Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 43, Number 15, Decatur, Adams County, 18 January 1945 — Page 1

WeMustWin the Wai Atl Else Is Chores!

Vol. XLIII. No. 15.

THIRD ARMY FORCES LAUNCH NEW ATTACK

Report Soviet I Forces Across "German Border 1 eni Offensive Termed On-To-Berlin Push * To Bring War End Ip Dondon, Jan. 18— (HP)-(Moscow Tireporua said today that the Red J*army was believed to have smashed across the Polish frontier into Ger--s»many in an unchecked invasion to within less than 50 miles Ks Breslau, Silesias capital 225 miles (southeast of Berlin. 'Marshal Ivan S. Konev’s first Ukrainian army, spearheading the Soviet offensive that was pushing the Germane westward at a mile an hour elip, wa« reported unofflclally to have crossed the border west sff captured Czestochowa. * A Moscow dispatch of the Ex'..change Telegraph said Konve’s vanguard was believed to be within 50 miles of Breslau, industrial and communications center of all Silen sla. the “Ruhr of the east” and prime source of supply for the Geri.anan war machine. A United Frees, report from Moscow, said Konev’s advance on the 11 Silesian frontier had cut the lateral iaiMXwnunications between the German armies in the Krakow area and those fleeing Marshal Gregory K. Zhukov's first white Russian to the north. *’ Berlin acknowledged the lose of Czestochowa and said the Russian Raptors were advancing due west, hut a Nazi military spokesman ™laimed the Russians "will find that heir offensive will become entirely different at the German border.” Russian writers and commentatdltrs were freely calling the offensive Im on-to-ißerlin push aimed at bringing the war to an early end. I “The liberation of Warsaw forediadowe the early fall of Berlin,” iya Ehrenbourg, authoritative Sovet writer, said in a ringing article Item the record Red army offensive the German defense of all ’oland. IWI ‘’No matter what city we take, metre think only of one. We think of he capital whither we are tearing vith all our souls, and coming soon, 00. Dead Warsaw will rise. Berlin alive but won’t live much longer.” Triumphant proclamations from dcscow and a clamor of dark disi»ter from Berlin indicated that the led armies were swarming unjot heeked across 'Poland and at least , preparing to open the battle of Gernany in the east. The Nazis acknowledged the loss if Tomaszow -Mazowieski, major ransport junction 29 miles south«ot rs Le<iz, Poland’s second largest cky on which the Russians apparently were converging from the . a«t and south. L 'Berlin also admitted the fall of ]|| Izostochowa, Polish shrine city 14 -ailas from the German irorder, the apture of which the Red army had yesterday. Today’s Moscow 'broadcast by a commentator there said that rtwn Konex captured Czestochowa I i« »tood duly 14 miles from the r, <&* Jo Facie 2, Column 4) I □ross income Field Agent Here Friday , Carl 11. Pease, field agent of the ndiana gross' income tax division Gil be In Decatur Friday from 1 j ,o 4 p. m. to assist taxpayers in filing the annual 1944 gross income J ax return, it was announced today Sy Cal F. Paterson, auto license ranch manager. Toe 1944 annual gross income tax eturn is now due and must be i!«4 and paid on or before January 1, 1945. After that date it will he f“|leHnc(U«.nt. The annual return must Vtelude the taxpayer’s entire gross LDicome from January 1 to Decern- • er 31, even though quarterly rean» have .been made for the preceding quarters during the year. I). TEMPERATURE READING h DEMOCRAT THERMOMETER atOOn. mrfe 20 10:00 a. m - 22 Noon . 25 (V 1 2:00 p. m. 1 - 29 ’ *■ ’■- -~-T ” WEATHER Cloudy through Friday with acaalonai light rain in extreme south Rd light snow in northwest and met central portion* tonight and rldsy warWivr tonight, little change I temperature Friday.

DECATUR DAILY DEMOCRAT only daily newspaper in adams county

Saarland Industrial Center Is Attacked London, Jan. 18 — (UP) — A small force of flying fortresses escorted by mustang fighter* today attacked rail yards at Kaiserslautern, Saarland industrial and transport center 38 miles northeast of Saarbrucken. An official announcement of the daylight attack, following a British night raid on the rail center of Magdeburg, said about 100 flying fortresses -of the eighth air force were engaged, with a like number of fighters. o Churchill Says Ardennes Great Yankee Victory Greatest American Victory Os War In Ardennes Salient • London, Jan. 18. — (UP) —Prime Minister Churchill declared today that the Ardennes battle had been turned into “an ever-famous American victory’’ which he believed “is more likely to shorten this war than lengthen it.” Speaking before the house of commons, Churchill called upon Germany and Japan to abandon the war unconditionally, reiterating the unconditional surrender formula, and said “nothing” would induce the Allies to enter into negotiations with the enemy before that surrender occurs. “Both in the west and in the east,” he said, “overwhelming forces are ranged at our side. Military victory may yet be distant. It certainly is costly but it is no longer in doubt.’’ Appealing for Allied unity in the sar’s final phase, he asked: ■ “Can we achieve that complete unity and that new impulse <n time I t|O achieve decisive military victory with the least possible pro-1 tongatlon of war’s misery or must we fall into Jabber, babel and dis-! (lord while victory Is still delayed?” ' Churchill told the house of commons that American losses in repelling Field Marshal Karl Von Rundstedt’s counteroffensive had been 60 to 80 times those of the British and that the engagement was “the greatest American battle of the war.” Recalling that Britain had 67 divisions at the front — between 670.000 and 700*.000 troops—ha declared that the United States has put twice as many troops into the field against the Germans, presumably between 1,300,000 and 1,400,000 men. “I do not hesitate today to give my own opinion,” Churchill said, “that the decisive breaking of the German offensive in the west is more likely to shorten this war than tp lengthen it. “This Is the greatest -American (Turn To Page 2, Column 4)

Joint Airport For Decatur, Bluffton State Council Jn Airport Suggestion 'ln a bulletin iseued by the Indiana economic council and submitted to the Indiana general awemibly yesterday. Decatur and Bluffton are listed where a twin-cities airport should be constructed after the war. 'Entitled ‘lAn Aviation Probram for Indiana," the report represents the first airport plan ever mapped under etate sponsorship in Indiana. Findings are based on the introductory promise that “aviation will emerge from the present war as a full-fledged member of the transportation family, a member whose hopedJfor potentialities have become realities through making its contribution to winning the war.” The recommended airport system would place a field within 15 miles of any part of Indiana. New fields recommended include a Class 2 airfield for Bluffton and Decatur jointly. A Class 2 airfield is described as follows: *Claas 2—(Hard-surfaced runways, 2,566 to 3,500 feet to ac--commodate, larger private owner (type and feeder liae place*, requiring 100 to 160 acree.” ,

A Flying Admiral Receives Coveted Navy Cross imMP' t '■ 11 ,wi "" "" i ’ - ; ; wpßri Li i ♦. i ' H >' " mHBIIMMIL - L "9| 9H999999NF' i ' ‘"9T |a | w> , .. : UMER i i /9m wmMMO I r . Qi 90 M9999WBH9ji si Hi | MMSaiS wr / jm aKßraSfilf r % . I |Mg| VICE ADM. JOHN S. MCCAIN, USN, commander of a fast carrier task force in the Pacific, stands at attention aboard his flagship as Adm. William F. Halsey, commander of the Third Fleet, reads the citation accompanying the presentation of the Navy Cross to one of the Navy’s most capable flying admirals. Members of the carrier’s crew watch admiringly from the sidelines, taking a few moments off from fighting the Japs in the far Pacific for the ceremony. IT. S. Navy photo.

Second-Ranking Ace Reported Shot Down San Antonio, Tex., Jan. 18—(UP) —'Maj. Thomas B.‘ McGuire, Jr., second-ranking American fighter ace with US planes to his credit, ' was shot down over the Philippines ■ Jan. 7, according to a letter from j Lt. Gen. George C. Kennedy, commanding Allied air forces in the 'Pacific. The letter, written to the air hero’s widow, was the first notification of her husband's death. Mrs. iMdGuire said. 332,912 Casualties I - - .3Revealed By Stimson Includes Losses To First Os January 'Washington, Jan. 18 —(UP)— Secretary of war Henry L. Stimson announced today that U. S. ground forces alone suffered 332,912 casualties on the western front from D-day on June 6 to Jan. 1. 'This total, which includes losses during the most severe period of fighting in the Germans’ Ardennes offensive, represents 51.562 killed, <232,672 wounded and 45,678 missing Stimson told a news conference. 'Stimson said the Germans have suffered great losses in the past week as the first and third U. S. armies and British troops pressed them back in the Ardennes bulge. The Allied pincers have cut off large numbers of Germans, swelling the prisoners of war taken in this battle, he said. Allied artillery ham(Turn To Pag*- 2. Column 4) William Teeple Dies Wednesday Evening ■ — Funeral Services Friday Afternoon 'William iB. Teeple, 84, retired carpenter contractor, died at 9 o’clock Wednesday night at the home of a daughter, Mrs. Bessie Conway, at Cedarville. , 'He was born in Decatur and lived here his entire life until nine years' ago when he moved to Cedarville with his daughter. He had been ill for the past week. die was a member of the First 'Methodist church here and the Moose lodge, also in this c4ty. 'Surviving are three daughters, iMrs. Marie'Sheets of Decatur; Mrs. Conway of Cedarville, and Mrs. Iva Davis of Albuquerque, N. M.; two sisters, Mis. arah Westerfeld of Albuquerque and Mrs. Emma Bullington of Cincinnati, O.; children and one great-grandC’blld. (Funeral services will be held at 2:'30 p. m. Friday at the Leo Methodist church, with Rev. L. I. Sommer officiating. Burial will be in the Leo cemetery.

Decatur, Indiana, Thursday, January 18, 1945.

Believe Sgt. Miller Is Safe In Europe Conflicting News Dispatches Cited 'Although a press dispatch from London. "England, stated that Sgt. Chelsey C. Miller, son of Mr. and Mrs. B. Harrison Miller of Berne, a gunner on a 847 Flying Fortress was missing in action over Germany, it is believed by relatives that the young gunner is well and in friendly territory. The interpretation placed on the news item, which stated that Sgt. Miller was the only member of the crew who did not reach safety after his plane landed in a Belgian pasture, was that the dispatch was delayed. The dispatch stated that the pilot was tricked by the Nazi broadcast in landing his plane after it had been hit over Wiesbaden. Germany. Last November the war department notified the parents that their son was missing in action over Germany since November 10. However, under the date of Nov. 23. and since that time, the parents have received letters from him. •The Millers also received letters from members of the crew, which told of the lanuding of <heir plane and that Sgt Miller became separated from them. Since he wrote his parents after the casualty dale, it is believed he is somewhere over there, and in friendly territory. The parents have not given up hope that theirson is alive and that (Turn I'o Page «, Column 3)

Sgt. Richard M. LaFontaine Reported Missing In Action

Tech. Sgt. Richard M. La Fontaine. 28-year-old son of Mr. and Mrs. Harvey La Fontaine, living ■east of Monroe on state road 124, is another victim ofrthe German coun-ter-push, being reported missing in action in Germany since December 17, the war. department notified the parents yesterday. Within 12 hours of the receipt of the message, tlie parents received a letter from their son. written on December 14 in Belgium. Gen. Von Rundstet’s drive against American troops started on December 16. •Tlie missing infantryman is widely known in the county He was born at the county infirmary, when his father was superintendent of that institution. He atWnded the Decatur Catholic high school and was employed on the county farm prior to entering the service. ‘Sgt. LaFontaine enjered the army in July 1942 and took basic train ing at Camp Forest. Tenn . in South Carolina. He ’was ‘home on furlough last October 8, and went I overseas shortly thereafter. He landed in England and then went i to France, trooping across that : country, into Belgium and into G»r-

BULLETIN Washington, Jan. 18—(UP) U. S. submarines have sunk 24 more Japanese ships, including four combat vessels, the navy announced today. The four warships were a destroyer and three escort vessels. The others included three transports, five tankers, and 12 cargo vessels. These sinkings raised to 958 the total of Japanese ships sent to the bottom by American submarines. Committee Readies Work-Fight Measure Urgent Need Cited Bv Pres. Roosevelt Washington, Jan. 18 —(UP) — Spurred on by President Roosevelt’s appeal' for "prompt action, 1 ’ the house military affairs committee today began whipping into final shape the bill to force an estimated 18.SIX'.000 men between 18 and 45 into essential war jobs. Chairman Andrew .1. May, D„ Ky., author of the bill, said the committee was determined tft approve the measure within a day or two so that the house could begin work on it next week. Tlie measure in its present form calls for induction into army work battalions of all mqn in the 18-45 bracket, including 4-Fs, who refuse to get essential jobs or stick to those they have. (Turn To Page 2, Column 5)

Ik % 'ww.x ■ ' many. fie was with the 424th infantry I company of the l"4»th division, hie father stated.

Allied Armies Step Up Pressure Against Nazi Units In Ardennes Bulge

Japs Evacuate Key Personnel From Manila American Forces Massing Strength For Drive To South General MacArthur’s Headquarters, Luzon, Jan. 18. —(UP) —Field reports indicated today that the Japanese have begun evacuating key personnel by air from Manila to northern Luzon and possibly even Formosa in anticipation of the early fall of the Philippine capital, tai. (A Japanese Dome! dispatch recorded by the FCC claimed that a Japanese unit had landed “from the sea to the rear” of American positions in the Lingayen gulf Tuesday night and “heavily blasted and set ablhze enemy munitions stored in native houses and trucks assembled along the coastal highway.”) News of furtive northward flights by enemy transport planes reached headquarters as American forces massed strength a few miles above Tarlac. 65 miles north of Manila, for a new southward lunge that was expected to carry all the way to the great Clark air center, 25 miles away. Other forces widened the American beachhead on the Lingayen gulf north of Tarlac to 65 miles with a 17-mile advance wtficli seated off the Pangaeinan peninsula and secured the western flank agains the possibility of a Japanese counter-attack. Striking northwest from Alaminos, the western column pushed through clear to the northern tip of the peninsula at Bolinao in the face of only negligible resistance from scattered Japanese etraggleis. At last reports, the Americans were advancing down the west coast of the peninsula toward (Turn To Pagie 2. Column 4)

Patrol Activity Steps Up In Italy Rome, Jan. 1'8 —(UP) Eighth army units have eoumerattaelted a bridgehead established by a force of 100 Germans in a crossing of the Senio river 10 miles northwest of Ravenna and have inflicted at least 2f casualties, headquarters said today as action continued quiet on other Italian fronts. 'Weather prevented activity by heavy bombers. Planes of the tactical air force attacked communicar tions in north ItaSy and bombed and strafed targets in the eighth army sector. ’ Mrs. Ocie Barkley Dies This Morning Funeral Services Sunday Afternoon (Miw. Osie Lydia Barkley, 76. widow 01. the late William Barkley, died at 1 o’clock this morning at her home, SOB Walnut street. She had been in failing health for the past four years hut her death was unexpected . She was born in Ohio January 14. 1869. and had lived in Decatur since 1920. Her husband died in ■ls 23. Mos. Barkley was a member of the First United Brethren church. Surviving are two sone, Ransome Barkley of Decatur and AJonzo of Anderson, and one granddaughter. Three brothers and three preceded her in death. f? j/’ 'Funeral services will be held at 1:30 p. m. Sunday at the Black funeral home and at 2 o’clock at the First United Brethren church, Rev. •RcR. Wilson officiating. Burial will be in the Decatur cemetery.

Lower House Passes Five Veteran Bills Senate Bill Would Remove Time Limit Indianapolis. Jan. IS —(UP) — Tlie first veterans' legislation of the current Indiana general assembly was passed by the house of representatives today with unanimous approval of five “G.1.” bills providing legal protection and rights to returning Hoosier veterans. The house sent to the senate tor consideration bills to permit agents of veterans to exercise powers of attorney until receiving actual knowledge of the serviceman’s death; to validate notarial acts tor servicemen by commissioned ' officers, and to legalize as evidence the war department’s casualty reports. Other service bills approved by the house would set up the method of probating wills where witnesses are unavailable because of military service, and legalize wills of minors in military service. Meanwhile, the senate received seven new bills and three resolutions and adjourned until 10 a. m. tomorrow. Among the measures was one for a constitutional amendment to remove the time limit for general assembly sessions. Another senate proposal would create a state fair employment practices commission to prevent employe*, ,or labor unions from disci'iiiiinating against a worker because Os race, color, creed or national origin. First debate on the house floor came on the third reading of house bill IS. which would pro vide tor a scale of increases in jhe pay of policemen and fire(Turn To Page 5, Column 4)

Carl Schamerloh Memorial Sunday War Victim Service At Immanuel Church Memorial services for Pfc. Carl Schamerloh. who was killed in action in France last fall, will be held at the Immanuel Lutheran church, northeast of Decatur, Sunday afternoon at 2:30 o’clock. Arrangements tor the service were announced today by the war victim's wife. Leona, and his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Edw. Schamerloh of Union township. Rev. E. Allwardt, pastor of tile church, will conduct Hie altar service, and Rev. William H. Remmert, former pastor, now of McAllen, Texas, will deliver the memorial sermon. Pfc. Schamerloh was inducted into army service November 17. 1942. and after receiving training at Camp Wheeler, Ga., was sent overseas in March of 1943. He saw action in Africa and Italy, particularly on the Anzio beachhead, and later marched through Rome with his company. When the theater of war for his oßSlit changed to Southern France, he was ’shifted to that field of action, where he was killed September 9, 1944. He had previously been awarded the good conduct medal and the combat infantryman award. 0 Gillette Nomination Confirmed By Senate 'Washington, Jan. 18 — (UP) — Thr; senate today confirmed the nomination of Guy M. Gillette, foriti'er- senator from lowa,, as a ineffi 7 ber of the surplus property board. Gillette served in the house from 1'93'2-316 and in the senate from •1936 until he was defeated for reelection last November by former Governor Bourke B. Hickenlooper, R., la.

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British Second Army Breaks Into Germany At New Point, Gain Two And Half Miles Paris, Jan. 18 — (I’P) American third army forces crashed into the southeastern shoulder of tile deflated Ardennes bulge today in a new attack across the Sure river in the area of Diekirch, 15 miles north of Luxembourg city. Lt. Gen. George, S. Patton’s attack in northeastesa, Luxembourg some five miles from the German border brought virtually all of the Jhin Nazi crescent in rhe Ardennes under the fire of the American first and third armies. To the northwest, the British sas>ds>ttT AWiy '"lnto Germany at a new point. Lt. Gep. Sir Miles C. Dempsey’s troops, stepping up tlie pressure on the German pocket west of the Roer, gained up to two and a half miles and seized Susteren and Echt above Sittard. They stabbed across the bonier directly east of Susteren. Elements of Maj. Gen. Raymond O. Bartons fourth division and Maj. Gen. Stafford L. Irwin’s Red Diamond" fifth division jumped off al 1 a. in. today in tlie new Luxembourg attack. They forced the Sure river defense line from the south somewhere near Diekirch and beat forward in the teeth of a storm of general motor, machine gun and small arms fire. On the opposite shoulder of the salient. other American troops put. a squeeze on St. Vith in lire concerted effort by the first and third armies to jolt the Germans back to the starting line of their counter offensive. Closing in on the town which is tlie anchor point of the German penetration into Belgium. American columns had St. Vith twothirds encircled froln the north, west and southwest at distances ranging from five to eight miles. The Germans were fighting stubbornly against the persistent American effort to drive them back into their Siegfried tine positions. At the same time, British second army forces in Holland stepped up their attack against the German salient west of the Roer river, advancing about two to 2’a miles on a mile-wide front to take Susteren and Echt. five and seven miles north of Sittard. Front dispatches said the Brit(Turn To Page 5, Column 4)

Government Files Suit Against 6. E. Civil Suit Charges Cartel Agreements Washington, Jan. 18 —(UP) — The justice department todayfiled a civil suit in Newark. N. J., federal district court charging the General Electric Co. and its subsidiary, International General Electric, with conspiracy in maintaining international cartel agreements to restrain trade in the manufacture and sale of electrical equipment. The department accused the two defendants of conspiring in prewar days witli companies in Germany, Japan, Belgium. France, Britain, and Italy to divide the world into exclusive marketing areas, eliminate competition, and exchange their patents and trade processes on an -exclusive basis. The cartel agreements, the complaint said, were entered into in 19U) when International General Electric was formed by G. E. lo handle its foreign business. The complaint said they are still being maintained. The agreements covered generators, transformers, motors, electrical appliances, such as refrigerators and vacuum cleaners, and many other typbs of electrical > equipment, the complaint char£fcil.