Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 42, Number 116, Decatur, Adams County, 15 May 1944 — Page 1

■ |r/<e Is Chores!

Unii No. H 6

LUES SMASH BREACH IH GUSTAV LINE

Hal Smashes . lazi Eu rope jfthWeek Kunie Bombing Os Knee; Russian Air Ke Blasts Enemy \| jV 11 I'l AmerK. .. h- .»•! 4 by ' .1 M| ImHII |K - west Will today follow Uj; kbit u-r as.-nul: arsenal force's heavy H » s ih • -<"ri of I K . • imiiii'iitifi> <i' . north K itti-r breakfa-' softening of p-1.11 l A'licd land ■ licht Week of K|. bombers and shuttled f ’■ ■■■ English in ,| S' of Dover in uki,-. 'i' !il promise ’tt would Hb.xh K'-ai H .'oi f d It \F |9 I . .’. i of block ■ and limidi ••<!* of ' file M(r : I ,'ou';i > apital of tier ■th . industrial area of tin- P iin i|>al railway M j 0.11,. ill'U <1 western mo-qti.' alia, k< d oh- ■ In Erain Belgium and M. A’.' pi tie- ■ i iinn d safeHigh! Op.- atiulis. ilii'lild Ki Isying ■ kwiifii: , i'" of 'he coastal with an si iii l of nitl u ■ torp.'l"! 'wo merchant Mil! ililll (11 ill-— VS ■ • -p.-i in an attack on a MXnrth S i otf tin- Frisian ■ The itiili. weeper was Mtiu On li.-autip'liter wiMnaioaiu photographs ■of tin' Osntbrmk railway ■in a■•H a. -m il.-imany K* Satu day's American Moieii blat k smoke rising ■ li'z- . vidosioii ildy Malt »f hi:-. on an oil m Mtiiin Ham. an American ■Nruo said 9 Rriluic To Drive ■»»- May 15 tl P( - The ■t finie. -Hiking deep into ■ krritury. hamm red Get ■'" and military com ent ra Mkng a him mile front in ■p-ori'd today to he a pre M a tie* Russian drive to ■ range hoviet botraborp 9 ” the fortress city of ■Ut'iV'k in pre war Poland. ■■ Junction of Polotsk in E** 1 * 141 White Russia and encircled Estonia ytt of Narva. ■muiikiu.. said the bomb ■ th*:' thin] successive night ■on German installationeastern front, started 55 explosions ami fires ■ trtr.j, concentrations, rail ■M military depots. 9**fie»t attack was made ■*' Lltovsk. wherff the ■ bo "ii”"i th- principal rail 9" 1 ' 0 ' 1 and raked military ■ •nil motorized columns on ■ highway w ph machine- ■" mnnon fire. F *' as no mention of ■ymy opposition to the E announced that two r Pla "*‘" *•*'<• lost In the r T « P»«. i, coiuma l c ' ur Lions To Purdue Man ()J( , d air y exten- , f *m»nt of Purdue univerL ** lh e speaker at th* . ng Tuesday evening. !w ***°' •' B - Archhold will g. ’he digit and John , ' ‘1 act as chairman for »ho I. in. *«ADIHG thermometer R ■ .. n •« * IM lATHER n,, nt ’’••’♦•ftuad warm Tuaaday.

DECATUR DAILY DEMOCRAT

Churches Os City Observe Mother's Day Here Sunday Services in all tin- uhur. hes were I largely attended Sunday in ohs.rv am e of MotherH day Tribute to I mother ami motherhood wire paid! by minister and priest, along with! prayerw for peace ami the gate re turn of sons front the armed services. IMany -erviietm-n rs.-re home for the day. their p'<wence being the finest gift to mother, rind congr. ga I Hom Were dotted with khaki, blue' and white. At St. Marys church tin ino'here 1 and daughters ittended the 7;3o! o'clock high mass, receiving Holy j (’omniunion in a body It was the' largest .Mother's day affemlanr e in recent years. —• o Baccalaureate Rites Held Sunday Night Rev. George Walton Speaks To Graduates Baccalaureate exercises for the 7d graduates of the liet atur juniorsenior high school were held Sun day evening in the M hool auditorium. Kev. George ft Walton, paetoi of the First Presbyterian church, delivered the baccalaureate sermon, choosing as his sermon subjeit, "Getting the most out of life" The ti.Trd annual commencement exercises will he held at the school auditorium Thursday night, with Hr. Clyde Wildman, president of hePauw university, delivering Uncommencement address. Rev. F. II Willard. Evangelical church pastor, ami hr M O Lester. pastor of the Methodist church, assisted in the service, and special music was provided by tin- s< hool glee club. "Among the terms required of the abundant life are foresight, fervor and faith." Rev. Walton emphasized in his sermon. "When Jesus said, 'I am come that ye might have life ' He meant life here and now- Every once in a while we come upon certain people whose concept of religion Is sin h that ail of life’s music must be played in sombre notes set to a minor key of gloom. If there is any one thing that out religion offers it is life bubbling. s|>arklitig life ' Rev Walton stated that he was not unmindful of the dark back ground of life in this hour ot history. "Some of your lives have already been saddened by this background, the future may seem foreboding, but jesiis did not give us something that lias to run up a white tlag when the going gets tough "Foreslglit means that you look at life with an > nd in view Many a life with a splendid equipment has fallen by the wayside for lack (Turn To Pags 5. Column 4> o City Parks Opened For Summer Season Volunteer Firemen Point Park Benches The manpower shortage in catur has been solved tor the park committee by the volunteer firemen. Mayor John Stulls announced today The city has a large number of benches and laities which have been stored through the winter In the barn on the city's property at Seventh street. It was impossible to find men to give them their annual repainting In tint to open Up the parks. Phil Sauer, city street commissioner. enlisted the help of the volunteer firemen in this work These men came at odd times after their own work was done and completed It last week In time to take advantage of the fine weal he.*. The benches have now been set In place In the parks, at the swimming pool ••••! It* *be uptown district. They are a bright gteen. The cltya parks are opened and ready for use of the public. Watchmen are used each year at the American Letfion memorial park on Winchester street and at the Hanna-NiHtman city park west of Decatur. With restrictions in effect for the use of gasoline, city officials are anticipating greater tire of the parks again this year.

40 Jap Barges Sunk By Yankee Planes At Rabaul New Type Os Rocket Gun Is Used By U. S. Airmen In Pacific i i Allied Headquarters, Southwest Pacific. (May 15 id'l’i American . figliti-l plam-e and dive-bombers, using a new type of rocket gun in the |'a<ific fur the first time, destroyed 40 Japanese barge; at Rahaul. New Britain, to shatter a possible enemy attempt to evacuate men or bring in supplitw to th* isolated base, it was disclosed today. (Although details of th" rocket Weapon were not revealej, it was believed tie- guns, rewmirbiillg ba- j zookas, were mounted In groupe of three under each wing It was reported several weeks ago that Koio'.nonsJrased aircraft had tried the new rocket gone Speedy fighter planes from the 13th army air force joined with ' dauntless divediouvliers in smash-1 Ing the enemy barges at t'imtpson hatlbor and Keravta Bay to deliver one of the most damaging nttacke on Japanese light shipping in two months. The raid, which occurred last Friday the 97tli day of a'taclM on Itaibaul since Fob • was coupled with a 4u-ton bombing assault by medium and light liomhers on Tide era airfield atid gun positions at the air and seaJblockaded baseThe tegular communique did not dutclose whether troops or supplies were aJtoard the 40 barges, which was the greatest number sunk by planes in a single action in the south Pacific in nearly six montlw The aerial offensive also brought now attacks along the northern Now Guinea coaat from the by(Turn To Page 2, Column 7) New Swimming Pool Proposed For City New Pool Port Os Post-War Projects A new swimming pool at Worthman field and new equipment at the municipal light and power plant w re proposed today by city ifticials as pait of the post war planning projects being outlined. Two previous proposals in the postwar planning program were recently announced They were the construction of a municipal water softening plant which would eliminate th- need for cisterns and motor plumbing In the homes, and the construction of larger sewers to prevent water bar king up into basements during storm*. The proposal that a new swim miiig fiord be built al Worthmail I Fired was mad" after it was learned trelav that some turbines are being released by the government. Should a m w turbine be installed at the municipal plant, the light department would require the use of the present swim tiling pool to cool the water. L L. Pettibone, head of the light and power department said that the cost of purchasing ■power from the Northern Indiana Pub-1 lie S- rvice corporation lust year amounted to about IrOJtoo. The minimum which must lie used is about 150,000. Extra current was bought last year because of a faulty stoker which the city is attempting to get replaced. The city lost a turbine in an explosion three y-ars ago He said that the contract for use of outside current was written for five years and has two years yet to run. It is hoped that liefore the end of that time a new turbine can be installed Ralph Roop, superintendent of the water department, announced that ho and Mayor John Stulta have presented a petition to the city school board asking that body to reserve a place for the swimming pool at Worthman held A new and better type of pool would be built there, where the rest of ’he city's recreational facilities and direction la centered The school board Is holding Its regular meeting this evening At thia time the proposition to place the swimming pool at Wortbman Field will be discussed.

ONLY DAILY NEWSPAPER IN ADAMS COUNTY

Decatur, Indiana, Mo nday, May 15, 1944.

Break Transcontinental Record ’ —"ZZ — *" '*'s. i f SHAKING HANDS aftet they had landed thcii I 51 Mu-tang tighter planes at LaGuardia Airport. New York City, are <| n, , i |., c, ( ] Jack II Cartel and Col Clalt I’etet-on Taking oft from inglew >od Cal , tlo-y flew across th.- continent In the record breaking time <>i •; hours and 3't minutes and fi hours and 32 minute- respective!)

28 To Graduate At | St. Joseph School » • Annual Exercises On Friday, June 2 Tw'i-nty-i'ight stuilente. 15 boys and thirteen girls, will graduate from the St. Joseph grade school this year, school officials announced today. Graduation exercises will be held in conjunction with the annual; commencement of the Catholic I high school, which will be held In the school auditorium Friday night. I June 2. Rev. Leo I’umley, nastor of St I John the Baptist church at Fort Wayne, will deliver the commencement address. Rev. ,1. J. Selmetx, pastor of St. Mary's (’atholii* church, and superintendent of the Catholic schools, will award the diplomas The list of gradually follows: Norina Appelman. Eugeni' Baker. Bernadette Braun. Jnmei Ehler. Henrietta Faurote Marjorie Gasc, Agnes Geimer, John Glllig. Cletus Heimann. Eugeni- Heimann. Fred eru k Heimann'. Maxine Ki ller, Donna Dean Koenig, Donna Lui Korfenber James Korteliber. Kathleen Kort-1 ettber, Leonard Lengerlih. Lucy Lopez, Charles Ixtshe, Richard Mies. Rose Noonan, Janice Roop, Clarice Rumschlag. Donald Rum sclilag. Richard Rumu hlag. George Scheiner. Kathleen Terveer, Donald Voglewede. City School Board Meets This Evening The city school board Is scheduled to give a contract tor the re-! toofing of the Lincoln school ut I's meeting tonight. However, at noon today, no bids had been re- ; .•eiV.'d The boartl probably will .lign l I contract thia evning with Robert! Take for removing the old Routh Ward school. Mr. Yake was the Itigh (bidder ut |32 for the Job. but ' bond and other detalla have not | brell completed

Yank Troops Ready For Great Test, Invasion Os Continent

(Editor** Note American men ’ are ready for their supreme teat. Thia is the message of United Press war correspondents in England who have been covering their activities at the prednvaslon training and assembly bases. Their reports on the various units have been compiled ’a the following dispatch by Virgil Pinkley. United Pres* vice president and European general manager.) By Virgil Pinkley larndon, May 15 (UPI The beat trained and finest equipped military forces In America’s his tory are ready and eager to take on the job of crashing the German walls somewhere in Europe shortly. United Press war correspondents who have been assigned to the fireinvasion coverage of various units compiled this report Speaking for myself, I never before have seen soldier* and sailors so well drilled and armed.

Formers Benefiting By Break In Weather Farmers took advantag ■ of th • warm dry weather over tin week end and again tod ty were busy with plowing and discing of fields .Many farmers worked Sunday in the fields, completing the plowing of fields. Some are still sowing oats, while others are getting teady to plant corn. Wmk will run from sunup to darkness and in many case* where tractor lights can be used, plowing discing and planting will continue through th night, farmers said o Increase Expected In Tax Assessments Personal Property Assessment Higher An Increase In the personal property assesHtnents In Deatur and throngbWif the county Is expected this year, assessing officials pre dieted today Today is the final day tor aeses* Ing personal property and improve- ; nietitx on real >--.'ate Corporation ; also had up to today io turn In I their a ■e ssinetit sllt-ete Will Whines. Washington town uhip, assessor, - lid tliat there would be an increase of possibly |3iio.ih*i in Decatur's total assesemellt* One industry alone Increased Its assessment by apout $200,000, Mr Winnw said. Slight increases In the townships, due to the higher values of livestock and grain and the larger number of tattle, hogs and other livestock are expected, officials ■ estimated. However, the amount will not he I large, because very little new ma j chincry has been purchased tint ing I the year anti improvements tin real ! estate have been small The McArthur addition on Stttda ! baker street in litis city will go on I the tax duplicate this year The ; Park addition will probably be | withheld until all improvements (Turn To Page 1. Column 7>

and I have observed all of the European and Medltt rranean campaigns of the past 10 years There is so much of everything that It stagger* belief. There ate acres of tanks ami armored cars There arc single piles of shells, ammunition and bombs which the main tent of the world's biggest circus would cover only partially. There are vast underground storehouses containing millions of shells, gasoline drums and tons of explosives. Hows of anti-tank guns line the parks. The rows of 105 MM guns and long range "Long Toms" seem to stretch to the horizon I walked for two hours along country roads, both side, of which were banked with shells, neatly piled and covered. There were parking lots pricked with trucks extending almost out of sight. I was told that every division won! I go Into battle with several thou(Turn To Page 4, Column •)

French Troops Batter Three-Mile Breach In Line On Italian Front

Chinese Launch New Offensive Against Japs Surprise Offensive Aimed At Clearing Japs From Burma Chungking, May 15 tll’t A two day offensive alill-il at ch ar Ing tile Japaiie-t. from north, rn Butina and reopening china'lifeline to India was in full swing today as a powerful American trained and equipped Cliin.--.- ex pedltlonary force burst across the S.ilw.- n river on a imi mile front and droi. westward to within 22 iiiil.-s of th.- Burma frontier Firiking through the mountainills gorges north and south of iinold Burma road under cover us a fierce A nielli an aerial barrage. Generalissimo Chiang Kai-Shek' forceg knifed deep into the Japanese positions west of the Sal ween at a dozen widely separated point:' The surprise mow met little or no opposition in its initial stages, but the Japanese reorganiz d swiftly and a communique said bloody fighting was in progre-r ■ll along tile front, with both sides suffering heavily Chiang Kai-Shek's sudden offensive was timed to coincide with the tili.al stages of a twa> pronged Alli <1 attack on tin- .lapane-i strongholds m the Mogaunr valley of northern Burma, more than 100 miles Io the west. Chungking spokesmen said tin I new offensive was intended to I join forces with Lt Gen Joseph I W Stilwell - Chili-s.- and \iii<n can units in the Mogaung valley J and with other \llled unit <-n I gaging tlie Japanese in tin Mo ; gating Myitkyina an a. Flrimg Chinese force CIO- >-d the Salween river las' W dne«day I night in rubber boats and empty J ill drums, and othe: unli- follow , ed on Thursday and Friday nights, mi-itlng little resistance from the urprlsed <-ni tn) I nited Press war corr spond ir Albert Ravenholt reported from the new front that American eng: net rs were aiding the Chines, and that the exp ditionary ! tree was well equipped with American heavy artillery. C S army art!! lery and medical officers also are operating w ith Chiang Ka! Shek «Turn Tn P»g» ». Column 4» , | - o Nine Men Leave For Active Navy Service I Two Volunteers Are Members Os Group Nlllo me|| left Decatur this morning for Indianapolis for ac tfvi< induction into the I' S navy. George J Schultz who voltlli- ■ teered for service although his i induction had In en cancelled be cause of being over the year ; mark was leader of the conting . ent Roy Frank laiugh. Jr,, also over the age murk, also volunteered and accompanied the group Other members of the contlng- < tit were Robert Glenn McMillen,! Leland Dale Myers. Cruz Richard Vela, Russell Jauregui. Gene' J | Dun, George Fredrick Manns and , Ommida Fr drlck Luke the latter a transfer from Kit-hville Induction if Chester ISs-l-stysi Feasel a.so a volunteer, hits been postponed until June x hecauae of n recent Injury Three men originally acheduled for navy Induction today, but whose orders were cancelled after the 2fi year ruling, were George Edward Kuhn, Richard Rnymand 1 Steele and Ralph Deßols Maby. A contingent Is scheduled to go to Indianapolis Fridqy for pre Induction physical examinations at the motor armory. •

Anti-Poll Tax Bill Killed By Senate Refuses To Limit Debate On Measure BULLETIN Waxhington. May 15— 'UP) — The senate overwhelmingly refused today to limit debate on the anti poll tax bill and then voted 41 to 3 to lay the measure aside and ptoceed to other buainess Washington. May 15 iI Pi Ths. in a !i-n«<- atmosphere today refused to limit debate on the anti -Poll-tax hill, apii.iii'tit|y dooming * fuiThei < oiuslderatioii of the tiu-.i-ure this year. The vote w.i«s 3ti for cloture limi tatlon of di'bate and II against Proponents of i-lo'ure tliu- did no 1 even get a majority, mucli be. th • two-thlrdis vote required Proponents, of the 4>ilt which ■ would outlaw the poll tax an a fire i ii-quisite to voting foi fedeiai idfii ■ | er-, know that cloture w,m the only means of preventing a filibuster against the m.-a-ii'e by eoutheni omatoie and w. prepared to abandoti the bill rather than see tile senate tical up by a long filkbtMli-r now Southerner* held the floor mo.I of th'' time (since the bill Was tak i'll up 111 the illite I.MI Tuesday They were prepared to go into a genuine filibuster unlms advocates of th.- bin agreed after .. cloture vote |o la) aside tile lll' l-llle and tak> up other Tegfadattlon As 'he e.Hale approached the <!ottire vot. tonsion mornted in (Turn T<> Pag* <. Column *) o Dales Selected For Firemen Convention Two Day Convention Here On June 23 24 The eleiiion nt .1 genera! iltait man fur the 3tuh .iltnilai .<mv.ii lion of tlie Northi-a-tern Indiana industrial and volunt.- t firem.'ii ■ in ihis city Jun.- ZA and 21. will s t. plat.- Thin-day evening -it th> engine lionon Soit tlt -.'Vi'iith sire.- it wa anti tutu .->1 today officers no! dm. tu. of the association met It- re Saturday I night and de. ided to hold til" con vi'iillon from Friday .itiernoou up to Saturday night. A bitsitn a meeting and b iti quel will lie held on Friday and; the i 'mt. i. hei w, ,ii i nmpe ing companies will b staged on Sift , in du. local firemen a<l Paul Fi'lber Ilf this, city, I'hl' t of tin- Industrial unit it tlie Cen Hui >itya iiitnp.iiiy i president of the inl'.iiiizatl in (> her offi< i s iii . Wi| iim Still key of Monroe. V - piesl ' d nt, Henry t’ollissoti. Winona L.tke ecri tary The directors are, Charle- Mettler, B'uffion. II I. Voss, Markle, Earl Eakrlght. Butler, I, W Mason. Portland. L A Wilcox on. Pierceton; Hat >ld Quackenbush, ()--ian Cimimlttees will also be named Thursday tit the joint meeting of Decatur volunteer and Industrial firemen. Senate Committee Approves Forrestal Washington. May 16 H'l’t- The senate naval affairs committee today unanimously approved the nomination of James V Forres.al tn sue teed the late Frank Knox as secretary of the navy Chairman David I Waleti. D. Maes. said the committee acted after only three minutes of discussion Forrestal! arrived several minute* later, accompanied by naval aides Told by reporteiw that he hud ■ been recommended unanimously so. senate confirmation, he smiled and ■aid. 'That's very dangerous bustnwss "

Buy War Savinas Bonds And Stamps

Price Three Cents

French Troops Set Pace For Gains By Allies; Eight More Towns Are Captured BULLETIN Allied Headquarters, Naples. May 15—(UPi—Italian front ditpatches said tonight that Br.tnh eighth army forces had broken through prepared German infantry positions of the Gustav line in the upper Loi valley above a three mile wide breach knocked in the line by French troops Allied II" idquarters Naples, May 15 (I'Pi Frelti'h troops have -ma-hei| a thfc" mile wide breach in the Gii'tav line athwart th.' road Io llome to set ill. pace for Allied gains, wresting eight more stra'i-gic towns from the Itai'l fighting Gilman , it was i.O' ibd today Gen Aiphonsi- Jin's forces battered across th.- low r half of the Llii valley and .'lz.-d Atl'onia. flo- "forward brains" of Mardial Albert N.--s.>|riltg's defense force . it the high wat. ■! mark of a pu-h over around the rocky, snow . app d mountain peaks Th., capture of Ansonia, nine miles from the Gulf of Gaeta, ex tended the Allied bridgehead across the Garigliano river to iboitt nine mile ami raised new ly won ground to Go qttar. milet of rugged terrain, half of It jam|uo ked with (lu-iav line contmunl cations. Tlie "-igntficant tnea.lt in the German defense line, a announced in til.- dally Ml.<i| ■ ommitni qm, was disclosed later to Im thr.e miles wide The French ct.uk. il the line at Mount Malo ami pushed on five miles westward Io take Mt-onla, on the malt) late ll lo.ul be'Ween (’assino ami the e,i, ii-t. Aiison:a |. I to Murm < 9ti if Jitfn's ietielnmtits fighting wlfllt Ilf fifth army under Lt G.-n Mark W t'btth Some five miles -ollth of Atl*O nla, American e|. immi- of the | fifth army al-o <ut .u rns thu t'asslno-For mia mad aril drove on am tin 2’a mites t > lay *t«|* o spigtio after < ajHiiring the •m-sroads town of Santa Maria Infante and m-arby San Pedro. Together, the Americans and I i-nch nf the fifth army captrred I nine tnon. bills, while th eighth ii mv ' i:' -i-oie, .if tat k across i tin* Rapido river over new bridges he Llii valley below ('assino to uni deepened Its bridgehead In .'mm y.ttd-. in a drlv that raised i l urn Tn t■..Column 41 Berne Girl Badly Injured Saturday Sandra Cramer Hurt When Hit By Truck Sandra Cramer 5. daughter of Ml ami Mr- Georg.. Cramer, of Bern-' is in ,i aerious condition at •he Adam* county manorial hoapi- ' tai a« the result of injuries sustain••d Saturday morning at 11 15 o'- ' clock when struck by a milk truck driven by Roger Kaehr, of French townahlp The accident occurred on Main atreet *n Berne a block west of lhe inteiiectlon wi'h I'. S 2; Th« girl apparently was crossing the street after leaving the playground It was reported ahe darted, out In the path of the t-uck At noon today It had been Impoaailde to take X-rays of the girl, but It was 'believed all of the ribs on her right side were lorn loose, tliat she had sustained t broken right collar bone, had all of her lower teeth knocked out and received severe friction butna over her body. The accident w.ia Investigated by Sheriff Leo Glllig, who said no charges would be made against Kaehr Mr. Cramer 1s well known • M an employ.- of th.- Gem iai Electric company and as a former resident.