Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 43, Number 99, Decatur, Adams County, 26 April 1945 — Page 1

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fXLlii. No. 99.

BREMEN, STETTIN FALL TO ALLIED ARMIES

nsion Grips males To Lee Confab [Explosive Polish [Question Center Os [Delegote Interest L Francisco, Apr. 26.—(LFD— Lwing tension gripped delef" lhe United Nations conL today as the big three tpowLoved toward a .showdown on ■ explosive Polish question. Lei lobbies buzzed with specula that Soviet foreign commis- | M. Molotov, chief Russian Lte'here, may have received I instructions from Premier IfSta'inonthe Polish issue and I he was ready to meet again I Secretary of State Edward R. Lining. Jr., and British Foreign Ltary Anthony Eden. Lotov was scheduled to address Ltary session of the conference L6P- m- CWT. The de!e ’ L awaited his .speech eagerly Lome hint on the Kremlin’s |. word on Poland and perhaps Russia's demand for three votes L assembly of the proposed L organization to be set up L But guesses were that Molofprobably wuuld avoid any publisctission of such controversial L at least for the time being. Ltinius, Molotov and Eden canL the Polish question in WashLn last week-end but remained ■locked on Russia's request that | so-called Lublin government be kitted to this conference. They feed to resume their talks here. h American official told the led press that our delegation ■ standing firm against adfnittI the Soviet-backed Lublin PolIgovernment to this conference, ■dent Truman was described as mg been “adamant” in rejecting. Bsian demands in behalf of the bug Poles. Lt it was also indicated that ■British might prove more .wi’lI 'now to compromise with the Mans for the sake of getting Lembamssing Polish dispute I ofthe way. he conference began yesterday ■ spirit of determination to profc world peace, but with general Ignition that there are obstacIto be overcome before a satisf.ory basis of world collaboration Ibe achieved. Mr. Truman, who [being described by word of hth hereabout a.s “a very firm F*'. reminded the delegates F their task would not be easy r n he opened the conference P an address broadcast from Bhington. pfe, who have lived through the pure and the tragedy of two dd conflicts,” he eaid, “must ’ Ze the magnitude of the probi before ug. We do not need •lighted vision to understand ( trend of recent history. Its cal ’ ce is all too clear. pvp r-increasing brutality destruction, modern warfare, unchecked, would ultimately “Ml civilization. We still ea choice between the aFern- ® continuation of internat-J»we-or the establishment ’ Ol ' ld organization for the en- - inent of peace,” the president spealc at a Pl en ®ry which is to be convened at «tinp. C S T ” a meetin ? of the *5 /. eeriD6 co “™ittee has KJ, or 12=30 P- m-. CWT. ttoDh com P° s ed of chair--8 Dnlted Nalions deleid estst)lis h credentials The Pnr? commi ttees. k' qUe9tlon ce >«ld be he Peering committee 2, Column S) D rfi*l-r THERMOMETER e -ATURE reading •too > - ~~ 10:00 a. 2 43 Noon' 43 Father lßlif «| ri Mrt Cooler S ° Uth and ver?'?"!’ Widely BCat ' *!it ' 9ht north•MiL ” ,’ wa * from Lake Friday fair * W in «xttl emper * tures ex * tla "; "Mlfcraw southea « POrraLV rOne Wlnd ’’ "tfht 9 ra Pidly early to-

DECATUR DAILY DEMOCRAT

Combat Casualties Now Total 929,373 Washington, April 26( — UP) — U. S. Combat casualties, crowding 1.000,000 reached 929,373 today in official compilations here. .Today’s total is 17,173 greater than that for a week ago. ■Navy, coast guard, and marine corps casualties, meanwhile, passed the 100,000-mark, reaching 100,372. The army total in 829.001, o Smash Major Jap Line On South Okinawa New Neutralization Raids By Superforts On Japanese Islands

Guam, Apr. 26—(UP) — Front reports said today that U. S. army troops had smashed the first major Japanese defense line on southern Okinawa. All key terrain on which the line was anchored was captured by the Americans as they pushed more than half a mile through the strong Japanese defenses to less than three and a half miles from Naha, capital of the island. The developing Okinawa campaign brought a force of 200 to 250 superfortresses ranging over Japan again today in new neutralization raids on airfields in Kyushu and Shikoku, two of the I enemy home islands. While the Japanese staggered under the weight of the American land, naval and aerial blows, Admiral Chester W. Nimitz announced that 21,269 enemy troops were killed on Okinawa and the surrounding islands up to yesterday. Most of the Japanese were killed on Okinawa and it was estimated the -nemy had lost one-third of its original garrison in the bloody fighting, on the island, 325 miles from Japan. Only 399 Japanese were taken prisoner. American casualties in the campaign as of April 22, were: army: 889 dead; 4,879 wounded and 289 missing; marines: 257 dead, 1.103 wounded and seven missing. Nimitz also disclosed that the town of Kakuzu. in the center of the island, had been retaken by the army troops in the renewed drive through the Japanese defense belt stretched across Okinawa above Naha. United Press correspondent (Turn To Page 2, Column 5) O — Red Cross Secretary Returns To Office Completes Training Course In Duties Mrs. Ruth Hollingsworth, executive secretary of the Red Cross home service office, returned last evening from Alexandria, Y a., where she attended a three weeke’ executive training course at national headquarters of th Red Cross. Five of the 21 days were devoted to instructions and training in assisting members of the armed forces and discharged veterans in filling out their claims and benefit papers. Mrs. Hollingsworth stated. In centers where home service ofi.ceis have been set up, 'the Red Cross is specializing in rendering service to men and women of the armed forces and in assisting them in filling out papers for benefits under the G.I. bill. During the three weeks, special instruction was given to the secretaries who attended the school in the various phases and services of the Red Cross, Mrs. Hollingsworth explained. While in Alexandria, Mrs. Hollingsworth had the opportunity to go to Washington. She was in the capital city on the afternoon that President Roosevelt’s death was announced and also on Satin day, morning when the funeral procession went from the railroad station to the White House. Mrs. Hollingsworth will resume her work at the local Red Cross office tomorrow. During her absence, Mrs. Harold Grant kept the office open in 'the afternoon.

Scene Os United Nations Peace Meetings ... ’ y»»«w. . t n»cui , wiwfe F- * < sK -A FaSfefe -, --v •' |w" I -*W_ -RffllK - WWSrt rgiiry 9*8 *B ’III Brar• .u •tail iwt'M I ? . -L- ' n ; r ,' ‘ I WAR MEMORIAL OPERA HOUSE in San Francisco, where the United Nations peace meetings are being held. The conference of 46 nations opened Wednesday evening with a brief session, highlighted by a radio message from President Harry S. Tipiman of the United States.

Frank Confer Dies Wednesday Evening Funeral Services Saturday Morning Frank E. Conter, 73, native of Decatur and resident of this city most of his life, died at 5:40 o’clock Wednesday evening at the Sacred Heart, home, for tlie aged at Avilla. He was born in Decatur April 2, 1872, the son of Louis A. and Catharine Bosse-Conter. Previous to a decline in his health 10 years ago, he was employed as an auditor in various offices, both in Fort Wayne and Decatur. He was a member of the St. Mary’s Catholic church. Surviving are four sisters, Mrs. Flora Arnold and Miss Margaret Conter, both of Fort Wayne, and Mrs. Harry Fritzinger and Miss Rose Confer, both of Decatur. Three brothers and one sister preceded him in death. Funeral services will be held at 9 o’clock Saturday morning at the St. Mary’s church, with burial in the Catholic cemetery. Friends may call at the Zwick funeral home after 2 o’clock Friday afternoon. » o New Beverage Law Faces Court Test First Action Filed On Republican Law Crawfordsville, Ind., Apr. 26 — (Up)—The new alcoholic beverage law passed by the 1945 Indiana general assembly faced its first constitutionality test today. A Montgomery county beer wholesaler yesterday filed the first action against the GOP sponsored law which automatically cancels all beer and liquor wholesaler permits May 1. E. B. Riggs, owner of the Riggs Distributing company, filed the action in Montgomery circuit court. He charged that the law was discriminatory and infringed on the rights of individuals. Named as defendants were Governor Gates, the Indiana alcoholic beverage commission and other state officials. A temporary restraining order was granted Riggs by Judge Howard A. Sommer and a hearing will be held May 11 to determine if it will become permanent. If so, it would allow Riggs to keep his beer wholesaler permit until Nov. 15. On this date, his original permit as issued under the old alcoholic beverage act. repealed by the 1945 legislature, would expire. Riggs has been a wholesaler in Montgomery county for 12 years. He also operates the Coca-Cola distributing company. The ABC is prevented from revoking Riggs’ permit before the hearing. Riggs alleged in the action that the beer wholesaler permits were "political plums.” Other state officials named in the suit were (Turn To Page 3, Column 6)

ONLY DAILY NEWSPAPER IN ADAMS COUNTY

Decatur, Indiana, Thursday, April 26,1945.

1.46 Inches Os Rain Here This Morning Up to 8 o’clock this morning 1.46 inches of rain fell in Decatur, Herman (Hi) (Meyer, local liver gauge reader, stated. The river stood at 4.56 feet, with an expected rise during the day. Mr. Meyer said. The heavy rain started about mid-night and continued off and on during the night.

Geneva Pad Defines Prisoner Treatment I War Department Is Bound By Convention Washington, April 26 -—>(UP) — The war department reported today that it is hound to treat German prisoners according to the terms of the Geneva convention regardless of the treatment accorded American prisoners of war. Brig. Gen. >R. W. Berry, deputy assistant chief of staff, told the house military affairs committee that the Geneva’ pact is “the supreme law of the land.” “The army’s reatment of prisoners of war is not, therefore, a question of army policy, but a question of law,” he said. Hf there is any change, it must ibe made by congress, not by the army, Berry said." Berry told the committee that the United Slates now holds 2,009,000 (,M) German soldiers as prisoners and that 340,000 of this number are 'in this country. In contrast, he said that “there are about 3.250 Japanese prisoners in our custody in the U. S. and about 2)500 overseas.” He estimated the number of Americans held by the Japs at between 14,000 and 15,000. o Sentenced To Life For Wife's Slaying Danville, Ind., Apr. 26. —(UP) — Fifty-one-year-old Herman Burgin faced life imprisonment today following sentencing yesterday by Judge Horace L. Hanna on murder charges. Burgin, an Indianapolis war worker, pleaded guilty to charges that he killed his wife, Mayme, with a shotgun April 2. Cpl. Chester Miller, his wife’s step-son, was injured in the fracas after the shooting but overpowered Burgin and turned him over to authorities. Roy Munyna Elected Scottish Rite Head (Roy E. Mumma was elected president of the Decatur Scottish Rite cluib at the annual meeting of directors Wednesday night. Robert Helm was elected secretary and ®. F. Jalberg treasurer. Other directors ar Glenn Hill and Jim A. Hendricks. The directors will meet with the directors of the Geneva cluib to play for the annual spring meeting of the Adaims county Scottish Rite club.

Italian Patriots Break German Grip General Uprising Frees Many Towns Rome, Apr. 26—(UP) —A general uprising of Italian patriots was reported unofficially today to have broken the German grip on North Italy and liberated Milan, Genoa, Turin, Verona and scores of other towns. Allied military authorities, whose armies were sweeping deep into northern Italy on the heels of routed German forces, withheld immediate confirmation of reports from the north of the rebellion against the Nazis and Fascists. But accounts of the uprisings were supported by every evidence that the patriots had seized and were operating the radios in Milan and Genoa. Supplementary reports circulated freely in the Swiss border areas. Swiss advices quoted an Italian press dispatch as hinting that Benito Mussolini was trying to make a deal with the patriots in an effort to save his life. He was reported to have been set up as a Nazi figurehead in North Italy after' he was “rescued” by (Turn To Page 2. Column 5) 0 Solons And Editors Visit Prison Camps Barbarous Treatment Viewed By Senators 'Paris, April 26—(UP)—Both American editors and legislators who visited the Buchenwald concentration camp have asked the army to let them see more evidence of Nazi atrocities Ibefore they report to America. The 10-man congressional party visited Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower at his forward command post yesterday, and asked to visit more camps so they could get the best possible picture. The editors also said they could not form full opinions after the army whisked them through Buchenwald in a tour lasting less than an hour and a half. Sen. Allben W. Barkley, Democratic majority leader from Kentucky, told Eisenhower his group was grateful for the opportunity to see Buchenwald, but was anxious to get a more complete report for congress. Stars and Stripes reporter Charles F. Kiley, writing for the combined press, said Eiseahower told the legislators they would have every opportunity to ‘see for themselves.” “You saw only one camp,” Eisenhower said. “There are many others. Your responsibilities, I believe extend into a great field and informing he people at home of things like these atrocities is one of them. “Nothing is covered up. We have nothing to conceal. The barbarous treatment these people received in (Turn To Pat# 2, Column 6)

Great German Ports In Allied Hands; Close In On Embattled Germans

Russians Burst Into Berlin Heart; Near Spot Adolf Hitler Reported In Lead London, Apr. 26 —(UP) —Russian storm troops today captured Stettin, Germany's biggest Baltic port, and 8b miles so the southwest they burst into the heart of Berlin within 400 yards of where Adolf Hitler was reported directing the defense of the gutted capital. Marshal Konstantin K. Rokossovsky's army forced the low'd - Oder and loosed a victorious blow at Stettin, unhinging the Baltic wing of the German defenses in the north and crippling any Nazi bid to make a stand on the Mecklenburg plain. Stettin, on the west bank of the Oder estuary, fell to a new Soviet offensive synchronized with Marshal Stalin's end-the-war push against Berlin and toward a junction with the AngloAmerican Allies in the west.

Even as his troops drove into the Potsdamer platz and Tiergarten in the middle of Hitler nearby, Stalin broadcast a special order of the day announcing that Rokossovsky’s second White Russian army had gone into action. Smashing across the Oder south of Stettin, the White Russians swung a knockout punch against the city of 268,000 —Berlin’s outlet to the sea—from the south. In advances of more than 18 miles, the new drive also overran Schmidt, 45 miles northeast of Beilin; Kasekow, 31 southwest of Stettin; Penkun, 15 southwest of Stettin; and Gartz, 16 southwest of Stettin.

Stettin, the capital of Pomerania, was under assault from the south, a German communique said even before Stalin's order was broadcast from Moscow. If Hitler was in Berlin —as the Nazis have insisted for four days —time was running short for him. Berlin was surrounded by Red army troops and rescue by land was ail but impossible. The Berlin garrison was being pressed into a tight pocket in the center of the city. Moscow dispatches said Russian troops had overrun the Tempelhof airdrome and captured a number of planes with warmed-up motors, apparently preventing a last-minute escape flight by Nazi leaders. The Hamburg radio reported the fighting in the Potsdamer platz area and in the middle of Berlin’s Tiergarten. Faltering Nazi radio reports insisted that Adolf Hitler himself and a prize lot of his henchmen were in Beilin, and a Moscow dispatch said that if Hitler is there, “the Russians will have him dead or alive.” The Russian army organ Red Star referred to the battle of Berlin as a “mopup.” Soviet front dispatches said there no longer was any continuous front line in the ruins of the German capital. Russian spearheads were gouging into the heart of the city, and wild fighting swirled deep behind the Nazi barricades. Moscow reported that the Templehof airdrome had been (Turn To Page 5, Column 6) O No Resignations Os Teachers Expected No resignations are expected from the teachers in the Decatur schools this spring. Walter J.Krick, city superintendent of schools, stated today. The formal contracts, which were submitted to the teachers this month, will be returned to the school board by May 1 and as yet no teacher bas signified an intention of resigning, Mr. Krick explained. The Decatur school board employs 34 teachers and contracts for the new school year, beginning next September are signed in May. There will be a slight increase in pay schedules for the new term, as provided by law, the school superintendent eaid.

21 To Graduate From Decatur Catholic High Two Os Graduates In Armed Forces; Exercises June 1 Twenty-one graduates will receive their diplomas at the annual commencement exercises of Decatur Catholic high school on Friday, June 1, when it was announced today. Two of the graduates are already in the armed services of their country and two took their pre-induc-tion examinations this week. Miss Virginia Lee Kuhnle, who completed her high school course last February, is employed in the Baer Field offices, Fort Wayne. The class is composed of 10 boys and 11 girls. The graduates who are in the armed forces are, Eugene Loshe, U. S. army, stationed at Camp Walters, Texas, and Felix Braun, who recently completed boot training at Great Lakes naval center. Tom Terveer and Albert Gillig took their physical examinations for the military services last Tuesday. The list of graduates includes: Mary Ann Baker, Eugene Braun, Felix Braun. Marcella Braun. John Brunton, Lois Colchin, Martha Eyanson, Virginia Eyanson, Fra icis Faurote, Albert Gillig, Robert Gillig, William Hartman, Norma Keller, Rita Lengerich, Jean Melz, Eugene Loshe, Rose Ellen Miller, Charles William Mowery. Virginia Lee Kuhnle, Gloria Spangler. Tom Terveer. The eighth grade commencement exercises will be held in connection with the high school graduation. The list of eighth grade graduates will be released later. o More Meals Placed On Ration Program

All Meats Except Mutton On Ration Washington. Apr. 26. — (UP) — Price chief Chester Bowles today brought 99% percent of all meat under rationing in order to spread more evenly civilian supplies expected to drop andother six million pounds in May. Beginning Sunday and continuing until the start of the next ration period June 2, all meats except mutton will require red points, including cull and utility grades of veal and lamb and all grades of less popular cuts of veal and lamb such as breasts, shanks, necks and flanks. O, er changes in the meat and fat rationing program fpr May will be increases of one to two points per pound for most cuts of lamb and veal and one point for most beef steaks; decreases of one to two points on beef roasts and other cuts of beef; increases of four points for margarine; and two points for grade one cheese. Butter and hamburger remain unchanged at 24 and 6 points per pound. So do ration values of lard, shortening, cooking and salad oils. The extended program for May puts meat rationing back where it was a year ago before most meats were made point free. Since then point values have been gradually listened until in April 94% percent was back on ihe ration list. Torestored until in April 94% percent The only meat that remains unrationed is some, five million pounds of mutton. Bowles said the adjustments were necessary to distribute the available meat supply as evenly as possible “during the period of very (Turn To Page 2, Column 5)

Buy War Savinqs Bonds And Stamps

Price Four Cents.

Third Army Troops Closing Swiftly On Bavarian Fortress Near Berchtesgaden Paris, Apr. 26 — (UP) — The British second army cleared virtually all of the wrecked North Sea port of Bremen today and in the south American third army troops closed swiftly on the Bavarian fortress of Passau, 67 miles from Berchtesgaden. German resistance in Bremen collapsed suddenly this afternoon after more than a week of savage, close-in fighting and three days of concentrated aerial bombardment that, reduced the Reich’s second port to rubble. Front dispatches said a few die-hard Nazis, including the Bremen commander, Gen. Becker, still were holding out in the ruined port area along the Weser river late today. But. tough Scottish riflemen and armored troop carriers were racing through the streets to finish them off and complete capture of the city seemed imminent (A BBC broadcast recorded by FCC Monitors in New York said Bremen had been captured.) United Press war correspondent Richard D. McMillan reported that Becker had refused a final surrender ultimatum and fled with a few Nazi troops to a hideout in the Bremen port area. Thousands of German civilians swarmed up from cellar dugouts, however, Io greet the incoming British. The second and greatest Nazi redoubt already was shaking in the south under the blows of four American, French and Russian armies closing in from the north, northwest, west and east on Hitler's Berchtesgaden retreat. Gen. George S. Patton’s U. & third army was. far out in front of the four-cornered drive, moving southward along the Bohemian plateau on Passau, only 98 miles from a juncture with Red army troops advancing from the east. Delayed front dispatches, lagging 12 hours and more behind Patton’s racing tanks, said the Americans were only 11 miles from Passau last night and rolling unchecked through ized German opposition.

There was every possibility that the third army would cross the Danube into Austrian so|l near Passau within a matter of hours, if it had not already done so. to close the northern arm of file Soviet-American pincers on the inner defenses of Nazidom's Bavarian redoubt.

Two third army infantry divisions forced the Danube barrier at three points on an 18-mile front east and west of Regensburg, 50-odd miles northwest of Passau. eakly today. They broke into Regensburg and stabbed ahead within about 50 miles of Munich. Other third army troops drove up io the Danube farther west in the Ingolstad area, only 42 miles north-northwest of Munich, and a third column was nearing Die river in the Straubing area, almost midway between Regensburg and Passau. * Munich, the capital of Bavaria (Turn To Page 5, Column 6) 0 Local Man's Mother Dies At Monroeville Funeral services for Mrs. Samantha Jane Shaffer. 88, who died Tuesday night at her home in Monro ville, will be held at 1:30 p. m. Friday at the Painter & Marquardt funeral home in Monroeville and at 2 o'clock at the Methodist church, with the Rev. Harley Shady officiating. Burial will he in the Monroeville IOOIF cemetery. ■ Survivors include five sons, Delma (Dick) Shaffer of Decatur, Os- y car of Fort Wayne, Clyde of Warren, 0.. Claude of Leo and Edgar of Monroeville; three daughters, Mrs. Nora Adams and Mrs. Nellie Guenin of Monroeville and Miss Velma, at home, and a brother, Harl Peckham of Sturgis, Mich.