Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 43, Number 89, Decatur, Adams County, 14 April 1945 — Page 1

LtWiin the War! Wise h Chores!

UH. No. 89.

IATION PAYS FINAL HONOR TO ROOSEVELT

■d Army Is Bing Toward Kian Lines \l' i Izi Escape From I Kiin To Bavarian , Is Slashed 1 bulletin ■ IBy United Press || ■. American broadcasting ME, in Europe said today K (She Ninth Army entry into K K is imminent. • ,\pr. 14 — (UP)—Ameri5 army tanks rolled into |[X Germany 89-odd miles EH juncture with the Red XnHday and < nt the main Nazi StocsXi'oails from Berlin to the IkKn Redoubt. IpKi.-m George 9. Pattonjß LEX third army tank crews ( toward the Russian lines 7 clip against the ; E> ei Xt German opposition, outLeipzig and driving withof Dresden, two of the east-front military bases battered Wehrmacht. ' the north, one and perjj American ninth army i, MLs raced down the home s before Berlin under a security blackout, it was no confirmation of re--1) MKiiat they had reached posito Hi miles from Berlin, KtHatesi official information — 24 hours or more behind - placed the Americans miles from the capital. K-Blon dispatches said all BritBKas tense with expectancy, ■Hue tin imminent announceSk«Btiiaf the Americans had ■flk Berlin and linked up ‘S'Hlie Russians. kHc barricades are up in the Reich is entering its «aK hours." London newspaper ■Hncs proclaimed. «Hio Berlin admitted somber■Xf the Allied attacks were in fury all along the EHnd that the situation in the ■■had become “even more ; 3M" but the Nazis gave no on the progress of the XHewherc on the collapsing : front these developments B|®report(‘d by the Allied arm■I s ' first army—ran into un■Htedly stiff German resist■■almost at the gates of LeipIHnd on its northern flank in HE*''’ 17 mountains, hut plowed jKM'b' ahead for gains of five to »H. lni,es on top of yesterday’s advances. Leipzig and |®ompanion base of Halle 15 gB to the north were under mH' attack and the first army ri 'd 31.51 T prisoners yester■■Probably the biggest one-day taken by an Allied army. p rican seventh army—drove of Bamberg. 30 north of Nuernberg, and within 55 miles of border on southern Xgft , 0 * third army. XB ,isll second and Canadian ■ armies— rolled up gains of |gE'n 12 miles toward the North iy* ons a 200 mile front, touchGerman retreat Page 6. Column 3) jyth Army Pushes Igward On Bologna April 14—(UP)—Armored w the eighth army pushed W?™ through Italy along a solid SH e ,|Ont today in a rapidly drive that carried within BBi 01 ®° i ' o ® na - Sfffr n All ' ed troopfi were moving a . llne stretc hing from HE 11 110 ln “ es northwest of W. southward through newly HB. hai) . M ® asa Lombar <ia to the Mt vt ? the interne river op- ■ nS an °’ ni߀ mi! * s nol ' tb ® logna highway. KmS* ture read| ng Koo, T the «mometer || W ’ ; - —... 47 ilcioM WEAT HER MEy * nd much cooler tcKn t l. ° Wer ‘ ln PO!” K | oudy d ’L and “ r,y to"'eht‘Knclay. 0001 toni 9 ht « nd

DECATUR DAILY DEMOCRAT

Soldier Killed .. —, w BPr r Staff Sgt. Joseph P. Schirack, 30. son of Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Schirack, 421 N. Seventh street, was killed in a vehicle 'accident in Germany on April 3, his wife, Mrs. Virginia Drake Schirack of Dayton. Ohio, was notified by the war department last evening. Word of his death was received by the parents by telephone from the soldier's wife and full details were not given. Mrs. Schirack will come here this. evening to be at the parental home. Sgt. Schirack was with an evacuation hospital unit. A brother, Staff Sgt. Cornelius Schirack, is serving with the army in the Philippines. Pic. Forest Railing Seriously Wounded Family Is Notified By War Department Pfc. Forest Railing, son of Mr. and Mrs. Forest Railing of Decatur route six and parents of a son killed in action in Germany, was seriously wounded in combat in Germany on March 29,-the war department notified the family last evening. An indication of the wounding of their son was contained in a letter received last Saturday from a Red Grose nurse in Germany, stating that Pfc. Forrest was in a hospital, but that she could not divulge the nature of his illness. IThe war department’s message stated that their son was in a hospital and gave the parents instructions how his mail should be addressed. The wounded soldier entered the army on March 22, 1943 and went overseas in January 1945. An infantryman with the Ninth Army, he traveled through a half dozen countries in Europe before going into Germany. iTwo other sons, Sgt. Morton A. Railing, Hawaiian Islands, and Cpl. Joseph D. Railing, Lincoln, Neib., are serving their country. The fourth son, Staff Sgt. Alton Railing, a radioman 'With a B-24 Liberator, was reported killed in Germany on Nov. 26, 1943. o — At Least 111 Killed In Southwest Storm 14 Separate Areas Struck By Twisters Oklahoma City. Okla., Apr. 14 — (UP) — At least 111 persons were dead as the result of tornadoes which ripped through Oklahoma. Arkansas and Missouri Thursday night and if reports from isolated communities are confirmed the total may exceed 129, disaster officials said today. Rescue squads continued to dig through the ruins of dozens of shattered communities for missing persons. Late reports showed that the series of twisters had struck 14 separate areas, killing 88 persons in central and southeastern Oklahoma, 17 in western arkansas and six in southwestern Missouri. More than 700 persons were injured. Property losses wist run into millions of dollars, officials said. The tornado that struck Antlers, a village of 3.200 population in southeastern Oklahoma, left the greatest havoc in its wake. A large portion of the business section was levelled and scores (Turn To Page 3, Column 6)

Huge Superior! Flee! Sets Fire To Tokyo Area Thousands Os Tons Os High Explosives On Japanese Capital By Lisle Shoemaker Guam, Apr. 14— (UP) —Hundreds of superfortresses set fire to a flve-square-mile arsenal area of Tokyo today and the Japanese reported the flames spread to the Mikado’s palace. Tokyo broadcasters said Emperor Hirohito and his family were unharmed, but they denounced the bombing as an “atrocious action” prompted by American “disappointment" over the death of President Roosevelt. A Tokyo communique said that fires broke out in part of the buildings within the imperial palace, the Omiya palace and the Asasaha detached palace but “were soon distinguished.” The main building and sanctuary of the Grand Meiji shrine, one of Japan’s greatest memorials, was “burned to ashes,” the communique said. Omiya palace, adjoining the imperial palace, is the residence of the Empress Dowager. Explosions from the huge fires that ripped through the vital .war production area of Tokyo were heard more than 100 miles away. Thousands of tons of high explosives and incendiaries were dumped on the Japanese capital in a section congested with three large munitions plants and chemical works. Huge fires blazed furiously through the target area, one of Japan's most vital war production centers, as the Marianas-fcased B-21s completed the 16th raid on the enemy capital. When the B-29 in which I was riding flew over Tokyo near the end of today’s raid, fires were raging through the stricken area and thunderous explosions flashed across the city. Tokyo radio admitted that severe damage resulted from the fires, which raged several hours after the bombers left. The communique said approximately 170 B-29s took part in the raid and claimed that 41 of them were shot down and 80 others damaged. The section singled out for today’s attack was about six miles northwest of the imperial palace and on the edge of the 17-mile area devastated in the March 10 fire raid. The raid started at 1:30 a. m. (Turn To Bag's 6. Column 7) o Cily Joins Nation In Mourning FDR Business Continues At Truman Request While industrial plants and retail stores in the city will not close this afternoon during the funeral services for President Franklin D. Roosevelt, the flags atop the court house and city were at half mast today, as the nation mourned the loss of its wartime president and crusader for world freedom and peace. The Kalver theater will not open until 5 o’clock this afternoon, following a policy set by the theater owners throughout the country to eliminate the usual Saturday afternoon matinees. The announcement of closing was made by Roy Kalver of this city. Judge J. Fred Fruchte, of the Adams circuit court, announced the adjournment of court at noon an 1 Thurman I. Drew, county auditor, said that the public offices in the court house would also close at noon. Thd city hall will be closed at noon, as will the selective service board. At the request of President Truman, industrial plants, railroads and retail stores will not close, every effort being made to keep up war production. In some cities retail merchants associations have voted to close in memory of the dead President during the funeral hours from 3 to 5 o’clock.

ONLY DAILY NEWSPAPER IN ADAMS COUNTY

Decatur, Indiana, Saturday, April 14, 1945.

Truman Reports For Work KIB MB W ißiiiP BBEBbOBBL' ' KSwfcJiMf I ""?* ■“ PRESIDENT HARRY S. TRUMAN arrives at the White House to begin his first day as chief executive and commander-in-chief of the U. S.

Blood Donors To Go To Portland Monday More Than Hundred To Make Donations More than 100 blood donors will ro to Portland Monday and.Tuesday to donate a pint of their blood at the Red Cross bank in that city. The donors from Berne will so Monday evening. Those from Kirkland township and this city will leave Tuesday morning at 9 o’clock and those in the G. E. group will make the trip at four o’clock Monday afternoon. Transportation will be furnished from this city, the buses leaving from in front of the American Legion home. H. H. High, chairman of the blood donor division, released the following names of volunteers who will make the trip to Portland. Kirkland List Betty Skiles, Leona Teeple, Mrs. Wave Arnold, Mrs. Roscoe Kuhn, Mrs. Amos Stauffer, Mrs. Evelyn Newald. Mrs. Iva Isch, William Isch, Floyd Roth, Harve Mankey. William Sowards, Edna Warthman, Mary J. Warden, Robert High, Samuel Yager. Lester Adler, Robert Weber, Elmer Gerber, Mrs. Emma Gerber. Decatur List Iva Teeple, Bertha Strickler, Wileon Mann, Emma Lou Kukelhan, •Ethel Slickman, Patricia Baughn, Edith Marbaugh, Mrs. Glen Bates, Norma Batter, Mrs. Lulu Shaffer, Betty Dixon, Mrs. Raymond Crist., Pauline August. Mrs. Chas. Lose. Mary White, Leona Tinner. Elva Martin, Elenara Everett, Richard Martin, Jean Stuber, Florence L. Schnitz, Helen Kintz. G. E. Donors Arbie Owens, Dick Bogner, Eddie Deitsch, Lawrence Von Gunten, » (Turn To Paste 6, Column 7) o— Near Former Japanese Luzon Headquarters (Manila, April 14 —(UP) — Elements of the 33rd division pushed within three miles today of Baguio in northern Luzon, once the Japanese headquarters in 'th® Philippines. The American troops battered through mountain terrain and against determined enemy resistance to capture Mount Oalauag. last high point overlooking the city, former Philippines summer capital. At the same time other American forces continued to forge ahead against stubborn opposition in the mountians south of Balete Pass, Japanese escape route into the Cagayan valley of northeastern Luzon.

Armed Forces To Pay Tribute To Roosevelt Washington, April 14 —(IUP) — Wherever war conditions permit, American armed forces throughout the world will make the hour of funeral srevices for President Roosevelt today with a five minutes period of silent prayer. Secretary of war Henry L» Stimson and secretary of the navy James V. Forrestal announced that the prayer period would take place at 3 P. M. CWT. the exact moment that services for Mr. Roosevelt begin in the White House. 0 New Political Era Dawns In Capital Truman To Address Congress On Monday Washington, Apr. 14. —(UP) —Despite invitations to the Roosevelt cabinet to “stay on,” Washington observers today foresee a new political era dawning and a time of new political stars. Franklin Delano Roosevelt is still dominant here, even in death. r>ut this is his last appearance in Washington. President Harry S. Truman will join today in the rites for the man who lasi July decided that he ishould have his chance to be vice-president of the United States. After tomorrow, the complexion o- this government will begin to change as the man from Missouri and his men take over. There is talk already of “going back to cabinet government.” That means a cabinet of stronger men on the average than Mr. Roosevelt expect to participate more fully in was accustomed to have around him. They would be men who would forming policy than the late president sometimes permitted his official councillors to do. The unofficial cabinet will change too, in time, and Mr. Truman will have his own men around him. Fundamental in the policies of the Truman administration as in that of Mr. Roosevelt is the determination to obtain an agreement to maintain the pea£e. The president will make his first formal declaration of policy Monday in an address before a joint session of the congress. He' will speak in the chamber of the house but his words will be directed to the people of the United States and beyond them to the world. On Tuesday he will address the armed services by radio with a pledge to carry on the war they have so nearly won in the west and (Turn To Page 6, Column 4)

Roosevelt’s Body Borne Through Hushed Streets Os The Nation’s Capital

Anthony Eden Will Attend FDR Rites British Secretary Represents Churchill Washington. April 14. — (UP) — British Foreign Secretary Anthony Eden, who sped here by plane for Franklin D. Roosevelt's funeral today, may take an early opportunity to sound out President Truman on the idea of an early meeting of the new “big three.” The question of new Polish government ami the rapid approach of victory in Europe and creating new problems to be met by the Allied heads of state. And the two remaining members of the original big three, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill and Soviet Premier Josef Stalin, may want to survey the situation personally with their new partner. Eden was sent here as Churchill's personal representative at the Roosevelt funeral. Before he leaves Washington, he will have a long talk with the new president about 1 the role in international affairs ■ that Mr. Roosevelt had carved out for the United States. And he very likely will bring up the idea of a new big three meeting. In a general way. Mr. Truman already has assured his Allies and - the world that his foreign policies , will be those of Franklin D. Rooset velt. He did so by retaining Secref tary of State Edward R. Stettinius, i- Jr., and the rest of the Roosevelt s cabinet. And yesterday he formal ized it by authorizing Stettinius to - state: y “There will be no change of purt pose or break of continuity in the b foreign policy of the United States f (Turn To Page 6, Column 6) —o -————— Raid Nazi Positions On Gironde Estuary London. April 14 — (UP) — The U. S. Air force attacked German positions along the Gironde estuary northwest of Bordeaux today. Heavy air activity was reported over the channel after hundreds of British night raiders hit German warships massed in the harbor at Kiel and neighboring port installa- ’’ tions. t -o ; Discuss Farm Labor ’ Situation In County 1 s Referrals Os Farm 1 Workers Discussed B 1 Friday evening the Adams county extension committee: George 1 Krick. E. W. Busche, Roy Price, n HHarve Ineichep, Theodore Bleeke, • Victor Stucky. Winfred Gerke. Dale Moses. H. L. Dehner, Elmer Baum5 gartner, C. W. R. Schwartz. Peter t Lehman, Wilbur Lehman, Benj. a Mazelin, Gus Scheuller. Jay Yost, t Robert Sprunger, Dallas Brown and 1 the Adams county agricultural war 1 hoard: W. L. Gerke, Leland Ripley, 1 Rufus Huser, Leigh Bowen, and • county agent Archbold, met in the ’- coun y agent's office with Joan '- Carton, manager of the Fort Wayne i U. S. employment office for a dicuse sion of the farm labor situation. Mr. Carton stated that under tha f war manpower commission it was i the duty of his organization to re- - fer available workers to essential i industry. He further stated the referrals of agricultural workers, if t made, must come from the county - agent. The. county agent, aince t this plan has been in effect, has I asked the war board to also act as » a farm labor committee to set up j a policy under which the agricuf--1 tural referrals would be made. The agricultural labor commit--5 tee stated that their policy was not i to grant agricultural releases exy cept for reasons of health and then 1 only when adequate evidence was (Turn To Pa-go 6, Column 6)

German Radio Says Russians Launch Drive General Offensive Reported By Nazis On 300-Mile Front London. Apr 14 —(UP) Nazi broadcasts said today that Red armies were opening a general offensive on a 300-mile front arching across Germany less than 30 ■ miles from Berlin and 90 frbm the ' American third army. Soviet forces of. the southeast- ’ ern front were sweeping across ' Austria and Moravia in a race with the Nazis for the Bavarian Redoubt. Their pace, was speed- ; ed by the fall of Vienna and a ! crossing of the Morava river be--1 fore Brno. Lt. Hans Laboeck. German correspondent first to report the 1 start of the Red army’s Vistula-to-Oder offensive on Jan. 12, said that between Stettin and the 1 Sudeten mountains “the enemy is trying to smash the German dam i on the eastern front with every 1 tank and every man at his diss posal.” Laboeck, indicating that the ■ die was cast for the showdown ■ battle in the east, said that when the fighting mounted to full fury, as he evidently expected it to do momentarily, “then we must realize that the final decision is at stake.” Hours earlier tiie German high command said the “enemy continued his offensive preparations in Silesia and on the lower Oder” —the same stretch of eastern Germany referred to by Laboeck. Lt. Col. Alfred Von Olberg, Nazi radio commentator, said that “it becomes more and more obvious that the Soviets have concentrated very strong forces in the area between Kuestrin. east of Berlin, and Stettin, and ’ (Turn To Page 3, Column 6) o Yanks Gain Slowly On Okinawa Island Jap Counter-Attack Repulsed Near Naha Guam. Apr. 14.—(UP)—Troops of three army divisions battled slowly through southern Okinawa today after turning back a strong Japan- ■ ese counter-attack along the Naha defense line. The attack was made by between 509 and 750 Japanese and a large proportion of them were killed in the futile attempt to check the American drive. Although ground artillery and , heavy naval guns continued an intense pounding on the enemy pos ; - tions, the troops were unable to make any substantia! gains and their advances were measured in yards. Marines in northern Okinawa. however, were moving ahead on Motobu peinsula and Ishikawa isthmus against ineffective resistance. (A Tokyo broadcast, recorded by the FCC, admitted that the war situation in the Okinawa area “seems to be changing for the worse since the t|,ay before yesterday.” (A Japanese communique claimed that suicide planes were still attacking American warships around Okinawa and that an additonal 12 vessels were sunk or damaged.) ' Admiral Chester W. Nimitz dis- ■ closed that Vice-Admiral Marc A. Mitscher’s fast carrier force had destroyed 1,290 Japanese planes in less than four weeks. In the last three days alone, more than 228 planes were destroyed throughout the Ryukyu chain, of (Turn To Page 6, Column 3)

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Funeral Service In White House Today; Burial Rites Sunday At Hyde Park Home Washington, Apr. 14 —(UP) A hushed throng led by President. Truman stood by in reverent tribute today as Franklin Delano Roosevelt returned for the last time to the city of his triumphs. Mr. Truman, cabinet officers, military leaders and foreign dignitaries were among the thousands who jammed Washington’s vaulted union station to meet the special train that returned the president's body from Warm Springs. Ga., scene of his death two days ago. Anthony Eden, Britain's foreign secretary, sped to this country by plane to represent Prime Minister Winston Churchill at the funeral of his good friend. Mrs. Roosevelt, who accompanied the body back to the capital, was escorted to a black limousine to join the funeral procession to the White House, where simple services will be hold at 4 p. m. EWT. A warm sun shone as the procession formed but the sky was marked by occasional clouds. The weather bureau predicted showers or a possible thunderstorm for this afternoon. A black military caisson wheeled up to the train to receive thu president’s flag-draped casket for the final journey to the White House. The assembled throng watched in silence. AH—the high officials, the generals, the ambassadors, and the plain people whose welfare Franklin Roosevelt always cherished — all had come to bid farewell to a great friend and leader. Thousands of persons, some weeping, some tight-lipped, formed along the line of march between the station and the White House. The east room of the executive mansibn was selected for the final services for the man who took office in a dark hour in 1933 and went on to lead his nation to the brink of victory in its gravest war. The cortege leaves tonight at. 19 p. m. for Hyde Park and the burial tomorrow. The train rolled northward at a deliberate, funeral pace — north from the rolling countryside and red clay roads of the president’s “other home,” in Warm Springs, Ga. At every town and city, mute crowds lined the trackside to watch the cortege pass. Some women cried and men bared their heads. Thousands massed at the stations in the bigger cities to catch a glimpse of the flower-massed casket in the final car of the train. At night through South and North Carolina, workers in war plants along the rail lines left their machines for a moment to huddle at the windows as the train appeared. Each time the train paused—at Atlanta, at Greenville. S. C., Spartansburg, S. C„ Charlotte, N. C., Salisbury, N. C.. Danville. Va., —• masses of flowers were put aboard the car where the casket rested. The casket, draped by an American flag, was placed on a small platform toward the rear of what had been the lounge car of the presidential special. Overhead lights illuminated the car brilliantly and through the three wide windows the crowds could see the casket, the increasing mound of flowers and four guards posted at each corner. The president's body was not to lie in state. Attendance at the simple, episcopal services was limited to the cabinet, the diplomatic corps, representatives of the army, the navy, the judiciary, congress, the president’s personal staff and family friends. The ceremonies were in charge of the Rt. Rev. Angus Dun. Episcopal bishop of Washington, (Turn To Pa<e 5, Column 4)