Medford mail tribune. (Medford, Or.) 1909-1989, February 28, 1945, Image 1

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Medford mail tribune., February 28, 1945, Image 1

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Newspaper Page Textwere SLdS (W at Weather Forecast: Partly cloudy tonlcht and ThurHar with Utile change In temperature. Tamp. Hlfhert Terterday 4 Lowest tils morntas 21 Precipitation last 24 hrs.a nona Thirty ninth Year Yankees Ram Across Erf t Furious Conflict Near F WITHIN 6 MILES OF KEHASTION Swift Attack Captures High; way Bridge Intact; Nazis Move Up Armored Units. Paris, Feb. 28 (UP.) Ameri can tanks and troops rammed across the Erft river line at three points within 'sight of the Rhine today and were locked in a fur ious battle for .Modrath, 6VS miles from Cologne. The Erft river, last water bar rier before the Rhine, was breached at three points directly west and west-southwest of Co logne by armored task forces of two and perhaps three American 1st army divisions. Bridge Captured V One assault column hurdled the Erft on the main Dueren Cologne highway, while two others swept across the river on either side of the road. So swiftly was the attack that one highway bridge across the Erft was captured 'Intact-by Yank infantrymen. A second bridge nearby was blown up by the retreating enemy. The German rallied swiftly, however, and at last reports were fighting desperately from house to bouse for the east bank town of Modrath. German ar mored units moved up from the Rhine to meet the attack and American staff officers predict ed that the battle now Joined would settle the fate of Cologne The 104th "Tlmberwolf" and 8th division already were across the Erft in force, and field dis patches Indicated that units of the 1st infantry division also were moving in on the 8th's "V southern flank below 'Modrath , Gladbach Taken Elements of the 1st division speared seven miles southeast of Dueren to capture Gladbach. To the north, the American 9th army, operating under a se curity blackout, was rolling up the German defenses on the western fringe of the Ruhr val lev aeainst slightly stiffened en emy resistance, and Duesseldorf vug rennrleH under direct ar- tillery fire. At the southern end oi me allied offensive front, Lt. Gen. Georse S. Patton's American 3rd army forces captured the pivotal road center of Bitburg in a drive apparently aimed at the Moselle valley and the central reaches of the Rhine. In the U. S. 1st army's ad vance across the Erft river American flying columns liber ated more than 5.000 slave work ers held by the nazis in Blatz- heim and Kerpen, on the west side of the river. Most of the workers were Poles and Ukrainians, and it was believed the sudden - American attack had caught the Germans before they could evacuate them Pfc. Lucius Lull On Wounded List Pfc. Lucius Lull of Medford has been wounded in the Euro pean war theater according to a wire release from Washington D. C. Pfc. Lull Is listed with se lective service board No. 2 and next of kin Is given as Mr. and Mrs. L. W. Lull, route 2, box 228. Three Oregonians Among Released Three navy men from this state were among those listed by the navy yesterday as having V-been released from Japanese prison camps In the Philippine islands. Listed were Jack Black F 1c, McKenzie Bridge; Rich ard C. Busch, coxswain, La Grande; Lee G. Mills, gunner, Portland. Medford United Prat Former Old Ranger Of Radio Sued By Restaurant Buyers Hollywood, Feb. 28 (U.R) Sampson MacDonald, 60, origin al "Old Ranger" of the radio show "Death Valley Days," to day went on trial for $6,125 damages claimed by two girls who said he sold them a Holly wood restaurant he did not own. Mary Mugerdlchian and Deba Sharoian, both 21, of Davenport. Ia., said they paid the actor $800 for what they thought was title to the restaurant, and learned later they had signed a two-year lease instead. The place wasn't worth $800 anyway, the girls added, because it was so infested with rats that the health department closed it after they had operated it seven weeks. STORE WINDOWS TO OF E In the interest of the 1945 Red Cross war fund drive, a committee from the ' Junior. Chamber of Commerce will stencil drive slogans on the win dows of business establishments tonight and tomorrow morning it was announced by Red Cross officials today. The slogans will read "Keep Red Cross at bis side" and "Give Now Give More Red Cross." It is stated that the stencil ma terial will be washable and that anyone objecting to the signs may request that they not be used or remove them at once. Drive workers are hopeful that the majority of the city's busi ness places will leave the slo gans on until the drive closes. In charge of the project are Lester Higenbotham, chairman of the junior chamber war serv ice activities committee and Carey Thompson, who will su pervise the window marking. aeriaFTleets TEAM IN ATTACK London, Feb. 28 U.B Two great fleets of American and British bombers teamed in heavy attacks on rail and industrial targets in northwest Germany today, the 16th straight day of a record air offensive against the reich. More than 1.100 Flying Fort resses and Liberators escorted by about 350 Mustang fighters attacked rail yards and factories at Kassel, Soest, Schwerte, Hag en, Slegen, and other German towns. British Lancaster heavy bomb ers carried out a concentrated oitav nn tha Nnrdstern Benzol plant near Gelsenklrchen in the Ruhr. Romanian Premier Resigns, Red Envoy Surveys Turmoil Br United Press Gen. Nicolae Radescu has re signed as premier of Romania the Bucharest radio said today Moscow announced, meanwhile that Soviet Vice Foreign Com mlssar Andrei Vlshinsky Is In Bucharest, the scene of purge of pro-nazi elements. Radescu reportedly resigned as a result of the tension be tween his government and na tlonal democratic front fortes. VishJasky'a visit to til Ro FuU Leased Wlr MEDFORD, OREGON, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 1945 MOUNTING LOSSES 'USE UNREST IN JAP GOVERNMENT German Reports Say Depu ties Demand Session to Consider War Situation. London, Feb. 28 (U.R) Ger man reports from Tokyo said today that members of the Japa nese lower house met Tuesday to demand a parliamentary ses sion to consider the "present serious war situation." "The lower house expects a statement by the government, In particular with regard to war measures which have been de cided upon recently," a broad cast Transocean dispatch date- lined Tokyo said. "In addition it was learned that the lower house will ask for immediate concrete measures for the protection of Japanese war industry and the population in view of the recent large scale allied air attacks." - . Tokvo Attacked : 'Since parliament adjourned on Teh. 8 the Americans have at tacked the Tokyo area heavily with Superfortresses and carrier borne nlanes. 1t also is expected tnat xne government will make clear Its view as regards the lormanon of a new political unity party," Transocean said. Rnmnra of nautical unrest ana uncertainties in government quarters within Japan have been circulating for some days. A re organization of the Japanese cab inet hna heen predicted freely on the basis of the reponea strut: and the failure of the Japanese to counter effectively the mount ing American blows. London, Feb. 28 (U.R) Prime Minister Churchill in effect won sab to 25 vote of confidence in commons today wnen me house voted down an amend ment by rebellious conservatives denouncing the urimea corner- ence decision on Poland. Today's vote on the Polish amendment compared with the 340 to 7 vots of confidence the house gave the government after the last war debate. The balloting was a prelimin ary to the technical vote of con fidence which Churchill has de manded on his government's part In the Crimea meeting of the Big Three. That will come late tomorrow at the end of a three-day debate of foreign af fairs. Churchill will take his case back to the house tomorrow In a second speech expected to be eln about 3 p. m. PWT. Com mons then wlU vote on a specific motion approving the Crimea decisions. mania capital was not explained officially, although lt followed soviet complaints that Radescu had not compiled fully with armistice terms for complete purge of pro-fiazl elements. An earlier Bucharest broad cast had said the prime minis ter's government was proceeding with the purge demanded by the Soviets and with punishment of war criminals as proof of Its "desire to speed up fulfillment of one of the most important clauses of the arjnjjtice, CHURCHILL WINS CONFIDENCE VOTE '1WJ,S& V.a River; Cologne L SLATED IN HOUSE Food, Dairy Committee Re ports Favorably on First of Two Controversial Bills Salem, Ore., Feb. 28 (U.R) Opening skirmishes in the battle of milk control were due in the Oregon House of Representatives this week as the House Food and Dairy Committee reported favor ably yesterday on the first two of a series of four milk control bills. Meanwhile the House Alco holic Control Committee dragged a series of Senate liquor bills off its table and will consider amendments to the bills which may make them acceptable to those who oppose them in their present form. Drink Bill Held The Senate Alcoholic Traffic Committee still held a bill call ing for scrip purchase of liquor in private clubs. . -; The milk control bills (HB's 370 and 371) provide for a strengthening of the law regard ing grading of milk and the' set ting up of standards of quality for both pasturized and unpas teurized milk. HB-371 says that the grades of milk shall be based upon the healthy of the mllk-glv-lng animals, the physical facili ties of the dairies and process ing plants, the sanitation of dairies and plants and the qual ity, and condition of the milk as shown by Inspection. Another bill, which Is expect ed to come to the floor of the House soon, Is the one over which most controversy is ex pected. The measure (HB-234) provides for the compulsory pas teurization of all milk and milk products (except cheese) which comes fro:n herds certified disease-free. Testing Prescribed Periodic testing of cattle Is also prescribed in the bill, and the Department of Agriculture is given additional regulartory powers. A companion bill (HB- 369) supplementing the other measure, is also expected soon. The House Insurance Commit tee passed out a bill (HB-390) which would place domestic In surance companies In the same class as foreign ones as far as paying an insurance premium tax is concerned. All such taxes are reduced from 2V to 2 per cent, and annual license fees are raised from $10 to $50. Yesterday the House passed a revised edition of Gov. Earl Snell's requested tax study com mission measure (SJR-2) which creates a 13-member group to Investigate Oregon's tax struc ture with th aid of "assistants with recognized knowledge ot taxes." No appropriation Is pro vided In the measure as passed, and three tax commission mem bers are included on the com mittee. Find Woman's Head In Clump Of Brush: Husband Questioned Washington, Feb. 28 (U.R) Police today identified a brown haired head found in bushes near Dranesvllle, Vs., as that of Pearl Corens, 30-year-old war department employe. Mrs. Coens had been missing from her Bethesda, Md., home since February 12, Virginia po lice are questioning her 43-year-old husband, Henry H. Corens, a Washington automobile paint er. Police said Mrs. Corens and her husband had quarreled fre quently before her disappear ance. - Sixty per cent of the popula tion of Guatemala Is of pure looiaa descent. American --5 tS' 0.1 - "' : .i ;.v- . mi iir if I ' Mcma lelcpnoio Ducking tun as German artillery shells whistle overhead, a patrol ot the American Firm Army advances through rubble in street of Duren, Germany, less than ID miles Iruiu Uulugiw. Their objective Is a buildui slidutriug sums lieiuimi muueis, Bigiai Uurps radw-leieunutu. Roosevelt Home From Conference Foresees Ultimate Reduction of Armament ' Washington, Feb. 28 (U.PJ I President Roosevelt returned to day from his "historic Crimea conference so inspired by ' the Big Three's progress toward a durable peace that he could for- see ultimate armament reduc tion by the major allied fight lng powers. . But he feels that Germany and Japan must be on trial for perhaps BO years or more before being re-admitted as equals to the society of nations. Mean time, they must be restrained by force if necessary. His full report will be made to congress tomorrow at 9:30 a. m. Ten Day Voyage The president returned to American soil last night, land ing at an east coast port aftei a 10-day voyage from Algiers aboard a heavy American cruis er which went within a few miles of enemy submarines strik ing at allied shipping off Gib raltar. He then proceeded to Washington by overnight train, arriving back In the White House early this morning. In his message to congress which will be broadcast simul taneously to the nation, Mr. Roosevelt will tell how he, Prime Minister Winston Church 111, Premier Josef Stalin and their top advisers met In the old Livadia Palace of Czar Nicolas II on the Black sea and develop ed plans for a three-way opera DEVILDOGS Guam, Fb. 28 (U.R) U. S marines straightened their lines across Iwos central plateau in no-quarter battles today prepara tory to a general assault toward the mountainous north coast, (A Tokyo broadcast heard by the Australian information de partment listening post said the Americans "at last are showing signs of victory on Iwo. ) (The Tokyo Domel Agency, In a broadcast recorded by the FCC, claimed that the Japanese were "holding their own at their respective positions" against an American general offensive that began Monday. It said the garri son had Inflicted 1,500 casulttes between Monday noon and Tues day night and estimated total American casualties In the Iwo campaign at 20,000.) LEND-LEASE SIGNED Washington. Feb. 28 (U.B The United States and France have signed lend-lease agree ments, including one under which the French will receive goods and materials for postwar use, the State Department an A I nounced todjy. Tribune U&IHd Prm Full Lud Wis Troops Drive on Cologne ,m-i : v ... ;- -v w J4 af i T aitanT .v. ! by Main Allied Powers Hon to squeeze the last life out of the German military machine He will tell also how they also built the foundation of an in ternational organization which can squelch future wars before they start. President Hopeful In news conferences aboard his ship while coming back across the Atlantic, the president was openly buoyant about the achievements of the meeting ai Yalta. He looked to the United Nations conference at San Fran Cisco in April to produce a pes manent International organize tlon which will have unpreced ented success In keeping the world at peace. The president plans to attend the San Francisco conference In person, either at the start or the close of the meeting to make what he described as a speech of greetings in the role of host And he expects another meeting with Churchill sometime after the United Nations conference Mr. Roosevelt left Washington on the night of January 22. Dur ing his 36 days away from the nation s capitol, he covered about 14,000 miles which Includ ed stops at Malta, In Russia Egypt and Algiers. In addition to his eight-day meeting with Churchill and Stalin, he also conferred with King Farouk of Egypt, Emperor Haile Selassie of Ethiopia and King Ibn Saud of Saudi Arabia. He made most of the trip by cruiser, but flew from Malta to Yalta, and from Yalta to Great Bitter Lake, in the Suez canal. Arms Cut Seen As his ship approached the American coast, he spent an hour with three press association correspondents who joined his party at Algiers, going over the accomplishments of the Yalta conference. He made these spe cific points: 1. He looks forward to a time after the war when armament of all nations, Including the United States, England, Russia. China and France, will be de creased. 2. Germany and Japan shouldi i . i i .j.j . i -1 assembly of United Nations members, but only after ' they have shown a definite trend away from militarism. This pos slbly will require more than 80 years of concrete proof. 3. Until Germany and Japan have made considerable, unmis takable progress toward peace keeping forms of government, the United Nations should, by force If necessary, see that they are utterly Incapable of arming or preparing for war In any man ner. 4. A plan of American Rut slan-Engllsh occupation of Ger I mnny has been worked out, but '111 lonaiK A k AttBHHlaJ annAFl. 'will have to be changed accord- NO. 287. S3 1 At lng to the degree of French par ticipation in the occupation. 6. The BJg Three meeting and the later conference between the president and Churchill at Alex andria, Egypt, were concerned with Europe and not the Pacific. In fact, the president said the Pacific situation Just did not com up In hit later talk with Churchill. It did not arise In the tripartita conversations because Russia Is neutral toward Janan and this country .is respecting that neutrality.. 6. The people of the United States, particularly In face of European successes, too often blow hot and cold about the war In the Pacific. The actual sltua tlon is that even once Germanv Is defeated, we face a long, hard war in the Pacific. This fact, the president said, needs particular industrial emphasis In this coun try. Mr. Roosevelt's forward view toward a time when the five ma Jor allied powers can cut down the size of their war machines was not meant as any prospect for the near future. He stressed repeatedly the fact that we have yet to win the war and that there is much work and fleht Ing to be done before final vic tory. T TOKYO RAIL HUB Guam, Feb. 28 (U.R) Sn perfortress.'s apparently knocked out Tokyo's big Ueno rallwav station and freight marshalling yarns in raids which left 240 blocks of the Industrial heart of the city destroyed by fire. reconnaissance photogra phs snowed today. Fire sta ted In last Sunday' B-29 raid swept across the sta tlon. It was believed the yards were rendered Inoperable, at least temporarily when the flames hai died. The Ueno station handles ap proximately 300 elevated trains dally. It Is one of the three larg est in Tokyo. The photographs showed that 240 blocks 29.074,000 square feet were burned over after the Sunday strike. It was the biggest raid of the war on the Japanese capital. Grants Pass C-C : Manager Resign Grants Pass, Feb. 28 E. H Elliott, secretary-manager of the Grants Pass Chamber of Com mcrce for the past year, resign ed his position, effective today E. S. Heydenburk, . president announced. No one has been named to iuccee4 SlUott, b Mid. SIDHT OF (DUST,1 White Russian Army Cap tures Neustettin, Anchor Base;Thaw Causes Floods T ,n n n n 1Ph 9R film Mow' ' shal Konstantin K. Rokossov- fikv'a 2nd Whlta Ruinn i-m today captured the central Pon peranum anchor base of Neu stettin in a Baltic-bound drive mat inreatened to trap nun dreds of thousands of German troops. ' Marshal Stalin issued a ana. clal order of the day announcing; the capture -of Neustettin and Prechlnu, 24 miles to the north east, which he described as "lm portant communications center and powerful strongholds In th uerman aeiense or fomeranla." The Berlin radio reported earlier that the Rnrman .n. had evacuated Neustettin, which naa Deen outflanked by tha Soviet drive Into central Pom. erania. In Sight of Sea (The British rariln unofficial report from Moscow as saying tnat Russians leading the drive across Pomerania now were in sight of the Baltic.) A thrust to thn amiiM seal off eastern Pomerania, th uanzig iree state, and the north ern Part Of the old Polish onrrl. dor. MOSCOW AinnfohM ' mmlA a. kOSSOVSkv's tanlca hinV.kni. Infantry and self-propelled gum were pusning across the flooded plains of Pomerania toward tha Baltic and ranlHtv the German coastal corridor. soviet front dispatches said spring thaw In Pomerania had broken up the ice on many riv ers ana lanes. Great patches ot the German provinces were uooaea or marshy. i In rull Retreat Tha Germans were in full rm. treat, a Soviet said. More than 2,000 of the en emy were killed in the early Phases Of tha Idvanra nhila 22 German tanks, 48 guns and even armored troop carrier wem aesiroyea. The wlde-iwlnfflnv i.t sweep was similar to thoaa woisn cut orx Latvia last Octo ber and east Pruaaln aar1l l the winter offensive. oerman broadcasts reported that another Soviet pninmn farther west hnrl Pyrltz area 23 miles below stettin. Moscow remained Hon 4 rr the progress of fighting on tho iruuis east ana southeast of Ber lin for the fifth straight day, but said the 1st Ukrainian army naa Cleared 12 more city blocks In the southern part of encircled Breslau. capital of Silesia. Rr. iau station also was captured. . L FAILSjyOUSE Salem. Ore.. Feb. 2ft fll m One of the first of the long ,ieries of school ' bills to coma to the house floor suffered de feat today, with possibility lt may be reconsidered In the next three days. The bill (H. B. 80 taxation and revenue committee) pro vides for creation of a govern ing board for rural school dis tricts to handle finances. It pro vides for local "equalization" aCCOrdlnff to (too. CUnm Freneh chairman of the committee. Kep. John Steelhammer's bill to strengthen the law relative to tha enforcement nt tha enin.ln- the-slow amusement devices reg ulations passed the house today. The bill (H. B. 383 a aiih. stltute for H. B. 354) provides tor license fees on such machine to be paid on a quarterly rath er than a yearly basis, and would allow the posting of license wnicn cover several machines, rather than one license on each machine. LOSTJNPACIFIC Washington, Feb. 28 (U.R) The navy today announced tha loss of the American submarines Shark and Escolar. They have failed to return from war patrols, presumably In the Pacific. A total ot 39 U. S. submarines have been lost and a grand total oi 267 naval vessels oi all type.