Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 43, Number 45, Decatur, Adams County, 22 February 1945 — Page 1

hist Win the Wai Else is Chores!

Uli. No. 45.

Marines Advancing Slowly In Bloody Fighting ATTON’S ARMY CRACKS INTO SAAR RASIN

[edged To Take land Os Iwo espite Losses

hting Through ivnpour Os Rain tvard Airport On janese Island. ral Nimitz’s Hdq., Guam, .-(UP) —American marines, by their general to take, ardless o£ the cost, fought a downpour today toward tral airport of the island, en. Holland M. Smith, maps chief in the Pacific, said ision of Iwo was the most problem the leathernecke ced. They are up against tough proposition,” he said, capture the island no matr high the price in blood, vas on the flagship of the ing fleet. nmunique announcing slow in the new drive toward mtral airport said that masualties on the island had to 385 killed and 4,168 1 by 5:45 p. m. yesterday. casualties have not been later than I anticipated,” laid. isually taciturn marine comwas grim at the press con- , His lips were tense in a >, his voice pitched low and serious. expect to take this island, tile it will. be at a severe is our assigned mission,” ess has been slow, the i blanketed with treacherous ! ash have caused trouble, ly are littered with wrecklith said. e said he thought that when iches are better organized ids improved, the advance ed up. mmunique announced that lines had launched a new ward the Iwo air field after wall stand against several counterattacks during the idday the leatherneck were 5 slowly forward. They 1 out several Japanese gun n To Page 2, Column 6) o te Bulletins By United Press lerican warships bomid Paramushiro, site of a lapanese naval base in northern Kurile islands, lay night, the Japanese li news agency said tone! said the shelling was Sd out by a task force of t eight American, warn ! "apparently aiming at ting Japanese defensive gth from other areas Os tattle in the Pacific.” ishington, Feb. 22—(UP) ■ John E. Rankin, 0., > and Frank E. Hook, Rich., engaged in a fist on the house floor toHook had called Rankin rty liar.” ■ ehen, Germany, Feb. 22 pP) — Johann Dell, an ted Nazi war criminal former party leader of weiler, was critically intoday in a dramatic le leap from the fourth of the Aachen military h. ' O RPERATURE READING DCRAT THERMOMETER a. m 40 «- «n 36 -■ - — 32 P- m . 31 WEATHER •tly cloudy north and part. >u dy in south portion to* and Friday. Snow flunn extreme north portion »t. Colder. Diminishing

DECATUR DAILY DEMOCRAT

Manila Battle Near End, Japs Fighting Madly Cornered Japanese Troops Use Spears In Frenzied Battle' Manila, Feb. 22.—(UP)—The last stage of the battle of Manila degenerated into medie.val warfare today with the Japanese taking tip spears in a desperate attempt to stave off certain annihilation. American troops encountered the frenzied tactics of the trapped enemy naval and marine personnel as they reduced the Japanese pocket south of the Pasig river <to less than one-tenth of a square mile. The Americans were entrenched in a siege line along the playground and golf links, which once were the bed of the medieval moat around Manila’s ancient walled city. Gen. Douglas MacArthur announced meanwhile that Bataan peninsula was completely cleared and that the Japanese forces on Corregidor were practically destroyed, "So far as can be found no living Japanese soldier is now on the peninsula,” Mas Arthur Baid, in disclosing the vindication of the famous American stand on Bataan three yeats ago. More than 1,700 Japanese already were buried on Corregidor, he said, and the count was only partially complete. Only isolated enemy stragglers holed up in caves remained to be mopped up on the island fortress guarding Manila bay. Reports from the front lines in Manila said the Japanese apparently were running short of arms and were using spears in a bitter defense of their tiny pocket. One group of 21 Japanese from the first cavalry section was armed with only spears and grenades, while an enemy platoon fighting near the Army-Navy club had only four rifles. The rest fought with spears attached to poles. The Americans were withholding heavy shellfire from the area to avert as many civilian casualties as possible and the battle continued with savage hand-to-hand fighting. , Indicative of the situation was a (Turn To Page 2, Column 6, —o Local Restaurant Is Robbed This Morning $65 In Cash Taken By West End Thief Thieves got about $65 from Andrew Appelman’s West End Restaurant sometime after 1:30 o’clock this morning, Ed Miller, chief of police reported. The breakin was noticed when George Appelman opened the restaurant at 7:30 o’clock this morning. Entrance was made through a window at the uprth of the building. The thieves took sls from the cash register and broke the coin box off the juke box, which Mr. Appelman estimated contained around SSO. Chief Jfriller stated that apparently local talent committed the burglary, for evidence showed that the thief evidently knew his way around the place and was also acquainted with the music box. As far as known the thief did not iako acy merchandise, wines or beer from the tavern.

Blast Japs Pocketed In Manila’s Intramuros

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DIRECT HITS send up flames and smoke from the Intramuros (walled city) in Manila as the Yanks continue to weaken the Japs pocketed there, who are fighting with increasing desperation. This photo was taken through a telephoto lens about 500 yards from the building.

Pass Bill Creating New Juvenile Courts Ask Pay-As-You Go Gross Income Tax Indianapolis, Feb. 22 — (UP) — The Indiana house of representatives today passed a bill creating new juvenile courts in 89 Indiana counties, over the bitter protests of Lake county Democrats. The vote was 58-31, All house minority members were present and all cast votes ’against the measure. Only the Lake colinty representatives spoke against the Re-publican-sponsored bill. They charged that their constituents were "perfectly satisfied” with the present juvenile referee system. Major bone of contention was the provision that the Republican governor, Ralph F. Gates, appoint the Lake county court. Lake’s 11 present court benches are occupied by Democrats. The GOP policy committee recently recommended abandonment of two of five superior courts in that county in connection with the juvenile court creation. Abolition of the superior courts, however, was provided in an amendment to another house bill now pending. • The house also passed a controversial bill giving the state board of barber examiners additional powers, including the right to set hours and prices for Hoosier shops. The vote was 54-35. Opposition was provided when the Republican delegation split over the bill. Democrats mostly supported it. Reps. Lothair Teetor, R., Hagerstown, and Leo Dennis, R., Pekin, led the fight to defeat the measure. Teetor claimed its passage would set up a “bargers’ OPA," and Dennis said that smalltown barbers were opposed 'to the bill. A host of other bills piled up for early consideration in the assembly. Among them was a negro Republican's proposal to collect state gross income taxes by the withholding or pay-as-you go method now used by the federal tax administration. Rep. Wilbur Grant, R., Indianapolis, was the 'originator of the idea. He introduced an amendment to an irrelevant senate bill yesterday which would force every Hoosier wage earner to pay his state gross tax at the earning level —and add to the bookkeeping worries of employers. The amendment was tacked on to a senate bill shorn of all sections except the enacting clause. The house judiciary A committee recommended passage, and the measure was expected to be put on second reading today. House leaders were quick to support Grant’s proposal. Ma(Turn To Pag-a 5, Column (I)

ONLY DAILY NEWSPAPER IN ADAMS COUNTY

Decatur, Indiana, Thursday, February 22,1945.

I Pfc. Dale W. Stalter Awarded Purple Heart I 'Pfc. Dale W. Stalter, son of Mr. and Mrs. Dorus Stalter, has been awarded! the Purple Heart for wounds received December 12 in 'Germany, his wife, Mre. Dorothy Kiefer-iStalter, 425 North Third st., was informed Wednesday. Pfc. Stalter was also awarded the comlbat infantryman badge for his participation in the invasion of Sicily. o 13 Men Leave Today For Active Service No Report Received On Tuesday's Group Thirteen Adams county young men left Decatur this morning to report for active induction into the nation's armed forces. These men will be given final examinations at the army reception center before being assigned to various branches of the service. Donn Eugene Eichar, a regular member of the Decatur Yellow Jackets basketball team, was leader of today’s contingent. The other members of the group were as follows: Robert Edward Kuhnle, Lester Laverne Dubach, Gene Junior Hoffman, Morris Eugene McClure, Robert Paul Brown, Richard Franklin Helmrich, Clarence Raymond Nevil, Donald Anselm Heimann, Raymond Junior Rolston, Francis Harold Bentz, Robert Amos Jones and Roger Wayne Amstutz. ’ The scheduled induction of three others was postponed until the close of the school year. These three students are: Arthur •Jess Rufus Worst, Verlyn Ray Geyer and Chester William Baumgartner. Richard Schroeder, who was also scheduled to report today, (Turn To Page 2, Column 2)

Lenten Meditation (Rev. Charles V. Glenn, Decatur Missionary Church) - “HOPE BECOMES REALITY” i Isa. 35:7—"And the parched ground shall become a pool, and the thirsty land springs of water.” Every intelligent mortal experiences'hope. This is manifested by greedy, selfish grasping which disregards others, demonstrated so well in World War 11. Again, by active effort to improve one’s station, thus the sick seek a doctor hoping to get well.. However, one overshadowing hope throbs in every man's breast, whether he be a vicious Hottentot, or a master of science —THAT HE MAY BE AT PEACE WITH'GOD. The above text may be used to describe the condition of an individual before, and after he has realized this hope. Before, his life is parched, withered, dry, and arid: his soul thirsts as drought ridden soil for rain. Men everywhere dig vainly in dry sands of sensual pleasures, dipping into broken cisterns of lifeless religious profession, relishing dry bones .of sinful conduct. But PEACE WITH GOD CAN BE REALIZED, for Christ Jesus at Calvary broke open the eternal fountains of life and exclaimed—“He that believeth on me, as the Scripture hath said, from within him shall flow rivers of water.” The fondest, human hope realized IN CHRIST. ,

Committee Approves Work-Or-Fight Bill Fine, Prison For Hoarders Os Labor Washington, Feb. 22 —(UP) — The senate military affairs committee today approved a “worker fight” bill including fines and prison terms for employers who hoard labor. Committee chairman Elbert D. Thomas, D., Utah, said the revised bill was approved after it had been. agreed in committee that penalties inserted yesterday should apply mostly to employers instead of individual workers. The vote was 13 to 4 for approval. But Thomas said practically every committee member reserved the right to oppose all ot any part of the bill when it reaches the senate floor next week. The senate committee's measure was written as a fcubstitute for the house-passed May bill, which provided jail terms and fines for registrants 18 to 45 who violated its provisions. Under the house bill, registrants would be inducted or punished if they refused to take or keep war jobs. Thomas said the house bill probably will .be offered -on the senate floor as a substitute to the committee measure. The committee vote came after lengthy discussion of amendments by Sens. Warren R. Austin, R., Vt., and Millard E. Tydings, D., Md., which were tentatively added yesterday. The Austin amendment would make penalty provisions of the second war powers act —$10,000 fine or one year in jail—apply to any person who violates regulations under the proposed new manpower law. The Tydings amendment would make selective service act penalties —$10,000 fine or five years’ (Turn To Pagte 2, Column 4)

American Third Army

Drilling Deeper Into Rich Industrial Saar

Holiday Observed In Decatur Today (Washington’s (birthday anniversary was o'bserved here as a national holiday. Offices in the court house were 'closed, there was no session of court, delivery of mail was curtailed and the First State bank was closed. 'Schools remained in session and the retail stores closed this afternoon for the weekly half-holiday. Industrial plants operated on regu lar schedule. The Decatur library was closed for the day. — 0 800 Americans Die In Sinking Os Jap Ship Japanese Prisoner Vessel Is Sunk By American Planes Washington, Feb. 22—(UP) — A navy officer today disclosed a third sinking of a jam-packed Japanese prison ship, with a lose of more than 800 Americans. The vessel was sunk Dec. 15 by American planes which could not distinguish it from a cargo ehip. In this case, however, the cargo was 1.600' Americans held in s the ship's holds at rifle point. Fewer than half survived. (In two previously-disclosed cases A Hied sulbmarines unknowingly sank two Japanese prison ships. The first such incident occurred Sept. 7, when only 83 out of 750 American prisoners alboard the ship survived. On Oct. 24 another prison ship carrying 1,800 Americans was sunk, with only five known survivors. Apparently upward of 3,200 Americans perished in the three tragic incidents of war. The story of the Dec. 15 sinking was related by Lt. Geoige K. Petritz, of Rockford, 111.,, in a press conference at the navy department. He said he and an army private werfrdhe only two out of the !,600 prisoners alboard who got away from the Japs. The 27-year-old lieutenant told how he and the other prisoners were stuffed into the ship's small (Turn To Pagie 2, Column 4) 0 Republicans Taking Over Highway Jobs Changes Announced By County Chairman The switch from Democrats to Republicans as foremen and patrolmen of the state highway crews in this county is being made, effecitive on March 1. Harry Essex, Republican county chairman, announced today that Ernest Tumbleson, county supervisor of district one, would replace Frank Heiman as foreman of the Decatur crew. Walter Sudduth, of this city, also started work this morning. The two men replaced are Roy Heller and George Colchin. Mr. Heiman will remain on the job until March 1 and Will Scherry, a patrolman, will hold his job temporarily, or until a* man is named for his place. At Monroe, William Faurote will become foreman, and Clark Funk will be the truck driver. They replace Homer Winteregg. foreman, and P. J. Croae, No successor to William McKean, the third member of the crew, was announced by (Turn To Pagvs 2, Column 4>

Russian Army Baffling For Neisse River German Radio Says Fiontal Assault On Berlin 'lmminent' London, Feb. 22. — (UP) — Marshal Ivan S. Konev’s first Ukrainian army battled to cross the Neisse river, last water barrier before Berlin's Spree river, along a 60-mile front southeast of the capital today. At <the northern end of the attack front, Konev’s army pushed along the west bank of the Oder river to its confluence with the Neisse only 49 miles southeast of Berlin. Kuschern, nestled at the junction of the two rivers, was captured. The advance carried >to within five miles of the first of the bridgeheads which the Germans said Marshal Gregory K. Zhukov’s first White Russian array has driven across the Oder east of Berlin. A thrust across the Neisse at Kuschern would outflank the key river fortress of Guben, seven miles to the south. Guben lies astride ithe Neisse and guards the 23-mile gap between that river and the Spree south of Berlin. OCner units battle through woods less than eight miles east of Guben and captured Pforten, 10 miles south. Pforten also is 17 miles east of Cottbus, the other main stronghold protecting the southern approaches to Berlin. Some 35 miles south of Guben, the first army reached the Neisse along a four-mile stretch between Priebus, 54 miles northeast of Dresden and 18 miles from the Saxony border, and Leippa? IS miles north of Goerlitz. Front dispatches said Konev’s vanguards also had reached the Neisse along a broad stretch of the (Turn To Page 5. Column 4) 0 City Utility Shows Increase In Profit Electric And Water Departments Report The electric light and power department of the city plant had an operating profit of $103,038.43 in 1944 on a $450,421.11 volume of business, compared to a net profit of $64,474.01 and a gross business of $427,202.14 in 1943, the annual report reveals. The water department of the utility showed a net profit of $19,963.76 on a volume of $54,393.12 in 1944. compared to net earnings of $18,123.74 on $49*480.25 worth of business in the previous year. Tile department pumped 184,757,000 gallons of water in 1944 and 159,103,000 gallons in 1943. Operating expenses of the electric department in 1944 were $334,594.77. Additional expenditures were $8,805. for interest on bonded debt and a deduction of $8,120.36 for street lighting, which is donated to the city. A cash donation of $8,500 was also made to the civil city, leaving $94,538.43 for the surplus account. The report shows that the department generated 33.258,000 kilowatt hours (KWH) and purchased 4,287,000 KWH from the Indiana Service Corp., at a cost of $72,090.27, or 1.68 cents per KWH. Total generating costs, including the outlay for electrical energy (Turn To Page 2, Column 5)

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Thousands Os Allied Warplanes Raining Bombs, Rockets And Bullets On Germans Paris, Feb. 22— (UP) —Thousands of Allied warplanes rained bombs, rockets and bullets on prime German targets ahead of Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower's armies today. A report from Basel said French artillery was pouring heavy artillery fire into Gertnan bunkers on the east bank of the Upper Rhine. This and “other preparations seem to indicate the French first army's long awaited push across the Rhine is imminent,” the'Swiss dispatch said. Supreme headquarters announced that "the best flying weather since last summer" enabled massive air fleets to lace German front positions, rear communications and the Reich itself with what may prove to be a record weight of explosives. The great aerial onslaught hit the Germans as Lt. Gen. George S. Patton’s third army broke into the industrial heart of the Saar basin and nearly cleared the Saar-Moselle triangle of defenses in southwest Germany. While Patton’s troops drilled steadily deeper into Germany, other Allied armies on each side stepped up their blows which Nazi ’ radio commentators viewed as the prelude to a grand scale offensive. From Britain and scores of bases on the continent, fleets of flying fortresses, liberators, thunderbolt dive bombers, rocketfiring typhoons and other planes struck in concert at German targets, mainly aterial lifelines to tlie front. It was a bold stroke, designed to paralyze German rail traffic. That would be one of the main goals of any preparations for a big offensive. The eighth air force sent 1,400 heavy bombers with an escort of 800 fighters to spearhead the daylight attack. They hit 20 centers scattered over a 30,000-square mile area. The German radio said Allied forces were coming in from the direction of Italy, indicating a two-way assault designed to smash the Nazi ability to move by railroad anywhere to the front lines. U. S. ninth air force pilots sent in glowing weather reports that (Turn To Page 2, Column 6) 0 Combat Casualties Over 800,000 Mark German Prisoners' Total Over Million Washington. Feb. 22. — (UP) — Americah combat casualties announced here passed the 800,000 mark .today. Secretary of War Henry L. Stimson also announced that Allied armies have captured more than 900,000 Germans in western Europe since D-day. These are in addition to the 100.692 German prisoners taken in Sicily and Italy and 134.300 taken in North This makes a grand total of 1.134,992 Germans captured since November, 1942. Stimson said U. S. army casualties on all fronit compiled through Feb. 14 were 711.497. This* figure reflected actual events through the middle of January. Navy, marine corps and coast guard casualties to date have totaled 89.t65. The grand total of 801,162 was an increase of 18,982 over last week’s total. The army casualties included 138,723 dead; 420,465 wounded, of (Turn To Page 2, Column 8)