Medford mail tribune. (Medford, Or.) 1909-1989, January 26, 1945, Image 1

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Medford mail tribune., January 26, 1945, Image 1

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Newspaper Page TextMedford United Press .Thirty ninth Year 50 U. S. AND JAP VR.1FI f! FNRHGFH E Fifty Enemy Ships Sunk In Fortnight, Is Claim; Japs Flee For Homeland. " Pearl Harbor, Jan. 26. U.F9 Unconfirmed Chinese reports aid today 50 American and Jap anese ships battled for nine hours within 300 miles of Shang hai Tuesday in the biggest naval engagement since last October I and that 60 enemy vessels have .been sunk off the coasts of Fukien and Cheklang provinces within the past fortnight. Japanese forces broke off the battle at noon and fled from the east China sea toward their homeland, some 650 miles to the northeast, the Chinese army newspaper Sao Tang Fao at Chungking said. Central (Chinese) news agen cy, in a dispatch datelined Nap ing, said allied submarines and planes have been "very active" off the central China coast and accounted for 50 enemy ships in two weeks. AMERICANS TAKE i CLARK AIRFIELDS : By United Press ; American troops pushed with in less than 40 miles of Manila inria v afrar ranturlnff the vital Clark Fields, greatest air. basej in the western racmc, 10 open the way tor increased aermi blows on Japanese bases strung alone and near the China coast. The quickening campaign on Luzon, whicn brought the con itMt nf Clark Field's dozen sir- strips and nearby Fort Stotsen- burg, carried American iroopa within 20 miles of Manila bay. Ty, -AffAnatv wnfl exnected to make rapid progress without a major battle unui h reacnea ui least Calumpit on the Pampanga river, 26 miles northwest of Manila. t Capture of Clark Field, which probably can be restored quick- l AnAfattntinl rnndltion.' Was J V " - announced by Gen. . Douglas MacArthur on his 85th birthday today. It also was the birthday t. nan. waiter RTueeer, commander of the 6th army which is making the fight for the liberation of the Philippines. ; MacArthur's aerial forces again Joined with bombers and fighters from Admiral Chester W. Nimitz' Pacific fleet com- -a hinitipf the JaDanese jucuiu w - ' from Bataan and Corregldor on Luzon through Formosa to Iwo Jima in the Volcanos. $m ..BATTLE v . , Nazi Propagandists Warn Blood Purge . If Red Army Wins ; London, Jan. 26 OJ.R) Nazi propagandists, struggling to ral ly their own people and to sow dissension among the Allies, reached a new peak of hysteria today with a series of shrill warnings of a "blood purge , that, they said would sweep, all - m Europe if the Red army over- runs Germany. The official press and radio line set by Propaganda Minis ter. Joseph Goebbels painted a gloomy picture of Germany, de serted by her allies at the criti cal hour of the war, fighting alone to "save civilization" from Bolshevism. SIDE GLANCES TRIBUNE REPORTERS w mil B A TY 1 t. Alary wuson icu,j ting that she is a "great talker". nioV n.i klnrllv offering a shivering reporter a piece of gunny-sack to cover ner cum ears. Penny Gail offering a belated piece of news, with apologies ioi her tardiness. Harrv Walker. P. O. money order clerk, figuring out, via Bin Catav. another seauence for dates to compete with the re cently published 1-3-49; nis Be ing 12-3-45. TuU Uind Wire Mother Appeals To British Government To Save Son's Life ' Boston, Jan. 26. (U.R) A heartbroken Boston mother has appealed to the British govern ment to spare the life of her soldier-son, Pvt. Karl G. Hulten, 22, who has been sentenced to be hanged in London for the robbery-murder of a London taxi cab driver, the United Press learned today. In a cablegram, gray-haired Mrs. Signe M. Hulten implored British Home Secretary Herbert Morrison to "answer the prayer of a mother" and grant some form of clemency to the convict ed American paratrooper. Both Hulten and his co-defendant, 18-year-old striptease dancer Elizabeth Jones, already have announced they will appeal the mandatory death sentences imposed on them early this week for shooting Taxi Driver George Heath. BILL WOULD HIKE Salem, Ore., Jan. 26. (U.R) Salaries of district attorneys and their deputies would be in creased by a bill Introduced yes terday by Sen. Thomas Maho ney, Portland, which provides $3700 for the Multnomah coun ty district attorney and salaries for other counties in proportion to population. District attorney salaries pro posed included: Clatsop, Coos and Jackson counties, $3000; Lane and Marion: $3240; Linn Wasco and Union $2780, and ueschutes: $2580. NUMEROUS FIGHTS ON ITALIAN FRONT Rome, Jan. . 26 (U.R Head quarters today reoorted Numer ous clashes along the 9th army ironi as American patrols prob ed German positions, while in the Adriatic sector 8th army ur.:ts lought off two attacks on strons Doints. American patrols tested out the German positions all along tne otn army front and drew strong enemy reaction. PAPER SHORTAGE TO CONTINUE AFTER WAR Washington, Jan. 26 (U.R) The department of commerce predicted today that the paper shortage would continue for one year after the end of the Euro pean war. In a survey of the industry, W. Leroy Neubrech, chief of the department's pulp and paper unit, estimated that there would be, a world deficit of 1,000,000 short tons of paper and paper- board for the first year after V-E day. PENDERGAST ILL Kansas City, Mo., Jan. 26 (U.R) T. J. Pendergast, 72, for mer political boss who was con victed of income tax evasion, is seriously ill in Menorah hospi tal and close associates fear he might not live untl his federal court probation expires in May, it was reported today. - Roadside Business Attacks Highway 'Freeway Proposal Salem Ore.. Jan. 26 (U.R) The Oregon joint .legislative roads and hlgnways commuvec tuiav had under consideration arguments opposing and favor ing the proposed iimnea acce bill, also known as the "free way" measure. At a large public hearing late Thursday, opponents of the bill -horod that It is a "vicious" piece of legislation, "poorly con ceived" and an "unwarranted delegation of authority", saying that it was against the interests of hundreds of small property owners of the state. Give Commission View Officials of the state highway commission, headed by T.- H. Banfield, chairman, R. H. Bal dock, engineer, and J. M. Dev ers, legal council, presented the highway department's favorable view of the bill, sponsored by the Portland Chamber of Com MEDFORD, OREGON, FRIDAY, JANUARY 26, 1945 lwpokted YANKEES BLUNT NAZI OFFENSIVE IN NORTHALSACE Another Five Square Miles Seized West of Cologne; Now 10 Miles In Germany Paris. Jan. 26. U.R) Ameri can armies blunted the Nazi of fensive in northern Alsace to day, seized another five square miles of Germany west of Co-' logne and, according to a Berlin report, struck out from the for mer. Ardennes bulge in a new assault along a 30 to 35-mile front. The' 102nd infantry division of the ninth army added another five square miles to the Ameri can line along the west bank of the Roer river 27 miles due west of Cologne, with an unopposed advance across the Wurm river Just north of Linnich before dawn. Germans Pull Out The advance resulted in the capture of Brachelen, two miles northwest of Unnich and lu miles inside Germany. Patrols reported the Germans ha.d pulled out of the area under cover of darkness last night. The British second army also enlarged the allied springboard for the next phase of the ad vance into the German Rhine land with a 2,000-yard advance that engulfed six more Nazi vil lages six to 12 miles northwest of Linnich. ' ' The British forces reached the Wurm along a two-mile stretch and erased all of the German bridgehead west of the Roer with (the exception of a strip less than a mils deep. Grebben, Hul- oven, Dremmen, Horst, Norm, and Hoven were Captured and a front dispatch said the German lines were "sagging at a quick ening tempo." Public Hearing To ; Discuss Diversion . of Klamath Water Yreka, Calif., Jan. 26. (U.R) Residents of northern California and adjoining ' parts of Oregon will have a chance to speak their minds on proposals to divert water from the upper Klamath river watershed into the Sacra mento river behind Shasta dam, it was announced today. The U. S., army engineers have scheduled public hearings at Klamath Falls, Ore., Feb. 20; Yreka, Feb. 21, and Eureka, Calif., Feb. 23 to discuss two alternate proposals for the diver sion, it was announced. Increase Sought On Butter Price Chicago, Jan. 26 (U.R) A Joint committee representing the American butter industry today recommended that the price of butter be increased six cents per pound to relieve the existing shortage. ' The committee also recom mended that . butterfat produc tion payments be boosted from the present rate of one-sixth those on whole milk to one fourth such payments. merce and the Oregon Roadside Council, .... : The measure would grant the highway department large pow ers in the regulation of Oregon roads, including the right to condemn right-of-way property, and - it was this last provision which was chiefly attacked. L. R. Estell, representing mo tor court owners, told the com mittee that the bill would kill a large number of small road side businesses, and "endless, expensive litigation" was fore cast by A. B. Sanders of the Oregon Coast . Highway associ ation. The legislature yesterday was largely concerned with plodding through routine matters, which were pointed up by an outburst yesterday ; morning when the house refused to pass a memor ,ial to congress in favor of na tional service or total conscription. COLD SNAP AND COAL SHORTAGE T Albany, N.Y. Closes Schools, Libraries, Amusement Places; Fuel Lack Critical By United Prats A transportation crisis, caused by a paralyzing void wave that threatened vital war shipments, caused federal, state and local officials to clamp rigorous new living restrictions today on one third of the American public living in the northeastern states. Civilians in this area faced the prospect of less coal for their homes, possibly none for public gathering places, and severe shortages of all except locally-raised food products in the immediate future as freight handlers battled snow and ice to move essential war materials only. Fuel Supply Cut With sub-zero temperatures severely taxing fuel supplies. Fuel Administrator Harold L. Ickes curtailed coal deliveries in the storm-bound area and urged that no coal be used in amuse ment places, schools, and public buildings "until further notice." At Albany, N. Y Acting May or Frank Harris immediately or dered all public schools, li braries, bowling alleys, night clubs, and other amusement places closed, effective Sunday. Harris said coal dealers told him the fuel situation in Albany was critical. . ; The Pittsburgh Board of Edu cation met with government officials-thl-afternoon tot decide whether to take similar action. An embargo on all freight shipments except war goods to, from and within the storm bound area, Invoked earlier in the week, was extended through the week-end . and dealers ex pected acute shortages of fresh fruits and vegetables and a scar city of eggs by the middle of next week. Transportation lines virtually were frozen to a standstill in New England and northen New York areas in what railroad of ficials described as one of the worst transportation crises in history. . Hoyt Warns Nation , Losing Battle On Diplomatic Front San Francisco, Jan. 26. (U.R) Palmer Hoyt, publisher of the Portland Oregonian and former domestic chief of the office of war information yesterday warned that the United States is losing the war diplomatically while winning it on the military front. It's time, Hoyt said, "that we win this war on every front. diplomatic as well as military. ine events in Greece, the mess in Italy and Belgium, the contusion that darkens the fu ture of France ... the complete breakdown of Chiang's Chinese legend, all indicate how tragical ly we have failed to make the proper deals when we held the blue chips. ' "Are we so enthralled with the British empire policy," Hoyt asicea, "that we cannot force by immediate sanctions the actual lifting of news censorship there so that we may know what is going on?" Black Market Deal Brings Jail Terms Detroit. Jan. 2A (IIP) TMr. ty-tWO nersoiu. inclnrllnv a nalr of newlyweds and the wife of a serviceman, were under sen tence today for black market gasoline operations after ap pearance before Federal Judge Frank Plcard. Most of the defendants were Detroit filling station operators, and others were described by federal authorities as "hangers- on." TO BERLIN By United Press The distance to Berlin from advanced allied lines today: Eastern front 94 miles (from Diresen, Germany). Western front 296 miles (from point southeast of Ni jmegen). Italy 530 miles (from point north of Ravenna), 1RIBUNE rited ft mu Cutting Up ? NO. 260. , ' f " " 1 858sajat3Estj ' ' 'ZJ ' I TSSaajWfr'al jmrnmSm Wpia ia-..- GERMANY, fLspr" ($ iw A .JMa MORAVIA aJT"" ifAUSTRIA fL$Ef 7 Berlin aurnlts East Prussia has been eut off from the remainder of Ger many by a Soviet thrust in the Baltic near Elblng. Other Hum troop were reported battling In Konigsberg. Moscow says Its forces were within 124 miles from Berlin, presumably near Por.nan or beyond Stelnau, where a spearhead had crossed the Oder River. Other Oder crossings were mads to the southeast and a new drive gains on Hungary-Sbvakla border area. Observers believe the Russians might form a new defense line from Vienna to Kolberg, running about SO miles frcm Berlin. j New York Farmer Hosts 140 j Snow:Bound Drivers in Home Rocb7ester7N.' y", Jan. 26Uje James W. Ehrmentrau't, Church ville, N. Y., farmer, who was host to more than 140 snow bound motorists in, his 14-room house, admitted today it was quite an experience, but boasted he could have "taken care ol another hundred." . ' Ehrmentraut's impromptu! house party began Wednesday night as automobiles and trucks were halted by a blizzard. The stranded travelers found hospi tality, food and fun at Ehrmen traut's home. Two still - were there today. The farmer said that 10 pounds of nis home-cured bacon had been eaten as well as 400 cans of soup, a case of coffee, and an unestimated amount of breakfast food, ' commandeered from stalled trucks. Beer, also from a stalled truck. added to the conviviality of the snow-bound guests, Ehrmentraut. hlS Wife and two CHILD KILLED AS IIS HOI Los Angeles, Jan. 26 (U.R) An army pilot-and a four-year old child were killed yesterday when a P-38 dropped from a v- formation . and plunged into a house, spewing flaming gasoline over , the neighborhood. . . Dead were 2nd Lt. Emll B. Feaster, 28, Phoenix, Arlx., the pilot, and Dennis Walker, 4, son of Mr. and Mrs. Allen Walker, whose home was crushed by the blazing shin. Efforts to- save the infant were balked when machineguns, set off by the 'heat of the burning plane, sprayed . .50 calibre bul lets into nearby houses. Mrs. .Walker, the boy's moth. er. was at a neighbor's house when the plane-crashed and be fore she could reach her son a wall of fire had' imprkoned him. Law Can't Force Wife To Cook Is Ruling by Judge Hollywood, Jan. 26 U.R) There's no law that-a wife has to cook for her husband. Superior Judge William S Baird so ruled In the case of Mrs. Mildred E. Pederson. su ing -for divorce from Theodore, her husband for 22 years. Until the case is settled, Pe derson wanted to keep on eat ing home cooking. "The court cannot force her to cook for you," the Judge said. "You'll just have to est out. LMMd Wil the Reich' Acm Teltnhma) children made way forth trav elers. Four bed rooms were available. . Other guests curled up on the floor.,. .. .,. . .,'; ; "Southern hospitality, can't beat this," Clayton Mudd, a stranded Louisville, Ksv truck driver, declared, summing up his stay at the Ehrmentraut home. OF TAX E Chicago, Jan. 26 flJ.fD Sec retary of the Interior Harold L. Ickes today was accused of evading payment of more than $8,500 in real estate taxes in 1943 and 1944 by filing a false affidavit of rent received from a loop business building which he owns. Cook County , Assessor John S. Clark said an investigation by 'lis office showed that Ickes had listed rental from the build ing at $24,000 in 1943, whereas the actual amount was $61,350. and had specified that the five story structure had only three stories. On the basis of a sworn com plaint from Ickes,: the 1943 assessed valuation was cut from $527,378 to $414,778, Clark said. He ordered the old taxes restor ed for 1945 and a public hear ing scheduled in the case. - Ickes Inherited the building from his first wife, Mrs. Hannah Wtlmarth Ickes, who died in an automobile accident in 1935., Newspapers' Help In 'Bond Campaign Lauded by Leader Washington, Jan. 26 (U.R) The nation's newspapers, radio stations and advertisers con tributed $25,000,000 worth of space to urging the people to buy bonds during the sixth war loan campaign, more than in any previous drive, according to the War Finance division of the treasury. Thomas H. Lane, director of press and radio advertising, said newspapers, radio, advertisers and agencies, periodical and outdoor advertisers "all con tributed their magnificent driv ing force to a degree never sur passed." Newspapers were praised for their editorial and advertising support, which was described as "a matchless example of co operation in an .urgent home front war Job." Russian Spearheads Within 90-Odd Miles Of German Capital London, Jan. 18. (U.R) The red army thrust armored spear. heads into the German border area 90-odd miles east of Berlin to. day, the nazis reported, and to the northeast captured four key rail towns In a plunge Into the heart of isolated East Prussia. Moscow dispatches said Marshal Gregory K. Zhukovs army had flanked the Polish stronghold of Poznan on both sides while storming it frontally, the gloom-laden Berlin broadcasts said the soviet armor sweeping westward beyond Poznan had reached the area of the Brandenburg province frontier of Germany, of which Berlin is the capital. i NAZIS SAY RED Adolf Hitler's own newspaper, ported that as the mammoth Russian offensive went into its third) week the Germans still had been unable to re-establish an un broken front line, but claimed that the soviet push had been slowed. While Khukov's forces were far, to Berlin, Marshal Ivan S. storming Breslau, the SUeslan capital, after clamping a pincers on it, and by Berlin account beating across the Odor river at sev eral crossings. Marshal Stalin, in his first order of the day, announced that Gen. Ivan D. Chernlakhovsky's Third White Russian army" in a storming advance to central East Prussia, captured Tapiau, Allen burg, Nordenburg, and Lotzen, respectively 22, 31, 50 and 69 miles southeast of the provincial capital of Konigsberg. 200.000 DEFENDERS CAUGHT IN TRAP The seizure of what Stalin called the "powerful strongholds of the German long term defense zone covering the central regions of East Prussia" advanced Chernlakhovsky's forces westward on, solid front toward the army of Marshal Konstantin K. Rokos sovsky, which had barricaded the back door of the province and cut off Its estimated 200,000 defenders. The closest approach to Berlin apparently was made by a flank- -Ing force that swept around the northern side of Poznan to reach the border near the German town of Drlesen, 94 miles from the nazi capital, 53 miles northwest of Poznan. The second breakthrough came near the Polish border town of Zbaszyn, 42 miles east-southeast of Poznan and 97 miles from ' Berlin. v - At Zbaszyn, the Soviets were only 58 miles east of Frankfurt- on-the-Oder, the last defensive outpost before Berlin. ' RELATIVES HEAR HELD BY JAPAN Relatives of Pvt. Herbert Mitchell, Medford soldier a pris oner of the Japanese since the fall of Corregldor, received a letter from him earlier this week stating that he was well. This Is the second letter received from Pvt. Mitchell and was in his own handwriting,' relatives State. Pvt. Mitchell wrote that he was In good health, asked to have more pictures sent to him and stated that he had received soma sent previously. Ha urged bit mother not to worry. The communication was to bis moth er, Mrs. Anna Mitchell Garrison of Portland, who recently left Medford to reside there. Pvt. Mitchell saUed for the Philippines In March of 1941 and after the fall of Corregldor in May . of 1942 no word was received from the soldier until a communication from the war department in March of 1943 stating that he was a prisoner. Several months later relatives were informed that he had been sent to . Osaka prisoner-of-war camp and in August, 1943, a typewritten card was received from him. Mitchell was born in Medford and attended school here. His brother. Bud Mitchell, lives at 824 West Thirteenth street and another brother, Kurt, Is sta tioned at Los Angeles with the navy. His mother and a sister, Mrs. Elsie Atkins, live in Port land.- Posthumous Award Of Air Medal For v Grants Pass Flier Posthumous presentation of an air medal and two oak leaf clusters to Sgt. Mark A. Mitchell of the army air corps was made yesterday to the sergeant s fath er, Elmer Mitchell at the letter's home near Grants Pass. The pre sentation was made by Capt. O. M. Smith, commander of the Medford air base. ' Sgt. Mitchell's parents already have the silver star medal and the purple heart awarded to their - son. The- awards were based on a bombing raid made Oct. 11 in 1943 on an enemy held harbor in the far eastern war theater. The Mitchells formerly resid ed in Medford moving later to California and then returning to southern Oregon. Nelson Optimistic On China's Effort Washington, Jan. 26 (U.R) Donald M. Nelson has reported to - President Roosevelt that China, with the aid of American experts, has now coordinated her economic war effort "for the first time" and is "throwing its weight into the Job of winning the war," the White House re vealed toaay The White House made public only portions of the report, say ing that some sections could not be released "until such time as the military situation permits." PUSH SLOWED 1 the Voelkischer Beobachter, re. making the nearest approach, so Konev's troops to the south were OPA NOT TO TRY PRICE VIOLATORS Washington, Jan. 26 (U.R) Rep. Homer D. Angell (R., Ore.) said today ne had been informed by the office of price administra tion that lt would not prosecute grocers who had violated the Christmas day food point can cellation order before 5:05 p. m. (EWT) December 26. Angell said he had made in quiries when told that the Port land. Ore.. OPA office had ' threatened, or. Initiated enforce-' ment proceedings against Fort land grocers. He was informed, ha said, that the order was announced December 25 because a "leak had developed" and it was ne cessary to release the order ear lier than had been intended. ' However, the order could not be filed formally in the fedjral register on the holiday and ao tually was not filed until 5:05 p. m. the following day. COMiTTETVOTES T WALtACE Washington, Jan. 26. (U.R) The senate commerce committee today voted against the nomina tion of Henry A. Wallace to be secretary of commerce. The committee also voted, 14 to 4, to recommend senate pass age of a bill to strip the com merce department of its super vision over the multi-billion dol lar federal lending agencies. A motion to approve the Wal lace nomination was rejected by a vote of 14 to 5. Nine G J.'s Admit Theft of Supplies Paris, Jan. 26 (U.R) Nine -erican loldlers pleaded guil ty today to stealing army sup plies and were sentenced by a court martial to five years in prison at hard labor and dis honorably discharged from serv ice. The men, who were repentant and begged to be sent to the front, were charged with steal ing 1100 packs of cigarets. five boxes of rations, 20 pounds of coffee and three cases of bacon. CENTRAL POINT HOME DESTROYED BY FIRE Central Point, Jan. 26. Fire, believed caused by faulty wiring destroyed the home of Mr. and Mrs. Albert Perborse, near Cen tral Point, Monday evening. The family was away and lost all furniture and clothing except the clothing they were wearing. BABY GIRL Camp White First Lt and Mrs. Albert J. Franklin are the parents of a five and one-half pound daughter born yesterday at Sacred Heart hospital. The child has been named Carol Jane. ' Since Lt Franklin's as signment as finance officer at Camp White, the Franklins have made their home at 16 Laurel street, Medford.