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About Medford mail tribune. (Medford, Or.) 1909-1989 | View Entire Issue (May 2, 1945)
mm Mm fo) J MS Weather FORECAST: C!er to partly cloudy tonight and Thursday. tomuuea warm. Temp. Highest Teitrday ..... Lowest this Morning , Fortieth Year Nazis in North Italy ACTION PERMITS UNHINDERED DRIVE ON SOUTH REICH Between 600,000 and 900, . COO Nazis Put Out of War; Papers Signed Sunday. By Herbert G. King United Press Correspondent Representing the combined American Press. Royal Palace at Caserta, Near Naples, May 2 (U.R) The Ger man armies of northern Italy and western Austria formally surrendered to the allies today, effective at 8 a. m., EWT. The surrender affects between 600,000 and 900,000 men com manded by Gen. Heinrich Von Vietinghoff and Gen. Karl Wolff, chief of police and security for northern Italy and western Aus tria. Signed Sunday Lieut. Gen. W. D. Morgan, of the British army, who negotiated in behalf of Field Marshal Sir Harod R. L. G. Alexander, su preme commander in the Medt terranean theater, said the terms "in effect are complete and un conditional surrender." Thedocuments were signed In the royal palace here on Sunday bv Morgan and two German off cers. one of whom represented Von Veitinghoff and the other Wolff. The surrender will permit the allies to make an unhindered ad vance to within 10 miles of Adolf Hitler's former country home at Berchtesgaden. It also uncovers the flank of Col. Gen, Von Lehr, commanding enemy troops in the Trieste area. Washington, May 2 (U.R) President Truman declared to day that the unconditional sur render of German forces in Italy was "but a part of the gen- eral triumph we are expectantly waiting on the whole continent of Europe. At the same time he called upon Japan as well as Germany to "understand the meaning of these events." Mr. Truman said "only folly and chaos can now delay the general capitulation of the ev ery where defeated German ar mies." LAVAL REFUSED HAVEN IN SPAIN Madrid, May 2 (U.R) Pierre Laval flew from Switzer land to Barcelona today, and the Spanish government was report ed to have ordered him out of the country at once. Laval, former Vichy Chief of Government, Marcel Deat, an other ardent collaborationist, and four other Frenchmen arrived at Barcelona aboard a German Junkers 88. U. S. Ambassador Norman Ar mour visited the Spanlsn For eign Office and was told that Gen. Francisco Franco had or dered the Immediate departure of the plane crew and all male passengers. One woman, perhaps Laval's daughter. Countess Jo sette de Chambrun, was reported in the party. SIDE GLANCES By TRIBUNE REPORTERS Fred Byington merrily pedal ing to school carrying a huee bouquet of flowers on his bicycle and unaware that he was being closely followed by four femin ine students. Fire Chief Roy Elliott finding Kimself without spare fishing tackle while angling at Squaw lake Sunday. Lavinia Walters pleased with a May basket from her church Sunday school class. MEDFORD United Press Adolf Hitler, sickly son of an postwar failure who drifted uselessly until he was 30, became ruler of the most ruthless conquerors since Attila the Hun, came nearer to any other man before him. But his house of cards, built on the blood and misery of the millions he conquered, including the German people, collapsed about him. Thus he ended his meteoric career as he started it a failure a victim of the wrath of the world's outraged humanity. As an agitator in 1919, he and six other malcontents formed what was to be the Nasi party in Munich. The abortive "beer hall putsch" of 1928 failed. He was later arrested and sent to jail, where he wrote "Mein Kampf," the nasi Bible. By strong-arm methods and political craft he finally won leadership of Germany, tricking aged Field Marshal Von Hindenburg, the president, into making him reich chancellor. Once firmly in the saddle, he and his cohorts intensified Germany. $7 BILLION CUT Less For Ships, 0WI, WPB, 0DT, Censorship, Abolition of Civilian Defense Asked, Washington, May 2. U.R President Truman today recom mended budget reductions of more than $7,000,000,000 for 10 top war agencies of the govern ment. This was part of the prepara tion for transition from a two- war to a one-war basis. In rapid succession today the president: 1. Recommended that con gress cut the funds now avail able to the maritime commission for ship construction by more than $7,000,000,000. 8 Agencies Hit 2. Recommended a. reduction of more than $80,000,000 in the 1948 budget estimates ot eight agencies. This included propos als for sharp slashes in the funds of the office of war information the war production board, the office of censorship and the of fice of defense transportation. 3. Ordered the abolition of the office of civilian defense by June 30, withdrawing its pro posed budget of $369,000 for the next fiscal year. The cut recommended in mari time commission shipbuilding funds left available to the com mission $2,242,500,000 for com pleting the present ship building nroeram and $600,000,000 for possible future ship construc tion, reconversion of vessels and restoration of shipbuilding facil ities. More For Aid The president, however, rec ommended an increase of $13, 000.000 in the overall federal security budget of $416,000,000 to provide for aid to older peo ple and mothers wun aepenaem children who have had war jobs but are expected to quit work as conditions change. BASEBALL , National St. Louis 4 1' Pittsburgh 2 7 0 Breechen and O Dea; Sewell and Lopez. American Washington 0 4 0 Boston 4 7 0 Haefncr and Guerra; Wilson and Walters. Chicago 14 0 Detroit 2 5 4 Grove and Tresh: Benton and Swift. i full Leased Wire MEDFORD, OREGON, r ti y - Li? M st dl Austrian peasant woman, common soldier In World War I, si Truman Confirms Hitler's Demise: Silent on VE-Day . .Washington, May 2 U.P.) President Truman announced at a news conference today that according to the best pos sible information obtainable at this time, it Is true that Adolf Hitler is dead. The president shied away from any discussion of V-E Day. declining to comment on tne current situation in Ger many and disclosing nothing about his V-E-Day plans. Under questioning he con firmed that he had been in communication with Marsnal Josef Stalin since Soviet For eign Commissar V. M. Molotov reached this country, but he would not give any details. ON LAST SECTION Approval for construction of the last section of the proposed strategic highway network In Oregon has been given by the War Production Board according to a wire received by the Jack son County Cnamber of Com merce today from Senator Guy Cordon. This project Involves construc tion of a new 24-foot highway ten and three-tenths miles in length on U. S. 99 between Al bany and Stclwer Hill which will save two miles in distance on the highway, Cordon declared. It also involves construction of a bridge across the Santiam river, and total cost is to be $1,303,000, he said. Approval of the WPB covers the entire construction with the exception of priorities for steel superstructure on the Santiam bridge, the wire said. However, It will be possible under present authorization to complete the bridge to a point where traffic can move on it using timber falsework pending release of the steel at a later date, Cordon con cluded. In recent weeks the senator also secured WPB approval for construction of a link of the stra tegic highway system botween Grave Creek and Wolf Creek. 3200 Liberees On Way to U.S. Homes Los Angeles, May 2 (U.P) More than 3200 former prisoners of the Japanese, one of the lar gest contingents ever to leave the Philippines, arrived here to day en route to their, former homes. The modern kingdom of Greece is only US years old. WEDNESDAY, MAY 2, 1945 Sum lider Unconditionally common soldier In World War I. of Germany at 44 and, as one dominating the world than had the drive for a world-dominating U. S. ISLAND AIMS NEXT BIG ISSUE BEFOREjONFAB Problem of Handling Terri tory Taken from Axis Also Looms For Discussion. San Francisco, May 2. (U.P.) American plans to take over certain Pacific islands as perma nent defense outposts and the general problem of handling territories taken from Axis countries loomed today as the next major issue to attract world attention here. Some public discussion also was contemplated on the ques tion of whether a simple major ity or a two-thirds vote should be required, in plenary sessions of the United Nations conference for adoption of amendments to "Kill! Kill! Kill!" Is Credo of Hitler Successor London, May 2 U.R) Grand Admiral Karl Doenitz, self-an nounced successor to Adolf Hit ter as Nazi overlord of dying Germany, ended the last war as an inmate of a British Insane asylum and emerged in this one with the fanatical credo "kill! kill! kill!" Doenitz scuttled and aban doned the submarine he com manded during a battle In the Mediterranean in October, 1918. Then he surrendered to the Brit ish. Taken to England, he was com mitted to the Manchester Insane Asylum. Some who knew him said he feigned Insanity. But he later was repatriated to Ger many as Insane. In this war, Doenitz sent his U-boat crews into battle with the cry: "Kill! Kill! Kill! That Is your duty to the Fatherland and Dor Fuehrer. Have no humanity In your labor. Humanity means weakness." His record shows no signs of humanity and few of weakness. Most of his 53 years have been devoted to the art of killing. It was he who ordered U-boat crews to strafe the survivors of torpedoed ships as they tried to escape in lifeboats. Doenitz is a navy man who hates ships. Bnd his whole life has been centered on means of sinking them. His ruthlessncss brought him quick favor from Hitler, who raised him from Commodore to Grand Admiral in four years. I ' J V ' '' '' " ESS A master spellbinder, his voice mocracies into tatuous acceptance USLi EWHM- , vss&mmir...... -3 whole growing generation ot Germans by Jndocttrinattng tne nations eniiaren wiin mil laeougy. When the fuehrer threatened war, Britain swallowed its pride and permitted its prune minister, Neville Chamberlain, to fly to Hitler to appease h m. It worked temporarily but when Hitler was ready, he unleashed the war he had planned all along. He strutted in ravished Poland as the great war lord. One by one his armies overran weaker nations. France fell quickly, and he danced with glee when his troops marched under the Arc de Trlomphe. But his days t conqueror were numbered. He made the fatal mistakes of attacking Russiaand declaring war on the U. S. From then on his path, though studded with intermittent victories, was jnexoramy hunted, hated man, his country devastated, his people ruined. Hannegan Slated For Postmaster Washington, May 2 (U.R) President Truman announced to day that' he wiU nominate Na tional Dcrtiocratie ' Chairman Robert E. Hannegan as postmas ter general. Hannegan will suc ceed Frank Walker. The president said he accepted Walker's resignation "reluctantly and grudgingly," effective May 30. Jle also said that Hannegan would retain his post as chair man ot the National Democratic Committee. the Dumbarton Oaks plan for a world security organization. Russia was said to fear that with a simple majority vote, the American republics would be able to control the conference. In any event, this issue was re garded as strictly procedural. But the trusteeship problem constitutes a basic issue. British and Soviet delegates at this con ference was awaiting further ad vices from their capitals before approving the American trustee ship plan. China was understood to be ready to go along with the United States. KARL DOENITZ Doenitz Is a small, mean man with a tight jaw and close-set, shrewd eyes. He has close-cropped hair, a severe mouth, long nose, and overhanging eyebrows. Although he never was known particularly as an ardent Nazi, Doenitz has served their cause well. His last known public statement of prominence was on the occasion of the attempt on Hitler's life last July. Doenitz condemned the plotters as "a small clique of mad generals" who would ba ruthlessly destroyed. 1RIBUNE United Press hypnotised his followers and or nis promises, uooxuig to in RIBBENTROP FIRED BY-NEW FUEHRER; PEACE SIGNS GROW London, May 2. (U.R) Grand Admiral Karl Doenitz, new fuehrer of Germany, ousted For eign Minister Joachim von Rlb bentrop today as signs of an early European peace multi plied. Radio Hamburg said Doenitz had appointed Count Ludwlg Schwerin von Krosigk, 58-year-old nephew of the late Kaiser Wilhelm, to the foreign minis tership. The move, coming only 24 hours after the same station an nounced that Adolf Hitler had been killed at his "command post in Berlin" yesterday, broke up the all-Nazi front in the top German ministries. Whether it also was the first step toward setting up a non Nazi government that would sue for - peace ' was something no authoritative source yet could say. Belief persisted In London that Germany's final collapse or surrender would come this week. Prime Minister Churchill con ferred with his cabinet most of the night on the swift sequence of events and was expected to speak in commons today. ALLIESlNDi TOKYO REPORTS Manila, May 2. (U.R) Tokyo Radio reported today that about 5,000 allied troops had landed on Tarakan Island off the east coast of Borneo In what may be the second Invasion of that area The enemy broadcast said the troops landed at Lingkas on Tarakan early Tuesday, about 12 hours after allied assault forces were said to have Invaded Borneo Itself. Gen. MacArthur did not con firm either of the reported land ings although an official Austra lian announcement yeiterday said the Australian troops had taken part in a landing on the east coast of Borneo, world's third largest Island. Tokyo said the troops went ashore on Tarakan, an Important oil center, at 6:30 a.m. yester day after three cruisers and 13 destroyers had bombarded the island consistently since last 1 Friday Full Leased Wire NO. 33. lulled the only mildly alarmed de iuiuii, n pouoneo ins minus oi oownum, He ended his life a HITLER'S DEATH NOT SO HEROIC London, May 2. (U.R) Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower said to day there was some evidence that Adolf Hitler had died of a brain hemorrhage Instead of a hero's death in battle' as the Nazis claimed. The statement by Elsenhower was the first from any allied official to shed light on the mys tery of Hitler's reported death. Eisenhower said the enemy claim that Hitler died fighting the Russians In Berlin was "In contradiction of facts" given by Heinrich Himmler at a confer ence with Count Folke Bcrna dotte of Sweden at Lucbeck eight days ago. Himmler and a General Schll lenburg, who accompanied him to the conference, said Hitler had a brain hemorrhage and might not live 48 hours, Elsen hower said In a statement issued through supreme headquarters In France. . Even though this version of Hitler's death was based on Nazi information, It had the merit of coming to Eisenhower through Bernadotte, a neutral. Observers were inclined to put more cred ence In the Himmler version than In the melodramatic ac count broadcast by the Hamburg radio yesterday. FOURTOCALIN ARE CASUALTIES Four additional valley service men are named on the casualty list of the Office of War Informa tion for today. Staff Sgt. Jack H. Sparlln. husband of Mrs. Bessie M. Spar lln, 346 South Holly street, Med ford, has been wounded while serving In Europe, the report states. Pvt. Ray H. Mann, hus band of Mrs. June Mann, Central Point, Is listed as having been wounded while serving In the Pa cific. Two county men are listed as missing In action. Pfc. Harold L. Barr, son of Warren L. Barr, Prospect, and Sgt. Richard K. DeMers. son of Mrs. Alma C. De Mers, 136 Sherman street, Ash land. : DUNNE GONE Portland, Me., May 2. (U.R) Mrs. Eunice Dunn testified that the last time she saw her hus band was 29 years ago when he left 1st on a Halifax, N. S street alter promising to "sec you later." She wants a divorce. STALINITES SCORE GREATEST VICTORY IN TAKINGCAPITAL 12-Day Siege One of Bloodi est Struggles of History; Many Prisoners Taken. London, May 2. (U.R) The red army captured Berlin today. Marshal Stalin announced the capture of Berlin, the red army's greatest victory of the war, In a triumphant order of the day broadcast from Moscow. Berlin fell to the Russians after 12 days of siege. Two Rus sian armies smashed into the city from the east and south and slugged through its historic streets in what Nazis and Soviets alike described as one of the bloodiest struggles in history. The fall of Berlin meant that the Russian siege forces had overrun Adolf Hitler's reichs- chancellery, where the Nazis said he died In battle yesterday. Remnants of the Berlin garri son headed by General Wesling laid down their arms and sur rendered at 3 p.m., Stalin said. More than 70,000 prisoners were taken in the battle of Berlin, Stalin's order revealed. London, May 2. (U.R) Mar shal Stalin announced tonight that red armies had captured more than 120,000 German pris oners in the liquidation of a pocket southeast of Berlin, cre ated by the soviet drive into tha capital from the south. Inside Berlin, Russian forces were storming the ramparts of the reichschancellery, where tha Nazis said Adolf Hitler died yes terday. The German high command admitted that the handful of sur vivors in Berlin's garrison had been broken into isolated frag ments In the government dis trict. Special-Order ". Stalin's announcement of tha mopup of the pocket southeast of Berlin was made in a special Order nf thm rinv hrnnri fact T-nn. Moscow. Marshal Gregory K. Zhukov's first White Russian army and Marshal Ivan S. Konevs first Ukrainian army "completed tha liquidation of the German grouping southeast of Berlin", the order said. "During tha battles from April 24 to May 2, the armies captured more than 120,000 Germans," Stalin added. Konev's army struck from tha Neisse river line well below Ber lin and tore into the city from the south shortly after Zhukov's forces entered from the east. RESISTANCE EBBS ON BOTH SIDES OF Paris, May 2. (U.R) German resistance in both the Bavarian and Baltic pockets on either side of the bisected relch was report ed collapsing today. The surrender of German forces In western Austria dis solved the U. S. Seventh army's front, which already was In the yielded area. It opened the way to within 10 miles of Berchtes gaden, and in effect linked up western and southern or Italian fronts. Plunge To Baltic Gen. Sir Miles C. Dcmpsey'i British second army plunged a spearhead to the Baltic cutting off all of Denmark and the northwestern corner of Germany embracing Hamburg, Kiel and Wilholmshaven. The British 11th armored di vision cracked Into Luebeck, sealing the fate of all the Ger mans to the west and north. In cluding those in Hamburg where Admiral Karl Doenitz may have established his new headquar ters. British sixth airborne forces reached Wismar, on the Baltic east of Lucbeck and only 30 miles or so from Marshal Kon stantin K. Rokoseovsky's second White Russian army pushing westward along the coast. Pattonites Race Far' In the "national redoubt" sec tor at the other end of the line, Gen. George S. Patton's third army raced forward up to 20 miles against only spotty resist ance, while to Patton's right the seventh army suddenly found Itself without an assignment as a result of the Halo-Austrian surrender.
