Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 43, Number 91, Decatur, Adams County, 17 April 1945 — Page 1

M/se Is Chores!

Uli. No. 91.

AMERICANS STORM LEIPZIG, NUERNBERG

■$ Blast ■elds On fthu Island ilk To Knock Out I Bging Boses For I Bonese Attacks ■ C H Apr. 17—(CP)— A large Aiin'i’icJii superfortresses |jLj S j x airfields throughout today in an attempt to KjKnit 11111 staging bases for kK. a, ' rial a,laeks on U ’ S ’ Okinawa. Kvusliu. southern--111,1 home islands, jfc.. sent 111' 1 rapidly mountfc.BL offensive against Japan six,h straight day. KsWing illto six groups, ,h 0 SL|Ks.|ia sed superfort resses Eai 11 ha,f (loZPn airfields in ll*® ll alld soulhern Kyushu Klßeniolition bombs rather H>j3®nceiidiaries which were Tokyo twice in the iio,irs - gpTWtargets were the airfields East Kanoya, Izumi, K,>K and Niltaoahara, all in Kitß'n Kyushu, and Tachiarai IK .J northwestern section of airfield also was hit >K|Kay by P-51 mustangs of .|BKentli fighter command from trot l bases on Iwo island. ;H|Krai was bombed twice prev®S»by B-29s during the past '■Saud East Kanoya was raid10 days ago. ■IWJMfhe airfields were known :|||» held planes which have hit ting at the U. S. sea, '»K)d air forces in the Okinsome of them in suicide I raid, which was carried out mt 4:30 p. m. today, was bird in 72 hours levelled ! the Japanese homeland huge bombers. to reported that approxf80 superfortresses took t the hour and a half raid, trated on Kyushu's airheavy blow came as Ameritantrymen were cleaning up ; Island, three miles west nawa, where they landed lay and seized another base e increasing aerial cam- ■ Gen. Curtis E. Lemay’s ■■perfortresses took over the |||Bing of Kyushu after AdChester W. Nimitz’ carrier and land-based fighters lashed the island for I campaign against Kyushu the continuous blazbattles along a 360r B front extending southward the Ryukyus to Okinawa |||V the main conflict was det into fierce air fights than a ground campaign. Btw c|lt for *he invasion of le seizure of its airdrome valuable flying strips, IH^r 1 which are 5.000 feet long, positions on Okinawa Ranged little in the past ■ B tn air battles and the atji|B bn 111,1 enemy’s flying bases Hhrthern Ryukyus and gw' a have continued at a fur-■BrnjTO-Pawe 2, Column 4) Bair Presbyterian «irch Parsonage |l rk on the Presbyterbegan thie morning sV fi rU9ll6 d to completion in sHhft ° n tor lll e occupancy of T- minlet w, Rev. John W. gK m ? re ’ who will arrive with Iml... 1 !. 311)0111 1- Baker Bro- ‘ i 1 are in cllar Se of the I® , wproveniente and De-irK-iX 1101118 the Painting and ■$S* tu ° ng ■oo s T ther mometer IM: an 47 a - 52 ■L leather conßl derable ■n. cStL ! m * 80uth P°r■d We dß '"" e Coo ' *B’ in ßwnd Bht Dim!n ‘

DECATUR DAILY DEMOCRAT ONLY DAILY NEWSPAPER IN ADAMS COUNTY

Japs Counterattack Americans On Luzon Manila, April 17—(UP)—Japanese troops were reported today heavily counterattacking American forces closing in on Baguio, former enemy headquarters in the Philippines. The desperate Japanese assaults were concentrated mostly in the rugged mountains around the Mon-glo-’Mt. ißilbil area, eight miles norfihwest of Baguio. o Russians Rip Big Holes In Nazi Defenses Reds Surge Within 17 Miles Os Berlin On 150-Mile Front London, Apr. 17 — (UP) —Russian troops perhaps 2,000,000 strong surged within 17 miles of Berlin today, ripping through the capital's eastern defenses on a 150-mile front in a bid for a junction with American armies in the west. Soviet paratroops dropped even closer to Berlin, but were encircled and wiped out, Nazi broadcasts said. A Paris report said the Red army already had linked up with the Americans in the Elbe valley southeast of Dresden, but latest official dispatches placed the Soviets nearly 50 miles and the Americans. 40 miles from the purported junction point. Berlin said Premier Marshal Stalin had thrown nine infantry, five tank and two air armies into the last great push from the east, now in its second day. Nazi broadcasts listed penetration after penetration in the German line all the way from Schwedt, 45 miles northeast of Berlin, to Muskau, nearly 75 miles southeast, despite Adolf Hitler’s order to hold fast and drown the offensive in a “sea of blood.” The Soviet high command, as was its custom, remained silent on the offensive, but Soviet historian Eugene Tarle said in a falk over the Moscow radio that the attack on Berlin had begun “from the east and west.” Berlin said the Russians made their deepest penetration in the Eberswalde area, 17 miles northeast of Berlin and 13 miles be(Turn To Pagn 5. Column 3) O- r Red Cross War Fund Totals $23,529.37 Campaign In County Goes Far Over Goal Th? Bed Cross war fund drive wound up today with total contributions of 123.529.37, an excess of nearly 17,000 over the county’s $16,700 quota. Final receipts from the General Electric employes in this city shot up the total beyond all former records, their contributions totaling $2,764.20. Receipt of the payroll deductions subscribed by plant employes in March totaled $1,367.45, a check for which was received by C. E. Bell, chapter chairman, today. The difference was donated in cash at the time of the drive, along with the company’s allocation of $1,300 to the Decatur plant from its national contribution. The local chapter’s budget was $2,700 and the county’s national Red Cross quota, $14,000. The local chapter will share in the over-subscription to a small amount, Mr, Bell explained. Chairman Clarence Ziner of the county drive, Mr. Bell, .Mr. Lyman L. Hann, chairman of the township organization and James Elberson, chairman of the city division, expressed their appreciation to workers and donors for the excellent showing in the 1945 drive. Recently the county chapter opened a Red Cross home service office in this city and employed Mrs. Ruth Hollingsworth, who is now in national headquarters at (Turn To Pago *■ Colun,n •)

President Truman Addresses Congress - 11 Wil llb I xflSB iom f-. •: <rfi 11 life r Itll MM ia .JBkmM I Is '* SET 7 wit .iIFE-* a .. ssssss ■di f'i'' ifeWF* 1 inSii REITERATING the United Nations’ goal of “unconditional surrender” for Germany and Japan and promising a world peace organization to end all wars, Harry S. Truman, 32nd president of the United States, addresses a joint session of congress in his first public speech since becoming president. Truman is shown in the House chamber as he received the plaudits of his listeners. His address was broadcast nation-wide over all radio networks.

Yanks Within Eight Miles Os Bologna Shell Keystone Base Os German Defenses Rome, Apr. 17.—(UP)—American fifth army troops smashed within eight miles of Bologna today and long range artillery began shelling the outskirts of the transport hub and keystone base of the German defense line across Italy The U. S. fifth and British eighth armies had forgejd an assault arc almost half way around Bologna. They were closing in from the southwest and northeast and all intermediate sectors. Fifth army forces captured several peaks dominating roads into Bologna in a bitter battle south and southwest on the threatened city. A front dispatch said big guns were wheeled into position and began lobbing shells into the outskirts of Bologna. German anti-aircraft batteries were the main targets of the artillerymen. A number were knocked out. Other tactical targets near the city were bombarded, but no shells were fired into the city itself. Troops of the fifth army’s tenth division captured Mount Mosca, 12 miles southwest of Bologna, and the hamlet of Tole, 17 southwest of (Turn To Page 3, Column 6) o Big Postwar Fleet Is Planned By Navy Tentative Plan Is Presented Congress Washington. Apr. 17. — (UP) A tentative navy plan for a postwar fleet of 1,191 combat ships—almost three times the size of the pre-war fighting fleet —was presented to congress today. The public was given its first glimpse of the navy’s postwar blueprint as the house appropriations committtee recommended a $24,879,510,546 navy department budget for the 1946 fiscal year starting next July 1. This was a slash of $452,655,104 from estimates previously approved by the budget bureau. Vice Adm. Frederic J. Horne, vice chief of naval operations, was revealed to have told the appropriations committee that the navy expects to end the war with 1.528 combat ships, ranging down in size to destroyer escorts and submarines. Os these, 337 obsolescent craft would be scrapped or used as target vessels. Os the combat ships remaining in the postwar fleet, 482 will be on active status and 709 in an inactive state. Skeyeton crews would be retained on the inactive ships to maintain them and keep them in . immediate readiness for service. It (Turn To Page 3, Column 5)

Decatur, Indiana, Tuesday, April 17,1945.

« Area Rent Director Here On Thursday John E. Williams of Fort Wayne, area rent director for the DecaturFort Wayne district, will be at the Decatur post office Thursday, from 9:30 a. m. to 3 p. m. to answer questions concerning rent control in Decatur and Adams county. Landlords and tenants are invited to confer with Mr. Williams in any matter in which they wish information in regards to rentals. o 905 German Fighter Planes Destroyed Hailed As Knockout Blow To Luftwaffe London, April 17— (UP)-4Amwi-can and British air forces threw their entire weight behind the converging Allied armies in Germany today after knocking out the luftwaffe and winding up their strategic bombardment of the Reich. 'They administered the coup de grace to the German air force yesterday by destroying at least 905 German fighter planes, biggest day's .bag of the war. Most were destroyed on the ground in raids from Munic to Prague. Hundreds of RAF planes opened the new all-tactical phase of the air'war last night and early today with a series of raids on German targets all the way from tlhe Baltic to the Czechoslovak border. RAF with an escort of Mustangs attacked German naval units at Swinemuende al the Baltic entrance to Stettin bay in support of the Red army. Other bomlbers hit railway targets on either side of the German-Czechos-lovak (border in support of the American first and third armies. Still a third British force hit Berlin itsel, caught in an Ameri-can-British pincers. RAF Mustangs shot down six German night fighteis near 'Berlin, Only one J^ancaster was lost in all the night raids. Gen. Carl Spaatz, commander of the strategic American air forces in Europe, announced the victorious conclusion of the strategic bombardment of Geirmany. * o St. Louis Man Named Federal Loan Head Washington, April 17 —>(UP) — John W. Snyder, St. Louis banker, was nominated by President Truman today to be federal loan administrator. This was t>he first major appointment made by* Mr. Truman since he became president last Thursday evening. Snyder, vice-president of the First National Bank of St. Louis, has been a friend of the President for more than 35 yeans. As head of the multPbillion-dollar reconstruction finance corp, and other lending agencies, Snyder will fill the place left vacant by Fred M. Vinson’s transfer to the post of war mobilization director.

Phone, Light Lines Damaged By Winds Damage Reported In High Winds Monday A high wind which swept through a territory north of Decatur, tore down 48 telephone poles of the Citizens Telephone company and did some damage to electric poles of the city light and power plant, a survey showed today. Charles Heare, superintendent of the telephone company, said that the wind knocked over 23 poles in a row on the road east of the Dent school house in Root township. In that same territory, other poles were knocked down and about 50 patrons were without telephone service today. Workmen were busy today making repairs and Mr. Heare said that complete service would be restored in about three days. Lester Pettibone, superintendent of the city plant, reported that four poles were blown over in the area northeast of Decatur. Some damage was done to electric wires in other sections, but not as severe as first thought, Mr. Pettibone stated. 0 Eisenhower Doubts Formal Surrender Delay Likely In V-E Proclamation Paris, Apr. 17 — (UP) —Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower will proclaim V-E day only after the last important German pockets on the western front have been wiped out. He served notice to this effect yesterday at an interview at his field headquarters with a group of visiting American radio correspondents. The war in Europe is not likely to end until Allied troops have occupied Germany completely, he said. He doubted there ever would be a formal Nazi surrender. “Nazi units, including divisions, corps, armies and finally army groups will give up separately as. they exhaust ammunition and gasoline or find themselves hopelessly encircled,” he said. (Military and government sources in London warned there probably would be serious fighting in Germany “for many weeks” after Berlin has been captured. The announcement of V-E day even may be held up until German resistance has been cracked in Norway and Denmark, it was said.) Eisenhower praised the «'z)p and skill of the Russian armies as well as those under his command. Asked 'which Allied army would win the race to Ber(Turn To Page 2, Column 1).

Triple-Threat Drive Is Aimed At Berlin And A Link With Red Armies

Truman Backs Policies Os Predecessor Initial Conference Is Held With Press By New President Washington. Apr. 17. — (UP) — President Truman in his first press conference today gave whole-heart-ed endorsement to the foreign and domestic policies prevailing at the time he took office. He said that he would not lift the ban on horse racing and that he thought the midnight curfew had done a lot of good for the morale of the country. He endorsed the Bretton Woods international monetary program that had been sent to congress by the late President Roosevelt for approval. He disclosed that he planned to see Soviet Foreign Commissar V. M. Molotov while the Russian leader is en route to the United Nations meeting in San Francisco. Mr. Truman said Moiotov was going to stop in Washington to pay his respects to the president of the United States. And, Mr. Truman added, he should.

The president would not discuss any official appointments involving the cabinet or other top government personnel. He said, under questioning, that James F. Byrnes, former war mobilization director, was not going to the San Francisco conference. He’s going back to South Carolina, Mr. Truman said of Byrnes, adding that when he needed Byrnes' advice he would send for it. His conference drew an all-time high number of reporters — 348 — into the circular presidential office. The crowd overflowed out onto a side terrace and the room within 20 minutes became almost unbearably hot, Mr. Truman sood up during the conference and answered the questions with a straight-forward directness that twice moved a number of the reporters to applaud loudly—a rare occurrence in a White House news conference. Mr. Truman said that he had asked Mr. Roosevelt’s three secretaries—Stephen T. Early, William D. Hassett and Jonathan Daniels—and (Turn To Page 5, Column 6) 0 Stockholm Reports Nazi Navy Mutiny Internment Asked By German Sailors London, Apr. 17. — (UP) —Stockholm dispatches today carried the first authentic reports of mutiny in the Germany navy, whose revolt in ■World War I led to the retch’s capitulation. The mutiny apparently was on a comparatively small scale for the moment, but observers believed it may spread as Allied armies move to cut off the Baltic coast from the rest of the country. The Stockholm newspaper Dagens Nyheter said 12 German sailors arrived at the Swedih port of Stroemstad on the Kattegat aboard a naval patrol vessel and surrendered for internment. The sailors told Swedish authorities they had overwhelmed their two officers, locked them up and fled from a Norwegian harbor, Dagens Nyheter said. The Swedish telegraph agency said another German naval vessel, a minesweeper, had arrived at a Swedish south coast harbor and its crew of 17 also asked to be interned. There have been several previous reports in the paat year of mutiny (Turn To Pag* 2, Column 4>.

Nonagenarian Dies » I 11—^—"I—II ~ John Everett, prominent retired businessman of this city, died at his home here early this morning. John Everett Dies Early This Morning Prominent Retired Businessman Dead John Everett, 91, prominent retired retail and wholesale grocer of this city and one of Decatur’s few nonagenarians, peacefully slept into eternity at. 3 o'clock this morning at his residence, 215 South Fifth street. He had a cardiac heart ailment, which was attributed as the cause of death. For more than a half century Mr. Everett was active in Decatur business circles. Born in Van Wert county, Ohio, he came to this city when a young man and in 1890 formed a partnership with the late Henry Hite and opened a large grocery store, known as Everett and Hite. Later the two partners established the Everett and -Hite wholesale grocery company, which for many years was one of the city's flourishing concerns. Mr. Everett also gave time to the developing of a farm which he owned in the county and was widely known from his long business and civic interests in this community. A son of Dr. and Mrs. William Everett, Mr. Everett was born on Nov. 12. 1853. His 90th birthday anniversary in 1943 was the occasion of a happy family reunion at his home in this city. Mr. Everett was married to Miss Eliza Jane Roop, who also was born in Van Wert county. Mrs. Everett preceded her husband in death in 1932. Mr. Everett was a member of the First Baptist church, the Masonic and Odd Fellows lodges. Surviving is one daughter, Mrs. Ina Peterson, wife of t'a' E. Peterson, who reside at the Everett residence. Three sisters also survive. Mrs. Bell Lichtensteiger and Mrs. O. T. Johnson of Decatur and Mrs. Emma Young of Toledo, Ohio. Funeral services will be held Thursday morning at 10 o'clock at the Baptist church, the Rev. O. E. Miller of Haskins, Ohio, former pastor of the local church, officiating. Interment will be in the Decatur cemetery. The body will be removed from the Black funeral home to the Everett residence and may be viewed after 2 o'clock Wednesday afternoon. o Robert Heller Is Memorial Speaker Robert Heller, of thus city, state representative representing Adame and Wells counties in the state assembly, gave the address at memorial services held in Berne last evening for the late Franklin Delano Roosevelt. The meeting was held in connection with the Chamber of Commerce dinner.

J Buy War Savings Bonds And Stamps

Price Four Cents.

Front Disintegrates Before Yank Drive, Thousands Os Nazis Fleeing Southward Paris, Apr. 17— (UP) —American troops stormed Leipzig, Nuernberg and Berlin' s outer fortress of Magdeburg today in a triple-threat drive to break through to the Nazi capital, link up with the Red army and seal off Hitlers Bavarian Redoubt.

North and south of embattled Berlin the German front was disintegrating under the converging blows of the American and Russian armies. Field dispatches revealed that tens of thousands of Germans were fleeing southward through the Oder-Elbe corridor toward Bavaria, with thousands more in full flight northward toward the Baltic coast, in a last-minute race to escape the closing trap. Rumors of another German evacuation came from the Canadian first army front in Holland. The Nazis were said to be trying to escape from western Holland by boat after opening the Zuider Zee flood gates to inundate the lowlands south of Amsterdam. Strong Nazi garrisons still were holding ou* before Berlin, Leipzig, Chemnitz and other strong points along the central German front, but all accounts indicated that the break-up of the Wehrmacht into northern and southern commands was in full swing. Far to the west, American first, and ninth army infantrymen combed through the ruined cities of the Ruhr to complete the destruction of two German field armies trapped there. More than 200,000 of the pocketed Germans already were prisoners and only about 30,000 remained to be eliminated. Unauthenticated but possibly correct, reports said Field Marshal Walter Von Model, German commander on the western front, committed suicide inside the Ruhr pocket in despair over the course of the two-week battle that already had swept more than 750,000 of his troops into Allied prison cages. Fresh disaster was shaping up for the Germans along the Elbe before Berlin, where the U. S. ninth army's 30th infantry and units of the second armored division stormed into Gagdeburg, 60 miles southwest of the capital’s city limits. The attack kicked off in the wake of a four-hour aerial and artillery bombardment that brought hundreds of buildings inside Magdeburg tumbling down around the heads of 2,000 to 4,000 elite guards ami Hitler youth fighters. Field dispatches said the Americans had broken into the city, the last important German foothold on the west, bank of the Elbe in the Berlin sector. Other ninth army troops massed along an 80-mile stretch of the Elbe as far north as Wittenberge and south to Barby, where elements of the 83rd infantry and second armored divisions were battling to extend a five-mile deep bridgehead on the Berlin side of the river. The ninth army front looped to within 45 miles of Berlin’s city limits at a point on the west bank of the Elbe north of Magdeburg, where the American and Russian (Turn To Page 3, Column 6) Blood Donors Go To Portland Today Blood donors from this city, Kirkland township, Berne and other south points in the county, went to Portland today to donate a pint of their blood at the Red Cross blood bank. (Employes of the General Electric Company went to Portland last evening. H. H. High, county chairman, said that more than 100 volunteers made the trip last evening and today. C. H. Muselman of Berne holds the county record of donating 10 points of it* blood in that many previous visits to the blood bank.