Medford mail tribune. (Medford, Or.) 1909-1989, December 21, 1944, Image 1

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Medford mail tribune., December 21, 1944, Image 1

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Newspaper Page TextM ixn V JVL I I MM I II " I I f II 1 I UVUU rang m Weather Forecast. Cloudy with occasion al light rain tonight and rrl day; little change In tempera ture. -J Temo. Highest yesterday ..- 55 Lowest this morning 31 Precipitation .02 Thirty-ninth Year Reds Unleash Western GERMAN DEFENSE PIERCED IN NEW, HEAVY ONSLAUGHT At Least 10 Divisions Dash at Enemy in Area 32 Miles Southwest of Budapest. London, Dec. 21 (U.R) Ber lin reported today that the Red army had its offensive in west ern Hungary between Lake Bal aton and the Danube, throwing at least 10 divisions of more than 100,000 troops into an on slaught 'which breached the German lines. Nazi broadcasts said the main weight of the new Soviet drive was centered in the area of Szekesfehervar, 32 miles south west of Budapest and midway between Lake Balaton and the Danube. "The German defense react ed Immediately," a DNB dis patch said. "Several local breaches were sealed off, and strong counterattacks hit the enemy's flank. It must be ex pected that the battle will mount In fury." Stiffened resistance along the 45-mile line between Budapest and Lake Balaton had stalled the Soviet push in western Hun gary which now appeared to be renewed in full force. -....-- The Hungarian capital al ready was flanked to the south west by the drive which consti tuted the lower arm of a pincers whose jaws were reported less than 20 miles apart, bringing, the last rail line out of the city under Soviet artillery fire. ' . To the northeast the Russians battered through stiff opposi tion in the southern Slovak mountains. : FORTUNES GOING FOR FRIVOLITIES By Delos Smith United Press Correspondent New York, Dec. 21. U.R Fortunes are pouring into the coffers of the perfumed, richly carpeted salons of Fifth avenue for fur coats, Jewels, lingerie and the like to brighten the Christmases of the nouveau riche, . but the storekeepers aren't talking. These select retailers of the most expensive merchandise in America, feel it is. a matter that should be referred to in whis pers what with the sixth war bond campaign still underway and war wives who have no Jewels or fur coats or husbands home for the holidays. But a recognized Jewelry trade authority a manufactur er and designer who wished to be anonymous lest he anger his colleagues said that never in his experience had there been such a market as this one. "We can sell anything any thing at all," he said. "The big gest demand, and it seems with out limit, is for items retailing at $500 to $2,000. The demand for the really expensive stuff from $75,000 up is the greatest , since 1938. I don't see how they do it, especially with the 20 per cent luxury tax added." SIDEGLANCES TRIBUNE rI:POHTER9 Alfred Carpenter generously passing out aspirin tablets be fore opening a meeting. V. Aubrey Norris running Father Time a dead heat in de livering a news item, i . Senator Earl Newbry threat ening to serve his guests salads topped with pennants declaring. "Pears courtesy Newbry Orchards." MEDFORD Unlttd Press 23,000-Ton Navy Tanker; Sunk in Pacific -JUa ' (Acme Telephoto) A billow of smoke marks spot where 23,000-ton naval auxiliary oiler, Mississippi, went down In Central Pacific by enemy action. Normal com. plement of ship is about 250 officers and men, about 80 per cent ol whom were rescued by nearby ships. Navy did not disclose nature ol enemy action. Mukden's War Production Plants Hit By American Superfortresses By United Press i American Superfortresses carried the-Pactfie War to the Jap-- anese again today, hitting the war production center of Muk den in Manchuria, and Tokyo reported additionally that Darien, in southern Manchuria pairs of B-29's dropped bombs Honshu, one of the Japanese home Island. The Japanese admitted slight damage was caused at Mukden, Manchuria s largest city, but claimed that four American planet were shot down. , The raids, which were aug mented by Liberator assaults on the Japanese staging bases In the volcanos, came as Gen. Douglas MacArthur's forces on Leyte, In the Philippines, com pleted the destruction of the Yamashita line and pursued the isolated enemy groups into the Guerilla-infested hills In the northwest corner of the island. Yanks Converge Two American columns on Leyte were reported only a mile apart after capturing the town of Libongao, 11 miles north of Ormoc, and Kananga, two miles farther north. An indication of the favor able situation on Leyte was seen in MacArthur's report that "the battle is rapidly drawing to an end." In China, Chinese troops were reported closing in on the rail hub of Hochih in northern Kwangsl province while another column reached the vicinity of Chinchengkiang, 180 miles of Liuchow. THREE JUVENILES HELD ON CHARGE OF LARCENY Three more boys around 18 years of age, are held in the Juvenile ward of the county Jail, charged with larceny of parts from an auto. Bail was fixed at $500. All live in this city. County officials said other arrests for the same reason are expected and signs indicate an other "boy gang" has sprung up here. Recently three local boys were sent to the reform school for bicycle and other thefts. COLORADO UNIONS WIN FIGHT AGAINST REPORT Denver, Dec. 21 (U.R) Colo rado's organized labor groups to day won a distinct victory in the long-awaited ruling of the Colo rado supreme court on the so called "labor-peace" law. The tribunal held that two sections of the law which would have forced labor unions of the state to incorporate and file annual reports, much the same as corporations are forced: to do were unconstitutional. Last vear. 1.030 Puertn PI.' cans, the majority skilled work men, obtained Jobs in the Unit ed States, according to the war manpower commission. Full Leesed Wire i C ". I . at 4 3 rmmwft- aae also was attacked and that two in two districts of south-central BOYS OVERSEAS ALSO IN DARK, IS OF Washington, Dec. 21. (U.R) Rep. Forest A. Harness, R., Ind., one of 15 congressmen Just re turned from a tour of the Euro pean theater, said today that "a two-way censorship Is keeping our boys overseas from knowing what is going on here in the states Mid keeping our people at home from knowing enough of what is going on in Europe." Harness and other members of the group made an informal re port on their observations to Sec retary of War Henry L. Stimson. Acting Chairman John M. Cos tello, D., Calif., said afterward that although the Germans have won a considerable success on the western front, "there is no doubt of ultimate allied victory." Harness said U. S. war corres pondents told . him they were sending "back to the country stories which never get publish ed." Fault Unfound "I don't know whose fault this is," he continued, "but I don't t..ink it's entirely the army's. Maybe army censors won't pajs the stories, but it could be that the American papers won't pub lish them." As an example of what he called "faulty information, Har ness said the U. S. public "Just doesn't know how powerful the counteroffensives in Italy have been." As an indication of faulty information being supplied to the army overseas. Harness said the army publication Stars and Stripes in France was suggest ing that congress was respon sible for shortages of ammuni tion. "How could that possibly be?" he asked. Harness suggested that U. rem edy the situation authorities should permit "some of the large American papers to publish Paris editions." He said "there have been plenty of applica tions." NO PAPER MONDAY Following long-established custom the Mail Tribune will not publish on Monday, Christmas day, In order to permit employes to enjoy the holiday In their homes. i MEDFORD, OREGON, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 21, Hungary Drive BAD IN SOME OF State Health Officer Says Surveys Reveal Serious War-Time Deterioration. Portland, Ore., Dec. 21 flJ.R) Shockingly bad conditions in the milk industry in several Oregon towns exist despite efforts to control them. Dr. Frederick D. Strieker, state health officer, said today. State milk sanitation surveys made by the sanitary engineer ing department of the state board of public health in several communities at the request of local officials reveal that milk tested was extremely poor in comparison with standard rat ings recognized by the federal public health service. Pendleton Bad Top rating under the federal system is 100 per cent with 90 per cent listed merely as a pass ing grade. . - An initial survey made In Pen dleton last July revealed that raw milk retailed was 62 per cent of standard, although this had Improved to 85 per cent by October when second survey was made. ' X " ' The rating on raw milk -whlh reached pasteurizing plants was 61 and 88 per cent in Pendleton during the two test periods. The combined rating on pasteurized milk there rose from 53 to 73 per cent between the t.wo sur veys. : ' ' The poor grade was held by Dr. Strieker to be accountable for much of the undulant fever reported in the state. . r War Blamed Blame for the situation was placed by Kenneth H. Spiess, acting state sanitary engineer, upon wartime shortages, espe cially of trained help, lack of testing and lack of care in hand ling milk. The state's mobile laboratory unit has tested milk in La Grande, Baker, Hood River, Coos Bay and Rbseburg and tests are contemplated in Medford and Astoria. Tests now are in progress at Bend, Madras, Prineville and Redmond. Results of surveys made in cities other than Pendleton have not been announced, but Spiess commented that Hood River and La Grande were the worst. Chaplin's Attorney Trips Girl In Testimony On Amorous Interludes Hollywood, Dec. 21 U.R) After breaking down and re covering under rapid-fire cross examlnation, Joan Barry tripped today as she described amorous interludes with Come dian Charlie Chaplin during De cember, 1942, the month she says he left her with a baby to bear alone. Attorney Charles E. Millikan, defending the British comic in the paternity suit, listened to her testimony that she had been intimate with him at his home on Dec. 10, 23, and 30, and then read back a deposition she gave earlier. 'We did not have relations on the 10th," he read. "Is that the answer you gave?" "Yes, she said quietly, "that's the answer I gave." Witness Breaks. She had broken down com pletely on the stand as Millikan asked her about her associations with other men. Weeping and wringing her hands, she - wailed to Judge Henry M. Willis: 'This man keeps bringing In all these names that mean noth ing here." "In a paternity case," Judge Willis said, "the entire life of the party in any relations re sulting in pregnancy is open to question." Questioning resumed after a lady juror had handed the dis TO FIGHT GREEKS; ITINYJSITED House of Lords Told Men May Refuse to Carry Out Orders; Reject Truce Idea London. Dec. 21 (U.R) The house of lords defeated a mo tion of censure aga'nit the government over the Greek situation today after debate was enlivened by a warning from Lord Faringdon that mu tiny might break out among British troops In Greece be cause of their unwillingness to fight the Greeks. London, Dec. 21 (U.R) Lord Faringdon told the house of lords today that mutiny might break out among British troops in Greece because of their mount ing unwillingness to fight the Greeks. Cries of "monstrous" came from the floor when Faringdon brought the word "mutiny" into a discussion of the Greek crisis. "I should not be surprised," he said, "if our commanders had not already met with cases of men who show the greatest un willingness to fight the Greeks, and who may have refused to bomb Athens.. May Have Mutiny -' "It may be that this will go further, and we shall have mu tiny among our men in Greece and refusal to fight the Greeks. 'The first thing must be an armistice and I would suggest most earnestly to t h e govern ment that the proposed condi tions of an armistice put for ward by Gen. Scobie (Lt. Gen. Ronald Scobie, British com mander) , are not armistice terms." Lord Samuel rebuked Faring don for his reference to mutiny, saying that "such language ought not to be used in this house." In commons, Foreign Secre tary Anthony Eden tacitly re jected a suggestion for a Christ mas truce in Greece. Eden was asked by Arthur Greenwood, labor party leader, whether a Christmas truce might be arranged as one way of help ing solution of the Greek crisis. Eden replied that it was Brit ain's object in Greece "not to end it for a week, but to obtain a final solution of this business." traught Miss Barry, who says Chaplin fathered her 14-months-old daughter, a handerchief. The freckled Brooklynite, who said her child resulted from a rendezvous with Chap lin Dec. 23, 1942, burst Into anguished sobs when Millikan asked her about a note she had left in the apartment of Hans Reusch, a writer. "That," she said, "was on the night I was going to kill my self." The note, previously Intro duced, said in part: I love Charles, I can't get him out of my system." Oil Man Paid Bills Questioned only briefly by her own attorney, Joseph Scott, before she was turned over to Millikan for cross examination, Miss Barry previously admitted that she had spent a week In Tulsa, Okla., about- Nov. 15, 1942, and that J. Paul Getty, the millionaire oil man, had paid her bills. Millikan brought up the name of Lionel Vasco Boninl, a wine salesman now In the army. She was alone with him for some time on Dec. 30, she said, but knew what she was doing all the while despite having taken sleeping pills. "I can't explain everything," she pleaded to Judge Willis at this point. Later that night, she said, she yielded to Chaplin on his living room rug. Tribune Doited Pri Full 1944 Showdown i NtiH r "s St. Vith. f ULLUIUIYl y " WMW.Ber f w.. tfrx ,;,,;;, i LUXEMBOURG v o w Counter-attacking Germans plunge to Stavelot, 30 miles uutde Belgium, recapturing the Important base of Malmedy. Other Nasi advances were made In Luxembourg. Exact progress of enemy drive Is cloaked In sc our! tv silence. Shaded portions on map Indicate American position! before nresent counter-assault ooened. Setback On Western Front Is Worst Since Philippines Editor's note: The veil of away trom tne uerman counter-offensive on the western front, Here, for the first time, James McGlincy, United Press cor respondent at supreme allied full weight and potentialities sources and front-line die patches. ICKES REVEALS REASON JAP BAN SUDDENLY LIFTED Washington, Dec. 21.-4U.R) Secretary of Interior Harold L. Ickes boasted today that the executive branch "beat the su preme court by approximately 24 hours" in revoking orders ex cluding persons of Japanese an cestry from the west coast. Asked at a press conference why the ban was lifted at this time, he replied: "It was time to issue the order; the Japanese had demon strated that they were entitled to their full rights as citizens." Then he laughed and said "We wanted to beat the supreme court to the punch." The court had before lt two cases on the exclusion issue, and on Monday ruled that loyal citi zens of Japanese descent could not be further detained after their loyalty had been establish ed. The revocation order, how ever, had been announced the day before. WORSTCOLDHITS PRAIRE STATES By United Press The season's worst cold wave gripped the prairie states from the Canadian border to the Texas Panhandle today, usher ing in the winter season, which begins officially at 6:15 p.m. CWT, with temperatures rang ing from 17 degrees below zero at International Falls, Minn., to 30 above at Amarillo, Tex. The cold wave, which is mov ing across the nation in a south easterly direction, extended from the Rocky Mountain area to the Atlantic coastal states, with the coldest weather predict ed for the east tomorrow or Fri day, the federal weather fore caster at Chicago said. Below zero temperatures pre vailed in the Dakotas, Minne sota, northern Iowa, northern Wisconsin and upper Michigan today, and the coldest weather of the season was forecast for Illinois and Indiana tonight. Jackson County sales te date In the Sixth War Loan are "E" Bonds $561,431.25 "I" Quota $600,000 Leased Wire NO. 231. Battle cotociNi PVMN . leKwieeew, A UtKMANT rum 6'l" . Kecks MJIw id (Acmt Telephoto) censorship slowly Is being torn headquarters In Paris, assesses the of the nazl effort from official By James McQllncy ,,UnItert Press Correspondent f Paris, Dee. 21 KU.fQ This Is the payoff. The United States army has suffered in Belgium and Luxem bourg its worst setback since the loss f the Philippines in 1942. The Germans still are advanc ing, and their counter-offensive probably has yet to reach Its peak '. , ; - Supreme headquarters ack nowledges that the situation Is grave and that it may become a lot graver before the tide of bat tle turns. "We are confident that we are going to win this battle," an official spokesman at supreme headquarters said last night, "but we are not going to win lt this week and probably not next week." Sea May Be Goal In the first three days alone, the Germans penetrated deeper into Belgium than we have been able to drive into Germany In three months. Luxembourg, cap ital of the Duchy that was thought secure, already may have fallen. The German command has thrown so much Into its assault 152,000 to 225,000 men and perhaps as many as 600 tanks that it may aim to slash through to the North sea, a development that might set the allies back six months. The troops are the finest In the German army veterans of battles on the eastern, southern and western fronts. Gone are the old men and young 'boys who fell back before the first breach in the Siegfried line. Dec. 21 Shortest Day of Year, Sun Starts Northward Today, Dec. 21, is the shortest day of the year. We have nine hours and seven minutes of pos sible sunshine compared with the longest day of the year, June 21, when we have 15 hours and 14 minutes of daylight, accord ing to the United States weather bureau. "The shortest day oc curs when, in the language of the layman, the sun reaches the southernmost point, vertically above the Tropic of Capicorn, the meterologlst said. Tomorrow the sun starts Its Journey back and the days will become grad ually longer again. Irate Woman Owns 112 Packs Cigarets Somervllle, Mass., Dec. 21. (U.R) When a woman loudly berated a tobacco store clerk who told her he had no cigarets, State Tax Inspector Joseph Cacclatiore stepped forward to explain the shortage and discov ered she already had 112 pack ages In a shopping bag. PANZER FORCES 1 KNOCK BIG HOLE , IN YANKEE LINE Main Lateral Highway Sev ered by Fast Enemy Drlva Yank Flanks Stabilized London. Dee. 21 U.R) A - Transocean News Agency dis patch quoting German mili tary sources, said tonight that six United States divisions had been "annihilated" In the Bel gian - Luxembourg offensive. ' They were described as four infantry and two tank divi sions. Parts. Dec. 21 U.R) German armored snearheads hnvn Hrlvi.it 30 miles inside Belgium, su preme allied headquarters re ported today, severing the main lateral Lieee-Arlnn hlahwnv in a drive which had knocked a noie of 25 miles or,-more In American 1st army lines in south, Belgium and the northern hi of Luxembourg. ; ine 5HAEF renort was baaed on operations up to noon Toes- dav--48 hours nan. Prnnt rennrftf and German dispatches indicate ea mat nazl progress has con tinued since that time although the northern shoulder of the 1st army flank, protecting Liege, nas stuienea and Malmedy, Stavelot, and Butgenbacb. are In American hands. Flanks Stable SHAEF reported that both flanks of the 60-mlle nazl of fensive front are becoming stable a favorable factor but characterized the center which is pointed for-the Ardennes Gap) and Sedaa as "still most fluid. The deepest German penetra tion reported up to noon Tues day was at Habiemont, 14 mile ' west of Malmedy and three miles west of the important Liege-Bastogne-Arlon highway which. Is the principal lateral communi cations rout back,o Jhe central 1st army front. .' ' ' The German high command) communique said that this high way was crossed on "a broad front" and that 20,000 American prfsoners had been taken. Nazi tanks were said to have overrun American supply columns fall ing back to the Meuse. SHAEF reported that Field Marshal Karl Von Rundatedt'a attack was being directed along six main directions within the 60-mile front. . -; - Paratroops Aid The capture of Habiemont, SHAEF revealed, was preceded by a new night attack "by Ger man paratroops who were drop ped southwest of the city during the night of the 18th-19th, pre sumably with the objective of setting up roadblocks and harass ing American efforts to move up reinforcements. . Along the east-west line Just north of Habiemont the 1st army was erecting a fairly stable front. It had recaptured Stave lot, held the nazis outside St. Vith. While, according to SHAEF accounts, the 1st was fighting hard to recapture Malmedy, fresh front reports asserted Mal medy never had fallen to the) nazis. The situation to the south, In the eouthern corner of Belgium, and in Luxembourg itself was more obscure, SHAEF reported that Ger mans had made gains of un specified nature west of Gons dorf which is 13 miles from the city of Luxembourg. There have been strong Indications for 48 hours that the Germans may have seized the Luxembourg capital In their surging panzer rush. Gain 13 Miles SHAEF reported that the nazi column which crossed the Lux embourg frontier at Vianden had penetrated to a point Just east of Wlltz, a gain of about 13 miles, and seven miles to the northeast had reached Clerf, five miles west of the frontier. At the souther l end of the nazl drive American forces still held the Luxembourg border town of Echternach under severe nazi pressure. The American forces at Ech ternach, SHAEF reported, have been reached by relief columns after fighting a desperate battle against German panzers which surrounded them. A second American group la surrounded In the vicinity of St. Vith but there was no fresh In formation on their position. For the third straight day al lied air forces were virtually grounded by bad weather which held them impotent to Join the battle against the nazi panzers. The word "magician" Is de rived from the "Magi" or Zoro astrian priests of ancient Iran.