Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 43, Number 73, Decatur, Adams County, 27 March 1945 — Page 1

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|S(LIIL No ‘ 71

BERMAN RETREAT TURNS TO CHAOTIC ROUT

man Drive lily 20 Miles Join Austria Precision Bombinq ■ By U S. Air Force I Aids Russian Push ■ (UP)- Red K. t'»«t..y swept l<> I lie AUSi r.OUtll- . Bl I'd !>y precision |^B g of 7 points in the pnth ot ■Lg • acknowledged BS,. ' poVSlH''- HU ’l7o-rn ■ a»l :..i' !!• '! •!• my spearheads mipmtatit comto I lie Alai eal tin* Iwer Raab river, runs alh'iui sev- .. captured K ft. y.-sb ' and Raab a: Papa. llaab in 1 ■ area is only aide Austrian aad rune roughly parallel Boffins , oo’oi'.; r .'.l fighting was Kry h o, and that tiie Russians south and of Komarom. »-..<• of the Russians the K-',. . out a series - ihegned to soften ,the Hsh and enable the Russians to mountain fort;K» railyards in i . ( /•-• h-Ai'.s'rian borKei toward which rhe Red army rig. .’ls tsiil-v east of Vienna. :jth. '. in western K& 70 miles south of Vienna; aehzh'if yards in Austria, K]n>< raat of Vienna; the Bruck gfrih in miles south of Vienna, Bd A.. :.<. Neustadt yards. 30 southeast of Vienna. Re iirtri said that the Ger■t iau . -ran gic reserves the Russians who are now B with orders to pursue ■l”? ■ up small detachi '-d anew at Kuestrin B 1 ” " ; i mans reported inH E ! k.s itii heavy ■ l"iv siiiipmi had enabled the H '" s''■ some gains. A B I' '.whim a. at GenschB ■'■ n !"s east of B-ilin and six -ive h.a-ii -mashed. ■ "ide e Marsha! Feodor I. B 1111,1 third I kraiuian army. B '•'■■ ■ 1 -I'liinern end of ■ T.. Page .;, Column 2) K ■I Legality Os ■islralion Law ■ Marion County Clerk B Charges Law Invalid ■ !llia iiapolis, Mar. 27.—(UP) —A B '"i file today in superior court B. ’’ 1 the legality of the 1945 vgislatm e’s law providing Kj . " !,y v "ier registration B ,!lp action, A. Jack Tilson. ■"’ n ( 'ounty clerk, charges that Bt. J 9 " neon 'stitutional and K \ a deflnition by the court-of K| '™\ a >id privileges of offiB named in the act. H ®°" nty cle >-k said that he E hlnJa ate hiS Oa,h of ■ ' f ' d over his election records ■ K. ■ ‘count'v DaVid K!apppl ’ Ma ’- B |,p InstallT mhe ' S who recen{ >y ■ to take over Tilson’s ■ sh?„ reß P°n'Bibilities. B dpl th W G ° P election co <ie in-•■l-irtisan SMiOn Which set ’ "p K 1 registration boards in BkMOCRat TURE REA DING ■ BooT T THER MOMETER B* oo ’• « I'"- ™ w '7 ,HE ’ ■ ni||ht ' WeH !ttle warmer toB* ilo u<iiness eSday in croasin B ■* arn i. Fr..u n . d e °ntinued E rres b winds.

DECATUR DAILY DEMOCRAT ONLY DAILY NEWSPAPER IN ADAMS COUNTY

Unwarranted Peace Rumor" Sweeps United States Today

Washington, Alar. 27—(KPh Misinterpretation of a casual r« mark by White House press secretary Jonathan Daniels today blossomed into a “peace rumor" that swept the nation. The whole thing grew out id' Daniels’ disclosure that President Roosevelt recently advi.-.ed secretary of state Edward R. Stettinius. Jr., and other cabinet officers that American officials - except those officially designated—would be expected to stay away from next month's Sam Fran'cisco security conference. Such officials, Daniels said the president felt, should stay on their jobs "at this critical time." Misinterpretations of this by some persons grew until some erroneous reports circulated that the cabinet had been ordered to stand by for big developments expected later today. That was the interpretation of Daniels’ statement in an International news service dispatch from here. It said Mr. Roosevelt had 'ordered his cabinet and all diplomatic representatives to stand liy on alert for possible immediate victory in Europe.” Then began a torrent of telephone calls to the White House and to newspaper offices asking if the war in Europe had ended. Daniels' remarks, however, dealt solely with the fact that the president had served notice on American diplomats abroad and officials in Washington that they were expected to remain at their work unless officially designated to go to the l.'nited Nations conference. It developed later that the president’s note to Stettinius and the others was sent on March

David Lloyd George Dies Monday Night British First World War Leader Is Dead London, Mar. 27.—(UP)—Messages of tribute poured in today for David Lloyd George, the doughty warrior who led Britain to victory in the first world war hut lost a race with death before the Allies again could crush his arch foe Prussian militarism. The white-haired elder states- ! man, twice prime minister of Great | Britain, died in his sleep last night, at his country homo near Chiccieth, Wales. He was 82. but he waged a gallant battle against death during the past five weeks, apparently in hope of seeing victory over the Germans for the second time. Last New Year’s day he was given the title of Earl of Dwyfor, although history probably will remember him best as David Lloyd George, .the man who struggled 55 years for a strong Britain. Field Marshal Jan C. Smuts, prime minister of the Union of South Africa, said in a tribute broadcast over BBC that "a very great figure has departed—one of the greatest.” Smuts had been very close to Lloyd George in the last war and said the former prime minister would be remembered for "his profound humaneness, his bfilliant versatility, his sure intuition and his arduous spirit.” “He was in that war what Winston Churchill is in this,” Smuts said. Lloyd George entered public life in 1890, when as "the little Welsh solicitor," he became a member of parliament. He had radical ideas, which shocked some of the British (Turn To Page 2, Column 7) o German Patrols More Aggressive In Italy (Rome, March 27 —(UP) Sharp patrol skirmishes were reported today on the fifth and eighth army fronts in Italy. Headquatens reported German patrols w’ere growing more aggressive in the eighth army sector. Enemy patrols, using searchlights, raided forward British positions north of Faenza but were repulsed with casualties. Other patrol clashes were reported in the vicinity of mount Cerere and mount Spaduro, about 15 miles southwest of Bologna.

16, and tints could have had nothing to do with immediate developments in the war situation. The message to Stettinius, Daniels said, pointed out the importance of all chiefs of missions (ambassadors and ministers) "remaining at their posts during this critical time." A similar note went to other cabinet, members, Daniels added. Its purpose was chiefly to mini mize the strain on travel facilities and hotel accommodations at San Francisco where, Daniels pointed out, (lie United States would play host to "people from all over the world." The president asked Stettinius an)l the other seven U. S. delegates to keep their staffs of experts and advisers at a minimum. Daniels was asked why the message was sent just to cabinet members and diplomats. He replied that it was “not a matter of specifically singling out the cabinet, but we want to keep all officials ihere (San Francisco) at a minimum . . .” Then a reporter asked if the president's messages stemmed solely from the matter of travel and hotels or was it also because of Ihe world situation." Daniels said that “so far as the ambassadors and ministers in other countries are concerned it is felt at this time that, they ought to be on their own jobs.” This reflected the general Washington attitude that the war in Europe had reached a stage where anything could happen. Whether it will happen in the near future or weeks hence, however, appeared to depend upon whether Hitler can maintain in the German army and people the will to go on fighting.

Local Bank Deposits Over Seven Million The quarterly statement of the First. State Bank of this city shows total deposits of $7,203,318.98 and total footings of assets, $7,584,127.17. Loans increased about $168,000 over December 31. up to $1,329,708.28. Tile recent statement was called for by the U. S. treasury under the date of (March 20. o -—-— Hoosiers Give Jobs To Reluming Vels Permanent Jobs To Returning Veterans Indianapolis, Mar. 27. — (UP) — Hoosiers are guarding their G.I. Joes’ rights and seeing that they obtain permanent, peace-time jobs when they return from the wars. Maj. Harvey Stout, head of the veterans’ service at the U. S. employment service office here, said today that all except five of the 6,111 discharged servicemen interviewed since April 1. 1911, Were placed in jobs. The five unplaced veterans were physically unfit to work, he added. Veteran-aid programs are not yet under way in some states, but, according to directors of all major Hoosier veterans’ groups, the Indiana program already is operating successfully. Consequently, ex-servicemen and ex-servicewomen experience little difficulty in procuring jobs in Indiana. Actually, there are not enough veterans to fill the jobs the agencies have listed. “Things are really clicking in Indiana.” Oscar R. Brown, state service officer of the American Legion, said. “Industry has been wonderful, and we can t get enough boys, though we have some.very fine jobs open—anything you can mention in the category of employment,” he added. “We usually place 12 to 15 boys every week, and we also have placed lots of Wacs and Waves.” Brown said that he now has a list of approximately 100 employers "begging for boys and girls out of service” to fill jobs as lawyers, insurance agents, printers, engineers, machinists, chemists and mechanics. "Industry is ready to teach them and keep them permanently,” Brown said. (Turn To Page 2, Column 4)

Decatur, Indiana, Tuesday, March 27, 1945.

.Japs Say We Invade Ryukyus / 4 * 3 i \ * VLADIVOSTOK '^ n \ a //gyroKOnAWA \ i “ Mil “‘ r«»ow '.hachijg ? ’BONINS \'wo HONG \ » kong ♦ marjanas 240 Miles K , l ‘ South China Y/yyk * * eo PHILIPPINES i \ V GUAM I l^ 1 * —I Statute Miles ' ' JAPAN'S RYUKUS ISLANDS, some him miles southwest of the Nip I homeland itself, are shown on ihe map above. According to the Jap < radio, the U. S. has "attempted" an invasion of the Ryukyus, which stretch out in a long line over 650 miles of ocean. There are 55 islands in Ihe group. Shuri, in th. Okinawa cluster, is the capital. Nafa, a modern town, possesses a naval base.

Rumor At Military Revolt In Germany Siqns Increasing Os Military Breakdown 'London. March 27 — (UP) —-Increasing signs of the military breakdown of Germany were noted today in a s> ries of Nazi broadcasts calling on all German troops to report at once to their uni’s or to local authorities. The broadcast summons coincided with Stockholm rumors of a possible military revolt in Germany because of the war crisis. The broadcasts ordered all troops to report to stations and to local authorities. They explained that many troops “have lost contact” due to “enemy action." 'These troops, it was said, must he brought into action again. All leaves except those for illness or exceptional gallantry were cancelled and troops w re ordered to designated ''front assembling points.'' Anyone trying to escape military service or forced labor, the broadcasts said, "will be considered dis rter and dealt witli as such.” The brewing military revolt was reported by the free German press bureau, an anti-Nazi propaganda agency in Stockholm, without, indicating the source of its information. Elit SS troops were patrolling . Berlin, the agency said.‘with spe- ’ via! units'cordoning off Adolf Hit- ; let's Reichschancellery and the German high command offices. Hitler himself was bolding con- ' fer- nee at his Berchtesgaden moun-tain-top retreat with top Nazis, including Baron Franz von Papen. often mentioned as a possible peace envoy, the agency said. One such conference was reported to have been held last night, but no information was available as to the outcome. Summoned to the meeting by air were members of Hitler's cabinet and district leaders.. iCoußpiciously absent from the meetings, the anti Nazi agency said was Marshal Wilhelm Keitel, supreme commander of the German ■ armed forces. Unrest even has spread to military ■ camps inside Germany, it went on. At Stahnsdorf, near Berlin, shots (Turn To Pagie 2, Column 4) O Portland Blood Bank Open April 16 And 17 The Red Cross blood donor bank at Portland will be open April 16 and 17, H. JI. High, county chairman, has announced. Registration of local volunteers will be taken in a few days and more than 100 persons from this city and couu*y are expected to make the trip and donate a pint, of their blood for plasma, Mr. High estimated. IA limited number of volunteers will be taken on the evening of the first ’day. Transportation will be provided those who make the trip on the second day, according to the plans being made by Mr. High, who will have details completed in a few days.

Late Bulletins Buenos Aires, Mar. 27— (UP) —The Argentine government has declared war on the Axis, it was announced officially today. President Edelmiro Farrell personally made the -announcement of the declaration of war. "The decision has been taken. That’s all I have to say,” Farrell said. Washington. Mar. 27 —(UP) —The navy today announced loss of the submarine Albacore with its crew of more than 65 men. This raised the total of American submarines lost from all causes in this war to 41. The navy did not disclose where the Albacore was lost but it was presumed to be in the Pacific. Washington. Mar. 27 — (UP) — The senate military affairs committee today approved a one year extension of the selective service act for men and the drafting of women nurses. Washington. Mar. 27 —(UP) The house voted 167 to 160 today to apply stiff penalties to workers who leave essential jobs and to employers who violate fixed manpower ceilings. - _Q Coal Negotiators Meet With Perkins Interrupt Confabs To Attend Meeting Washington, March 27 — |>UP) — Soft coal wage negotiators interrupted their contract negotiations today at request of secretary of labor Frances Perkins Io meet with her at 3 p. m. CWT. The miners are scheduled to take a strike ballot tomorrow. Ezra Van Horn, chairman of the joint wage conference, said Miss Perkins telephoned representatives of the operators and the United mine workers to request the meeting. * The first step in government intervention in the coal dispute probably would be for the secretary of laibor to certify it to the war labor board. The soft coal contract expires at midnight Saturday. Usual policy of the miners has been “no contract, no work.” both sides, however, have been asked to extend the present contract another month, as they did two years ago. Meanwhile, the UIM'W asked the government to take a strike vote of 62,000 anthracite miners on April 26. The union said a dispute exists with the hard coal operators that seriously threatens coal production. The anthracite contract expiree, April 30, and negotiators are scheduled to meet in New York April 4. (Turn To Page 3, Column 4)

Nazi Troops Reported In Headlong Flight By Crushing Allied Blows

Two Airmen Die In Bunker Hill Crash dlunker Hill, Ind . March 27 — (UP) The public relations office at the Bunker Hill naval air station today identified the two airmen kill'd in a plane crash yesterday. They were: 2n Lt. Robert Walter Burkett, 20, U. S. Marines, the pilot. Napa. Calif, and Cadet Dennis William Duffey 11), Butler, Pa. — o Japs Concede Yank Foothold In Okinawas No Confirmation By Any Allied Sources Os Reported Landinq Guam. March 27 —(UP)—A Japanese communique conceded today that American invasion troops have won a foothold in the Okinawa Islands only 380 miles southwest of Japan. The American troops landed in the Kerama islands, a tiny cluster of islets 10 to 20 miles off the southwest coast of Okinawa itself, Sunday under cover of a naval and air bomibarment. the enemy's imperial headquarters said. Japanese ground and air forces "furiously” counterattacked the invad re. the communique said, but it made no claim that the American beachheads had been wiped out. The official Japanese acknowledgement of the landing followed 24 hours of conflicting propaganda broadcast ranging from an admission that an invasion had occurred io a denial that a "single soldier" had reached shore. Tokyo also reported that American battleships, cruisers and more than l.Oim carrier planes we>- bombarding the Okinawa group, especially the naval and air base island of Okinawa itself, for the fifth straight day today. Land based planes and other Allied warships were reported supporting tiie purported invasion with attacks along a 1.3(li)-mile front stretching all the way from Japan itself to the island of Pratas in the South China sea. ’More than 200 superfortresses sparked tiie supporting raids with an allack on two airfields and an aircraft plant on Kyushu, southernmost of the Japan.se home islands, in Daylight today. It was the first Marianas based B-2!) raid on southern Japan. Tokyo said the raid on Kyushu lasted two hours. The Japanese also reported that about 1(1 American liberator ibomibers raided Alarcus Island, 1,400 miles southeast of Tokyo ami Imo miles northeast of Saipan, in daylight yesterday. (Turn To Page 2, Column 6, 0 Local Schools Close For Easier Vacation To Close Wednesday For Balance Os Week The Catholic schools will cloee tomorrow noon and the Decatur public schools will close in the afternoon for the Holy Week and Eaater observance. The Catholic schools will resume classes next Tuesday and the public schools on Monday. In the rural schools, classes will be dismissed in some cases on Good Friday, in others during the afternoon, while in a iciw cases Good Friday services will lie held in the schools, Lyman L. Hann, county superintendent, stated today. In Decatur the union Good Friday service will be held at the Zion Evangelical and Reformed church and the Catholic observnee of the Three Hours at St. Mary’s church.

Japan Reports Yankee Landing On Cebu Island New Philippines Landinq Reported By Japanese Radio Manila, Mar. 27. (UP)—Tokyo radio said today that American, troops bad landed on Cebu, one of the last three major islands in the Philippines still controlled Dy the Japanese. (A Tokyo German-language broadcast, recorded by the FCC, said 1.500 American troops went ashore in the initial landing). Tiie enemy broadcast, which was not confirmed, reported tile landings began yesterday morning under cover of a naval bombardment from six cruisers ami several destroyers. According to Tokyo the assault forces went ashore at Talisay on the east coast of the central Philippines island. There are two towns of that name on Cebu. One is five miles south of Cebu city, capital of the island, while the other is near the northeast tip, only 18 miles west of American-held Leyte. Cebu, a long narrow island covering: 1.800 square miles, has been th" target for increasingly heavy air attacks recently by Gen. Doug!.:.MacArthur's bombers fom tin Philippines. His communique today disclosed that 13th air force Liberators ami Mitchells ripped Cebtt city ami nearby Nagatan with 250 tons of explosives Saturday in iTTe heavi.'-l assault in the past week. Gun positions, railroad yards ami ammunition dumps were shattered in and around Celm city, which is 351) miles southeast of Manila. Tile islami in the Visayan group lies between Negros and Bohol, tile remaining two major islands held by tiie Japanese. N vro is th last remaining barrier between Cebu and I’anay, where loth division motorized units readied Capiz on tiie northern coa.si without opposition and pushed within five miles of San Jose on the west coast, to virtually clear the islami. The communique announced that. 14.753 enemy dead had been counted ami 171. prisoners taken in ihe Philippines during the past week, bringing tiie total Japanse casualties for the entire campaign to (Turn To Page 2, Column 2) Seventh War Loan Plan Is Explained Deduction Plan Is Cited By Treasury While th E bom! goal in the seventh war loan drive is four billion dollars, an increase of a bi! lion ami one-half over the sixth bond drive, workers on the payroll deduction plan will not be buying .mor. bonds than limy did between! January and July las: year, if they fully participated in that drive. The U. S. treasury explains the plan ae follows: Actually, workers are not being asked to buy any more bonds than they bought between January and July. 1944. when we had two drives. They are, however, being asked to buy more in this drive than in any other single drive to date. Our plans provide for including in tiie totals of tiie seventh war loan all regular payroll imying plus extra sales through increased allotments or cash purchases iie-tw-e n April and July 1. In this way a worker will have an opportunity to subscribe to and pay for his or her share of these greater goals over a period of three months instead of iu the two months’ time allotted in previous drives.

Buy War Sayings Bonds And Stamps

Price Four Cents.

General Eisenhower Declares Allies Have Won Crushinq And Complete Victory Paris, Mar. 27— (UP) —The German retreat from tiie Rhine broke into a chaotic rout along a 250-mile front from Karlsruhe to the Dutch border today. Nazi troops were reported in headlong flight as far as 9u miles east of tiie river ami Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower raid Ihe Allies have won a complete and (-rushing victory. Eisenhower sen! his Allied armies crashing eastward beyond Hie shattered Rhine barrier with orders to smash tiie remaining German forces before Berlin. II" pledged a.ain lliai there would lie no negotiations with 'lie beaten enemy and that unconditional surrender would lie imposed upon tiie Nazis at tiie end of this "final battle." Eisenhower said that although they were beaten in the west, the Germans might try to reform on a new front (loser to Berlin. Lt. Gen. George S. Patton's racing third army tank columns already were reported sweeping halfway across Germany and closing swiftly on tiie Hessian citadel of Fulda. 9i> miles beyond Hie Rl’.ine and 198 miles southwest of Berlin. On Patton's northern flank, tiie U. S. first army exploded a tremendous armored punch eastward from its Remagen bridgehead, overrunning thousands of beaten and demoralized Germans who i surrendered at ihe sight of the rampaging American tanks. Berlin said the first army's spcarlieads were 50 miles east of tiie Rhine and going fast. Al the "top" of tile western front. Field .Marshal Sir Bernard L. Mont colliery's four Allied field armies burst into the Ruhr basin within three miles ot Essen and broke through ihe German battle screen emirdinc Hu \\ • stphalian plain and the norGiein invasion road to Berlin. The 1. S eventli army on Pat-, ton's southern flank burs: across the Rhine on a 19-mile front north of Mannheim, and advanced as much as four miles eastward against spotty resistance. One seventh army unit was reported inside Mannheim. Armed columns of the British second army broke through three miles and more into the open plains less than 50 miles from Muenster ami 275 miles due west of Berlin. At last reports they were plunging east at top speed without opposition More than 10,000 prisoners were in the hands of Hie second army less than four days after Ihey plunged across the Rhine. Half as many more wore taken by Ihe Canadian first, American ninth, ami Aiiied first air borne armies lighting under Mongomery's 21st army group banner, making a total of 15,000. Tiie Germans are a "whipped army." Eisenhower declared in a stirring message hailing Hie Allied victory on Hie Rhine. lie warned, however, that tile beaten enemy may turn to fight again (Turn To Page 5, Column 3) ~ Osborn Infant Dies Early This Morninq Frederick Eugene Osborn, infant eon of Jay and Esther Smith-Os-born. died at 5 a, m. today after a three days illness of pneumonia at tiie home, 115 South Seventh street. The child was born in Decatur January 13. Surviving are the parents; t'wo sisters, Helen and Faye, two ibrotheie. Jerry and Gerald, all at home, and tiie grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. William G. Smith of Decatur and Mrs. Beulah Osiborn of Bluffton. Funeral services will be held at 2 p. m. Wednesday at the hom", with Rev. Dale Osborn of Huntington officiating. Burial will lie in the Decatur cemetery. The body will be ri moved from the Gillig and Doan funeral home to the resideuca this evening.