Medford
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),
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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.