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About Medford mail tribune. (Medford, Or.) 1909-1989 | View Entire Issue (March 16, 1945)
I i i Medford United Press Full Leased Wire Thirty ninth Year JAPANESER E VEAL Y Frank Disclosures Made as Tokyo Papers Demand More Adequate Defense. Guam, Saturday. March 17 (U.R) The battle el Iwo Jim ended Friday after 26 dayg of fighting which eoit the United Statei Marinei 19. 938 caiualtiei highest toll of the central Pacific cam-' paign it wai announced to day. Fleet Adm. Chester W. Nira Iti announced that organised Japanese resistance ended at 6 p.m. Friday. More than 21,000 Japanese were killed by March 14. In contrast, the three marine di Tislont los! 4.189 officer! and men killed, according to re ports available at S p. m. Fri day. By United Press American air and ground forces continued to rock the Japanese today and the repercus sions rolled to the enemy capital where it was revealed that thousands of persons were burn ed to death in the mass B-29 raids . on Tokyo, Nagoya and Osaka. The frank Japanese disclosures of the extent of bomb damage came as Tokyo newspapers caustically attacked the. govern ment and members of the Japa nese diet demanded more ade quate air relief measures. GraTity Indicated Enemy broadcasts indicated the gravity of Japan's war sit uation with disclosure that ex traordinary arrangements were made to enable Premier Kunia kl Koiso to become a member of the imperial headquarters to help direct military operations. The unprecedented action, ap proved by Emperor Hirohito, placed Koiso on a par with army and navy chiefs of staff. On the fighting fronts, Amer ican troops firmly secured a 28 mile long beachhead around Zamboanga on the southwestern tip of Mindanao and were push ing more than five miles inland, while U. S. marines squeezed the last enemy pocket on Iwo to less than a quarter mile. Landing Foiled American troops in the Philip pines also smashed a Japanese attempt to land about 100 men D.lanm, VtnV ITI SOUthem Luzon, and hacked out hew gains east of Manila. Liberator bombers from the Philippines again hammered Formosa, nilling me isianas u.B hydro-electric plant for the sec ond straight day and swept over the Ryukyus and the China sea In attacks on enemy shipping. Ten Japanese ships, including a destroyer, were sunk or dam aged. Other U. S. planes from the central Pacific raided the Bonin Islands, north of Iwo, and Wake island. Shne Production To Be Below 1944 Washington, March 18. U.R) Production of shoes for civil ians during the first six months of 1945 may be as much as 40 per cent below production dur ing the last half of 1944, inform ed officials said today. The war production board's shoe industry advisory commit tee reported that about 50,000, 000 square feet of cattle hide 1 will be available for civilian shoes during the first half of this year. That compares with about 90,000,000 square feet In the last six months of 1944. JETTY SHOT DOWN Eighth Air Force Hqts, March IS (U.R) Capt. Ray Wctmore of Kerman, Cal the Eighth air force's leading operational ace, shot down his 22nd enemy plane today. Latest victim of Wetmore. who is attached to the 359th Mustang group, was an ME 183 jet plane shot down over Germany. SIDE GLANCES By TRIBUNE REPORTERS Ray Sloneker and Dick Baize receiving birthday posies from the girls In the draft board office. Fire Chief Roy Elliott thril ling group of Girl Scouts by letting them slide down the brass pole at the fire hall while on a, tour at city departoeats. Philippine Isles Captured no tMU of Mllw South China . Sea MMDOROl ti tT II A .A .. MILAll "Vji CAlAMIANfe. croup y v OlMftA Princess PALAWAN : NORTrSw ' sum V BORNEO, achihugo LL2jsTr.. Ceebet Sea (Acme Telephoto) D. S. troops have secured the southern approaches to the main shipping channel through the Philippines with trie seizure of two more Islands southeast of Luzon. Romblon and Slmara Islands In the Slbuyan Sea are the 22nd and 23rd to be seized by General MacArthur's forces. New garni were rolled up on Mindanao and Luzon Islands while U. 8. oomcert pounded target in Sulu Archipelago, perhaps preparatory to Borneo Invasion. T T London, March 18 (U.R) Nazi radios said today that Red armies had opened violent new offensives on both wings of the Berlin front, in Silesia and be fore Stettin, to set the stage for the grand assault on the menaced capital. . , Berlin broadcasts reported that Marshal Ivan S. Konev's First Ukrainian army attacked on a broad arc south and south west of Breslau and that Mar shal Gregory K. Zhukov's First White Russian army stormed the Nazi bridgehead across the lower Oder from Stettin. Directly before Berlin, Soviet forces were reported pouring across the Oder into a growing bridgehead some 30 miles east of the capital for the final pusn forecast for some days by both Berlin and unofficial Moscow dispatches. 1 LABOR LEADERS SET NEW RECORD New York, March 15 U.B Joseph S. Fay and James Bove, American Federation of Labor leaders, were convicted of ex tortion today by a supreme court jury. The jury found them guilty on two counts of a seven-count in dictment which charged they ex torted more than $380,000 from contractors on the $300,000,000 Delaware river water project. State witnesses said the money was paid after Fay, vice presi dent of the International Union of Operating Engineers, and Bove, former vice president of the International Hodcarrlers, Building and Common Laborers Union of America, threatened to create labor disturbances. BOY HELD IN JAIL FOR WASHINGTON SHERIFF State police reported, today they have arrested a 16-year-old boy from South Bend, Wash., who is being held in jail pend ing arrival of the sheriff from South Bend. He was arrested March 13 at 11:50 p.- m., and state police said he admitted robberies in Raymond and South Bend, Wash. STASSEN SEES F. R. Washington, March 16 (U.R) Cmdr. Harold E, Stassen confer red with President Roosevelt to day on his personal plans as a delegate to the United Nations Conference in San Francisco. SENTENCE TRAITOR Paris, March 16 (U.R) Vice Admiral Jean Pierre Esteva, Vichy resident-general of Tuni sia, began a term of life im prisonment today as a traitor to France. The sentence, passed late yesterday after his convic tion in 9 treason court, also stripped him of his military rank and. confiscated bis property. MEDFORD, OREGON, PHILIPPINE ISLANDS LUZON Pacific Ocean annpony MARINDUOUi l?sJSlMARA- !AUinu,V T t - '" - - , : isai BULLETIN - Eugene and Verndnia will meet in the consolation finals of the state basketball tournament at Salem at 10 a. m. Saturday. Eugene defeated Newberg 47 to 31 and Vernonia edged out Hillsboro 39 to 35. Both games were played this morning. In tonight's championship semi-finals Washington of Port land meets Baker at 7:30 and Medford plays Oregon City at 8:45. ... (See page three for additional basketball.) BRITISH REVEAL7 BUZZ BOMB TOLL London, March 16 (U.R) Censorship permitted the first disclosure today that hundreds of Londoners have been killed or wounded by German V-2 Stratosphere rockets. . It had been permissible only to say that V- bombs fell in "southern England." How many rockets have fal len In the metropolitan area and the specific places they have hit remain a closely guarded secret V-2 casualty figures here since the first rockets crashed to earth from heights up to 70 miles were not revealed, but censor ship permitted the use of the word "hundreds" in describing them. POST FOR DUKE London, March 16. (U.R) King George VI was reported to day to be pondering a new post for his eldest brother and pre decessor on the throne, the Duke of Windsor. Windsor's resignation as gov ernor and commander in chief of the Bahamas, effective April 30. was announced by the colonial office last night. William L. Mur phy, colonial secretary at Ber muda, was named to succeed mm. SOON HEADS CHINESE Chungking, March 16 (U.R) T. V. Soong, acting president of the executive yuan and concur rently foreign minister, will head the Chinese delegation to the San Francisco security confer ence, it was learned authorita tively today. BIG RANCH SOLD Oakdale, Calif., March 16 0J.R) Ed Noble, Red Bluff cat tleman, and Moffatt & Co. have purchased the historic Frank heimer ranch comprising 7,700 acres ten miles northeast of here for over $500,000, it was reveal ed today. . NAVY TO CHECK FITNESS Washington. March 16 (U.R) The navy has taken steps to pre vent physically . unfit sailors from being sent overseas. Two navy bureaus said they had re ceived numerous reports of men sent overseas with ailments or defects 1 that prevented them Xroin performing, all their duties. FRIDAY, MARCH 16, 1945 FINAL DEBATE ON "HOT" BILLS DUE E House Coasts Waiting : For Upper Chamber to Catch Up; Hope Week-end Finish Salem, Ore., March 16 (U.R) A fistful of "hot" bills are due fnr finnl Hphata In th Oreffon senate today, while the house coasts and waits for the upper assembly to catch up on uncom Dieted legislation and sent it over for final action. The senate has on its calendar such major legislation as he proposed county manager . bill state employe pensions and merit' system, veterans' loans, fish conservation, rural school riictrlntsanri school funds from income tax surpluses. Only 22 bills are on the calendar, oui a lone session, with full-fledged debate, is in store. Seek Wind-Up The legislature, now In Its ASH!, ror-nrri-hrpakinff dav. hones for adjournment this week end. and senate and house leaders are pressing for the finish as soon as possible. Best forecasts put the sine die adjournment Saturday, although some of the optimistic members hope it can be tonight. Others, looking at the work still to be done, predict "that the longest session in history may drag over into next week. (Secretary of State Robert S. Farrell, Jr., estimated that the cost of the session, up to tonight, would reach $225,000.) The ' house completed Its cal endar early yesterday and is now virtually through work on house bills. It coasted yesterday afternoon, holding a brief meet ing late in the lay to form its calendar for today as the senate completed action on, nearly 40 measures, ,t . ...,. , , Major action in the senate In cluded final passage of a series of appropriation bills totaling nearly $20,000,000; the approval of a simplified state income tax form for taxpayers of less than $5,000; the "milk bill," which provides for the pasturlzatlon of all milk except that from certi fied disease-free herds, and the bill calling for the revamping of the public health department. THIEF GIVES UP Chicago, March 15 (U.R) Jack Malinoff, 39, Los Angeles jewelry salesman, surrendered today to face charges of the theft of several government watches. Spencer Drayton, FBI director, said the watches found in Malinoff's possession were part of 1,600 stolen in Los An geles. FLIERS MISSING Luke Army Airfield, Ariz., March 16 (U.R) The army disclosed here today that two aviation cadets, Paul D. Sum mers, 24, Butler, Pa., and Dal ton B. Tarver. 19, Dallas, Texas, have been missing more than 24 hours on a routine training mis sion. Lest on Sub (Acme Teltphoto) A congressional Investigation wai asked by Rep. Walker K. Orange! ID., Utah) into what he termed "al most criminal negligence" In loss at sea nf 8'ibmarlne Crewman 8 l 'C Joseph G. Snow (above;, 20. Delta. 1 tosS Tribune United Pn Full Porter Admits Own Crucifixion to Be Of Aid to Countrj Chicago, March 16 (U.R) Fred Walcher, the 44-year-o tavern porter who police be lieve planned his own cruci fixion, admitted it today. When Wallcher appeared in municipal court, Judge Victor Kula asked why he submitted to the ordeal. - "So many of the boys were dying overseas that I thought I would do something for my country," the seedy-looking de fendant replied. He gestured with bandaged hands, now healing from the holes made by the nails witji which he was hung to a cross Friday. Judge Kola continued the dis orderly conduct charge until March 28 and placed Walcher in the custody of David Rotman, court psychiatrist. E T Washington, March 16. (U.R) Soft coal mine operators today formally rejected the 18 wage contract demands of the United Mine Workers. But they offered counter-proposals on six of the demands which they said would add $1.69 a week to miners basic earnings. The operators presented their answer to the union demands at a morning session of the joint wage conference which is seek ing to draft a new contract to replace the one which expires March 31. The operators flatly rejected the union's demand for a 10-cent a ton royalty which would be used for an -insurance and hos pitalization fund under the union s jurisdiction. The operators charged that this proposal- presented - an en tirely . new social theory and philosophy"' which-would affect every industry in America. IS Havana, March 16. (U.R) A conspiracy against the Cuban government has been put down and 80 persons have been arrest ed, the presidential palace an nounced today. Col. Jose Eleuterlo Pedraza, who was chief of the national police during President Fulgen cio Batista's government, was among those arrested, the palace announcement said. There were no immediate de tails on the uprising, but a brief statement from President Armon Grau San Martin's office said the revolt had been "broken." (Batista, who was replaced by Grau as president last December was reported en route to San Francisco today after completing a tour of Latin-America.) CHECK PASSER HELD Chicago, March 16 (U.R) FBI Officials said today Reno. Nev., authorities were holding Allen Dubchinsky, 32, accused of passing worthless checks to taling $3,500 in New York, Chi cago, Cleveland, St. Louis, and Detroit. AIDE TO PRESIDENT Washington, March 16 (U.R) Col. Richard Park, Jr., 33- ycar-old native Washingtonlan, has been named to succeed the late Maj. Gen. Edwin M. Wat son as military aide to the presi dent, the White House announced today. Park has been assistant aide for a year. SUPPRESSED 'Going My Way', Crosby and Ingrid Bergman Cop Oscars Hollywood, March 16 (U) Ingrid Bergman, all choked up, Blng Crsoy, all grins, and "Go ing My Way" all powerful, early today walked off with almost every major "Oscar" at the movie makers' 17th annual award presentation. "Going My Way," Para mount's picture about two Cath olic priests, dragged down sev en awards including four of the six top honors. "Wilson," 20th Century Fox studio's story of the World War I president, followed with six all techni cal citations. Miss Bergman took top hon ors for her work in "Gaslight," opposite Charles Boyer, Cros by's award was for his role in "Going My Way." "ire NO. 301 f SUPPLIES TO ' IGRY NATIONS DEFENDED BY F.R. President Outspoken in Be- helf of Policy Attitude of Critics Said Indecent. . Washington, March 16. (U.R) President Roosevelt today vig orously defended the admlnistra tion's policy of having this coun try help feed other less fortunate nations. He told a news conference he was aware of some opposition to reducing American consumption of certain items so that people in other nations do not starve. Matter of Decency But it Is a matter of national decency that this nation help feed those who do not have enough to eat, he said. Mr. Roosevelt said he could not bring himself to think that this country had suffered greatly or was going to when the Amerl can standard of living is com pared with that of other coun tries. - He added that he thought his feeling reflected not only the attitude of the administration but that of a large majority of the American population. He belabored critics who op pose reducing our consumption even though some other people might starve. Such an attitude, he said. Is not decent and actu ally the American people are a decent people, BOYSJpELD FOR CAR THEFT Two 16 -year -old Medford youths are held in the county jail pending court action Tues day before Judge H. K. Hanna who is handling juvenile' cases in the absence of Judge J. B. Coleman. The boys are charged with stealing an automobile belonging to Mrs. Merl Mitchell, 21V So. Orange street, about 9:30 p. m Monday. According to the state police, the youths drove the car around town nights, later turn ing it over three times four miles east of Gold Hill on the Sams Valley road. They also broke into a cigarette salesman's truck in Medford, where they stole cigarettes and whiskey, state police and juvenile officers said. ELZIE LEMM0NS HOME FROM PACIFIC SERVICE Elzie Lemmons, former pri vate with an Infantry unit, has returned to Medford to live after having been given an honorable discharge from the army March 8. Lemmons served four years, nine months of that time being spent in the South Pacific. He was formerly with both the 91st and 70th Infantry Divisions. Lemmons was hospitalized for a time before his discharge. He is at the family home, 1211 West Main street, with his wife and children. CALIFORNIA STUDIES MAXIMUM VET LOANS Sacramento, March 16 (U.R) The state senate today was studying a bill recommended by the Military Affairs com mittee authorizing maximum state loans of $12,500 to World War II veterans for farm pur chases. Leo McCarey, who produced, directed, and wrote "Going My Way," won Oscars for the best direction and' another for the best original story, Barry Fitzgerald, be-specta-cled priest of "Going My Way," picked up his "Oscar" for the best supporting role. Ethel Barrymore, First Lady of the American stage, topped the list at the best supporting actress. Tiny Margaret O'Brien, 8-year-old actress, won a minia ture "Oscar" as the outstanding child star. Lamar TrottI took top hon ors for the best original screen play with "Wilson" and Frank Butler and Frank Cavett for the best written screen play with 'Qoing My Way." Yankee Breakthrough Splits Nazi Defenses On Rhine East Bank Paris, March 16. (U.PJAmerlcan troops split the German de fenses on the east bank of the Rhine today with a breakthrough, across the Rhine-Ruhr-Berlin superhighway in two places seven miles northeast of the Remagen bridgehead. The breaks, opening the way for an American armored sweep down the six-lane highway Into the exposed southern flank of th Ruhr valley, came as the U. S. third and seventh armies to the) south started a nut-cracker offensive against the industrial Saar basin. THIRD ARMY ACROSS MOSELLE Lt. Gen. George S. Patton's third army columns on the Saar front were across the Moselle in force south of Coblenz and racing ahead at a mile-an-hour clip in a bid to envelop and destroy Ger many's last t-vo field armies west of the Rhine. Doughboys of an unidentified American infantry division sev ered the Rhine-Ruhr-Berlin speedway with a rapid-fire advance into and through the village of Hovel, seven miles northeast of Remagen. The Yanks swept out of the woods north and south of Hovel and across the roadway into the shelter of another wooded cluster on the east side of the highway. Nazi rear guards fell back before the American attack, and field dispatches said German villages east of the Yank battle lines were festooned with white flage. VILLAGERS URGE WEHRMACHT TO FLEE Rhineland villages everywhere In the battle area were said to have appealed to the wehrmacht homes from destruction. American pressure all around the bridgehead perimeter was beginning to tell on the German defenders after 10 days of close-in fighting. Hoenningen, southern anchor of the German defense line flva miles southeast of Remagen, was captured and United Press War Correspondent John McDermott reported that the Yank salient now measured 13 miles in length and as much as seven miles deep an area of 91 square miles, That represented an advance of a mile lengthwise and a half-mile inland in the last 24 hours. TRIBUTIONS TO POLITICAL CHESTS SET NEW RECORD Washington. March 18 0J.R) The American people contrib uted more money to political war chests in the 1944 national elections than in any other cam paign in history. The senate campaign expendi tures committee reported today that 1944 contributions to var ious political organizations to taled at least $25,298,384, of which at least $23,021,878 was actually spent. It emphasized that additional millions were sDent by county and local or ganizations which did not file reports. The nrevious high in contri butions was in 1940 when they reached $24,174,224. The 1936 campaign, however, remains the record year tor actual expenai- tures with a total of $23,973,329. The committee reported that neither the Democratic nor ttie Reoubllcan National Committees exceeded the $3,000,000 limit placed by the Hatch Act on ex penditures. The Republicans reported re ceipts of $2,999,999 and expenai- tures of $2,828,651: the Demo crats, receipts of $2,562,784, ex penditures of $2,056,121. . The report gave a comprehen sive listing of contributions by prominent families. Largest was the $109,832 given by 3L mem bers of the DuPont family to Re- Dublican committees. Nine mem bers of the family of Joseph Pew. Pennsylvania oil magnate, gave $96,995 to the Republican cause. Other Republican donors In the family group were the Rockefellers, Mellons, Guggeu heims. and Vanderbilts. In the opposing camp, Mr. and Mrs. Marshall Field of Chicago contributed $22,000 to Demo cratic and Independent Commit tees. Five members of the fam ily of Andrew J. Higgins, New Orleans shlDbuilder, gave $20, 680 to the Democratic and Inde pendent causes. Seabees Planned As Navy Fixtures Washington, March 16. (U.R) It looks as though the Seabees are here to stay. The navy created the con struction . battalions official name for" the Seabees a little more than three years ago to meet a war emergency. But now, it was learned, the navy plans to include the Sea bees as a regular part of the postwar naval service. High- ranking naval officers also are talking about retaining Waves In the postwar navy but this would require legislation. NBC CUTS COMMERCIALS FROM MIDDLE OF NEWS New York, March 16. (U.R) Commercial announcements In the middle of news broadcasts were ended today on all radio stations owned and operated by the National Broadcasting com pany. It was said the step was taken because "news today Is the number one public service obligation. GENERAL KILLED Manila, March 16 (U.R) Maj. Gen. Edwin D. Patrick, 80- ycar-old commander of the U.S Sixth Infantry Division, died yesterday of wounds received during an Inspection of the front lines east of Manila, it was dis closed today. to retreat in order to save their JAYCEES TO CONDUCT DRIVE FOR CLOTHING Medford's Junior Chamber of Commerce has been designated, by Mayor Clarence A. Meeker to handle a clothing drive which will be started in the near fu ture to collect clothing for peo ple of the allied nations it was announced today. Victor Milnes of the junior group will act ai chairman, Meeker stated. The drive will be on a nation wide basis, with William Kaizer of New York as national chair man. Dates will be announced soon. ' Washington, March 16 A policy of strict nonpartisanship will underline the Townsend or-, ganlzatlon's drive for national insurance in 1945, it was an nounced this week by Dr. Fran cis E. TnwtiRenH. 7a.vwr-nlri founder and president of the or ganization which bears his name. .. . . "We have adopted a brand new method of approach this year," Dr. Townsend said in an interview, "We have Introduced two Townsend bills in congress; Instead of one. Rep. Pat Cannon of Florida, a Democrat, has in troduced one, and Rep. Homer D. A, Angell, an Oregon Repub lican, has introduced the other.'' "The bills, numbered HR 2229 and HR 2230, are identical in every respect. They call for na tional Insurance to all citizens) 60 years of age and older who promise to retire from gainful employment and to spend their monthly annuities within 30 days of receipt. Similar Insur ance Is provided for the blind, for widows with dependent chil dren and for the permanently disabled, including disabled war veterans. The bills call for a 3 per cent tax on all gross busi ness and personal income In ex cess of $1,200 a year to finance the program." leon Mckenzie wins promotion on field Leon McKenzie of Medford has been given a field promotion from first sergeant to second lieutenant according to a cable gram to his wife who resides at 305 South Riverside aver.ue. Lt. McKenzie was formerly an in structor In Medford Junior high school and Is now serving In the 70th Infantry Division, known as the Trallblazer Division, in Germany. Lt. McKenzie has been In serv ice one and one-half years and In Europe for the past three months. FAGS SELL HIGH Los Angeles, March 18 (U.R) Cigarettes sold at four dollars a carton here yesterday and the OPA didn't mind a bit be cause Uncle Sam was peddling them. The Federal Customs Service auctioned off 343" car tons of seized and unclaimed smokes and tne auctioneer had permission from Washington to ignore ceiling prices. Radio Highlights Radio Station KMED will broadcast the state champion ship basketball game from Wil lamette university gym Saturday night it Medford wins tonight's game with Oregon City. The game will begin at 8:49 p.nr. Score on tonight's game will be given from the Mall Tribune office between 9:45 and 10:43 p.m. NEW APPROACH IN TOWNSEND DRIVE
