
See that he will no longer rep
resent the existing German gov
ernment, authoritative Vatican
sources revealed today.
The German ambassador's
break with Berlin was under
stood to have been precipitated
by the abortivo revolt inside
Germany, and came into the
open last Saturday when Karl
Gustav Wollemweber, first sec
retary of the embassy, attempt
ed take over the embassy.
Striking Trolley Operators
Reject Appeals From Army
Philadelphia, Aug. 4. (U.R) The executive committee of the
striking Philadelphia Transportation company employes again
this afternoon rejected the plea of army officials that they re
turn to work.
WILD HOTEL PARTY
South Bend, Ind., Aug. 4
(U.R) Jackie Cooper, former
film star and a naval V-12
trainee at Notre Dame, was
charged today with contributing
to the delinquency of a 15-year-old
South Bend girl by furnish
ing her intoxicating liquor and
inducing her to remain over
night in a hotel room he had
rented.
Prosecutor Arthur F. Scher
filed six affidavits against four
persons, including 22-year-old
Cooper, charging them with thq
delinquency count. He said the
charges came from an investiga
tion of a "wild party thrown aU
a South Bend hotel July 22."
The others were Pauline
Frederick, 19, South Bend, de
scribed as Cooper's companion;
George Bender, also a V-12
trainee at the Notre Dame naval
training school, and Olive Low
ery, a negro waiter at the hotel.
Scher said warrants had been
issued for arrest of the four.
Cooper was unavailable for com
ment. Miss Frederick was charged
in .the affidavits with contribut
ing to the delinquency of the I
15-year-old girl and another 16- j
year-oia gin. uenaer was ac
cused of contributing to the de
linquency of the 15-year-old
girl and having immoral rela
tions with her, and the waiter
with serving the minors intox
icating liquof.
The last picture Cooper made
before entering the navy,
"Where Are My Children,"
dealt with Juvenile delinquency
and was made at the request of
the United States government.
28 In Crash Of
Army Transport
Brunlng Army Air Field, Neb.
Aug. 4. (U.R) A C-47 transport
plane, carrying an estimated
complement of 28 men, crashed
near Napcr, Neb., last night, it!
was announced today by Col. C. I
McAllister, base commander.
The majority of the crew are ;
believed to be dead, McAllister
said. The plane had left Brunijig
Field for Pierre, S. D.
Names were withheld pending
notification of next of kin.
QUEEN 44 TODAY
London, Aug. 4 (U.R) Queen
Elizabeth observed her 44th
birthday today at Buckingham
Palace. Flags flew over all gov
ernment buildings but because of
the war there was no special
celebration.
' 'pi
- .il --
By United Press
Nearly 30,000 workers were
idle today in a score of walkouts
that plagued the United States
and Canada, the most important
of which were the transit strikes
at Philadelphia and Montreal,
while at Detroit a strike of
7,000 employees at five General
Motors plants entered its ninth
day, tying up production of
Pratt-Whitncy aircraft engine
parts.
The system was taken over by
the war department last night
on order of President Rosoevelt.
Negro Shot
A 13-year-old negro boy, Frank
Howard, was shot and critically
injured yesterday at Philadel
phia by white men in a passing
automobile in the first violence
the city has experienced since
Tuesday, when 11 persons were
hospitalized and more than 200
arrested in riots.
Local 235 of the United Auto
mobile Workers (CIO) at De
troit ignored union executive
board appeals and repeated war
labor board directives to return
to work, after 1,300 strikers at
a stormy two-hour mass meeting
last night voted to remain out
until all discharged employes
were reinstated and grievances
over stepped-up production
schedules settled.
Four thousand non-strikers
were reported idle at St. Louis,
Mo., where 300 negro chippers
at the General Steel plant re
mained on strike protesting
alleged abuse by a white fore
man, halting production of
tanks, castings for gun turrets
and railroad equipment.
In western Pennsylvania war
plants approximately 4,000
workers were Idle.
Plenty of Rubber
But Labor Lacking
To Produce Tires
Los Angeles, Aug. 4 (U.R)
There Is rubber to burn, but 40
per cent of the tire making ma
chinery In this area is out of
production because of man
power shortages. President
Leonard Firestone of the Fire
stone Rubber Corp. of Califor
nia said today.
Los Angeles ranks second
only to Akron, O., in tire man
ufacture. Keynotlng a conference of
top men in the Industry seeking
to ease the critical tire situa
tion, Firestone said use of Ger
man prisoners of war was being
considered.
Despite an average paycheck
of $72.80 a week to a typical
worker, the personnel problem
is acute, said L. C. Smith, Fire
stone plant manager.
TO BERLIN
By United Press
The shortest distances to
Berlin from advanced Allied
lines today:
Russia 328 miles.
Italy 604 miles.
France 623 miles.
HITLERITES FLEE
EAST PRUSSIA AS
REDS DRIVE NEAR
Frightened Populace Scatter
While Russians Swing
Out to Flank Warsaw.
London, Aug. 4 (U.R) A
Moscow communique reported
tonight that the Red army
captured more than 100 local
ities in a drive steadily widen
ing its bridgehead across the
Vistula in the area of Stassow,
115 miles south of Warsaw,
from which Soviet forces were
swinging northwest in flank
ing drive against the capital.
Moscow, Aug. 4 (U.R) Panic
stricken German civilians have
begun evacuating East Prussin
as the Red army massed at the
frontier for the first thrust onto
Reich soil, Izvestia reported to
day as other Soviet forces swung
northwestward beyond the Vis
tula in a grand scale flanking
drive against Warsaw.
Izvestia said .the roads of East
Prussia were Jammed with non
descript transport carrying civil
ians and property westward from
the Soviet-menaced region of the
fatherland, while fierce air bat
tles raged overhead.
Praga Stormed
While Marshal Konstantln K.
Rokossovsky's vanguard stormed
the Praga outposts of Warsaw,
his left wing veered up toward
the city from the Vistula cros
sings, which had driven a wedge
within less than 100 miles of
German Silesia, to reduce the
capital's defenses from the south
If the frontal onslaught were
held up.
(The German DNB News
Agency said the Red army main
tained heavy pressure "in the
area of Warsaw" from the east,
northeast and southeast.)
(DNB said that in the Augus
tow and Vilkovlchki areas before
East Prussia, the Soviets pene
trated five miles westward, in
dicating they now were at or
within a few thousand yards of
the frontier.)
(A Polish underground com
munique said more than 25.000
Polish patriots battling the Ger
mans in the streets of Warsaw
had seized many strong points
scattered throughout the city,
and "the initintive is ours, but
the fight is bitter.")
TEXANlSllE
IN 112JGREES
Br United Press
That heat wave that swept
the country yesterday, with
new high records established in
dozens of cities, was Just a re
hearsal for today.
Today, It will be hot, the
weatherman at Chicago predict
ed, with the mercury soaring
over the 100-degree mark In
many parts of the south and
southwest.
Yesterday's high was 112 de
grees at Quanah, Tex., where
114 degrees has been reported
twice within the current 10-day
heat wave gripping Texas, al
though an unofficial recording
of 117 degrees was reported
from Memphis, Tex.
The mercury soared to 68
degrees at Chicago yesterday,
reminding residents of the
warm spell during the republi
can national convention in
June.
Test Tube Start
x of Human Growth
Done by Savants
Washington, Aug. 4. (U.R)
John Rock of Harvard univer
sity and Miriam E. Menkin of
the Brookline, Mass., Free Hos
pital for Women have succeeded
in fertilizing human ova in a
test tube, according to a report
in the current Issue of the Maga
zine Science.
Although similar experiments
have been carried out with rab
bit and monkey eggs, the "first
stages In tho cleavage of the
fertilized human egg have, as
far as we know, never been re
ported" before, the researchers
said.
Employment Ceilings Ordered
For Non-Essential Industries
To Hold War Workers on Jobs
Washington, Aug. 4. (U.R) War Mobilization Director James
F. Byrnes today ordered employment ceilings placed on non-essential
industries in labor shortage areas in order to hold war workers
at their jobs and to free 200,000 workers for vital war work.
IN TOKYO AREA
By United Press
The Japanese reported today
that powerful formations of
American carrier planes had at
tacked the Bonin and Volcano
Islands, within 630 miles of
Tokyo, and Radio Tokvo ex
pressed its belief that Vice Adm.
Marc A. Mitscher's famed task
force 58 again was on the prowl
near the Japanese homeland.
A Tokyo broadcast recorded
by United Press In San Frnncisco
said 10 cruisers and dostrovers
were sighted east of Chlqhl Jima
In the Bonlns Friday afternoon.
Their anpearance there "and
sudden Intensification of enemy
activities near the Japanese
homeland" Indicated to the Jap-,
anese that an American task
force was operating In the area,
already struck by Mitschcr's
force three times since tho start
of the Marianas campaign in
June.
London, Aug. 4 U.R) A sky
filling parade of 2,200 or more
American heavy bombers and
fighters spread a trail of ruin
across 200 miles of northern Ger
many today, smashing at dozens
of Nazi military targets and
secret enemy experimental sta
tions at Pcenemunde on the Bal
tic sea.
Streaming out across the Reich
under brilliant sunshine that per
mitted visual bombing of all
their targets, more than 1.200
U. S. 8th Air Force Flying Fort
resses and Liberators srx'wcd a
great weight of high explosives
and fire bombs on Bremen, Kiel,
Roctock. Anklam and Pcene
munde. Another 1 000 Mustang. Light
ning, and Thunderbolt fighters
covered the widespread assault
against what Berlin described as
furious resistance from tho Luft
waffe. Negro Convicted
Of Firing Hotel
San Francisco, Aug, 4. (U.R)
George Holman, 49 year old
negro cafe owner, today stood
convicted on 22 counts of mur
der as the pyromnniac who set
the New Amsterdam hotel fire
that claimed 22 lives last March
27 In San Francisco's worst dis
aster since the 1606 earthquake
and fire.
A superior court Jury of seven
men and five women returned
the multiple conviction late last
night after deliberating for 7'4
hours, and recommended that
Judge E. P. Murphy sentence
Holman to life Imprisonment.
RAILROADERS SEE NEW
LABOR DRAFT EFFORT
Washington, Aug. 4. (U.R)
The weekly nowspapYr Labor,
published by 15 railway unions,
said today that "military brass
hats have raised a scare about a
production lag and letdown on
the home front" to revive agi
tation for a national labor draft.
The newspaper cited war pro
duction board, labor department
and war manpower commission
sources to combat the statement
by Lt. Gen. Brchon B. Somer
vell that absenteeism and turn
over are Increasing among work
ers In war industries.
London, Aug. 4 (U.R) The
London Times made newspaper
history today when it published
a complete 10-page airmail edi
tion on India paper for overseas
distribution.
Byrnes authorized all govern
ment agencies to apply any
sanctions necessary such as
choking off materials, trans
portation, fuel, and power to
enforce the new regulations.
Need Big Push
The new orders were prompt
ed by the armed services' pleas
for more production for the im
minent climactic phase ot the
war.
"We have the enemy on the
ropes; he is dazed and his knees
are buckling," Byrnes told a
press conference. "This is no
time to take a holiday and give
him time to recover."
Byrnes said that under the
new program the responsibility
foi providing the necessary man
ptwer for vital war programs
rests with the local communities.
"Those at home must work as
hard as those abroad are fight
ing," he said. "Tho responsibility
for manning our war plants is
clear and unmistakcable and it
rests with the communities. The
communities must meet the re
sponsibility if we are able to fin
ish the war without enacting a
universal service law."
Areas Empowered
Byrnes issued a directive giv
ing area production urgency
committees in all Group I and II
labor areas areas of actual or
threatened labor shortages the
power to clamp employment
ceilings on less essential Indus
tries lu order to channel the sur
plus labor to nearby war plants.
These committees are empow
ered to set manpower priorities
and take any other measure to
insure full utilization of exist
ing manpower.
In case of conflict with the
war manpower commission, the
urgency committee's decision
will take precedence.
HAIL CUTS DOWN
' Billings, Mont., Aug. 4 U.R)
Farmers in eight Montana coun
ties lost $1000,000 in a few
hours Wednesday night when
heavy hail, accompanied by high
winds, cut down thousands of
acres of beets and other crops.
County Agent W. H. Jones of
Billings said that the million
dollar estimate of crop losses
was "conservative " The hail
stones ranged In size up to that
of a hen s egg, he reported.
Hardest hit were the Broad
view and Forsyth areas in Yel
lowstone and Rosebud counties.
Farmers In Treasure county re
ported 4,500 acres of beets and
12 000 acres of grain crops were
damaged.
SUE ESTATE
Los Angeles, Aug. 4. (U.R)
The Automatic Lawn Sprinkler
Co., today sued to recover
$45,000 It says Robert A. Bailey,
58-year-old clerk embezzled In
three years before his sulclde.4
Bailey killed himself during an
audit last month.
GOP Governors Say New Deal
Fosters Industrial Strife
St. Louis, Aug. 4 U.R) The
republican governor' confer
ence concluded Its work today
with final reports charging the
New Deal with chaotic adminis
tration of welfare agencies and
arbitrary handling of labor
problems In a manner tending
to promoto Industrial strife.
Under leadership of Thomas
E. Dewey, republican presiden
tial candidate, the governors
submitted the last of their bill
of particulars challenging the
Roosevelt administration In the
form of five reports and a state
ment of conclusions. Dewey
said the action of himself, Gov.
John W. Brickcr, vice presiden
tial candidate, and the 24 other
G.O.P. executives was unani
mous In all instances
With the conference out of
the way, Dewey began today a
tcries of conferences with. Mis
COURT OF HONOR
TO ROOT OUT FOES
OF NAZIREGIME
24 Ranking Officers Named
as Executed, Suicides,
Deserters or Expelled.
London, Aug. 4. (U.R) Berlin
reported today that Adolf Hitler
had ordered a "ruthless purge"
of the German army as a result
of the attempt on his life last
month and named 24 ranking
army officers as executed, sui
cides, deserters, or expelled in
connection with the plot.
For the first time the Nazis)
acknowledged the sweeping
scope and gravity of the anti
Nazi rebellion highlighted by tho
attempted assassination of Hit
ler, and revealed that a "court
of honor" had been set up to
carry out the purge and try to
root out the last of the suspects.
General Deserts
Gen. George Lindemann, Ger
man army high commander In
the Baltics, was reported by tha
DNB agency to have deserted to
the Russians in the first high de
fection of that category in the
Nazi military ranks. A Major
Kuhn also was described as a,
deserter to the Soviets.
Two officers Colonel von
Quirnheim and Lleutcnant-Col.
von Haeftcn were revealed to
have been executed, In addition
to Gen. Frledrich Olbricht, for
mer second in command of tha
home army, and Col. Claus von
Stauffonbcrg, whose names had
been announced earlier.
Five Suicides
Five more were described by
DNB as having committed sui
cide. They were Col. Gen. Lud
wig Beck, former chief of staff,
who had been reported executed;
Artillery General Wagner; Col.
Frcytag, General Loring-Hoven,
and Lieutenant Colonel Schra
der. The "court of honor" met to
day and Hitler approved pro
posals to expel from the army
Marshal von Witzlcben, General
Fellglbcl, Lt. Gen. von Hase,
Ma j . Gen. Stciff, Major-Gen. von
Rcschow, Col. Hansen, Lt. Col.
Bcrhardis, Major Haycssen, Cap
tain Klausing, Lt. von der Schul
enberg, Lt. von Hagen and Lt.
Graf York von Wartcnburg.
All will be handed over to tha
German people's court "for sen
tence," DNB said.
Discrediting persistent Nazi
propaganda claims that the re
bellion was squelched within a
few hours after the bomb ex
ploded, slightly wounding Hitler,
the Germans now acknowledged
that the court of high army offi
cers was going into action in an
attempt to ferret out the ele
ments of the plot patently rooted
deep in tho Nazi military struc
ture. SEN. MEAD APPOINTED
TRUMAN'S SUCCESSOR
Washington, Aug. 4. (U.R)
Sen, James M. Mead, D., N. Y.
today was named chairman of
tho senate's war investigating
committee succeeding Senator
Harry
S. Truman, D., Mo.,
Democratic vice presidential
nominee.
souri politicians and representa
tives of other groups. He will
entrain for New York this eve
ning, ending a one-week, thrce
state campaign organization
tour which led through Penn
sylvania and Illinois to tha
banks of the Mississippi.
The five reports today com
pleted the conference agenda of
14 domestic Issues In which tha
G.O.P. cited conflict between
state and federal Interests In a
broad field of governmental re
lationships and demanded
greater scope and responsibility
for local government.
Charging the administration
with inefficient and arbitrary
approaches to labor problems,
the governors demanded "an
immediate and drastic change
in the spirit and methods of ad
ministration of these (labor)
laws."