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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