Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 41, Number 76, Decatur, Adams County, 30 March 1943 — Page 1

j| Else Is Chores!

I. XU-_N<L. 76

Mighty British Bombing Assault Batters Berlin GERMAN AFRICA CORPS IS IN RETREAT

terman Capital, I Still In Flames, I Again Attacked

■Sermons Clamp Down Kqht Censorship On •J id, Indicating ■mmensc Damage ■ II) United Press ~f Nazi Germany was ■,; y s-iHul.d last night when ", of British bombers ■j li. fires of Berlin set ■ p hoars before. X.z.- hive damped down ■> . ....-Mp on al! reports of ■j,.; raid indicating It was than admitted in official accounts. Idea of the site of the i- i:.ven in the British disha’ :1 of the giant bombUfa,;..! to leturn from Berlin others were lost ill supattacks on the Ruhr British. In their second attack on Berlin since fl> w through dense ■- iihiK conditions, night i...heavily reinforced and many batterscan hlightst. Not since 52 homie rs were shot down Kz last spring's attack on have so many RAF planes ■d to return from a night's ■ on the Nazi capital anj the this year. ■be atta< k was the second on ■hn within 72 hours. It was ■ were appealing for shelter ■ those made homeless by the ■ rday night assault. That raid ■ the German capital a sea of that could be seen over a ■us of l.'o miles. One thousand <: ...mlis including two-ton ■kbusters -were dropped ■i* Brim radio—more than an ■r London announced last ■t« raid said there was a twoalarm in Berlin starting at ■** m It said British homhers ■rosched the city singly. The ■tny radio claimed the raiders ■ heavy anti-aircraft fire and ■* attacked successfully by fighters. ■ar wme reason the Alls radio ■ Low to admit that a raid had ■ carried out. Usually the ■’• announce Important raids ■ Germany before the official ■bhair ministry announcement ■urn To Page J, c7lumn t) ■ 0 — Bonk Straub Reports WQqing, Robbery ■ink Straub, kcal handyman. Is ■rrng today from a severe in- ■ to his right eye and the right ■ of hia head. Btraub : eported ■ he wax slugged and robbed ■ sight a* he neared his resid■•ia Homewood. He said that ■**- stepped from behind a ■ sad ktKK ked him unconwu.ua ■* *«ld he regained consciousB* shout i a. m —about four ■riaft.r slugging, 4nd f oun( j ■ * hoß ’ **> had been taken from Pocket book Police had not Potified of the slugging at ■ today, chief Ed Miller stated. ■ -— Bermometers Hit V Degree Mark th * mercury *.n Decatur ■laamors near the 70 degree ssrly thi» aftemoou. local ■J*’*’’ »fre enjoying a "sumTh » weatherman has proE*;. " en »*rmer weather, al- “» predicts frrah winds ■* ®«y hold down the mercury READING ■'MOCRAT thermometer *• m. ___ 43 •- m. _53 s I Cv, Wt *TMM ■sushi'** **”" C ***•/ faranaon. strong

DECATUR DAILY DEMOCRAT

Ohio Truck Driver Killed In Accident Wapakoneta Man Dies At County Hospital Robert Hunt. 30. or Wapakoneta. Ohio, died shortly alter 2 o'clock thia afternoon In the Adams county memorial hospital a few minutes after he had been admitted, following a truck-auto crash three miles fast of Willshire, Ohio. It was reported to officer 3. C. Mendenhall of the Indiana state police that a car. driven by Frederick Rchlnnerer, 39, of Willshire. Ohio, crashed almost head-on into the Wapakoneta truck Schinnerer Is In the local hospital In a serious condition, suffering from shock, fractures of I with legs and other Injuries. Hunt's wife. Ruth. 30. was following behind her husband in another truck and was an eyewitness to the crash. The two trucks were carrying loads of feed, enroute from Fort Wayne to Wapakoneta. The accident occurred on a bridge. Ohio police officials were notified by the local state policeman. Coronoer Robert 3. Zwlck. of thia city, was also notified, since the Ohio man died in this county. Hunt Is survived by the widow, the parents. Mr. snd Mrs. Robert Hunt, Sr., four sisters and two brothers. There are no children. Hunt was brought to the local <Turn T- Page I. Column 1) ' "■■■■■ ■ O Father Jacobs Will Speak Here Tonight Father Jacobs, assistant paator of St. Jude's church. Fort Wayne, will deliver the lx?nten sermon at St. Stary’s Catholic church this evening. He Is substituting for Rev. John Dapp. who recently underwent an operation. o— Attends Meeting Os Payroll Chairmen Harry Nell, chairman of the payroll war savliigs”fommittee, went to Indianapolis thia morning to attend a state meeting of payroll chairmen at the Columbia chib. Mr. Nell received a message urging him to represent Adams county at the meeting and he left about 10 o'clock for Indianapolis. Plans for the April bond drive will be made at the meeting. -e Release Foodstuff For Civilian Use Release Planned To Ease Food Shortage Washington. Mar. 30. — (UP) The government scon will release more than 2,000,000 cases of fruits and vegetables to help ease the current shortage. The food will Include canned tomatoes, pears, plums and peaches, as well as other products. Most of these stocks were purchased by the food distribution from the 19<1 pack and held for just such emergency use At the same tlnw. the agriculture department announces the transfer of some 11000.000 additional cases of canned goods — mostly corn and peas—from the army to the food distributio administration These supplies likewise will be held for future release to the civil is market In an emergency According *® f*®< officials. changing vvudltlons In war strategy or In shipping and storage facilities sometimes allow such releasee of government military supplies to consumer: on the home front.

Contingent Leaves For Physical Exams Largest Group To Leave This City Robert Holthouse, leader of the contingent, telephoned hie wife St noon todsy to report thst the entire group had been held over at Toledo until tomorrow for their examinations. Three bus loads of Adams county men left here early today for Toledo. Ohio to take final examinations preparatory lo joining the armed forces through selective service. It is the largest single contingent ever to be sent from the county. Censorship rules prohibit publishing the number of men in the contingent or their names. Names of those accepted will lie published as soon as they are learned here. The contingent was made up mostly of married rtien without children, many of them young business men from downtown Decatur. and It Included at least two school teschers. Three conscientious objectors were In one buss Under new selective service rullng<. they iniwt take examinations before being Inducted into a civilian work camp. One “conchie," a Jehova Witness, refused to report. Two members of the regular contingent also failed to report and were marked delinquent. If the large group can be handled today at Toledo the men will return tonight. Accepted men will be given the customary furlough. ■0 Tire Inspectors Issued Reminder The local war price and ration board today reminded tire Inspectors that they are not to advise customers to send in inspection sheets; that these are only to be brought in when application is made. o Red Cross War Fund Moves Nearer Goal Campaign Scheduled To Close Tomorrow The Red Cross war fund stood within 11.099 44 of going over the top todsy. chairmen of the drive announced, as they totaled reports and optimistically looked toward meeting the quota by the time Anal returns were tabulated. Walter J. Krick, city chairman said that the fund, based on official returns and teports not yet tabulated. wculd put the total within a few hundred dollars of 111.700 quota The total reported today Is 110.400 SC The report from Geneva is not yet in snd chairmen of the drive at that place estimated that |»00 would be obtained. The result of the drive in the factorlee In Berne also is not Included In the r fficial total up to noon. Lyman L. Hann, county chairman said. Severs! organizations In the city have voted donations lo the Red Cross snd the checks have not yet been turned In. These will bocst the total snd by the lime the cleanup is made. Red Cross officials feel that the total will be so near the quota that a little extra effort will put it over the goal line. Solicitors and workers were arg(Turn To Page •- Colama •> . — Nazis Tearing Down New Heavy Cruiser London. March 30— (UP)— For three yeans the Nasis have been building the heavy cruiser Feydllts Now they are tearing her down and dismatltng bar. A Stockholm dispatch to ’ba London Dally Telegraph sars the Germans art brsakisg down tbs cruiser is line with thsir sow plan to conceatrate all shipbuilding on bools. The dispatch reports the cruiser's guns were taken ashore for coastal tortiScaUoM.

ONLY DAILY NEWSPAPER IN ADAMS COUNTY

Decatur, Indiana, Tuesday, March 30,1943.

Three High School Lads Disappointed At Induction Delay Three Adams county high school boys want In the armed forces want In no badly, In fact, that they tried to slip Into a bus carrying prospective selectees to Toledo, Ohio this morning. The three, Donald Trump of Monroe, Franklin Bender of Kirkland and Flyod Hoffman of Pleasant Mills, carrying lheir orders, reported at the draft board office along with other members of the contingent this morning. The Iroard Informed them that Induction of high school youths is automatically delayed until lhe end of the school year. “We want to go," they chorused — but the draft board s word was final. Not giving up in their attempts to join Uncle Sam's forces, they joined the crowd of selectees waiting to enter the busses. They were quickly spotted and sent home lo wait until school Is out. —o— " - Cancel Second Test Os Air Raid Signal City Plant Whistle Is Unsatisfactory City snd civilian defense leaders today cancelled the second teat of the whistle at the municipal plant as an air raid signal. Leaders agreed after last night's teat that the whistle, under its present setup. Is not adequate and cannot be effectively heard throughout all parts of the city. The whistle was blown at 9:16 o'clock last night without wardens being previously Informed of the exact hour In an effort to test the signal.

Using an arranged form for reporting the effectiveness of the signal, the city sector wardens called center control after the test blast. Nine sectors reported they either could not hear the whistle or that It was not loud enough. Three reported It as fair, one as good and one as excellent. Four sectors did not report. A checkup revealed that the whistle could be heard in the north end of the city but not in the south. A detailed table of the wardens’ report may be found elsewhere In tonight's paper. Officials said today that plans are under way for securing additional warnings and that a newtest likely will be held In the near future. At center control last night to watch the warden's reports come In were Mayor John B Stults; city councilmen Alfred Beavers. Harry Hebble. Adrian Burke. Joseph Brennan and Dorphus Drum; Huber M. DeVosa. city attorney; (Turn To Psgs 1, Column 4) '0 — — Steele Refuses To Report For Service Third Sect Member Refuses To Report Edgar Steele, 36. former Decatur factcry worker, has refused to report for examination prior to Induction Into a civilian work camp, the Adams county draft board announced today. This makes three members of the same family, who. as members of the Jehovah Witnesses rellgicus sect, have refused to serve In the armed forces or enter a work camp Two brothers. Ralph. 23. and Clyde, 32. are to be tried by a federal Jury at Fort Wayne on either April 6 or 7 for violation of the selective service law. after being arrested for failure to report for induction Into a work camp. The third member of the family was ordered to report thio morning to the local draft board and to to Toledo. Ohio to take his final type examination for Induction Into a work camp, the board said, under new regulations which require "conchies" to take an examination A notice of delinquency will be sent by the local board Then la event he still refuses to report, his delinquency will be reported to the U. 8. attorney's o«ce, it was MM-

Predicts House Will Beat Skip-Year Bill Speaker Is Opposed To Any Compromise BULLETIN Washington. Mar. 30.—(UP) —The house of representatives has rejected the Rumi-Carlson plsn for skipping a year in the payment of income taxes. Earlier this aftsrnoon the body had tentatively accepted the proposal as a substitute measure for the ways and means committee approved measure which calls for a withholding tax on salaries effective July 1. The chamber rejected the skip-a-year proposal on a roll call vote of 215 to 198. The earlier vote was a teller tabulated tally with no roll call held. Washington. Mar. 30 — (UP) — Speaker Sam Rayburn predicts lhe house of representatives will kill the Carlson-Rumi skip-a-year tax plan. Ho Indicates the administration will face a showdown on the bill without a compromise. He says he won't lift a finger to round up his fellow Democrats on any compromise that would forgive any part of 1942 taxes. And soon after Rayburn gave his views, the house voted down an amendment to the CarlsonRumi plan by representative Clare Booth laice which would have forgiven taxes on only the first 125.000 of 1942 Income Rayburn says the sklp-a-year plan may be talked to death. As he put It, “The Rumi plan has been sorely weakened by four days of general debate. I believe the ways and means committee's 20 percent pay-as-you-go bill has gained during that time." Rayburn fa a little worried over the possibility that none of the income tax plans on tap would win enough backing to gel through the house. There's been talk of sending all of them back to committee. His point of vtew was a bitter lump for mlddle-of-the road or compromlae advocates to swallow. Rayburn's remarks Indicate that the choice will have to be either total forgiveness under the Carl-son-Rumi bill or none at all. U. S. Planes Blast Jap Seaplane Base Fighters Dish Out Heavy Destruction (By United Press) American fighter planes highballed In on a Ja® seaplane base yesterday and left a trail of destruction behind them. The navy announces that a formation of our Ixx-kheed lightnings and Fought Corsairs attacked Falsi island in the Solomons and set fire to five or seven Jap planes at the base.

Then, wheeling out to s"a for the dash home, they spotted a Jap deetroyer off Ahi Island, near Falsi Flying low. they sprayed the destroyer's deck with machine gun and cannon fire, and left her burning In the water. One of our planes flew so l<rw that it loot three feet of its wing, sheered oft by the mast of the destroyer All our planes came back. o Lee Sprague Rites At Hartford City Funeral services will bo held Thursday afternoon at 2 o elock in Hanford City, for Lee F. Sprague. 65. former Blackford county prosecutor and a widely known resident of Hartford City, who died Sunday of a heart aliment. The widow, Lillian Houck-Spra-gue la a former resident of Kirkland township Throe dangntera and a eon also survivs. Ho practiced Uw in Bluffton and Marton before going to Hartford City in 19M.

Marshal Rommel’s Troops In Full Retreat As Allies Seek To Bar Escape Os Nazi Forces

Russian Army Drives Closer To Smolensk Determined Russian Forces Battering German Defenses By United Press The Russian bear Is shewing Its way Into the vasi German defense maze protecting the central front base of Smolensk. Determined Red army forces, refusing to be stopped by fierce resistance and seml-paralyzing mud. smashed through enemy fortifications last night to seize three towns within the defense perimeter. Two Russian columns are steadily Improving their positions before Smolensk, one driving from the north and the other westward along the Moscow-Warsaw railroad. Latest Russian reports tell nt desperate German attempts to break up the Russian drive with bombing planes, protected by fighters. But Russian anti-aircraft gunners set up such a fierce barrage that the German planes turned tall and fled after three were shot down. There Is still no indication, however, that weather conditions will permit a major Russian assault on the Nazi base of Smolensk. The present actions are still described as minor and preliminary to future full-scale assaults. Along the Donets river In thq south, where the Germans for a time had seriously threatened the new Soviet line, front line dispatches say the Russians now have their artillery lined up solidly. Moscow reports that In one sector, the big guns dispersed a large concentration of enemy Infantry. In the Kuban area of th« northwest Caucasus, a German unit paced by seven tanks tried to infiltrate the Soviet lines. Soviet guns dispersed the unit and destroyed four German tanks. The German air force appears to be active In the Caucasus (Turn To Pag« !. Column 4) flu. ' ■ - — Report 50 Germans Executed By Nazis Plot Charged To Overthrow Hitler By United Press The British radio reports that the Nazis have executed 50 Germans — including a high foreign office official -for plotting to overthrow the Hitler government The radio repeats yesterday's report from Stockholm that Hans Von Schellcha. former first secretary of the Warsaw embassy, has been shot. And It cites another report that Bchellchas close friend. Han* Von Moltke. the German ambassador to Spain, was eliminated by the gestapo for complicity in the plot German officials claimed Von Moltke -lied of influenza. The Rnttah radio says Its reports come from reliable neutral sources. Meanwhile freeh evidence pours nln that patriot groups not only tn Germany but throughout occupied Europe are strengthening their organizations The London Daily Mall prints an interview with General Gfraud tn which the French North African leader declaree that hundreds of thousands of patriots will rise when the Allies Invade Europe Oirand says the problem today (Tara To Pa«e L Cetamn I)

Two School Students Injured In Accident Two Decatur Youths Hurt This Morning Two Decatur Catholic high school students were injured about 9:30 o'clock this morning when their car careened out of control, struck three trees, and rolled over cn its top In the HOO block on Mercer avenue. Gene Welker. 16. driver of the car. suffered from shock, a foot injury and other less serious cuts and bruises. HU companion. Tom Anderson. 16. suffered from shock, an injury to his right knee and other superficial Injuries. They were taken to the Adams county memorial houpltal. Both are sophomores at the local school and had received an excuse from classes to take’ examinations for driver's licensees at the local license bureau. Welker had a beginner's permit. They had borrowed the car from Francis Geels. 18, a senior at the school and had planned to use the vehicle In taking the exam. Police chief Ed Miller and Officer J. C. Mendenhall of the elate police. who Investigated, said they considered the auto a total wreck. Welker told them the car started skidding as be wax driving north on Mercer avenue. Investigation disclosed that the car skidded about 150 feet after the brakes were first applied. It struck a small tree, bounded off, hit a larger tree, broke off a limb and then bit the third tree, which wax uprooted. The car skidded on its top for a distance and came to (Turn To Page 3. Column 4) o Drive Planned Here On Second War Loan Meet Thursday To Plan County Drive Plans tor Adams county’s participation In the second war loan drive. In which the U. 8. treasury will offer 113.000.000,000 worth of government securities, will get und< rway Thursday evening at 7:30 o'clock at the First State Bank, when members of the victory fund committee and war savings ffrond staff meet to plan the campaign. Theodore Grallker, president of th.- First State Bank and countv chairman of the victory committee, and Bari Caston, county c hairman cf the war savings staff, have called a combined meeting of the bond workers. About 40 persons are expected at the get-to-gether.

Adams county's quota is not yet known, but information will be available at the meeting. Neal Werla of Fort Wayne, district chairman of the victory fund committee, will attend and explain the formation of the drive. The »e«<>t»<J war loan is the largest offer of the U. 8 treasury and the quota for thia -ounty will be correspondingly Urge, officials of the two war bond agencies dmlared The government will offer seven Issues of Interest bearing securities and a canvass among buslevs firms. Industries and banks throughout the county will be made, heads of the bond staffs said Kirchenbauer Rites Wednesday Afternoon Funeral services for Edwin Kirchenbsuer. brother of Paul Kirchenbauer. brother of Paul Kirchenbauer. who died at his horns near Wren Ohio, will be held Wednesday afternoon at 2:M o'clock at the Evangelical and Reformed church, three miles east of Wren.

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Vital Port Os Gabes Captured By British Army; Americans Seek To Bar Escape Trail London. Mar. 30— (UP) — Radio Algiers says the British have landed troops at the Tunisian port of Stax. Sfax, big port on the east coast of Tunisia, is 65 airline miles northeast of Cabes and 85 miles by road. (By United Press) The German Africa corps, defeated but still dangerous, ta retreating norlhwar along the Tunisian coast under a deluge of Allie dbombs. The victorious British Eighth army, rolling over the broken forts of the Maretb line, is pouring through captured Cabos on the heels of the harried enemy. And the Americans are trying to blast through the final mountain range barring their way to the coastal plain over which Marshal Rommel's legions are retreating The German retreat, which so far is orderly, can be turned into a disastrous rout If the Yanks burst through the long enemy flank. The American column creeping slowly southeast from El Guettar has made new gains and now is fighting the Germans near the junction of the Kebili and Gabes roads, only 40 miles above lhe Gabes bottleneck. The Yanks are braving a rain of Axbi molar and artillery fire. Near Maknaxsy, a secon'i American column is under vlolen' enemy counter-attacks. Two of these enemy assaults were hurled back yesterday with heavy Axis losses. But the enemy came r.gh tback with a thirt attack, and at last reports furious fighting was In progress. Marshal Rommel l« reported operating from a new headquuarters about 40 miles north of Sfax. directing these counter-attacks against the Americans In an effort to keep open his retreat corridor. So far, 9.000 enemy prisoners have been capture I since the start of the big Allied push 10 dsy* ago. And Prime Minls'er Churclilll. who was the first to report the capture of Galtes, said enemy losaM in equipment as well as men have been large He paid special tribute to the New Zealanders who. under General Bernard Freyberg. flanked the Mareth forts and opened the way for a frontal assault by Scottlsli highlanders. Churchill warned, however, that hard fighting still is (Turn To !'»«• J. Column 4) — — o Resistance Growing In Occupied Lands Sabotage Reported In Denmark Plants By United Press A combination of Geriuau, Croatian. and Italian troops have had a hard time stamping out what the Nazis call a communist revolt In southern Croatia. A German radio broadcast says that despite difficult weather conditions. the inaccessability of the mountain battle zone, and the treacherous fighting habits of the rebels, the organised resistance of Croat patriots was crushed. But the resistance of peoples tn the other occupied lands grows. The latest reports of sabotage are coming now from Denmark with the German controlled radio at Copenhagen .disclosing the Information. The reports say the Danes set off a bomb at Aarhus, starting a fire and killing three German soldiers Denes also incited three bomb explosions in Copenhagen machine factories. Hungary discovered that even the army needs Jews. The Vichy radio says the Axis satellite country la so desperate for soldiers (Turn Te P»«« L Ceiuma 4) ~