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About Medford mail tribune. (Medford, Or.) 1909-1989 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 19, 1945)
II Ml WW mm uw LM Vi7 m Medford United Press Thirty ninth Year Scotch MAKERS FACE LONG PERIOD OF PAYLESSJFFORT Eight Days More on Salary Basis; Many Measures Yet to Be Acted Upon By Erie W. Allan, Jr. United Press Correspondent Salem, Ore., Feb. 19 (U.R) Only eight days of pay remain for members of the 43rd legisla tive session but veteran law makers sizing up the backlog of important measures today predicted it will more likely be three weeks before the Oregon legislature adjourns. About the only measure of real importance yet sent to the governor was the war-time ex tension of two years for the use of big trucks on Oregon high ways, passed over the weekend by the house unanimously. Such other major subjects as the bud get, taxation, veterans affairs, education, unemployment Insur ance, and salary raises were confined mostly to the house of origin bottled up in committees. Long Hours Loom While 614 bills have been In troduced in the first 41 days, as compared to 611 at the same date two years ago, only 106 have gone to the governor, as compared with 185 in 1943. Members have chafed at the tri viality of floor action so far but long hours are in prospect when the major bills many compro mised in committee to please all factions hit the flopr. Lawmakers are paid $8 per day for 50 days so an additional three weeks in Salem will mean at least a dozen days of free service. The proposed veterans admin istration, headed by a $5000 di rector and advisory committee of seven chosen chiefly from veterans groups, finally reach ed the house floor with pros pects of being a special order of business Wednesday. The joint ways and means committee was making good progress on the budget while senate members mulled over house-approved bills raising pay of most top state officials. This week may bring action on related education bills, in cluding a 10-year financing plan for buildings in the higher edu cational institutions, 'which if passed probably would require approval of the voters this year; and a tax equalization measure for uniform financing of rural schools (H. B. 80, French). The house taxation and revenue committee is not believ ed friendly to a plan to appro priate another $5,000,000 toJ scnoois irom income tax tunas. Eye Jobless Benefits With labor and employers fairly well agreed on most mat ters, the senate labor and in dustries committee is consider ing labor's proposals to increase jobless benefits from $15 to $25 and increase the payment per iod from 16 to 26 weeks. The senate may be asked to day to reconsider defeat Satur day of a bill restoring penalties eliminated by a previous legis lature in connection with the payment of delinquent and val orem taxes covering 1931 and several subequent years. The taxpayer had 40 years in which to pay the delinquent taxes if he paid his current taxes, but Sen. Frank Hilton said the new bill's penalties were too severe, with Interest ranging from 80 to 100 per cent. POSTPONE STRIKE Washington, Feb. 19 U.R Spokesmen for packinghouse workers announced today they had postponed until tomorrow night action to strike the meat packing industry. No Paper Thursday In orc'er to conserve newsprint the Mail Tribune will not publish on Wash ington's birthday, Thurs- dav. Fpb. 22. Full Leased Wire Troops Clearing Opening to Ruhr Dog Friends Try To Save Beast That Killed Tot Los Angeles, Feb. 19 (U.R) The Los Angeles city council today refused to Intervene to save Woof, the baby killer, from a death in a lethal gas chamber. The council by a 7 to 5 vote, refused to listen to a proposed appeal for Woof's life by Cafe Owner Grady C. Terry, self-described "friend of all dogs." Terry and his attorney said they would next carry their fight "right up to the governor" and ask that Gov. Earl Warren find some. way of giving Woof a reprieve. The council also declined to hear a protest from Mrs. Verna Hayward, president of the Cali fornia federation for the protec tion of children and animals. E FORCE OF B-29S ATTACKS JAPANCAPITAL ' 21st Bomber Hq., Guam, Feb. 19 (U.R) The largest force of Superfortresses ever assigned to the Japan run bombed Tokyo and its industrial neighborhood today in a follow-up raid to Vice Admiral March Mitscher's two day carrier strikes. A second force of B-29S thun dered out from bases in India today and bombed military and communications targets on the Malay peninsula. The Japanese capital,- third city In the world, still was smok ing 'from the weekend deluge of navy bombs when a "large" task force of Superforts based In the Marianas dropped their explo sives on Industrial target In Tokyo. The B-29 raid came one day after the carrier force broke off an attack which destroyed or damaged at least 38 Japanese ships and 659 aircraft. It was believed that the num ber of B-29s participating In to day's strike from Saipan and Tinian was larger by 20 or more aircraft than any force which has hit Honshu in seven previous Marianas-based strikes. The largest previous force was that which bombed Nagoya Thursday the day before Ml tcher's carriers opened their at tack. , SIDE GLANCES By TRIBUNE REPORTERS Oliver King, volunteer fire man, celebrating his third birthday anniversary since Jan. 1, 1945. Maud Brault falling heir to a stray cat without benefit of points, after said cat had knocked on the door of the Ration Board. Franklin H. George acting as carrier pigeon on a return trip from Yreka. Thrice Bayoneted Mass Slaying By Manila, Feb. 19 (U.R) A thrice-bayoneted priest, who feigned death to escape, told front a hospital cot today how Japanese soldiers slaughtered civilians at La Salle university Feb. 12 and tried to violate wounded women in the group. The story of Father Francis Cosgrave, superior of the Re demptorist order in Manila, was one of many reported Instances of mass slaying of civilians caught in Manila no-man's land in the last ten days. Father Cosgrace, several mem bers of his order, and a number of prominent Spanish residents of Manila had sought refuge at the university when they sud denly were visited by a Japa nese officer and 20 soldiers. He said the soldiers wantonly i began bayoneting the group. He I survived despite three wounds, including one made by a bayonet plunged into the left side of his 1 chest and out hit back. MEDFORD, OREGON, MONDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 1945 (Acmm. Telephoto) Corregldor, guardian of Manila harbor entrance, Is bombed by Seventh AAF Liberators. Bombs send piUan of smoke hundreds of feet Into the sky (center i while a stick of thousand-pounders (right) blast gun em placements along the cliff tops. Tokyo reports that American forces have already landed on the historic island fortress. AAF Pacific photo. Tremendous Floating Naval Base Supplies Task Forces Striking Japanese Homeland By E. . Valans . United Press Correspondent A Floating Naval Base Some where in the Pacific, Feb. 5 (U.R) All warships participating in the navy's double-barreled amphibious-air assault on Iwo Jima and the Honshu coast were supplied' with provisions, fuel and ammunition without the benefit of an island naval base or docking facilities. All naval installations in this advanced area are floating everything from drydocks to Quonset huts. Logistics' Answer This and other similar mobile bases, the American answer to the most gigantic logistics prob lem In naval history, were de scribed by Fleet Adm. Chester W. Nimitz as his secret weapon. ARMY AND NAVY MAY SHARE TOKYO TAKING Washington, Feb. 19 (U.R) Admiral William F. Halsey, who might know, said today that the army and the navy would go to Tokyo, together. He was asked at a press con ference if there was any "dan ger" that Gen. Douglas MacAr thurs fleet would get into Tokyo before Halsey's did. "No, we'll get In together," he said. "He's a very fine man. We've worked together for more than two years and I have the greatest respect and admira tion for him.' Priest Relates Japs in Manila More than 70 persons In the room, including several Chris tian fathers, met a worse fate, he said. "The Japanese soldiers return ed later in the afternoon," Fa ther Cosgrave said. 'They laugh ed at the sight of bodies in a heap and kicked them. They tried to violate the wounded women even young girls." Father Cosgrave pretended death until the Japanese went away. Shortly before midnight the priest decided that if he was go ing to die he would die on his feet. He crawled and dragged himself upstairs to a chapel and there, one by one, about ten other survivors joined him. They watched fearfully as the Japanese attempted to set fire to the building. Eventually American machine guns and tanks forced the Japanese to withdraw. which was upsetting completely all Japanese strategy. ' . This base Is located as far from San Francisco as San Fran cisco is from London. It is oper ated by squadron 10 of the Pa cific fleet service forces. - Installations include floating cranes, hotels, repair units, bakeries, offices, refrigerated warehouses, wells, drydocks and repair ships. The base "employs" over 12,000 workers, many of whom live in the floating hotel "Ritz Carlton". The maze of ships Is so con fusing that we had to stop three separate warships to ask where our objective was. For the current operation, enough food was loaded on the task force vessels to feed Colum bus, O., for 30 days; enough spare clothing to clad 1,500,000 persons and enough candy, shav ing cream, tooth paste and mis cellaneous items to stock fully 6,000 drug stores. In addition, the force carried, 100,000,000 cigarettes. Vast Operation No naval base anywhere ever was required to service in such limited time so many ships as were handled here before this operation, which reportedly In volved the largest concentration of warships in naval history. More than 400 pieces of float ing equipment included electri cal equipment repair ships, tug- YANKS FERRET OUT CORREGIDOR JAPS Manila, Feb. 19 (U.R) Amer ican paratroopers and infantry men joined today in the arduous job of cleaning out hundreds of die-hard Japanese from the tun nels and crevices of Corregldor fortress. Both sides of the rocky fort ress, guarding the entrance to Manila bay, were secured by the two American contingents which invaded Corregldor from the air and sea. Their sole task was to dig out the Japanese probably man by man from the recesses where the enemy was expected to make a last-ditch stand. While units of the 503rd para chute regiment and the 34th in fantry regiment Joined in secur ing the upper and lower parts of Corregldor, observers said the battle for the fortress was just beginning. The mopping up of Manila still continued slowly. Um.. 'ress boats, three fresh water tankers, an evaporation vessel capable of making 120 gallons of water daily and a ship which does nothing but supply bakery goods.. : - Typical of the astronomical figures involved in operations here, the amount of fuel oil con sumed in a task force strike would fill a 238-mile long train of tank cars. The gasoline would provide 700 automobiles with a year's supply. It would take 480 freight cars to carry the ammu nition. FORCED TO LEAVE CAPTURED GUBEN London, Feb. 19 (U.R) A German military spokesman said today that the Red army cracked into Guben, Key fortress city 57 miles southeast of Berlin, but was thrown out after a violent battle. Moscow reported that Soviet forces pushing westward from the Breslau area had unlimbcred their big guns on Goerlitz, gate way to Dresden and Prague. Soviet dispatches said German resistance was stiffening all along the front, but Russian as sault forces were battering for ward within reach of a number of anchor bases in the defenses before Berlin. Cro-s Oder ' Nazi broadcasts said the Rus sians smashed across the Oder south of Crossen and struck westward for Guben, 17 miles distant. A Berlin military com mentator later said that the thrust from t!-,j Crossen area had carried to Guben. There the Germans braced, the spokesman said, and shoved back the spear head which had probed Into the city. A Berlin broadcast said strong troop concentrations were seen at various points behind the Russian lines, and predicted a "great offensive effort" at any time. DeGaulle Attitude 1 May Keep FR Away Paris, Feb. 19.-(U.R) Respon sible quarters said today that Gen. Charles De Gaulle's rejec tion of an invitation to meet President Roosevelt made It doubtful that the president would visit France soon. 3UNE full Leased Wire NO. 280. FIERCE FIGHTING s OF MAJOR BASE Two-Thirds of Goch Cleared Scots Closing in On Companion Hub, Calcar Paris, Feb. 19. (U.R) Scot tish troops cleared two-thirds of the west wall fortress of Goch today and closed In from' two sides on the companion strong hold of Calcar barring the road to Germany's industrial Ruhr valley. Fierce, close-in fighting raged through the ruins of Goch to night as the Scots battled with knife, grenade and flame-throwers to wipe out the remaining pockets of German resistance in the southern and southeastern end of the town. Few Snipers Left A few Nazi snipers and machine-gunners were reported holed up on both sides of the .Niers river In the center, of Goch but they were completely sur rounded and were being mopped up rapidly. 'Field dispatches Indicated that the fall of the town, one of the main German bastions in the Mass-Rhine bottleneck, was im minent. Seven miles to the northeast. other Scottish troops fighting under the banner of the Cana dian first army fought their way down the Kleve-Calcar highway into the town of Moyland, bare ly two miles northwest of Calcar. Strong German defenses stal led the main Scottish thrust in side Moyland, but a flanking column swung around the town to the south and west to reach a point less than two miles west of Calcar by nightfall. Bengtson Presides At House Session Salem, Feb. 19 Possibly It was coincidence but more prob ably it was through the thought- (uiness of Representative Eu gene E. Marsh, speaker of the house, that Representative O. H. Bengston, Medford, was called to the rostrum to preside dur ing a portion of the Thursday session. His mother and daugh ter were both present and were formally extended the cour tesies of the house on request of Representative Manley J. Wilson, Warren, being guests at his desk. CHURCHILL RETURNS FROM CRIMEA MEET London, Feb. 19 (U.R) Prime Minister Churchill returned to England today from the Crimea conference. IWO JIMA too '(MM ValiaM (Acm TUphoto) American troops streamed ashore from both east and west sides ol Iwo Juna, only 760 miles from Tokyo, according to Japanese reports. Oc cupation of bland would give Americans valuable airfields to further campaign to reduce Japanese military machine. Casualties Moderate In Landing on Island 750 Miles From Tokyo By Frank Tremalne United Press War Correspondent Admiral Nlmltz's Headquarters, Guam, Feb. 19. U.R)-r-Tw ! divisions of U. S. marines 30,000 men stormed Iwo Island from an 800-shlp armada today and within the first two hours of bitter ' fighting had established a 4,500-yard long' beachhead, extending Inland 500 yards to the edge of Surlbachl Yama airfield. - Casualties are moderate and the operation Is proceeding satis factorily, Fleet Adm. Chester W. Nimitz said In his fourth com munique of the day. RESISTANCE INCREASING Resistance from the trapped enemy forces was Increasing as the veteran marines pushed inland on the tiny elght-square-mlle Island 750 miles from Tokyo, the communique Mild. A pooled dispatch from the Invasion flagship said hidden Jap anese artillery and mortars were pouring a deadly crossfire in the attacking marines and that American casualties were "considerable." The dispatch said, however, that the marines slowly were root ing out the concealed enemy gunners and that the overall progress of the Invasion was satisfactory. ' Two hours after the Initial landing, the marine veterans had pushed inland an average of 500 yards. The defenses of Surlbachl Yama airstrip were penetrated east of the field, the communique added. The marina beachhead extended northward along the south- eastern coast from the 546-foot high volcano that forms the south ern tip of the island. Radio Tokyo conceded that the Americans had won footholds on the southwest, south, and east coasts. . . As the marines fought their way inland, Japanese artillery and mortar fire Increased. The communique reported "our casualties are moderate," but this cannot be taken as an indication that the fighting will not increase in bitterness or that the cost of taking this strategic air base on the road to Tokyo will be cheap. Troops of the 4th and 5th marines the latter in combat as a division for the first time pushed their way Inland In an attempt to knock out the positions from which enemy garrison forces are pouring artillery and mortar fire on the beachhead and to take the Island's airfields CARRIER PLANES BLAST DEFENSE Meantime, carrier and land-based aircraft roared overhead, pin pointing defense positions with bombs and rockets. The marines splashed ashore across the broad southeastern beach from barges launched from an amphibious force which is part of an 800-shlp armada one of the greatest yet assembled for a Pacific operation. Thus far, damage has been reported only to two light units of the supporting fleet These ships were hit during the pre-landlng assault. Tough Iwo Jima Set Ablaze From End to End By Attack By William T. Tyree "V United Press War Correspondent Representing the Combined American Press Aboard a Navy Liberator Bomber over Iwo Jima, Feb. 18 (U.R) (Via Navy Radio) Tiny, tough Iwo Jima was ablaze from end to end today as our bomber dropped down Into its battle smoke to watch wave after wave of marines plough ashore from an 800-shlp Invasion armada for a showdown fight in the enemy's front yard. From 1,000' feet over the beachhead, it was obvious that the marines had a terrific battle on their hands. Salvoes Crash Isle Even as the mighty battle ships, cruisers and destroyers circled endlessly, sending crush ing salvoes Into the volcanic slopes of the island, I could see marines dashing for cover on the rocky southeastern beach Some were far Inland toward the airstrip. However, the Japanese cer tainly were fighting back from their underground defenses. Twice as we swung over Mount Suribachl's crater at the south end of the Island and around tho northern wooded section, the Japanese gave us bursts of anti aircraft, As we approached the island ' t to. V . ? hundreds of small craft moved toward the beach, unleashing a fierce barrage of thousands of rockets. Waves of marines followed within 45 minutes. Smoke and dust covered the entire island. Iwo Itself looked like a fat pork chop sizzling on the skillet as carrier planes swept In under us, strafing and bombing every installation they could find. One fighter crashed in flames , just Inland from where the ma- ' rlnes struggled to consolidate their beachhead. In the calm wa ters off the island, hundreds of ships maneuvered endlessly while old pre-war battleships New York, Texas, Nevada, Ar kansas, Idaho and Tennessee belched shells from their squat gun platforms. Na Jap Planes There wasn't a single Japan ese plane in the sky. Iwo island appropriately was named "hot rock" for the occa sion of this attack. Our aircraft personnel chattered furiously over the command frequency as they took statioi.s for continuing the flight. Co-Pilot Ens. John Q. Schell, Jr., Asheville, N. C, gave me headphones and we heard the marines calling for fife support from the fleet. Bursts of orange flames sprang from the muzzles of the battleships and cruisers' big guns and huge columns of smoke and fire rose skyward from the island seconds later. It was a systematic murder and destruction. Suribachl's cra ter steamed from successive hits along its ridges overlooking tho beach. I could see many formid able pillboxes along the beaches as well as a few rusty stilp hulls, already put out of action. May Take Week None of our surface forces had been disturbed by enemy counteraction by midafternoon, although the water literally was alive with Yanks either going ashore or carrying supplies to. the beach. The Invasion armada had spread out foi scores of miles around the Island. There was no . mistaking the fact that the Americans arrived to stay on Tokyo's doorstep, but the fight looked like it would require a week or more before the finish and as if jn awful lot of blood would be spilled before It was over. To Archytas is attributed the invention, about 400 B. C, of a wooden pigeon capable of flight. . c'l
