Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 42, Number 303, Decatur, Adams County, 23 December 1944 — Page 1

Merry Quistmas

XUL No. 303.

ITY OF LUXEMBOURG IN GERMAN HANDS

fcSources K Reds Plan ■Offensive Jbssions Beat Down J German Resistance Latvian Front * . iri’» Hiis-i.in ■ beating down . ; , '^^£ |rg I.vicatu , . >mg front warned that the to strik. in Pol ... K.i-t -Upl'-Hl’-K Hid *tl *•>!* Wllttet ~ ■. :nperatn>e>M- gripped -- 41l .mien id the front d to the 't^^E,. r Ire. .'ini' over the Pill-*- - .md I’.disli plains warfare ■Hf. ~ • -I'ondeh' n I’,. u . Sa.’: nulitaiy anthoiit.es k ”.:>*; lieely that the Red big * offensive w.i .de Pl 11'*..1 KiP.rnd ■>' 'h a matter of "d:iy7 |Hfa ; •■.!• fich'ing already »a« hate broken on jK front- in what German i sci ll’.ed as 'he •’, idSovlet attack. * a I niled Pre** dl» I 'lie Ituesian capital .1dented - and planes «•■ 4-“ in'.'■ -d foi a great . .» .oioss Pnie-ia -e heart of the ..nr gun of the wintei I to have sio-ady ’he north Beilin r>j' tank and infantry ba' had bee,, laging in western I^Er. d.. dawn Thursday when -d army launched its thud t , wipe out the Nazi divis “la hale been pinned again-' t since last O< toll, I Orthal, rp.g. -men aim "el 'ln bid In >k-n into th.' N.iz at a i.umber <>f points on H tim.' and north ea p..it The Nazi -aid ■ ' d:vi-'>:i- per >p ■ 'e.l d Illi tjH led I ■ and tank*, were battering ' hue, all along the front th.- <ntii.il battle ,tili iaging ■lmiim:} mirth of Alice. mil.of Liepaja IHlIa II the opening stage- < ■ turn tin- enemy i. poit, i communique said p. itie, and litl tanks w, i-, on the eastern front ■'•-•‘M tm biggest lo'ai i.-p.il' a many week*. tureen were said to have B ,r *<i to within two miles north Siekc.fehervar. the main Gerfortress guarding the gap on road t( , Vienna. Heavy also was reported north <d H tnile* southwest of Buda with the bulk of 10 Soviet battling to cut the last ÜB,U B,i J r e». U | M . |j nP f roln Budapest B* Person Killed ■" Chicago Blast ■ 2‘ < * lto °*- 23 — W** o *a» killed and 14 other* U*’ lajured late yesterday when oven tn a war plant exploded H? lb* Victor Manufacturing A ■ Reid, ChkUMto, a cutter. when piece* of the shatoven were hurled again*: * WJ " r ni»hing him Only 4" of the "tnploye* were in the plan' W*" 'he explosion occurred, offl- ■‘"‘ Mid Cause of the bias' was toermined. —° Byuistmas Travelers B’B'd Rail Station ■ Dec M—(VF> n-hirty etnen Were went to th ■ lllinoin railroad station last night * '" >ar riot devekqx'd among nnateti 3.000 persotv; attempt- " board trains for holiday nip* ■hiu ° n * Wi ”' ,n -J t,r * , d 1,1 ’ he * n '* which reached It* peak Hktta t,c,,e ' h< *l<i*n> rutihed the flbiin ♦ l>r!< ’ r t 0 ’ he departcre of a fOT N»w Orleans. Police eaid ■ P*f*on» 'vere left ■ a * h *° ”** ,raln fln ' , ’ , r 4 * H 20 mlnu'e* behind time.

DECATUR DAILY DEMOCRAT

Homer Lower Rites Tuesday Morning Funeral -ervi. f, )r || , ln , , n ■ Uiwer. prominent IJecatn man who died suddenly E |,y „ >rn ng. * *" »*M at 1" ::o ... „ ~.,, t . imo'. tctig., the - dem <-.-,H w, ' Sei ond atre.-t, |» \| () |.. r .,.. w of: riatr and buual w.i! I>. in th* lb- .i'ui i.m.-t- y Th. bony A II 1 he removed f>m,m z* k fi l;i . ~| j home to the - -id.ni. Allied Bombers Hit Transport Centers Weather Betters To Permit Operations London, lt.c ;>l HP, \meri- ; can eighth air force heavy l>oml> 1 »»r». earthbound l.v the w.-ather for five days, smashed today at i three German iralisport .enters behind Marshal Von Hiindst.-dt s offenaive front Fog which had Idanket.-d the Straits of Jtover for several days lifted, and I.t Gen. .lames || I too little'* waiting bombers went into action in sup|>ort of the American forces battling the German spearhead* probing westward toward the invasion gateway to Frame The heavy bombers swept out of Britain through < loml fl.-. k-d . skies over the straits, in which visibility was fairly good to hit prime transport targets in western German directly behind the Nazi offensive The daylight attack followed heavy bombardment, of Coblenz and Bingen Rhineland bottlenecks through which the Germans have been supplying and reinforcing their push, by latncaslei and Halt fait heavies of the royal ail force i*!anes supporting the British Hight raiders shot down a G.-i man planes, while the RAF lost three in all its operations ■ ■ 0 Auction School To Open On Wednesday 48th Term Os School Will Open Next Week The 4kth term, marking the 24th | year of aucceseful operation of Hie I Repp.-rt school of auctioneering, will open in this city next Wednesday. Col Fred Reppelt, found.', ol the school and world famous auctioneer. announced today The classes for the emhryoni* i auctioneers will b. held ill Ho-1 school's assembly building in Bell-j tnont park, east of the city. The auction classe- will be condmted in the letmon building on South Second street, across from the court house. Already the advance enrollment In the December term is approaching the record breaking attendance of »1 in the July class. Col Rep pert stated that about 75 men had sent hi their reservations aud that from Inquiries received, he expected the number to be around so. Quinton Chaff.' ol Towanda. Pa., who wa* recently honorably discharged from the army, will sueceed the late Rev. Harry W Thompson. as Instructor in psychology and public speaking Mr. Chaffee formerly was an instructor in the school. He served in the armed forces for the past three years. Col. Reppert stated Other former instructor* will compose the staff and assist < 01. Reppelt in teaching the men the art of salesmanship and the rudiment* of auctioneering The staff includes Col. Roy Johnson of this city, a graduate of one of the first *chool terms, who has developed a very xucceMful amtioneering business; Melvin LieclHy of Herne, also a graduate of the .chooll Isaac Rochelle of Roanoke. N C ; Col Guy Pe»H <’» BloomReid. Iowa: Col Earl Garten of Greensburg, and II B. Sager m Boxeman. Mont. Special lectures will be given by successful auction eer*. including Guy Johnson of Columbus. Ohio; Charles Garten of Rushville and Others Col Reppert said that room accommodations for the student, were being obtained In private home* and that others would be quartered at the hotel and in the dormitory at Bellmont park The Reppert school of auctioneering is recognized as the outstanding school of It* kind tn th* Vntted States and each year grows In importance as a training campus (Till" To l , aaa 4. Column 1)

A Soldiers Praver on Christmas Day 1 B-. Lord, for Thy protection. ® that »in« e I was n child, Lord. !■ '/■£ 7 i Thy day, I say It once more, ■ pBH , more than any other, come from the heart. ft for the < hrlstnms dinner 1 lere in this orchard in Relgitmi, , staked plain on lay to Island, ' r on a ship at sea. ‘¥ rd, for the richer food • ' — HB SHgMQIQrE » v er Christmas days . . . Wy 7 vith those we love, nd gifts, and happy greeting* RPall of us—each with the other; tK ff'Wo ff iRf yfe-i / i thank thee, Lord, ’ 1 mor,e '' MTkawaßw a r and humbly a*k ey be other Chrletmas day* iff o distant , e may join with those we . peace and good will, the families we hold dear < -->Z nks, with them, once again. a we thank Thee for Thy proto lion. it home today, that we are with them 4 e than ever today, and M y be a happy one. I Amen ?' 4 —Uy Cps Alvin L. Krieg

Million Thanks W,- appreciate the patience and < oii-ideration extended by renders <d this m-wspaper over Hie delay in issuing lie- papei under press ' difficllllies. Through long hours of work the fone made the adjustment* and ' normal activities were resumed today W, ar.- grateful to the young tarnei salesmen who maintained their delivery 'service in the city and appreciate the interest taken by parents ami the help they gave in assisting their sons in the delivery of the paper. , , Thanks a million, and A Merry Christmas to all DECATI R DAILY DEMOCRAT o - Herman Haugk Named j Highway Supervisor County Board Names Decatur Coal Dealer Ho man Haugk. local coal dealer and ll.'pnhlh an candidate in the ; last election for county surveyor, i imlay was named road supervisor 1 of Adams lounty's highway system, effective January I. Dale D Mmww. president of tlie board of county commissioners, announced today. Mr. Haugk's appointment means that the highway .-.upi rvlsory position will lie separated from that of comity surveyor. William Ehrsani, county surveyor, who held the comhim <1 post heretofore, will be *ucceeded by John W Tyndall ot this city on January 1, as county surveyor. Mi Haugk * salary was fixed at *’,loo a year by the commisioners 'ffheie are 714 miles of road under the supervision of the department In recent years. Mr. Haugk has op»-rated a coal yaiii in this city. He bM bld .Ibom 25 years -xp'tietiie m road and general construction business, at one time being associated with his tatherr the late Julius Haugk. as a road contractor. He also operated a large stone quarry at Pendleton, which is now owned by the state of Indiana, and •s worked by inmates of the state reformatory. The appointment of the four district highway supervisor* may be made today. Mr. Mose* *akl It Is expected that a majority of the men will be redppointed. The appointment of a trustee of the Adams county memorial hospital to succeed !*•<» Saylors, who doe* i-oek reappointment, may Imdone today, or carried over to the meeting on January I. the board chairman said —o 95,000 War Refugees Now In Switzerland Washington. Dec 23 <VPI The Swiss legation snnounced today that about SS/OO refugee* of ' 20 different natlonalitlns. Including ’ 1,550 American fliers forced down ' after bombing raid* on Germany ' ba'* been admitted to Hwltierland ' from the beginning of the war to O<l. 1.

ONLY DAILY NEWSPAPER IN ADAMS COUNTY

Decatur, Indiana, Saturday, December 23, 1944.

Dr. Duke's Mother I Is Taken By Death ‘Mrs. J S Duke. Gl. uiot'.i’ i of Dr. 1 Ben Duke of thio < i y. died Friday j at her home in Crab Ort hard. Ky. . Site had been In ill health for some | time, only survivors are the son and a granddaugtei. Mrs Barbara Duke-Stevens of Shrevep >i t. La. Funeral sei vices will be held a' era’ll Oi -hard Sunday afte. uoon o — Passenger Car Tire Production Slashed — Military Needs To Cut Civilian Quota Washington. Dec 23. — tUI’l Th- lowly "A" card driver's hopes of attaining new tires next year I were as thin today as tne casings ; he ha* been riding on »ln«- Pearl* Harbor. The war production board ye*-1 terday slashed th, sche filled out-i put of passenger car tires for th< first quarter of 11*45 by 3,1H*0.000 | tires in a move to release facilUier , and manpower to make crith ally j needed army tirr * WI'B said that the "A" card hold er ns the* result of the reduced out-1 put must ride on hk* present tires for “a good part of next year" and that recapping was his only hope of remaining on Hie road An office of price administration spokesman said that WI'B action "dims the already faint Itope" ot the “A" motorist* but that "B" and "<"' card holder* should be aide to get replacement*. WI’B. however, said the«e driver* would, not receive as many grade one tire* a* had been planned James F. Clark, head of WPB's ! rubber bureau, said that only 5.-1 000,00 b passenger car tire* could be produced in the first three months of 1045. 3.000.000 les* than uch'-duled for that period and 1,0(0,000 less than were turned out (luring the fourth quarter of 1944. "It is now very apparent that "A" card holders must live with existing tire casings for a good part of 1945." he said. "Recapping whenever needed -now more than ever—l* the answer for the nonessential "A" card driver." Army requirement* have been increased Mharply since D-day aud last month Gen. Dwight D Eisenhower told his men that I** percent of Allied army vehicles would have to be taken off the road by February if additional tires were not pro--1 dined meanwhile. WPB chairman J. A. Krug has announced that new facilities are 1 being constructed to step up the output of military tires and mantiiTurn To t’»K«- j. Column TfMPERATURE READING DEMOCRAT THERMOMETER 8:00 a. m 21 10.00 a. m. 23 11:00 a. m. , .... 25 ! _____ WEATHER Occasional light snow today, elsaring tonight, Sunday inI creasing cloud moss; colder * north and central today, colder tonight, continued cold Sunday.

Decatur Plans To (• Observe Christmas Quiet Observance Os Double Holiday Here Final preparation- for the ob-; servanci- id Christmas were being i made by Decatur citizens. the douide holiday affording unlimited opportunity for *pe< ial services' in the churches Sunday and <>n Christmas day Christmas Eve services will be held in a iiiiinber of the churches and in the Catholic and Lutheran church, service* will be held on Christmas morning Although the nation is gripped in Hie fourth year of war. the faithful will turn thoughts and prayers to the Prime of Peace and the all historic birth of the Christ Child in Bethlehem nearly [ two thousand years ago Business will give way for the peace and quiet which Christmas day always brings, regardless of the roar of gun and cannon on, * the battle fields of the world Industry will (ease operations and plants will be idle itniil Tues day morning All major plants in the city, that formerly operated on national , holiday*, will dose for Chrisnn.i There will not be any mail de I livery, except special delivery let : ter* in the city, on Christmas day Many men in uniform have re turned home on furloughs and leave extending over Christmn*. bringing happiness to loved ones i and cause for grateful prayers athey wind their way to church in celebrating the feast of the ■ Nativity. EDES Forces Appeal For Aid Os British Conciliatory Reply Studied By Scobie Athens. Dec 23 -ll'Pt Rightist EDES forces in northwest Greece I urgently appealed to the British command for help today against an EL AS army of 15.000 to 20.000 that ! has penetrat'd 15 mile* into EDES territory, capturing two towns. 'j The development came as Lt. Gen Ronald Scobie. commander of British troop* in Greece, was studying the reply of EAM. governing body of the ELAS. to th.- formula he laid down lael week fm settle--1 menl of the Greek civil war. The ’ reply was said to he conciliatory * and some hope was held for a quick * truce British observers In northwest Greece reported the EDES force*, numbering »ome 12.000. were railing ba< k under the ELAS attack into mountain* which they had honeycombed with caves, tunnels and defensive position* during the German occupation. Gnn Napoleon Zerva*. the EDES commander. *ent the urgent appeal to the Britiah command for a«at*tanr* from Britiah air and land fore**, but no derftlon ha* been (Turn To P«g<> J, HMumn D

Schricker Proclaims Good Neighbor Day Indianapolis. Dec 23 tl’l’i Governor Schricker has proclaim rd Jan 1 as the twelfth annual good neighbor day in Indiana. In a proclamation issued yester day. the governor asked Hoosier* to pledge "I will lie a good neighbor to tinboys over there by doing my full duty over here until the last shot 1* fired: I will work for victory, for prosperity and for posterity, and while 1 work. I will pray that Hie time may speedily come When the spirit of the golden rub- shall rule the world, with peace on earth and a I will toward m«-n " o Americans Continue Leyte Island Drive Mop-Up Operations Continued On Japs Allied Headquarters Philip pities lh< 2'- ill’’ The 77th division drove a< ro*s the north west corner of Leyte today to within nearly !'• miles of I’alompou, last Japanese-bold escape f,ort on th,- island, and Am -rican artillery already w is liombarding the town The advance carried four miles nr tnqic west of fin- Ornioi corridor. where another 1.546 enemy d< ad w, re counted In mopping up ' operations Thursday. Pushing along an easy-west road, the Americans were approaching the Pagsangahan river (The navy department In Wash Ington identified the destroyer transport Ward and the destroyer Mahan as the two American vessels torix-doed and sunk by Jap atiese (daties during the American landing at Ormoc Dec 7 There was no loss of life, the navy said I (Tokyo broadcasts said Japan ese (duties sank three Yllied transport* and two warships off Mindoro island today and had sunk or damaged ’•> Allied warships and transports in other attacks Wednesday through Friday off Mindoro, in the Gulf of Leyte and in the Sulu sea > American liberator bomber.loiK hed off fire* an<| explosion* at ('lark airfields northwest of Manila, 115 miles above the new (Turn T,i Ptige -• t'olnmn '> * 11

Historical Bureau Director Appointed Indianapolis. Dec. 23 (t’P» The appointment of Howard H | ; Peckham. -14. curatm of tnanuscripts of the William L. Clements ' library at the t’nberslty of Mich- ; Igan, a* director of the Indiana historical bureau wa* announced today, effective Fob 1. ’ Mrs. George W Blair of Mishawaka, p esidont of the Indiana lib- ( rsry and historical Ima.-d, announced the appointment of Peckham to succeed the late Dr Chris- ' topnet B Coleman Sha »aid that Pockhzm had b*on curator ataco ' 1936 H* is a nativa of Lowell, Mich.

Report Patton's Army Slashes A t German Salient

Lone B-29 In Nuisance Raid In Tokyo Area Fire, Demolition Bombs Dropped On Japanese Capital Washington. !»••«■. 23 il l’i Japanese broadcast* said a B-2!< | superfortress dropped fire and de | moiilion bombs on Tokyo In a ; dawn nuisance raid today and an- | other roared over Hong Kong. ' i biggest naval base on the China 1 ! coast, on reionnuissance for posI slide impending atlai ks It was the sixth straight day 1 j that superfortresses have been 1 reported in action over Japan or Japanese-dominated eastern Asia In their intensified offensive against the enemy’s war-making! potential Tokyo said a single B-2!t front the Marianas penetrated deep" into the Tokyo area in the dawn raid and "fled" after dropping its bombload. Another lone B-2''. presumably from a base in f'hina. made a reconnaissance flight over the for mer British crown colony and naval base of Hong Kong about 1 3o p.m least China timet yesterday. the Japanese Dome! agency said Though Hong Kong had tieen, raided previously by China based liberators and other bombers, the flight was tin- first by a B 2't over the colony The superfortress may have been searching for Japanese fleet units which had fbd from smith and central Pacifb wi*ters to seek a haven closer to the homeland In the the American Pacific offensive Itoinei also reported two \merlcan fighter raids on the Canton area of eastern China north of Hong Kong yesterday, the second lasting from 1 to 2 p m least 1 China tititei and perhaps deigned to tie down Japanese lighters dur ’ Ing the B-2U sortie One of five Pal mustangs was ‘ shot down and another was dam i ' .ic.ii heavtiy in the afternoon raid > while three were shot down or damaged during the morning at- * tack. Itomei said The Tokyo attai k catne less ' than 24 hours after 100 or more 1 Baipan based superfortresses > bombed the Hatsudokt factory of " the Mitsubishi aircraft works at ‘ Nagoya. 165 mites west of Tokyo through oven ast that prevented • .fbservation of results. I'nlted Press war correspondent r — t . iTirn To l’ii!>' ' c-dumn t> o

Colder Weather Due To Strike Tonight Weatherman Warns Os Colder Weather By I'nlted Pres* Temperatures climbed above the zero murk in some sect; »ns ot the midwest today, with snow flurries reported in Nebraska and lowa, but the weatherman warned that colder weather wa* due tonight. Sub zero temperature* were reported in Minnesota the Dakotas, and .Montana, the federal weather bureau at Chicago reported, but elsewhere in the midwest the mercury climbed to the 2'V« Zero temperature* also were reported in some section* of .Maine. The temperature* rose to 21 degrees at Chicago early today, hut it was expected to drop to five above tomorrow. Bemidji. Minn, and Lewiston, Mont , were the coldest spot* in the nation, each reporting a low of 12 degrees below zero Three inches of snow fell in some section* of lowa and light enow flurries were reported in Nebraska and some section* ot Michigan.

Merry Christmas

Price Four Cents

Luxembourg Radio, Silent For Days, Returns To Air With Nazi News BULLETIN Pari*. Dec. 23 — (UP) — Cloud* of Allied fighter bombers, bomber*, and fighter* swarmed into the battle of Belgium today in perfect weather, batting Nazi panzer force* from the Ourthe to the ttlw, and American armored force* scored an important defensive victory m a great tank battle nine mile* west of St. Vith. Paris. !»••< 23 il'pt—-Lt. Gen. George S, Patton s third army was reported slashing into ihe south flank of the German break-through salient in Luxembourg today, but iiie Nazi capture of Luxeniliourg city was indicated by German broadcasts, apparently from the Duchy's capital. The Luxembourg radio returned so the air at 3 2s p m i'< 2> a tn. CWT i after a alienee <>t several days The station, which technicinns had no doubt was radio Luxembourg. identified itself as tile "Reichsrundfunk or Reich's radio station, and -wung into broadcasts Os German new* and relayed Nazi program* in the German language There had been previous indications that Luxembourg city might be in the hands of the German force* driving across the tiny Duchy toward the Ardennes gateway to France The German high command reported that on th, northern rim of the salient American forces attacked strongly along the |.,-mile from between Stavelot and Eisen born Th<- attacks were repealed as many as II times in some sections yesterday a Berlin communique sain Th,- winter battle in southeast Belgium is still taking a favorable course the communique said It reported continued German al tai k* n central lai V'-niboiii ;• Patton was roported witlioiit official Allied confirmation to have thrown an unspecified num iii-r of armored and infanirv division of his Hurd army* into the exi'osed flank of th,- German inilg, ill a eoiintei offensive aimed •it cutting oft the Nazi vanguard in the ArdenneStriking at the blackest hour of the Ardennes battle, with Nazi panzer sp.-arheads riding within 2>< miles of the French border. Pat ton's rough riding tanks and arm □red troop carriers were said to be knifing squarely into the base of the enemy salient on tin- southeastern border of Luxeniliourg. First word of the reported counterblow came in an alarmed German DNB news agency announcement that Patton had wheeled his operational reserves out of the Saar river line and sent them ntabbing northward in a bold hid to break open the Nazi flank Headquarters spokesmen did not confirm the German announcement. but they pointed out that the only possible way to deal with the enemy offensive was by a quick ami powerful counteroffensive They pointed out that the nearest major force* available for that job would be Patton'* division*. whose front at one time extended up into the critical area If the report proved correct, and there seemed little reason to doubt it. Marshal Karl Van Rundstedt's gamble for a breakthrough hung iTurn To Pag.- Cofuinn II Buys Health Bond Grneral Electric Co. has voted , purchaae of a *25 health bond, official* of th« Pr*»*«« Va«r Christmas seal Ham* front campaign in Ad«m* county ananounced today. 1; All proceeds from the annual Christ--1 mas *eal sale* ara ;l used In the tight < on tubereuloaia and to provide ——uj fr*e clinic* and • BUY ad UK otbarwlM carry t CMUra Ml on the ffght against the “wblta plagm.’”