Yanks Drive Close to Heart of Naha in Fierce Fighting
Weather
FORECAST; Clearing tonight.
Partly cloudy and slisntly
warmer Wednesday.
Temp.
Highest Yesterday 68
Lowest this Morning so
Prec.
To f a. m. Today -r-- .21
Fortieth Year
WILL ESTABLISH
MEDFORDOFFICE
Contact Representative and
Other Personnel Promised
Will Fill Major Need.
A ccfntact unit of the United
States Veterans Administration,
consisting of a contact represen
tative and a clerk-stenographer,
with additional personnel later,
will be established in Medford
according to a wire received by
the Mail Tribune this morning
from Senator Guy Cordon. The
office will be opened as soon as
desirable space can be obtained
and personnel procured, Senator
Cordon't wire states, and the
' facility will be expanded with
assignment of additional person
nel as need develops.
County Judge J. B. Coleman
stated this morning after hear
ing the news that he was most
gratified at the step and be-
lieved this would relieve the
county court of the necessity of
appointing a local service offi
cer. Long Sought
Provision for the officer had
been made in the county budget
now in the process of being
adopted by the court, he said.
The judge stated that the court
had delayed action on the matter
of a local service officer in the
belief that the problem would
be eventually settled in this
fashion, but had finally decided
upon action when budget-time
approached -with no definite
word from the administration.
Frank Hull, manager of the
Jackson County Chamber of
Commerce and Harry Young,
commander of the Medford
American Legion, also expressed
satisfaction at the news. Hull
stated that chamber officials had
carried on correspondence with
both Senator Cordon and Con
gressman Harris Ellsworth in an
effort to have a representative
stationed here in the belief that
this would simplify the matter
of handling veterans' problems.
Young declared he believed all
veterans' organizations would be
pleased to have an administra
tion representative in the dis
trict. It was pointed out by all thiee
that since the administration
constitutes the final authority
on so many of the veterans'
problems, having a representa
tive of the bureau here would
be a great relief. -
VANDALS VISIT
E
Eugene, Oregon, May 15 (U.R)
Vandalism in a Jewish syna
gogue including swastikas on
the military honor roll and des
ecration of the Ameican flag
was reported today by Chief of
Police L. L. Pittcngcr of Eugene.
The Beth Israel temple on the
University of Oregon campus
was entered sometime during
last weekend but the mutilation
was not discovered until late last
night Pettinger said.
Large figures of the swastika
were cut in the wall paper and
marked with crayon in four
rooms, the chief reported.
A swastika was scratched with
a sharp object on the honor roll
containing the names of 14
church men and women In mili
tary service.
An American flag standard
was overturned in one room and
the eagle on the staff broken.
The velvet altar covering was
torn in half.
"This entrance apparently was
made by a person or persons for
the purpose of desecration of this
church and follows a pattern of
religious persecution of the
worst kind," Pittengcr said.
Police recovered a carving
knife, about 10 inches long, in
the church and said it would be
checked for fingerprints and
identification. They believed it
was the sharp instrument used
in defacing the walls.
WEATHER
Northern California Slight
ly cloudy north portion today,
otherwise clear today, tonight
and Wednesday; warmer Wednesday.
M
United Prase
Brutality, Murder System
As Practiced By Germans
Is Reported To Congress
Washington, May 15 U.R)
Congress heard at first hand to
day a part of the terrible story
of nazi methods of rule by exter
mination. A 12-man committee of both
houses, fresh from a tour of Ger
man concentration and slave la
bor camps, verified many of the
worst atrocitystories.
They told a tragic tale of filth,
disease, starvation and murder.
Declaring the concentration
camp practices to be "no less
than organized crime against
civilization," they demanded
"swift, certain and adequate pun
ishment" for those responsible.
Future Justice Hope
But despite the cruelty and
horrror they "saw they held forth
hope of future justice.
Senate Democratic Leader Al
ben W. Barkley of Kentucky,
spokesman for the committee,
voiced it this way:
"Through the sickening spec
tacle which we have witnessed
. . . will come ultimately a firm
er realization that men of all na
tions and tongues must resist en
croachments of every theory and
ideology that debases mankind."
Three Camps Seen
The 12-man committee, invited
by Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower
to see the results of nazi treat
ment of political prisoners and
slave laborers, visited camps at
Buchenwald, Nordhausen and
Dachau. .
Members were Barkley, Sens.
Walter F. George, D., Ga.; El
bert D. Thomas, D., Utah; C.
Wayland Brooks, R., 111.; Ken
neth S. Wherry, R., Neb., and
Leverelt Saltonstall, R., Mass.,
and Reps. R. Ewing Thomason,
D., Tex.; James P. Richards, D
S. C; Ed V. Izac, D Calif.; John
M. Vdrys, R O.; James W. Mott,
R., Ore., and Dewey Short R.,
Mo. -
Barkley, who' read his report
to the senate,, charged that the
camps constituted a "calculated
and diabolical program of
planned torture and extermina
tion on the part of those who
were in control of the German
government."
He said the three camps visit
ed were an "accurate cross-section"
of the more than 100 such
concentration and slave labor
camps in Germany. Camps were
largely conducted and controlled
by SS troops and the gestapo
either acting under orders from
superiors or "given wide discre
tion in the methods they were to
adopt in perpetrating these hid
eous and Inhuman sufferings."
No Americans
He reassured the senate at the
outset that American prisoners
of war were not incarcerated in
any of the concentration camps.
Bodily tortures were not de
scribed because "eyewitnesses to
the proceedings in the torture
chambers seem always to have
been done away with."
He said the committee saw
with its own eyes:
1. "The barracks, the work
places, the physical facilities for
torture, degradation and execu
tion." 2. "The victims both dead
and alive," of the atrocities prac
ticed at these camps."
3. "The progress of liquida
tion by starvation which was
still going on."
4. "We saw the Indescribable
filth and smelled the nauseating
strench before it was cleaned up,
and we saw a number of victims
of this liquidation process actu
ally die."
Sleep On Shelves
Barkley said that at Buchen
wald, the first camp visited, the
committee saw the "little camp",
in which prisoners slept on
triple-decked shelves. Each shelf
was about 12 feet square with 16
prisoners to a shelf. The clear
ance height between the shelves
was a little over two feet.
In the "little camp," he said,
prisoners were given six weeks
before being graduated to the
'regular barracks."
During this time, he said, they
were "expected" to lose about 40
per cent in weight. Rations were
less than at the regular barracks
and the death rate was very
high, recently running about 50
per day.
The "regular barracks," he de
clared, had dormitory rooms ap
proximately 42 by 23 feet and
about 10 feet high in which,
since the war. 2J0 persons mere
made to sleep with less than
one blanket per person and no
heat.
The "hospital" at Buchenwald
Barkley said, was a place "where
moribund (dying) persons were
sent to die." No remedies were
available, hence then was no
EDFORD
Full Leased Wire
MEDFORD, OREGON, TUESDAY, MAY 15,
treatment. Typhus and tubercu
losis were rampant and death
rates ran from 5 to 20 persons a
day.
Used As Guinea Pigs
The "medical experiment
building" at Buchenwald was
used by scientists from Berlin
who came down to inoculate
"guinea pigs" with deadly di
seases. The crematory at Buchenwald,
Barkley said, had a maximum
capacity of about 400 bodies per
10-hour day. It was enclosed by
a high board fence and manned
by SS guards.
Roll call at Buchenwald was
held every evening and a truck
collected the bodies of all who
had died during the day as well
as live prisoners who were to be
executed for political reasons.
Ttje dead were taken directly
to the crematorium. The living
were forced down a 13-foot
shaft, strangled and hung on
hooks by SS men and then fed
to the ovens.
There were two batteries of
three brick ovens each. Total
capacity was 18 bodies. It took
15 to 20 minutes to dispose of
an ovenful.
Lack of fuel in March prior to
the arrival of the Americans
interrupted the cremations,
Barkley said. He said the com
mittee saw a truckload of 60
bodies, with about 25 additional
bodies near it, standing near the
crematorium.
Systematically Starved
The Nordhausen camp, Bark
ley said, was a combination fac
tory and starvation-center. Slave
laborers were systematically
starved to death, meanwhile be
ing forced to work long hours at
an underground factory which
produced- V-l and V-2 bombs,
airplane engines and munitions.
'At Dachau, Barkley said, the
committee saw about 300 bodies
of those who had died that
morning. The Dachau gas cham
ber, he reported, could dispose
of about 100 men at a time. Pris
oners were also shot after being
forced to kneel at the edge of
open pits.
Barkley .aid the worst-treated
prisoners were Jews, Russians
and Poles. He said the commit
tee was of the opinion that a
colossal scheme of extermina
tion was planned and put into
effect against all those in occu
pied countries who. refused to
accept the principles of Naziism,
or who opposed the saddling of
the Nazi yoke on their1 coun
tries." The number of prisoners and
slave-laborers, he said, is esti
mated to run between 12,000,000
and 20,000,000.
LIS! UN
STARTS MAY 28
The Jury list for the May term
of circuit court starting Monday,
May 28 was drawn yesterday by
the county clerk and sheriff offi
ces. Fifteen of the prospective
are women and the remaining 16
men. As it is the opening day of
a new term, court will convene
at ten o'clock, as required by
The list follows:
Medford Stella Romine, Rt.
2; Mary E. Frohreich, Lillie
Douglas. Rt. 2; Elsie Butler. Myr
tle Jenkins. Mrs J. C. Stockman.
Allen D. Curry, Mary Dodge.
Lynn Brown. Ralph A. Fraser.
Verna B. Brophy, Dorothy A.
Bennett, and Belle L. Bradley,
Rt. 2.
Ashland Roy M. Spalding.
Henry C. Galey. Percy Hardy.
Arthur E. Peters, Albert C. Joy,
C. C. Robertson. Harry D. Mc
Nair, Arthur A. Madden. Clyde
N. Caton and Gertrude Brower.
Eagle Point Jessie Freeman.
Star Rt.. Box 83: Gertrude Stan
ley, and George Millard.
Central Point Leola Faber.
Viola A. Cooper, and Leon C.
Tavlor, Rt. 1.
Gold Hill Olive M. Turner
and Louis F. Swanson.
LIBEREE3 ARRIVE
San Francisco, May IS. (U.R)
A group of 254 civilians liber
ated from Japanese prison
camps in the Philippines, includ
ing 47 litter patients and 100
ambulatory cases, arrived here
today aboard an army transport.
U. S. DELEGATION
EYES TICKLISH
SECURITY ISSUE
Further Debate Slated With
. Latin American Countries
Final Draft Pends.
San Francisco, May 15 (U.R)
The United States Delegation
at the United Nations Confer
ence canvassed the ticklish prob
lem of regional security arrange
ments for nearly three hours to
day, then arranged to discuss it
further with Latin American
countries.
Secretary of State Edward R.
Stettinius, Jr., called a press
conference for later in the day
and scheduled a conference with
delegation chiefs of the same
nine Latin American countries
with whom he met yesterday
about the regional arrangements
question.
Big Stake Involved
High officials admitted that
the biggest stakes of the entire
conference are at issue in the
current crisis over the future
relationship of the inter-American
regional system to the new
world organization which is be
ing drafted here.
Stettinius was asked as he
left the delegation meeting
whether they had agreed on a
final draft of the U. S. com
promise on the question.
"Not yet.? he replied. "We've
been working at It all morning
and will continue throughout the'
day."
Meanwhile, another contro
versy but one of far less im
portance developed over the
question of selection of the sec
cretary general of the proposed
World organization. " '
Under the basic Dumbarton
Oaks plan, the secretary general
would be elected by the general
assembly upon recommendation
of the Security Council. The un
derstanding had been that the
council's recommendation would
require unanimous concurrence
of the Big Five.
Cpl.
. William Kime
Freed By British
Cpl. William N. Kime. report
ed missing In action In Belgium
Dec. 17, was held prisoner by
the Germans for a time and re
cently liberated by the British
army information received by
his parents. Mr. and Mrs. Gerald
Kime, Griffin Creek district,
states. Cpl. Kime is now in Bel
gium and expects to be able to
return home soon, the message
said.
JOB DAUGHTERS OFFICER
TO BE HERE WEDNESDAY
Mrs. Bcrnlce Britton, Corval
lii, grand guardian of Daughters
of Job for Oregon, will be in
Medford Wednesday evening
and will install council members
for the Medford Jsethel during
the regular session of that group.
Bethel members will also elect a
marshal. The meeting is set for
7:30 p, m. at the Masonic Temple.
r Arm Tmephmn
SU11 dltry, wild-eyed and bewildered but wearing huge and apparently permanent grins, this group of more
(ban lot enlisted men cheer as they prepare to leave Camp neaJe, Calif, far boms under Uit new point re
lease wteau -
1945
IS
V
o
S ' J
History's Greatest Manhunt
Produces Few Captives;
Hitler Fate Is Unsolved.
Thousands of nazi war crimi
nals and renegade leaders of
Germany's puppet states were in
allied hands awaiting judgment
today. But one week after V-E
day, history's greatest manhunt
had produced only Hermann
Goering out of all the top nazi
hierarchy.
Adolf Hitler and his heir-apparent,
Nazi Leader Martin Bor
mann, were reported dead in the
wreckage of Berlin's Reichs
chancellory, although no positive
identification of their bodies had
yet been announced by the Red
army.
Goebbels Believed Dead
Hitler's top spokesman, Propa
ganda Minister Joseph Goebbels,
was almost certainly dead. The
Russian army organ Red Star
said the bodies of Goebbels and
his wife and children were found
in a subterranean chamber be
neath the streets of Berlin all
suicides.
Goering was a prisoner of the
American seventh army, facing
trial for his part in the direction
of nazidom's countless atrocities.
Gestapo Chief Hcinrich Himm
ler, branded the number-one war
criminal following Hitler's re
ported death, apparently was
still at large somewhere on the
continent," despite repeated ru
mors that he had been arrested.
Himmler's ace atrocity expert,
Lt. Gen. of Police Ernst W. Kal
tenbrunner, who has been ac
cused of responsibility for the
nazi gas extermination program,
was reported captured in the
Austrian Tyrol by the American
third army.
But there was still no word on
the whereabouts of Foreign Min
ister Joachim Von Ribbentrop,
Labor Minister Robert Ley, Dr.
Arthur Rosenberg, author of the
infamous nazi racial laws, or the
virulent Jew-biter Julius Streich
er, chief artisans of nazi Ger
many's 12-ycar reign of terror.
Pvt. Rodney Witham
Reports Good News
A wire from Pvt. Rodney A.
Witham which reached his par
ents, Mr. and Mrs. H. C. With
am, 1428 East Main street, this
morning, brought the good news
that the soldier is alive and safe.
He was reported missing in
action while serving with Pat
ton's Third army March 6 and
his parents had had no word of
him until the cablegram this
morning.
Pvt. Witham went overseas
last July and was sent from Eng
land to the European front late
in December. He is an ordnance
man attached to an infantry unit.
Washington, May 15. (U.R)
Charles G. Ross, who used to be
a newspaperman himself, took
the oath today as President Tru
man's press secretary.
Tapped for the '85' Club
.,,,..'":,!' --, ;,, . ..!"! &4
Tribune
United Press
Hitler's Stenographer
Recounts Final Hours
In Underground Office
By Jack Fleischer
(UP Staff Correspondent)
Obersalzberg, Germany, May
15 (U.R) A man who was a
stenographer at Adolf Hitler's
headquarters in Berlin said to
day that the fuehrer decided on
April 22 to meet his end fight
ing the Russians from an under
ground fortress behind the reichs
chancellory.
The man is Gerhardt Herrge
selle, who was summoned to Hit
ler's headquarters last July to do
stenographic work after another
stenographer had been killed in
the attempt of the German army
generals to assassinate Hitler.
Herrgeselle said that Hitler,
his sweetheart Eva Braun, Ma
tin Bormann, deputy leader of
the nazi party; Field Marshal
Wilhelm Keitel, and Col. Gen.
Alfred Jodl, former chief-of-staff
who signed the German sur
render at Reims, were living in
the underground fortress.
"Around 10:30 a. m., April
21," Herrgeselle said, "the Rus
sian artillery fire became heavier
and obviously they were seeking
to concentrate their fire on the
government district. Later Rus
sian planes made low-level at
tacks around central areas such
as Friedrich Strasse and Halles
ches Tor.
Many Conferences
"From noon on there were
conferences almost without in
terruption. Paul Joseph Goeb
bels, as commander of the Berlin
defense, rushed in and out of
headquarters many times.
"Subordinate commanders re
ported in a steady stream. Still
no decision was made to remove
us to the south." .
Herrgeselle said the next day
the Russian infantry began
pressing steadily in toward the
center of Berlin.
"Various officers and govern
ment officials frantically rushed
around trying to organize the re
mainder of the chancellory per
sonnel into a volksturm unit,
Herrgeselle said. During this
period the first criticism was
made of Hitler regarding remain
ing In Berlin. But Hitler seemed
slightly hazy. He often failed
to reply to questions. At other
times he obviously was not pay
ing attention to questions.
Finally Decide
"The big decision finally was
made in a 15-minute conference
beginning at 5:30 p. m. Those
present were Hitler, Bormann,
Keitel and Jodl. Hitler was
dressed, as usual, In dark trou
sers, field gray Jacket with iron
cross hanging from the left side
nnd a brown shirt that had white
collar and cuffs. In recent days
he had not looked so fit. His
face was rather puffy and he
flushed easily. He seemed to be
come more stooped dally and
when he walked his shoulders
gave the Impression almost of
being a hunchback. His left arm
shook considerably. His right
konH urhum hn won wounded In
the July 20 explosion, also
shook.
Herrgeselle said that a steel
door was closed for the 5:30
o clock conference and then Hit
ler announced to Bormann, Kei
tel and Jodl: "It is lost. I shall
Full Leased Wire
NO. 46.
remain In Berlin, I shall fall
here in the reichs chancellory."
Tne conference, according to
Herrgeselle, was confused and
heated. At times everybody ex
cept Jodl was talking at the same
time in loud voices. Keitel and
Bormann opposed Hitler's decis
ion to stay in the chancellory.
Jodl appeared to be indifferent.
Both Keitel and Bormann, ac
cording to Herrgeselle, told Hit
ler: "My fuehrer, that contra
dicts what you have taught us In
past months." They referred to
Hitler's declaration that he
would continue to fight so long
as there was any German, soil
left to fight on.
99 PROPONENTS
OPPOSE KLAMATH
Portland, Ore., May 15. (U.R)
Advocates of designation of
Highway U. S. 09 via Ashland
and Medford as the official link
between Oregon and California
has first Innings at today's meet
ing of the state highway com
mission, with sponsors of High
way U. S. 07 via Klamath Falls
scheduled to give their argu
ments next.
Mayor C. A. Meeker of Med
ford said 100,000 persons are
served by U. S. 09, compared
with 40,000 on U. S. 97. Paul
B. Rynning of Medford, secre
tary of the Oregon Pacific Coast
Highway association, declared
that the association li not op
posing any highway but is seek
ing additional road development
Rynning, Jackson county sur
veyor, said the association had
refused to join eastern Oregon
In opposing construction of Ore
gon coast bridges and comple
tion of u. s. 89, which, he said,
has more timber and more agri
cultural development along its
route.
Douglas County Judge D. N.
Busenbark said the county will
have the greatest concentration
of logging and lumber activity
in the northwest after the war
ends.
T. H. Banfield, commission
chairman, assured the delega
tions that each side would be
given complete hearing.
MAN,WARE
LISTEOJISSING
Two Jackson county residents
have been reported missing from
their homes since yesterday, po
lice reported today.
John A. Houser, listed between
55 and 60 years old, was report
ed missing after leaving his
home in Ashland yesterday to
come to Medford. Police said
Houser was driving a 1935 chocolate-colored
sedan, license 460
233, and was reported to have
been seen In California. Houser
operates a hot dog stand on the
highway . -near Jackson Hot
Springs.
Bobby Harp, 15. son of Mr.
and Mrs. S. D. Harp, Rt. 1, Box
456, was also reported missing
since yesterday noon. According
to police the boy is five feet, six
inches tall, weighs 155 pounds,
dark complexion, brown hair
and eyes, and was wearing green
trousers, light brown coat and
oxfords when last seen. He was
riding a bicycle, police said.
DAVISREVERSED
E
'Washington, May 15 OI.P.)
President Truman said today
that Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower
Intends to permit "a free flow
of Information and ideas .... In
Germany In a manner consistent
with military security."
Mr. Truman a announcement!
at a press conference reversed
a policy announced last week by
Elmer Davis, head of the Office
of War Information.
Davis said American and al
lied newspapers and magazines
would not be permitted to cir
culate among the Germans. He
said special, censored publica
tiens would be issued for them.
ADVANCE FLANKS
JAP DEFENSE LINE
96th Dlv. Wheels Around
Captured Conical Hill and
Lays Siege To Yonabaru.
Washington. May 15 U.R)
U. S. submarines have sunk
nine more Japanese vessels. .
Including five warships, the
navy announced today.
The combatant vessels in
cluded one destroyer, two
small escort vessels and two
patrol vessels. The remainder
of the bag included one large
tanker and three cargo ves
sels. Guam, Wednesday, May 16
(U.R) Tenth army infantrymen
fought through the rubbled
streets and ruined buildings of
Naha today In a fiercely-contested
advance that carried to with
in 2,000 yards of the dock area
and unhinged the Japanese de
fense line across southern Oki
nawa. Marines of the sixth division,
braving a storm of Japanesa
mortar and machine gun fire,
crossed the Asato river and bat
tled house-to-house to within
1,000 yards of the heart of tha
capital city.
On the opposite end of the
six-mile battle front, troops of
the 96th army division wheeled
around captured Conical Hill,
consolidated their positions at
Yonabaru air field, and laid
siege to Yonabaru City and its
east coast port.
Maj. Gen. Pedro de Valle's 1st
marine division and Maj. Gen.
Andrew Brace's 77th army divi
sion were closing princers on
Shuri village, the enemy's an
chor point in the center of tha
trans-island fortifications sys
tem. The center of the Una proved
as tough as either the Naha or
TonabarU flanks. Progress of
both the army and marine divi
sions still was being measured in
fractions of miles.
Marines Invaded Naha at tha
Takamotoji district after span
ning the Asato. During the cross
ing, Maj, Gen. Lemuel C. Shep
herd, Jr. 'a leathernecks were
under almost constant fir.
The Japanese garrison, astl
mated between 30,000 and 40c
000 appeared determined to re
sist bitterly to the inevitable
end, as they have in virtually
every Pacific campaign.
Tha capture of Conical Hill,
announced yesterday by Fleet
Admiral Chester W. Nlmitz,
split tha Naha-Yonabaru Una
and opened tha way for out
flanking movements against
Naha and Shuri.
Carrier planes and tha big
guns of warships offshore con
tinued to support tha ground
campaign.
Several groups of Japanesa
planes attacked American ship
ping off Okinawa Sunday night
and early Monday and damaged
three units.
Off Okinawa, 35 enemy planes
attacked in three groups. They
damaged two light American
naval units, but lost 25 planes In
the effort. One destroyer alone
shot down eight enemy planet.
To the Peopfo
of this Community
Home Front, U.S.A. Six mil
lion volunteer! took the field to
open a great War Bond oil en-
The finish
of this dis
patch will
be written
by you. How
you receive
these men,
women and
children
the
patriotic
duty of sell
in it you a
personal
quota based on your earnings,
will determine the success or
failure of the biggest hnme-front
job handed you by the war.
There Is no glory or fanfare
for these volunteers. They are
the infantry of this community.
They make H easier for you to
respond to the 7th War Loan's
needs. In most instances they
have a brother a father, a son,
a husband, or some other close
relative In the aervice. They
cannot succeed without your
help.
Your personal quota may be
big but is it bigger than the task
assigned a soldier to wade
ashore on a Japanese Island?
Your Victory Volunteer will ask
you to Invest more than ever be
fore. If you think that'a tough,
tell It to the Marines on Iwo
Jima.
THE EDITOR
Seventh War Loan Drivt
Sfilca to date... 1130,812
Quota 11,067.000
Total Sales to Datt
$239,812
Quota 12.087,000