Medford mail tribune. (Medford, Or.) 1909-1989, January 15, 1945, Image 1

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Medford mail tribune., January 15, 1945, Image 1

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Newspaper Page TextGreatest Battle of War Rages Along Wide Russian Front 115 RED DIVISIONS FLUNG INTO EIGHT Weather Forecast: Showers tonlfht and Tuesday, snow In mountains. Colder tonifhu Temp. Richest yesterday . 3 Lowest tola morning i 41 Medford HBUNE IS BERLINJLAIM United Pi u full Luud Wire 2 Jnited Press full Umd Wire Thirty ninth Year MEDFORD, OREGON, MONDAY; JANUARY 15, 1945 NO. 250. German High Command Re ports Bitter Fighting On East War. End Aim I 1 H'NAmCHA,N' I 1 War I I r ,)B) aMrth team "Sk. Vii OmUintdar f? Wbwyfafniiif lTHA,lAND , ..iloTy WV STATES J 1 comitim IQtNECtr g ' ... , , ' ' (AcmeTelephoto) Highlights of one of the most spectacular weeks of action on the Pacific front are dramatically depicted Is this map review of the week's activities. American carrier-based planes battled Japanese forces otf Indo china. BOO miles west of Luzon, where General MacArtbur's troops were Tl"ht"g toward """ Tokyo Jitters Mount as Yankees Press Successful Campaign in Philippine Islands By United Press - Tokyo betrayed mounting war jitters over the successful Amer ican campaign in the Philippines today. Hinting that Premier Gen. Kuniaki Koiso may be forced to resign while reporting new air blows against the Japa nese islands bastion of Formosa. The enemy-reported attacks on Formosa presumably by planes of Adm. ' William F. Halsey's rampaging third fleet coincid ed with important new gains on Luzon where Gen. Douglas Mac Arthur's Liberation forces pour ed across the strategic A g n o river and sent spearheads to within 80 miles or less of Ma nila. 200 Plane Attack ; At least 200 U. S. carrier planes raked Formosa's airfields and communication lines, Tokyo said, in the fourth major strike this year to prevent the Japa nese fro mmoving air and troop reinforcements southward to em battled Luzon. The broadcasts Indicated that the 3d fleet, under radio silence since it wrecked 38 enemy ships in attacks alone the French In- oo-umm coast last rnaay, naa swung north from the south China sea for the new Formosa attacks. Japanese army headquarters IN SALEM PRISON PAYS FOR SLAYING Salem, Ore., Jan. IS (U.R) Henry William Merten, 32, and Walter Lome Wilson, 35, died today In the first double lethal gas execution conducted in Ore gon. They died for the hold-up slaying of Ralph Dahlen, 27, Oak Grovs, early In the morning of July 22, 1943 Merten was the first to die, entering the gas chamber at 9 a. m. The gas hit his face at 9:03V4 and he was Dronounced dead at 9:07 a. m. He had -no comment for newsmen, walked unaided to the death chair and died bravely. - After the gas was cleared ' from the chamber, Wilson enter ed unaided at 10 a. m. The gas hit his face at 10:06 and he in haled deeply Intentionally. He, was dead a minute later. Wilson was smiling as he sat down in the chair and displayed no emotion. He told newsmen in his cell .ie had no belief in re ligion but had no objection to it for others. Neither of the men asked for chanlains before their deaths. The tvo men were arrested In Santa Monica, Calif., on Sep tember 11, 1943, after the slay ing for which they were con victed. Danlen was shot on July 22 of that year, when the two Lmen held up a roadhouse be tween Portland and Oregon City. They entered the place at about 1 a. m. and Merten, ner vously brandishing a gun, shot Dahlen before a word was spok en,. police repgrjf, say. Issued a communique reporting that the carrier planes bombed numerous airfields and commu nications facilities and also straf ed and bombed Taichu, Shoka, Takao and other villages for four and a half hours from 8:30 a. m. to 1 p. m. (Tokyo time). Five of the raiders were said to have been shot down and another damaged.. Follow Supeiforts - , The - enemy-reported carrier raid came on the heels of a B-29 Superfortress strike on Formosa yesterday. Liberators from the Philippines hit the island strong hold Thursday night The possible resignation of Premier Koiso was indicated by the ominous tone of the Tokyo broadcasts a tone similar to that Immediately preceding the ouster of Gen. Hidekl.Tojo fol lowing American conquest of the Marianas last summer. The official Dome! News agency reported significantly that "factions" in the nation's ruling circles were clamoring for a "bold and unprecedented po litical renovation" and a "second political reformation." A Ger man broadcast later said Koiso presided over a full cabinet ses sion after reporting "on the sit uation" to Emperor Hirohito at an audience in the imperial palace. The shattering of the Japanese Agno river line on Luzon, prob ably the strongest natural de fense line north of Manila, start ed optimistic predictions that the Philippines capital would be in American hands within weeks rather than months, as original ly estimated. 30 Miles Inland The doughboys -already have pushed some 30 miles inland from Lingayen gulf more than a quarter of the distance to Ma I TO II Robert N. (Babe) High, enter ed a plea of guilty to obtaining money under false pretenses and was given a sentence not to ex ceed 18 months in state prison by Circuit Judge James W. Crawford. High, held in the county jail for several months, has been Involved in a number of check cases, while acting as the local representative of an insurance company. He was in dieted by the October grand Jury. High was Involved about 10 years ago with his brother and another man in an arson case and received a four years' sen tence in state prison. The charge was burning the Balfour-Guth rie barn near Ashland for the Insurance. The case attracted state-wide attention at the time, FISH RESERVED Washington, Jan.. 15. (WO The war food administration to day ordered packers to reserve for the government their entire production of California pilch ards. Pacific mackerel, and Pa cific bars mtckeieL- - nila while widening - their beachhead along the gulf itself to 45 miles. Japanese resistance, partic ularly in the path of the push to Manila, continued negligible and Filipino guerilla leaders report ed to Gen. MacArthur's head quarters that a large portion of the enemy garrison in central Luzon had withdrawn to the mountainous northern portion of the Island. ; " ' " . A front .dispatch disclosed, however, that U. S. toops at the northeastern tip of the beach head had been halted by mortar and sniper fire three miles short of the enemy's Rosario airfield. PRIORlTYSYSTEM IS Washington, Jan. 15 U.R) War Mobilization Director James F. Byrnes today laid down a priority system designed to control the selective service induction of an estimated 200, 000 men tn the 26 through 29 age group who will be with drawn from essential war pro duction programs. ' The pattern is based on a yet- undisclosed list of essential ac tivities and is designed to "mini mize as much as possible the ef fect on ' essential activities, Byrnes said. ' ' He said Maj. Gen. Lewis B. Hershey, national director of se lective service, has been request ed to notify local boards to fol low a five-point priority system when they begin reaching into the pool of deferred young men to meet increased calls from the armed services. Dividing war programs Into "critical" and "essential" activi ties, Byrnes said men should be taken in this order: 1. Registrants not employed in any of the activities on the special list of essential activities. 2. Registrants engaged in rela tively unimportant jobs in the "essential but not critical activi ties" and registrants who may be replaced "without difficulty.' 3. Men employed in relatively unimportant jobs in "critical war programs and registrants in such programs who may be re placed without difficulty. 4. Registrants engaged in rel atively more Important jobs in "essential but not critical activi ties." 5. Registrants engaged In more important jobs in "critical ac tivities." Jolson Suffering Infection of Lung Hollywood, Jan. 15 (U.R) Musical Comedy and Film Star Al Jolson was in the Cedars of Lebanon hospital today for ob servation for a lung Infection. JoUon's physician, Dr. Frank S. Dolley, said there was no In dication Jolson's condition would J becoao critical E T Outrider Columns of First and Third Armies Meet Near Transport, Center With V. S. First Army, Belgium, Jan. IS. (U.R) American troops broke into Houffaliie today and at last report were within five-eighths of a mile of the center of the town. Paris, Jan. 15 (U.R) Ameri can tanks and infantry stormed the near defenses of Houffalize today and a dispatch from Lt, Gen. Courtney H. Hodges' head quarters forecast the early cap ture of the Belgian base which once was at the center of the collapsed Ardennes salient, Houffalize was invested on all sides, and assault forces of the 1st and 3rd armies were closing in for the kill, with one spear head driving down the main highway from Liege to within mile and a half . of the key transport center. Columns Meat A few miles to the northwest, outriders of the 1st and 3rd armies met for the first junction of Hodges' and Lt. Gen. George S. Patton's troops since the first phase of the German offensive which split the lzth army group wide open. United Press Correspondent John McDermott reported from Hodges' headquarters that two 1st army columns were shoulder ing in toward Houffalize against stiff German resistance. By early afternoon one had struck down the trunk highway irom the north almost to the outskirts of the town, and McDermott said that "there is a good possibility It will fall soon. The German garrison, ringed bv American troops and armor, was fighting desperately, and fragmentary units were trying to filter through the U. S. lines and escape over the thinly guarded back roads to the east, Nasi Transport nit Hodges' artillery was shel lacking the German transports milling around in the battle 7nnk nnrl eenerallv falling back to the shelter of the Siegfried Troons of the 30th division were battling inside Thirimont, four miles southeast of Maime- dy, where the bitterest name of the 1st army front naa Deen for more than 24 hours. This battle was holding up the push down Into the northeastern shoulder of the salient by Hnrlees' left wing. While the 1st army columns oicrn aiuireina down uiruus" Wilbrin and Dinez to the norm- Am nnnroacnes ox iiuwi desperate German counterblows below the town arove mo vu guard of the 3rd army out of Noville, five miles south of Houffalize, only a few hours aft er the town was captured. - Ice, snow, bitter cold, and fog which prevented air support slowed down the concerted drives by the 1st, 3rd. and Brit ish 2nd armies which were squeezing the Germans out of the salient. - Divinity Student Is Held For FBI City police today held Alton finlM Mann na. anas timer n. Manning. 18. who gave his occu pation as a divinity student, at request of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The youth was nicked ud at 1039 South River side avenue Sunday, the police report taid. ui mi mm Break-Through Casualties: American -7 40,000 German - - - 90,000 Washington, Jan. 15. (U.R) American losses in the zone of the German break-through in the Ardennes totaled nearly 40,000, Sec retary of War Henry L. Stimson announced today. The figures covered the period offensive began, to Jan. 7. Of the total, 18,000 are listed these presumably were captured. In the same period in that sector were captured and the German killed and wounded were estimated at 50,000 making a total of 90,000 enemy casualties. Stlmson's announcement stressed that the figures were based on preliminary reports, and that it would be some time before an accurate accounting could be made. American casualties for the period on the entire western front, embracing the First, Third, Seventh and Ninth armies, totaled 52,- 594. These included 4,083 killed, ing.- Estimates of German losses fronts were not available. SALVAGE PAPER DRIVE EXTENDED The Jackson county paper drive has been continued until Thursday evening, E. H. Hed rlck, superintendent of city schools announced today. 'The drive which got off to a slow start several days ago is progressing favorably," Hedrlck said, "with many rooms in Med ford schools doubling their ,tas over last year's drive. 'Paper is a war must" Hed- rick stressed, and Medford citi zens are urged to call any school near their residence for a picK- ud of paper by school children. The superintendent said that twine will be furnished by the schools and that Roosevelt school will remain open tonight to receive bundles. Any other city school will stay open at night If notified In advance by phone that paper wi" De brought In for the arive. RtDorts through rriaay inai- cate that at the present rate of collection several cars of paper will be colected by the end of the drive. Coleman Recovery , Slow But Steady Cnuntv Judge J. B. (Blin) rnleman. who has been confined to his home with Illness the past three weeks, Is making steady though slow Improvement. The attending physician reports re- coverv is lust a matter or com plete rest and relaxation ror a few more weeks, before he can return to his desk. Key Rail Yards Suffer Damaging Air Blows London, Jan. 15. U.R) More than 600 Liberators and Fort resses., escorted by nearly 700 Mustang and Thunderbolt fight ers, struck damaging blows to day against four key rail yards in southern Germany as a ioi-low-up of RAF night attacks on shrinking Nazi oil supplies. A communique from strategic air force headquarters said the huge American armada struck shortly after noon at rail yards in Ingolstadt, 45 miles north oU Munich; at Augsburg, 35 miles northwest of Munich; at Reutiin gen, 20 miles south of Stuttgart, and at Frleburg, 40 miles south of Strufegurf. from Dec. 15, when the enemy as missing and the majority of approximately 40,000 Germans , 27,645 wounded, and 20,866 miss on the Seventh and Ninth army - Threat of Draft Sends Thousands .To War Industry By United Press The threat of work or fight legislation has had almost as much effect in getting men to transfer to war industries as a draft would and thousands of workers have jammed U. S. em ployment offices throughout the country to sign up for war r.ork, a survey revealed today. Many major war production centers reported the heaviest increases in war job seekers since D-Day and in Wisconsin alone, more than 11,000 appli cants janr-.ed USES offices with the greatest Increase reported in war-busy Milwaukee. By United Press Middle westerners sloshed through snow today as new flur ries spread a snow blanket rang ing from one to 30 inches in depth over the central states. Temperatures ranged from normal to above normal. The outlook was for clearing throughout the mid-west tonight, with little change in tempera ture. Snow and rainstorms now In the Ohio valley will move to night, with snow expected In the northwestern states and rain in the mid-Atlantic region, the Chicago weather bureau report ed. The Dakotas registered an average of 15 degrees above zero, while Oklahoma points re ported temperatures in the mid thirties. in Germany Meanwhile, the air ministry announced a renewal of the al lied air assault against nazl rocket-launching sites in Hol land and reported for the 57th day since last Nov. 15 that "enemy air activity" had been directed during the past 24 hours against southern England. Similar announcements of German rocket and buzz bomb attacks have missed only 19 out of the last 76 days. . ' A dispatch' from advanced Ninth air force headquarters re vealed that the Luftwaffe now has at least four types of Jet and rocket-propelled aircraft in operation over- the western front. " . ORGANIZED LABOR BATTLE AFL Spokesman Says Man power Shortage Due to Frozen Wage Levels Washington, Jan. 15 U.R) Organized labor formally open ed its campaign against national service and work-or-fight legis lation today coincident with the start of what appeared to be a drive for imposition of a statu tory 48-hour week in essential war industries. Chairman Andrew 3. May, D., Ky., of the house military affairs committee, urged- prompt enact ment of a work-or-fight bill with provisions to put all essential war industries on a 48-hour- work-week basis. He said In an Interview he would offer this proposal as an- amendment to his bill to force all 18-45 year old men into essential jobs on threat - of induction into the army. Lewis G. H 1 n e s, legislative representative of the American Federation of Labor, meanwhile, told the house military commit tee that present manpower shortages were caused principal ly by frozen wage levels in cer tain plants. He said wage increases in plants where production speed ups were needed would have no sufficient Inflationary effect be cause they would involve rela tively few plants and, in the main, products bought by the government. Albert Hamilton, Vienna, Va., farmer, appearing for the Social ist party, ilso attacked May s work-or-fight bill. He said the manpower problem did not Jus tify a labor draft, that voluntary recruitment methods had not been exhausted, and that a man power draft was an "un-demo- cratic' device wmcn wouia hamper production. IN HOTEL ROOM Walter F. Cornwall, 80, of Portland, was released on $50 bail Sunday night after being booked at the cltj jail early Sun day for assault and battery on Mrs. Arlene Grant, 1005 West Main street. Mrs Grant reported to police she accompanied Cornwell, an acquaintance, to his room at a local hotel late Saturday upon his invitation to have a drink and that after an argument, he struck her several times and threw her Into the hotel corri dor. She was bruised and scratch ed and several teeth were knocked out. Draft Board Clerk Escapes Clutches of Would-Be Kidnaper Twin Falls, Ida., Jan. 15. (U.R) AH roads leaving Twin Falls were under fight police check-up this afternoon as city, county and state officers con ducted a wide manhunt for a motorist who attempted today to kidnap pretty Leona Rae Hughes, 23, draft board clerk. Defying a knife which the man pulled from his pocket, Miss Hughes foiled the kidnap effort by switching iili the igni tion of his car, swiftly opening the door, tumbling to the pave ment and screaming loudly. She suffered cuts and bruises in the fall. London, Jan. IS. (U.R) Marshal Ivan S. KonsVs red army, spearheading what the Germans called a record so viet offensive en a 600-mlle eastern front, captured the Polish city of Kielco today la its drive toward German 81-lesla. London, Jan. 15. (U.R) On of the greatest battles of the war raged today along a virtually unbroken front from Lithuania to Yugoslavia, with possibly 3,250,000 Russians and Germans locked in at least nine closely synchronized struggles. "Bitter fighting has flared up on the entire front," the German high command reported. The Russians already were calling their great winter offen sive the march to Berlin. Nazi military spokesmen warned that the red army "intends to end the war." Aim At Krakow - So far Moscow had confirmed only Marshal Ivan S. Konev'a push across the frozen plains of south - central Poland, aimed squarely at the great Nazi de fense bastion of Krakow and the rich industries of German Sile sia. , But Berlin said the red army offensive had raced to both ends of the front, with sledge hammer blows so near each other that it was difficult to de- -termlne where one attack left off and another began. Nazi propagandists said the Soviets had flung 115 divisions, plus more than 15 tank corps, into four fronts alone, while a United Press dispatch from Mos cow figured German strength in Poland at 100 divisions. . .On the single new front re ported by Moscow, Soviet dis patches said the Germans had been unable to rally, and the Russians Were Tolling westward ' at. a clip which threatened to split the Nazi armies in Poland. Many Battle Zones The German high command said the main battle tones, from south to north, were Budapest, the Danube valley northwest of the Hungarian capital, the Hun-garian-Slovakian border area, the Krakow -front, the Pulawy region of the Vistula valley 66 miles south of Warsaw, the Mas- nusze area 33 miles below War saw, the Vistula-Bug . triangle north of the Polish caoltal. Soviet bridgeheads across the Narew on either side of Fulutsk north of Warsaw, and a broad front in East Prussia. The Nczi command claimed that 175 Russian tanks had been destroyed "In the great winter battle between the Carpathian mountains and the Niemen." 82 in the Narew bridgehead and 51 in East Prussia. A Moscow dispatch said Ko- nev's offensive was expanding so rapidly that lt was impossible to tell whether the red marshal's ultimate objective was Germany itself, the capture of Krakow, the seizure of the Katowice steel and coal basin, or the flanking oi Warsaw. The Germans already were re ported falling back toward the Czestochowa-Katowice line to cover the Silesian frontier of the "holy soli" of Germany itself. Cocherham Infant Succumbs Despite Incubator Effort A two and one-half nound daughter, born to Mr. and Mrs. Dean Cockerham Saturday morning at a local hospital, died Saturday night. Hospital attend ants stated Saturday that lt was put In an incubator and given special care but held slight hope mat tne tiny, premature Infant would live. It was the first child born to the couple. Services for the infant, named 'Judith Ann, will be held in the Conger-Morris chapel at 10:30 a. m. tomorrow with the Rev. Henry Orth officiating. Inter ment will be In Siskiyou Me morial Park. The parents reside at 822 South Holly street. Grandpar ents are Mrs. -Gladys M. Johns ton, Dayton, Ore., and Mr. and Mrs. Matthew H. Hlntzen of Medford. U. P. IN ROME Rome, Jan. 15 (U.R) The United Press began service to five of Rome's ten newspapers today when allied restrictions on the Italian press were lifted. Un til today news was furnished to the Italian papers by the psycho logical warfare board exclusively.