Medford mail tribune. (Medford, Or.) 1909-1989, April 01, 1945, Image 1

Historic Oregon Newspapers

Medford mail tribune., April 01, 1945, Page 1, Image 1

Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR

About Medford mail tribune. (Medford, Or.) 1909-1989 | View Entire Issue (April 1, 1945)

Page of 10 Next Prev Issue Next Text PDF JP2 (2.7 MB) Clip/Print Image

Return to Top

Page of 10 Next Prev Issue Next

Newspaper Page TextUse Th MaU Trlbuna Want. Ad Way Culck Result! At Small Cost Weather Sunday, fair and clear. LlttU - c binge la temperature. Temperature HUheit yesterday BS Loweit this morning , 38 Tribune FORD United Prett Full Leased Wire . United Press Full Leased Wire Fortieth Year MEDFORD, OREGON, SUNDAY, APRIL 1, 1945 NO. 8. Med Armada Nears Okinawa; Japan Staggers Under Huge Air and Sea Blows By United Preu Tokyo radio announced Sunday that Japanese army planes are attacking a full American fleet off Okinawa Islands in the Ryu kyus. The broadcast, monitored by NBC, said the battle was "still raging" and predicted that it would be "as fierce as the second battle of the Philippines the American landings on Leyte." Guam, Sunday, April 1 (U.R) American carrier-based planes have destroyed or damaged 49 Japanese ships In almost continuous attacks on the Ryukyus Islands, it was announced today as Radio Tokyo reported that a huge, heavily guarded transport armada was bearing down on Okinawa, 330 miles south of Japan, led by minesweepers. More than 100 Superfortresses from the Marianas blasted targets on the southern Japanese 'iland of Kyushu. Big guns of Adm. Raymond A. Spruance's U. S. 5th fleet hammered Okinawa with thousands of shells Saturday for the ninth successive day. The British Pacific Fleet again battered the Sakishima Islands be tween Formosa and Okinawa. The Japanese were reeling under some of the heaviest blows of the Pacific war. Radio Tokyo said "one-fourth to one-third" of all of America's naval power npw was concentrated in the far western Pacific on Japan's doorstep intensifying attacks which have cost the Japanese 967 planes and 104 to 108 ships destroyed or damaged in two weeks. Dispatches from the American fleet flagship said Okinawa was a scene of "utter desolation. And a thick black cloud of smoke covered the island. Pilots saw no human, activity and con cluded that the Japanese had taken to the rugged northern hills to escape the hellish bom bardment. Adm. Chester W. NImitz an- aounced that fast carrier task forces battered Kyushu and the Ryukyu islands Wednesday and Thursday. They ran up the following score: "Sunk: Two destroyer escorts, one medium cargo ship, ten small cargo ships, four luggers, one motor torpedo boat total 18. Probably sunk: Nine medium cargo ships, five small cargo ships total 14. Damaged: One destroyer es cort, 13 small cargo ships, one medium cargo ship total 15. In addition carrier planes at tacking numerous targets on Okinawa on Friday, destroyed four submarine pens and two torpedo boats in the submarine base at Unten bay on the west coast. The carrier planes, in the Wednesday-Thursday attacks, shot down 29 Japanese planes and one glider in air battles, destroyed 16 planes on the ground and damaged or de stroyed 42 others aground. In addition they damaged air plane hangers, shops and other installations on .Tokuno island, 70 miles northeast of Okinawa, on Yaku island, 40 miles south of Kyushu, and in the southern Kyushu cities of Kanoya, Ku shira, Chiran, Tojimbara and Ibusukl. American losses were 12 planes and six pilots. On Friday fleet Dauiesnips, Including inew 45,000 tonners. 'steamed up to Okinawa and shelled shore Installations at close range. They breached sea walls and hammered gun posi tions, airfields and bridges. c 1L Washington, March 31 U.R) Argentina was given a clean bill of political health by the other 20 American republics today. This presaged early termina tion of the diplomatic quaran tine imposed on Argentina last year. It also made possmie hut not necessarily probable Argentina's participation in the San Francisco World Security conference. Argentina had done what was necessary to get back into wc American republics' fold when on March 28 she declared war on Germany and Japan. Her return was formalized when the Pan American govern ing board unanimously adopted a resolution today declaring that Argentina had met all the neces sary conditions. Assistant Secretary of State Nelson Rockefeller cast this country's vote for the resolution. Whether Argentina ultimately will be invited to San Francisco remains to be seen. Soviet Rus sia, for one, is believed to be against it. FOURTH WIFE FREED Las Vegas, Ncv., March 31 (U.PJ Sugar heir Adolph Sptsrk les, now an army private, today lost his fourth wife when Mrs. Emily Speckles won an uncon tested divorce. FEDERAL SEIZURE SOFT COAL MINES Washington April 1 (Sun day (U.R) Government seizure of the nation's soft coal mines was widely forseen early today when a spokesman for the Joint mine wage conference predicted that the entire matter of con tinued operation of the mines would be settled by 4 p. m. to day. The prediction was made by Ezra .Van. Horn, . Cleveland, chairman of the joint wage con ference and its official spokes man. He also hinted that the United Mine workers had refused to ac cept a war labor board order for continued operation of the mines under terms of the old contract which expired at 12:01 a. m., with any money benefits finally agreed upon or ordered by the board to be retroactive to today. Van Horn spoke briefly to re porters after a nearly-five-hour session of the joint conference The meeting was called in an ef fort to settle the demand ol UMW President John L. Lewis that the operators furnish written guarantee that they would comply with the retroac tivity provision of the board's order to extend the old contract Van Horn said the joint con ference would reconvene at 11 a. m. Monday but that "the en tire matter will be resolved by not later than 4 p. m. today." SENATE TO KILL MANPOWER BILL, Washington, March 31 (U.R) Sens. Edwin C. Johnson, D. Colo., and Joseph C. O'Mahonoy, D., Wyo., tonight predicted over whelming senate rejection of the pending compromise man power bill. Both legislators said the meas ure had been killed by the state ment of War Momillzatlon Di rector James F. Byrnes, in his report to President Roojevelt, that the bill was necessary to assure production of essential civilian as well as war goods. O'Mahoney said he would In itiate action on a milder bill. He has vigorously opposed the pend ing measure. Johnson is one of the authors of the compromise measure and made the motion which brought its approval by house and senate statement, he said, he will now conferees. But in view of Byrnes' "certainly" vote against it. "Justice Byrnes," Johnson said in a prepared statement, "has effectively destroyed all chances for senate adoption of the manpower conference report by his grotesque statement that 'the need for manpower legisla tion continues . . . not only for war production but also for the production of essential clvfflnn goods, and later to facilitate re conversion." "The conference report Is dead." i Yank pi, Several damaging nsar missel are icored on a large Jap aircraft carrier caught by Pacific Fleet carrier planes in their daring raids on Jap fleet units in the Inland Sea. At bottom of pho to, a large Nip submarine is underway, attempting to escape a bomb (center) heading its way. U. S. Navy Photo. OF NEGROS FALLS; JAPS SURPRISED Allied Headquarters, Manila, Sunday, April 1 (U.R) Ameri- n 40th Infantry Division troops have captured Bacolod, provincial capital of Npgros Is lands, in a lightning drive which caught Japanese defenders so by surprise they were unable to set off extensive demolition charges, Gen. Douglas MacAr thur announced today. ... The Americans crossed the Magsungay and Lupit rivers af ter capturing all bridges intact, and entered the city yesterday. Bacolod was quickly overrun and fast mechanized units im mediately ranged northward to ward the T a 1 1 s a y airfield. Bacolod airdrome was captured Friday. Only opposition encounte id was near Murcia, southeast of Bacolod, which is being reduced, MacArthur said. Large quantities of fuel and supplies were destroyed by American planes, supporting ground troops who landed Thurs day on the fourth largest Phil ippines Island. MacArthur reported that the Americal Division on Cebu, east of Ncgros, had cleared enemy pockets cf resistance lorth of Lahug a'rfield and in the lower foothills of the centra! range. An enemy attempt to infiltrate po sitions it "ardo were repulsed. On the southern Luzon front, seven mile advances were scored against little resistance while in the center the 11th corps con tinued to drive north against light opposition. In the north em sector, the 1st corps seized Galiano, nine miles . from the coast, and drova three miles to the southeast on the Naguilian-E-guio road. V-E DAY IS PLEA Washington, March 31 (U.R) The American people were urg ed tonight to observe V-E day as "a day of work and worship.' War mobilization director James F. Byrnes made this re quest In his quarterly report: "No one can tell when v-E. day will come. But when we are advised by Gen. Eisenhower that organized resistance of the German army has ceased, I hope the American people wil' make that day a day of work and worship. I recommend th2t all government agencies observe the spirit of this request. SMALL DAMAGE CAUSED BY RESIDENTIAL FIRE A roof fire about 8:45 p. m. Saturday did small damage to a house occupied by P. S. John ston, 928 West Second street, ac cording to the fire department. It Is said to have started from sparks from the chimney. Sacramento, March 31 IU.R) Officials of McClellan Field to night announced that 1st Lt. Roy B. Crane of the sixth ferrying group, Long Beach, Cal., was killed today Planes Seek Out Jap L Brynes Indicates Wage and Price Control to End When Japs Whipped Washington, March 31-(U.R) Mobilization Director James F. Byrnes, although he held out no hope for more food, indicated to night that .V-E day would mean more automobiles and refrig erators for civilians in the en suing months and perhaps "a small increase in the basic gaso line ration." Price, wage and manpower controls, in the meantime, must be continued into the indefinite future, not only until Japan is defeated but until the country has converted its economy back to a peacetime footing. Byrnes said unemployment following V-E day will be "tem porary in nature." "The tremendous backlog of civilian demand, with savings in cluding war bond holdings, at a total of 140 billion dollars, should quickly provide employ ment." he added. The WPB, Byrnes said, plans to increase SDot authorization for limited civilian production im mediately after Germany falls It also plans to substitute a sim Die nrioritics plan for the pres ent restrictive and complex ma terials control law. Materials will be released ex cept where shortages persist, as In the case of textiles, paper and miln. lumber, leather, contain ers and chemicals, he said. More over, he said. WPB "is prepared to take prompt actions to pre vent the building or excess in ventories and to protect small business." CRISISlEAFFOR T London, March 31 (U.R) In formed diplomatic quarters re ported today a critical breach between Generalissimo Francis co Franco's rerime and a bloc oi Spanish monarchists who hope to crown pretender Don Juan as king of Spain. The resignation of the Duke of Alba as ambassador to Bri tain opened the campaign. Span ish ambassadors in Washington. Rio de Janeiro, Buenos Aires and Santiago reportedly were re linquishing their posts. There are regarded as key positions in the Spanish foreign service. S CANADIANS OPPOSE Ottawa, March 31 (U.R) Canadian participation In the world security conference at San Francisco was opposed to day by only five members of the house of commons. The five in dependents voted against send ing a Canadian delegation to the conference as 202 other mem bers of commons supported a plea by Prime Minister Mackcn zie King ycftrrday for unanim ous endorsement. Fleet E T London, Sunday, April 1 (U.R) Overrunning more than 70 Aus trian towns, the red army drove to within 33 miles of Vienna Sat urday while on the flanks of its 300-mile offensive front other soviet forces streaked to within 142 miles of Italy's Adriatic coast and breached the vaunted defenses of the Moravian gap. Marshal feodor L Telbuluun s 3d Ukrainian army captured the Austrian town of Deutschkruez in the closest Russian approach to the old Austrian capital of Vienna, driving up from the south in a bid to outflank the German defenses. East of Vienna on the north ern bank of the Danube, storm units of the 2d Ukrainian army captured the "hedgehog" posi tion of Nitra and drove on across the Vah river in a 14-mile gain to capture Galanta, only 27 miles east of the Slovak capital, Brati slava. The retch's southeastern ram- Darts buckled and threatened to break under the piledriver Rus sian assaults between the Yugo slav frontier and the central Czechoslovakian industrial area An unconfirmed Radio Luxem- boure broadcast said the Ger mans were quitting Vienna, Bratislava and Prague, the last important European capital still under nazl subjugation NEW IllDFUSS TO PARLEY BREWS Washington, March 31 U.R) A fresh sore SDot developed in allied relations today with re jection by Great Britain and the United States of a Soviet sugges tion that the Warsaw Polish Bovernment be Invited to the San Francisco conference. British and American officials reaffirmed their determination to exclude Poland from the United Nations parley unless a new, broader Polish government, blueprinted by the Big Three at Yalta, is set up by next month. Because this new government has not taken shape, Russia ask ed that t'..e Soviet-fostered War saw regime be invited to San Francisco to give Poles some part in the charting of a world secur ity organization. The United States' refusal ex pressed hope that a new "Polish government of national unity" still would be formed in time for the conference. Britain's atti tude was similar. President Roosevelt, Prime Minister Winston Churchill and Premier Josef Stalin agreed at Yalta to recognize a Polish gov ernment based on the Warsaw regime but broadened by inclu sion of other Poles from within Poland and abroad. Altadena, Calif., March 31 (U.R) Pfc. Ira A. Dollar, 19. grandson of the late Capt. Rob ert Dollar, founder of the Dollar Steamhlp lines, was killed In ac tion in France March 13, Judge Tooze Holds No Auth ority to Accept Jurisdic tion in Federal Case Portland, Ore., March 31-(U.R) A far-reaching opinion dismiss- ing five civil cases filed by the OPA was handed down today by Presiding Circuit Court Judge Walter L. Tooze of Multnomah county. Judge Tooze said an Oregon court did not have authority to accept jurisdiction for a federal case. The OPA announced it would appeal the decision to the state supreme court. OPA Enforce ment Attorney Franz E. Wagner of Portland said Judge Tooze erroneously came to the con clusion that the federal govern. ment of the United States of America was a foreign sov ereignty having no authority to vest jurisdiction of these types of actions in the state courts. OPA Administrator Chester Bowles sought to have the county circuit court take juris- diction in enforcing penalty pro visions of the emergency price control act of the United States government. The suits were sim- liar to many others on file in Portland and other Oregon cities in which the OPA seeks to re. cover for the government treble damages for overcharges and to enjoin firms and individuals from violating regulations as to maximum charges. He sustained defense demur rers and motions to dismiss. holding that congress overstep ped the limitations of its power in passing legislation making It mandatory for the state courts to take jurisdiction. Judge Tooze made the dis tinction 'Hhat the state courts must assume jurisdiction in all cases brought under the emerg ency price control act by con sumers In their own names and for their own use and benefit to recover for overcharges but that actions brought by the price ad ministrator in his own name and for the sole and exclusive bene fit of the United States are penal in character and not within state jurisdiction. "If congress can force jurisdic tion upon a state court to en force one penal law of the Unit ed States, it follows that it would have power to impose such juris diction in all cases Involving vio lations of the penal laws of the nation," Judge Tooze held. "That certainly would present a novel situation and would indeed be a far cry from the doct-ine of state's rights." "It is true that during recent years and particularly under the urge of a popular hysteria some courts have been led to surrender that judicial inde pendence sought to be establish ed by the founding fathers. . , . Some courts have been inclined to follow their political and, eco nomic beliefs, rather than be guided by constitutional prin ciples." CHARITYECONOMY Washington, March 31 (U.R) Mobilization Director James F. Byrnes said tonight that "we will gladly do our part to relieve suffering and distress in a war torn world." "Hnowvpr" he added, "we net nil, A mncMprfltion BlSO to the people who will pay the bills." That means, he said, that "we mnct H-vnti more attention to economy in government." JAIL TUCeTARE P Newell, Cal., March 31 (U.R) Fifteen men, accused of carry ing out pro-Japanese activities at the Tule Lake segregation center had been sentenced to jail terms of from 80 to 110 days. Acting Project Director Harry L. Black announced tonight. The men, all of whom pleaded guilty, included the presidents and vice-presidents of two pro Japanese societies representing a minority in the center, Black said. WAR BULLETINS By United Press Australian troops haye trapped 32.000 Japanese in the Gaxelle Peninsula at the east ern end of New Britain, the Melbourne radio, quoting an official army report, said Sat urday. Two-thirds of the by-passed islands have been regainod and the Australian Air Force now has a new airstrip at acquinot Bay in the southern sector. ' By United Press The Tokyo radio said Sat urday that Japanese forces were attacking Laohokow in China after seizing the former American air base outside the city on Tuesday. PLAN MORE BEEF, Slaughter Subsidy and Dairy Benefits Continued, OPA Announces. Washington, March 31 (U.R) Government food officials to night announced two steps de signed to step up production of eef anu to maintain the present high output of dairy products. They were: ,The present 80 cents per hun dred pounds subsidy to so-called non-processing cattle slaughter ers will be continued at that rate, instead of being cut to 30 cents per hundredweight on Sunday as had been scheduled 2. Dairy production payments ranging from 60 to B0 cents a hundred pounds of milk also will be continued, instead of being cut tomorrow by 35 cents per hundredweight as had been scheduled. The order maintaining the present rate for the non-process Ing slaughterers subsidy grew out of two factors 1, com plaints by small slaughterers be fore a senate investigating com mittee this week that they already were losing money and would lose even more when the subsidy was cut; and 2, a ruling by the emergency court of ap peals on Thursday that beef ceilings already were so low that small slaughterers were los ing money. The decision to maintain the now-processing slaughterers' sub sidy at its present rate was an nounced by price administrator Chester Bowles. He also reveal ed that OPA has petitioned the emergency court a tribunal set up for the specific purpose of considering litigation arising from OPA rulings to reconsid er its decision. Extension of the dairy subsidy was announced by the war food administration. WFA said the action was approved by econo mic stabilization director Wil liam H. Davis because dilrymen are bearing unusually heavy burdens in wages and feed costs. Bowles said the emergency court will consider OPA's ap peal for reconsideration on Mon. day. ALLIESlfLETE By United Press The British radio said Satur tr that hleh officials of the Allied Control Commission have completed plans for the occupa tion of the Reich and will leave soon for Germany. Quoting the London Dally Telegraph, the broadcast said that "complete understanding has been reached by Britain, America and France as to the local administrations of the oc cupation zones, and close contact is maintained with the Rus sians." The broadcast was re ported by CUS. "The general Impression here is that there will be no place in Germany which will capitulate In the name of the Reich," the broadcast said. "Therefore, a complete military occupation is the only solution." VETERAN CONVICTED Newark, N. J., March 31 (U.R) John J. Keegan, 25-year-old discharged psychoneurotic war veteran, was convicted tonight of second degree murder In the laxicab slaying of his wife. L Surrender Rules Given Nazis as Nine Armies Drive to Berlin Paris, Sunday, April 1 j(U.R) Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower put a fresh, new American army on the high road to Berlin deep in side central Germany today and issued detailed surrender in structions to crumbling German forces as h I tani,. ma.oj through a town only 170 miles irom me nazl capital. As the 15th Amopinan r.-... joined the American 1st and 3d armies in the final battles of the European war, the French 1st army stormed across the Rhine on a 10-mile front around Speier and made contact with the U. S. 7th armv in the vininitw zjw enhelm, 21 miles north of Karls- rune. The French ncemtlt aln.A.3 . - . V, BUUCU Ofc the Bavarian Alps, where the nazis nope to make their last stand, gave Eisenhower fntal of nine armies racing across in ner oermany thunderously ac centing his Invitation to all enemy forces to surrender forth with and avoid unnecessary loss of life. . High Command Sags The allied supreme command er, declaring the German high command had lost control, told enemy units to send surrender emissaries to the nearest allied command post. They were told to maintain discipline and dis play the customary signs of sur render, particularly by adandon ing their arms. An announcement from Gen. Omar N. Bradley's 12th army group headquarters said the new 15th army of Lt. Gen. Leonard T. Gerow had joined the Amer ican 1st and 3d armies In cen. . tral Germany. , Third army tanks were in tha outskirts of the great 18-way road and rail hub of Kassel . only five miles away from the south. Other tank spearheads drove even closer to Berlin, reaching Lautenbausen, seven miles east of Hcrsfeld and only 170 miles from their goal. Keeping pace with this crush ing drive in the center. Field Marshal Sir B. L. Montgomery's British and American armies ad vanced on the Westphalian plain and the American 7th army mov ed ahead on the approaches to the nazi shrine city of Nern berg. Montgomery's armies drove a tank wedge 65 miles beyond tha Rhine, according to latest of ficial announcements. The exact point of the wedge was cloaked by a security blackout, but there was no doubt the British were well beyond the great rail cen ter of Muenster, which is less than 50 miles from the Rhine. Lt. Gen. Alexander M. Patch's 7th army, paced by the 12th ar mored division, smashed a deep hole in German defenses along the Main river at Amorbach, 20 miles south of Aschaffcnburg. Tanks and armored cars raced more than 25 miles east, vaulting the Taubcr river and driving within six miles of Wuerzburg at Waldbrunn. At this point the 12th armored was within 60 miles of Nuern berg and the alarmed German radio declared also that the drive was aimed at the great ball-bearing manufacturing center of Schweinfurt, 20 miles northwest of Wuerzburg, where one of the greatest air battles of the war was fought Oct. 14. 1943. In that battle the Germans lost 185 planes In attempts to protect their phnts. Washington, March 31 U.R) The office of price administra tion tonight announced a revi sion of Its ration point system whereby blocks of five red and five blue point stamps will be come valid on the first of each month. OPA described the step as a move to make it easier for house wives and storekeepers to re member what stamps are good. , The new system becomes effec tive tomorrow, when red stamps K2, L2, M2. N2 and P2 and bluo stamps T2, U2, V2, W2 and X2 become valid. All stamps henceforth will be good during the four months fol lowing their validation, OPA said. Thus the two new blocks will be good until July 31.