Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 43, Number 26, Decatur, Adams County, 31 January 1945 — Page 1

■ Else Is Chores!

VobXLIII. No. 26.

BED ARMY 58 MILES NORTHEAST OF BERLIN

16 Children Burned To Death

arding Home Baine Scene ■Tragic Fire Workers' Babes MBrtims Os Tragic IJBre This Morning Me.. .Jun. 31 —(I in their beds and cribs, i; children and one adult to death or Sllffo-.'-‘■curly today when an exploflash fire destroyed a home for babies of war firemen still probed the ruins of the storywoollen house for other „»K,. ih! inis, city manager tra ■ Salford announced that 17 »<><l had been recovered, inviuKr 16 children and the body s Hose Cote, 50, an ent. that five children and were saved. These Eva La Costc. operator house; her three sons, qAi. I I. Guy. 9, and Norman, Loretta Fournier, an ematid two of the boarding best count now," said ■ "is that a total of 24 !«■ were in the house when started." )■ La Coste gave an hysterof what happened. , siißaid she was awakened by ■ explosion" just before ■ and found the interior of a roaring inferno. ‘ leaped from her bed. she and grabbed two of the cribs and all. As she ■ riaAfur safety, she said, she ; and fell, dropping both ; cyfßatid their tiny occupants. with fear, she said, she ; <itt»l out of the building, l.eavs luJSe babies behind. Her arms ' severely. dlHiie In i came Mrs. Fournier, i up the two cribs. .ijK'' were the only two board- » saved. . .fßiiwmle. Mrs. La Cosies »-<BBSaur<-nt. picked up his brothi and carried him out, the third brother Guy esJ. eajw unassisted. L Tri South Main street house, 1 in, the new Auburn disi 'rtißwas a mass of flames when & arrived in response to | Ihcßst alarm at 5:40 a. in. Other ‘ fiuHn from both Auburn and I 1 " 1 lacei ' 10 llie scene ° ver F-Bisly icy highways anil | the blaze for two hours • hi weather. s St " i!y welfare department i the victims —the oldest I eight —were the chil- | war workers employed in in the industrial twin- £ of Auburn and Lekiston. | ‘‘■pokesman for the departr .wsßsaid they had no iurisdicthese children, who apJ®ly were boarded out by parents. » in the area were by screams of the children. As the blaze their cries could be | Tn Page 4, Column 71 “®perature Drops ? * wear Zero Mark : temperature of about two above zero was reached at ' midnight last night. This th., temperature hovered * ‘'K. 11 ’ 1 ' 11 degree mark and even |’ de W ' llt sun - which came out ears B hot materially change the IFBpgJ,® 1 '! highways, which have g reat ]y trom snow and “' B e on,y P a9Sa| hle and traffic g ’’■’■lazardous, not only in the ®' Ol W y ’ I)Ut on tlie c ’ :ty streets. H■ — — ° . I \B mf> erature reading I W OCRAT thermometer I B° a - m 6 ? jBo a. rn 6 I *B> - 9 Ss B° p. m 15 | WEATHER T B era!| y fair tonight and I^^B rs day, continued coid tojy* and not so cold Thors-

DECATUR DAILY DEMOCRAT

Final Lecturer Major H. G. Scott, of Canada, will be the speaker at the final lecture in the Rotary institute of international understanding, to be ! held at the junior senior high school Thursday evening. Rotary Institute To Close Thursday Major H. G. Scott Will Be Lecturer The role that North America will play in world affairs after the war will be the subject of the fourth and final lecture in the Rotary in- ; stitute of international understanding at the junior-senior high school Thursday evening. Major H. G. Scott of Ottawa, | Ont., Canada, who was born in; Scotland and served in both World War I and 11, will be the speaker. | A feature of the program will be ■ the appearance of the General Elec- 1 trie Glee club, directed by David Embler, which will sing a group qf songs previous to the lecture. Major Scott is a publicist of note. He came to Alberta, Canada, as a young man and practiced law’. He (Turn To Pagx> 2. Column 4) Union Township Farm Institute On Friday The annual Union township farmers’ institute will be held at the Immanuel Lutheran school Friday, with morning and afternoon sessions, and a basket dinner at the noon hour. No evening session will be held this year (because of gasoline. rationing. To Turn Off Half Os Street Lights Here Full Compliance In 'Brownout' Planned Every other street light, except those at corners," in both the residential and ’business districts, will .be turned off in the “Brownout,’’ be- ’ ginning at midnight tonight. Lester iPetitiibone, superintendent of the city light and power plant, an-1 nounced, as he and ’Major John B. St.ults planned full compliance with the fuel saving order. Supt. Pettibone said that the alley lights would 'be left burning i during the night. At those places where residents have agreed to turn i off the lights during the day, it is I expected that compliance will be . continued. If not, Mr. Pettibone ex- • plained, it will be necessary to dist continue the alley lighting. All outdoor display lighting is t (banded under the federal order. It I was also explained that outdoor dis- ; play lighting and window lighting i could not be used on Saturday . nights, when retail stores remain open. Only lighting necessary to the safety and health of the community ie permissible under the WP'B order, the city officials explained. Letters will not be sent to light customer, for reason that the rules and regulations have been published m ♦he newspaper and added explanations havg been given on the var-. ious phases of commercial lighting, as outlined by the federal fuel saving order.

Yanks Fight To Outer Works Os Siegfried Line First, Third Army Troops Feeling Out Siegfried Defenses Paris, Jan. 31.—(UP) —More than--100,000 American first and third army troops battled into the outer j works of the Siegfried line on a 40-mile front today, advancing one to three miles into Germany at several points and overunning a score of enemy outposts on both sides of the Nazi border. At least six armored and infan--1 try divisions were bumping against the deeply-echeloned Siegfried fortifications from the area northeast of Monschau down to the juncture of the German-Belgian-Luxembourg border in what headquarters I spokesmen indicated was a “feelI er” offensive to test out the strengl h I of the enemy’s defenses. The advance carried forward one to three miles in the past 24 hours against resistance that stiffened steadily as the Americans wedged through the west wail outposts. There were no major changes elsewhere on the long western front, although French and American forces in Alsace continued I their slow, grinding drive througn the northern and southern flanks of the Colmar pocket. Lt. Gen. George S. Patton’s third army troops hammered out the ■ most spectacular gains on the main ; American attack front, expanding ! their bridgehead across the Our I river into Germany to a width of i five miles and-, a depth of almost | two miles. Field dispatches said the doughboys were across the Our in considerable strength from a point four miles southeast of St. Vith down to Schiebach, nine miles south-southeast of that town. The Germans threw in a smallscale counterattack by 200 infantrymen against the southern corner of the bridgehead just above Schiebach late yesterday, but they failed to support their thrust with armor and were driven back in short order. Farther to the south, Patton threw his 17th airborne and sixth armored divisions against the Our river, moving up to the German border at a number of points east of Kalborn. Roder, and Hosingen. Lt. Gen. Courtney' H. Hodges first army swung abreast of Patton's troops north of the Our bridgehead on a rapidly-widening front. At the top of the first army line, the 78th division advanced as much as two miles through mine(Turn To Pagle 2, Column 4) _o $40,000 Damage Suit On Trial At Bluffton Lawrence Green Suit In Bluffton Court A jury in the Wells circuit, court at Bluffton is hearing the evidence in the $40,000 damage euit filed by Lawrence Green of this city, former state highway employe, against the Erie Railroad company for alleged injuries received When tihe Erie train struck the truck in which he was riding, at the Winchester street closeing in this city on February 1, 194’2. Judge W. H. Eichhorn is presiding in the case. The jury is composed of Ranson Slushtr, Lee T. Miller, Vernon Bryant, John Isnogle, Joe Pond, Charles Flagg, Merle Blinn, Walter (E. Claghorn Isaac Ruble, Herb Burgau, Miriam McAfee and Rachel Rodembeck. (Frank P. Heiman, present foreman of the state highway crew in this city, was driving the truck at the time of the collision. When the suit was first filed he was named a eo-defendant, but the complaint against him was dismissed yesterday before the trial started. iMr. Green has been incapacitated ’ since receiving his tinjuries, it is alleged in the suit.

ONLY DAILY NEWSPAPER IN ADAMS COUNTY

Decatur, Indiana, Wednesday, January 31, 1945.

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Hitler Says Germany Will Continue Fight Anniversary Speech Delivered Tuesday London, Jan. 31. — (UP) — Adolf Hitler’s 12th anniversary speech was seen today as a warning that Germany will fight on—even after the fall of Berlin — regardless of consequences for as long as his Nazi regime can control the army and restless hordes of war workers. He bluntly served notice that the government will show no mercy toward any who waver from his policy of resistance to the end. The public execution of the deputy mayor of Breslau “for cowardice,”! as announced by the Berlin radio, was believed symbolic of bloodbaths to come, perhaps already under way. Hitler spoke for 16 minutes last night, over the Berlin radiq in commemoration of the start of his 13th year as ruler of Germany. The decision to speak apparently was made at the last moment, for Nazi broadcasts less than 24 hours earlier said the fuehrer was too busy with the military situation to speak this year. Listeners familiar with Hitler’s voice, said they were certain that it was the fuehrer speaking, though he sounded tired and omitted the rhetorical outbursts which characterized his speeches in his heyday. He pledged Germany to “wield the sword, no matter where and under what circumstances until final victory crowns our efforts.” Those who would “stab the nation in the back out of cowardice or lack of character will definitely and under all circumstances die ingloriously,” he warned. “Whatever our enemies may devies, whatever suffering they may inflict on German towns, German provinces and especially on German people.” he said, “it pales compared with the unimaginable misery and distress which would befall us if the plutocratic bolshevist conspiracy should become victorious. "For this reason, we are even more determined to save our people in thia struggle from this most horrible fate and we are determine ed to stop at nothing and to fob (Turn To Page 2, Column 3)

Artillery Barrages Increased In Italy Rome, Jan. . 31f—(UP)— Artillery exchanges increased on most parts of the fifth army front today with the Germans maintaining an tin-1 usualy heavy curtain of fire on the | central sector just south of Bologna. Besides pouring artillery barrages into our lines the Germans laid down a Harassing fire from small arms, machine guns, and mortars. Americans were the most active in the central sector, where our gun crews knocked out several German guns. Patrol contacts were few on most parts of the front, although in the coastal sector fifth army patrols encountered considerable enemy fire. o Senate Rejection Os Wallace Is Foreseen Barkley Seeking To Aid Henry Wallace Washington, Jan. 31 —(UP) — Senate Democratic leader Alben W. Barkley left his sick bed today for an eleventh-hour attempt to salvage for Henry A. Wallace at least a diluted version of the i secretaryship of commerce. Administration forces conceded defeat in the fight to give Wallace the post with full control over government lending agencies, resting their final hopes on some compromise that may lead the opposition to abandon plans to repudiate Wallace under any circumstances. Barkley arranged to meet with chairman Josiah W. Bailey, D., N.C.. of the senate, commerce committee on a procedural question that may decide Wallace’s fate—whether the senate should act first tomorrow on the George bill to divorce lending agencies from the department, or on the Wallace nomination itself. Wallace’s supporters admitted that he faced almost certain defeat unless the senate first took up the George hill, which was aimed frankly at keeping landing powers out of the ex-vice president’s bands. But Bailey — whoso committee approved the George bill and disapproved the nomination-indi-(Turn To Pagw 2, Column 4)

Zhukov's Army Driving Inexorably Over Broad Front Against Capital

Eight Leave Today For Active Service Eight Adame county men left this i morning from the eelective service office for active induction into the nation's armed forces. They will ibe aseigned to the various branches of the service following final examination. James Leonard Ashworth was leader of today's contingent. Other inembens were Robert Goelz. Herman John Landis, Robert Lee tFlueckiger. Lester Gene Bransteter, Robert Leroy Stauffer, Donald James Affolder and Gayle Rene i Eley. l_o | Fight Amendment To National Service Threaten To Kill Work-Or-Else Bill BULLETIN Washington, Jan. 31 —(UP) — The house today cleared the way to passage of the May compulsory war work bill by voting down to controversial amend- ’ ■ I ments which might have killed ed it. Shortly after rejecting an anti-closed shop amendment by a vote of 178 to 142. the house voted 148 to 113 against a proposal by Rep. Charles R. Clason R. Mass., to insert a fair employment practices provision in the measure. I Washington, Jan. 31. — (UP) —I The administration marshalled its j forces today to save the White! House-approved limited national ; service bill from death by amendment. House leaders were somewhat j more optimistic about chances for | passage but conceded that attempts to write in controversial amendments still threatened to kill the so-called work-or-else bill. Most feared were proposals by I by Rep. Walter G. Andrews, R., N. | Y.. exempting drafted workers from closed shop agreements and by Rep. Frank Hook, D.. Mich., to give legislative sanction to the fair employment practices commission. Proponents felt that adoption of either would kill the bill, which is designed to force 18-45 year men to • get or keep war jobs under threat of fines, prison terms, or induction. Meanwhile, the house heard arguments that only by passing stiff manpower legislation can congress prove to American fighting men that they have full support from the home front. That theme was sounded on the floor by two Republicans, Reps. Everett M. Dirk-j — — (Turn Tn Page 5. Column 4) O Republicans Avert Embarrassing Spot Peace Resolution First Voted Down Indianapolis, Jan. 31 — (UP) — House majority leader George W. Henley, R., Bloomington, steered the GOP members out of an em•barrassing position today by winning reconsideration o" a Democratic minority resolution endowing a world peace organization. Hoosier representatives who first voted down the proposal urging congress to take the lead in retaining the United Nations council after the war, reversed themselves and adopted lhe resolution unanimously upon reconsideration. IHenley, moving for reconsideration, charged that the measure was “poorly worded.” On first consideration. he had voted for it. “The motion was not considered carefully, I am quite sure, through no fault of the house,” Henley said. "The author dropped into the laps of house members a lengthy and polysyllahlic instrument which (Turn To rage 5, Column 4)

New American Invasion Army Lands On Luzon Cut Japanese Island Defenses Into Four Doomed Pockets General MacArthur’s headquart- | ers. Luzon. Jan. 31—(UP)—AmeriI can troops returned in triumph to (Bataan today after a bloodless landing on the west coast of Luzon that cut the Japanese defenses into four doomed pockets and may already have overrun the former U. S. naval base at Olongapo. In another of the bold amphibious strokes that have rolled the Japanese back across New Guinea, the Halmaheras and the central Philip- ■ pines, the newly-constituted U. S. i eighth army established a solid I eight -.mile beachhead between San Felipe and San Antonio, some 45 ’ miles northwest of Manila, without i losing a man, ship or plane. I The first assault troops hit the I beach at 8:30 a. m. Monday, without firing a shot, and in a few hours more than a division of veteran jungle fighters were speeding j inland through lanes of cheering | natives. | ’By nightfall they had penetrated 11 miles inland, taking San Marcelino and its airdrome—the 23rd ; I field captured on Luzon—and were ’ pushing through Castillejos Pass ! ! towaud Olongapo. nine miles away j j on the east shore of Subic Bay. About 200 t o 300 Japanese in the . i area scattered down into the hills j I of Bataan at first sight of the big; j invasion armada and dispatches . from the scene indicated that in the past 24 hours the Americans were ■ fanning out across the 18-mile wide .base of the peninsula toward a juncI ture with other invasion forces | moving down highway three on Manila. The First American objective beyond Olongapo apparently was Dinaluhipan, on the northe,.stern corner of Bataan 13 miles east Ot rhe Navdl base and 19 miles southwest of the U. S. sixth army forces at San Fernando on the Manila road. The 38th division, veterans of the Aitape-iWewak fighting in New Guinea, and elements of the 24th (Turn To Page 2. Column 2) Legion Oratorical Contest Planned ! Mary Smith Wins In School Elimination Miss Mary Smith, Decatur high ’ school senior, daughter of Mr. and; Mrs. T. C. Smith. 615 Nuttman avenue. will represent the local school in the American Legion's county oratorical contest next month, having won first place in the school's elimination contest yesterday. Three contestants participated in the program, Barney Brooks, high school senior, acting as chairman. Ronald Stuckey, won second place and Miss Donna belle Roop placed third in the three 10 minute orations on the U. S. Constitution, given by the high school students. The county contest will be held during the week of February 12, Ed Jaiberg, chairman of the Legion's committee announced. Mr. Jaberg 1 said that in all probability there also would be entrants from the Decatur •Catholic, Monmouth and Berne high schools. Other mew--1 lhers of the county committee are E. ' IM. Webb of Berne and C. E. Striker, superintendent of the Monmouth school. 1 The judges at yesterday competi- ■ tive contest were Mrs. Leonard Say- [ lore and Arthur R. Holthouse. The contestants were members ot 1 Dean Dorwin’s class in public speaking.

Buy War Savings Bonds And Stamps

Price Four Cents.

Landslide Advances By Russian Armies Admitted Gloomily By Nazi Broadcasts London, Jan. 31 — (UP > —Russian mobile forces sweeping toward Berlin on a broad front today captured Landsberg, 69 miles northeast of the capital, and toppled the three anchor bases of the Nazi defense line SO to 90 miles due east of the threatened German capital. Marshal Josef Stalin announced the new Soviet victories on an arching battlefront moving in against Berlin, and Nazi biqadcasts said the Russian vanguard had reached the rail junction of Soldin, 58 miles northeast of the city. Along with Landsberg, key junction on the Berlin-Danzig railway. Marshal Gregory K. Zhukov's army overran Meseritz. Schweibus and Zullichau, vital transport centers and defense posts some dozen miles inside German Brandenburg. Stalin, in his first special order of the day since Monday, hailed Zhukov's first ' White Russian army tor the four-ply victory on the outer approaches of Berlin. He called the captured towns flarge communication) centers and powerful strongholds of the German defenses covering the I approaches to Frankfurt." I At Landsberg the Russians | were 28 miles from the Oder at ■ Kustrin, where the Warthe flows i into it and the Berlin trunk railway crosses it. Disaster-laden Nazi broadcasts j said Marshal Gregory K. Zhukov's first White Russian army j was driving inexorably toward j Berlin from the northeast, east, and southeast on a broad front. i Moscow dispatches said that ' after crashing through the Obra ! river defenses just inside Ger- [ many, Zhukov's forces were rush- ’ ing westward along the main roads converging on the capital. The Soviet reports, which usually are well behind the events, said the Red army vanguard was roughly 75 miles from Berlin. Bitter fighting in the areas of Soldin. Landsberg, and Zeilenzig was reported by Nazi broadcasters. whose stark admissions of landslide advances by the Soviets lacked even the customary propaganda assurances that the enemy would be stopped in due time. At Soldin the Russians were 58 miles northeast of Berlin, 38 southeast of Stettin, and 20 northwest of Landsberg. Landsberg is on the north bank of the Warthe river and a major junction on the Danzig-Berlin railroad (1.8 miles northeast of the capital. Zielenzig, 20 miles south of Landsberg, is 65 miles almost due I east of Berlin. 25 northeast of I Frankfurt and 30 miles inside I Germany. j Russian and German reports ! agreed that the threat to Berlin ; was mounting steadily. Zhukov's | farces already were within easy I reach of the Oder, which winds about 35 miles east of the capital. and it was there that the Nazis must check the invaders if the siege of capitulation of Berlin was to be averted. The German Transocean agency acknowledged that a frontal assault had crumpled the Meser-itz-’Schweiebus4Zullichau defense line only 45 miles east of Frank-furt-On-Oder, 80 miles east of Berlin and nearly 20 miles inside the capital's home province of Brandenburg. ‘Advance detachments are driving forward beyond the line (Turn To Page 5, Column 2) O Seven Servicemen . Given Discharges At least seven ex-servicemen received discharges from the armed forces during January, a survey at the county recorder's office revealed today. Miss. Rose Nesswald, county recorder, staled that seven discharges had been recorded during the month, which is a little below the average tor 1944, when 92 papers were recorded.