Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 43, Number 158, Decatur, Adams County, 5 July 1945 — Page 1

theWan 'if All Else Is Chores!

/01. XLIII. No. 158.

••*•* • " —■ tw[l POWERFUL AIR FLEETS ATTACK JAPAN

ten. Spaatz To tired Aerial WHS War On Japan MhQßwHkml To Lead Strategic Aerial Warfare By U.S. Against Japs fWas&taSton, July S—(UP) —Gen. Carl A. Spaatz, who commanded the UjS. air forces in the strategical warfare which destroyed German resources from the air, will direct the strategic air attack on Japan, Undersecretary of war Robert P. Pattensan announced today. Spaatz will command the 20th air force, whose B-29’s have been battering Japan’s sources for more tfnan a year, and the eighth air ‘-force, which is now being redeployted from [Europe to the Pacific. Maj. Gen. Curtis E. Lemay, who has euuiuwnded the 2 let bomber command, will become commander of the 20th air force under Spaatz’ overall command. Gen. Henry H. Arnold has held command of the .BOtlh heretofore in addition to commanding the entire U. S. army air forces. ■Lt. Gen. James A. Doolittle already has been designated to command the eighth air force in the Pacific. Like Lemay, he will function under Spaatz’ overall command. The new strategic command will be known as United States strategic air forces in the Pacific —“USASTAIF in the Pacific.” Its headquarters have not yet been designated but it was speculated they probably would be on Guam where Adm. MK'-W. Nimitz maintains Pacific fleflf headquarters. Okinawa was regarded as another possibility. Lt? Gen. .Barney M. Giles, who has been deputy commander of the | ®bth air force .will serve as deputy CaSHnander of ttbe USASTAF under Spaatz. Spaatz will report directly to Arnott, •who has been named execuof the joint, chiefs of staff for this purpose, Patterson "The organization of the other air commands in the Pacific will not be affected in any way by this Patterson said. It would be reasonable ,to speculate, he added, that the other army air fortes now in the Pacific —the seventh, fifth and l'3th —would be |i£>&ddared tactical air forces. B Strategic air forces are assigned the task of knocking out Uhe enemy industries, transporation facilities and other behind-the-lines establtehments which feed the fighting topees. Tactical forces work in junction with our land and air forces, hitting mostly at (Turn To Page 6, Column 5) — o Safe, Sane Fourth Observed In City ■ ■ A Uheck up this morning showed that Decatur had a proverbial sjafe and sane Fourth of July. Noaccidents were reported, city In had few calls and the day SMjfffl without a fire. Public offices, retail stores and offtaes and more than half of the closed in observance iMK day. There were no mail Opfrries in the city or on the HHMB: routes. No emergency were handled at the hospiiat? it was announced. BE o IQDamaqe Done As Aiito Catches Fire » automobile belonging to nKeth Butler caught fire in the «jj|Bpwn district in front of the mK building at about 12:30 o’etoek this afternoon. The blaze WMunder the hood. It was ex(aftished without damage to the ■K The fire department was .oi&d and an examination of the was made before the ownaway. K o— DEMOCRAT thermometer TEMPERATURE READING 800 a.m. - 69 W:00 a.m. 74 ,< >on 78 J: 00 p.m. 84 WEATHER IPartly cloudy tonight and i W riday ’ with scattered thund- ' af*bowers south and extreme iSst portion tonight. Cooler.

DECATUR DAILY DEMOCRAT

Bar Reporters From Big Three Meeting Washington, July s—(UP)—Reporters will be barred from tlya imminent Big Three parley near Berlin, Presidential press secretary Charles G. Rosis said today. Reiterating previous statements, Ross told reporters: “The preos will not be allowed at. the forthcoming Big Three conference in the Berlin area. All that will be issued will be such official comtnpuiques as may be decided upon from time to time.” o Great Britain Holds General Election Today First Election In 10 Years; Announce Results On July 26 London, July S—(UP) —An estimated 27,000,000 voters went to the polls' for Britain’s first general election in ten years today. Political observers saw a possiility of a swing to the left that could unseat Prime Minister Churchill’s government. All signs pointed to one of the closest contests in British his- , tory, matching the bitterness of the campaign. Churchill himself laid down a blunt ideological challenge to the opposition when he invaded the laborites’ southwest London strongholds last night for his final speech of the campaign. Ignoring catcalls and exploding firecrackers tossed by hecklers in the crowd, Churchill declared that the course of all Europe hinges on the British election. “They are looking from the continent to see which way Britain is going to go,” he said. “If there should be a landslide to the Jest, many countries on the continent would slide-not into decenti socialism but into the violence of communism. If we go down,, all the ninepins of Europe will fall.” Looking old and tired after the most tremendous of his 16 election campaigns, the prime minister nevertheless radiated belligerent confidence at each of his many street corner stops. At one point, A “thunderflash” —a noisemaking powder charge used by the home guard in practice drills — exploded within 10 feet of Churchill. He flinched slightly and halted his speech to watch police seize the prankster, a 17-year old boy. Churchill smiled slightly and (Turn To Pare 4, Column 4) o Louis Selking Dies Wednesday Evening Funeral Services Saturday Afternoon Louis Selking, 73, prominent retired Root township farmer, died at 9:25 o’clock Wednesday night at hie home six and one-half miles north of Decatur, where he had resided for his entire life. He had been In failing health for several years and bedfast for the past month. He was born In Root township March 8, 1872, the son of Christian and Charlotte Hederhorst-Selking. He was married to Wilhelmina Meyer October 10, 1895. He was a member of St. John’s Lutheran church north of Decatur on federal highway 27. Surviving are the wife, two daughters, Mrs. Marie Krueckeberg of Union township and Mrs. Paul Becker of Root township; three sons, August, William and Edward Selking, all of Root township; 21 grandchildren and four great-grand-children. One daughter, Mrs. Victor Bultemeler, four sisters and seven brothers preceded him in death. Funeral services will be held at 1:30 p.m? Saturday at the home and at 2 o’clock at the church, with the Rev. H. J. A. Boumann officiating. Burial will be tn the church cemetery. The body will be returned from the Zwick funeral home to the residence this evening and may be viewed after 8 p.m.

Truman Orders Navy To Seize Akron Plants Goodyear Plants In Akron Are Scene Os. Persistent Strike Washington, July 5 — (UP) — President Truman today ordered the navy to seize the Goodyear Tire & Rubber plants at Akron, 0., scene of a persistent, 19-day strike. Mr. Truman acted after the union, the United Rubber Workers of America (CIO), refused to abide by repeated war labor board orders for the 16,700 strikers to return to work. The strike began June 16. Mr. Truman acted on the recommendation of economic stabilization director William H. Davis. Davis said the Goodyear production was “urgently needed by our military forces.” The plants were producing heavy-duty tires, aircraft tire§, refueling hose and other rubber products-for war use. The president’s seizure order authorized the navy to take any action necessary — including use of armed forces —to provide pro- , teetion for the plants and all persons employed in them or seeking employment, and their families and homes. Navy control will end within 60 days after the secretary of nay determines that the productive efficiency of the plants has been restored to a level prevailing prior to the strike. According to Davis, union representatives said that the underlying cause of the work stoppage was “an accumulation of grievances,” but the local declined to abide by WLB requests that these grievances be settled through normal government channels. The intei national union has described the strike as unauthorized and is in violation of the union’s no-strike pledge. The army reported that the plants involved produce more (Turn To Pago 2. Column 2) 0 Seven Youths Leave For Re-Examinations Report Received On June 29 Contingent Seven Adams county youths left this morning in a special pre-induc-tion call which ordered re-examin-ation of men in the age group of 18 to 25. Richard Paul Gehrig was the leader of today’s special contingent. Other members of the group were James Frederick Schug, Zane Elmo Musser, Charles R. McClenahan, Edward Lewis Hammond, Jerry Joseph Leitz and James Carroll Eichhorn. The local selective service board lias been nqtifled of the assignment of the men sent fOr active induction into the armed forces last Friday, June 29. Os the group, one was assigned to the navy and 13 to army service. Glen Elroy Beer was assigned to the navy and the following to the army: Bernard Charles Lemish, George Stauffer Lindsey, John Smitley, Jr., Eugene Anthony Braun, Chester William Porter, Richard Earl Sheets, Thomas Anthony Terveer, Keith Oakley McCollum, Roger Thomas Knapp, Deane Dorwin McMillen, Esteban Ortiz Cantu, Marvel Laverne Johnson and John Otto Miller. o— Beautifying Pool In Memorial Park Phil Sauer, city street commissioner, is beautifying the pool in Legion Memorial park on Winchester street and asks the cooperation of children and grown-ups in maintaining the effort to make the place pleasing to the eye. Water lilies have been placed in the pool gnd later the place will be stocked with small fish. The flower beds have been planted and a general overhauling has been given to the grounds. *

ONLY DAILY NEWSPAPER IN ADAMS COUNTY

Decatur, Indiana, Thursday, July 5,1945.

Stassen At Governors’ Meet

•3 B. .Kt ■•• • ; 4 .. 1 I 1 R - JO hH

CMDR. HAROLD E. STASSEN, left, talks informally with Vice Adm. A. S. Carpender, commandant of the 9th naval district, in the Grand hdtel lobby at Mackinac Island where he addressed the governors’ conference. Stassen, who was a delegate to the recent San Francisco conference, foresees at last 50 years of world peace if the United States approaches world problems in the role of mediator rather than of dictator.

Australian Premier Dies This Morning John Curtin Dies Os Heart Disease Canberra, July 5. —(UP> —Gen. Douglas MacArthur was hurrying here today for the special state funeral to be held tomorrow for Australian premier John Curtin. Curtin died from heart disease at 4 a.m. today at Canberra Lodge, his official residence. He died in his sleep. MacArthur immediately sent the duke of Gloucester word he would speed here by plane from the South Pacific areas. The duke, in a message to Curtin’s wife, called hie death “a shattering blow to Australia.” (In Manila MacArthur issued the following statement: (“He was one of the greatest of wartime statesmen, and the preservation of Australia from invasion will be his immemorial monument. I mourn him deeply.”) After the service here, Curtin’s body will be flown 2,000 miles across Australia to be buried at the little Karrakatta cemetery, at Claremont, in West Australia, from ; where he first went to parliament ! in 1928. He was 60 years old when ' he died. Acting Prime Minister Francis M. Forde will continue to run the government until the Labor party elects a. new leader. Curtin flnst suffered from heart ' trouble in November, 1944. He doggedly stuck at his job, while the tide of war was turning against the Japanese, until last March when he went into a hospital here. He improved and was able to leave ' in mid-June. Since then he had 1 been resting at Canberra Lodge. ' Five hours before he died, Cur- ‘ * tin said good night to hie trusted chauffeur, Ray Tracey. ’ "I’ve had a tough day,” he told . Tracey. / Shortly before midnight Mrs. ’ Curtin brought in a cup of tea for . him. Then he told his wife, “oft to bed with you.” Mrs. Curtin retired to an adjoining room, but she didn’t sleep and was back at her husband’s side before he died. Also there was their son, Sgt. John Francis Curtin, of the Royal Australian airforce ' Their other child, Mrs. Elsie Coie, was seriously ill. All flags flew at half-staff today throughout the comikGnwealth for the policeman’s son who led Australia through her darkest days. He became premier three months ‘ before the Pacific war began, and was the chief advocate of close cooperation between America and Australia in the fight against Jap(Tijrn To Page 2, Column 2)

Legion To Elect Officers Monday The annual election of officers will be held Monday night at 8 o’clock by Adams Post 43, American Legion, at the home of First and Madison streets. All members are urged to attend. Lunch and refreshments will be served L following the meeting. < ______ -_-o ► To Recognize New ’ Polish Government 11 • * To Break Ties With e Government-ln-Exile n 4 Washington, July '5—’(UP) —The o United States will break off relations with the Polish governmente in-exile lato today or tonight and formally recognize the new-iborn f Polish government of national lin- -- ity at Warsaw, it was learned. i- The action will complete the l- switch in this country’s polish policy, which began a.t the Crimea cons ference when the United States, 3 Britain and Russia agreed to pro■t mote jointly a more Democratic polt ish government. It was to be based n on the Soviet-sponsored provisional t government. Then functioning at I Lublin. Arthur Bliss Lane, who has been 3 waiting here for several months for e a settlement of the Big Three disy pute over Poland, left this morning ■by plane to take up his assignment 't as U. S. Ambassador to Poland. e The formation of the new Ware saw regime was completed last. '*• week when Poles froth within Polh and and from abroad were brought ! - into the provisional government, e now seated at Warsaw. d Russia has recognized the Lublin government from its inception, '■ but tlhe United States and Britain II have maintained diplomatic relations with the exile government, in rl London. American recognition of the new- !- ly-formed government has been r withheld pending a pledge on the ff part of the new Warsaw government to give the people of Poland i- “free, unfettered elections” based d on the secret iballot and universal i- suffrage. The new government now r f (Turn To Page 2 Column 3) o Lon Peoples Dies At Home In Texas y r Mrs. S. E. Brown received word this morning of the death of her ’• brother. Con Peoples, a former res--8 ident of this county. Mr. Peoples, d 76, left Adams county 40 years ago ’■ and had resided in Houston, Tex., fl since that time. ’’ He is survived by his wife. One daughter preceded him in death.

Pre-Invasion Softening Up Os Jctp Homeland Is In 30th Straight Day

Submarine Trigger Is Reported Lost Sub Overdue From Patrol Operations Washington, July 5. —(UP)—The navy today reported that the submarine U. S. S. Trigger is overdue from patrol operations and must be presumed lost with all its officers and crew. The loss brings to 45 the number of American submarines sunk or missing during this war. A submarine of the Trigger type normally carries a crew of 80 to 85 men. The lost submersible was skippered by Cmdr. David R. Connote, Madison, 111., who is listed as missing. The Trigger participated in the battle of Midway and was awarded a presidential unit citation for outstanding performance in combat during other war patrols. Next of kin of all men lost with the Trigger have been notified, the navy said. The submarine was the third ship identified by the navy within 24 hours as lost. It revealed yesterday that the destroyers Twiggs and William D. Porter were sunk by enemy action off Okinawa last month with 244 casualties. The losses had been revealed previously but the ships had not been identified. Survivors said the Twiggs was sunk by an'unidentified Japanese missile thought to be a torpedo oa June 16. The Porter went down on June 10, three hours after it was hit by an enemy suicide dive bomber. Next of kin of casualties on both the destroyers have been notified, the navy said. .—o Governors Pledge Food Problem Aid Annual Conference Os Governors Ends Mackinac Island, Mich., July 5— (UP)—The nation’s governors left for their home capitals today determined to help solve the national food distribution problem. The heads of 42 states ended tftie 87th annual governors conference yesterday after promising to examine and act at once on complexities of homefront supply and distribution of food particularly of meat. Sharp sectional conflicts ’developed over the warborn food problem after three days of harmonious discussion generated by unanimous endorsement of the San Francisco world security charter. In a resolution covering the food study, tlhe 'governors endorsed continued federal food administration ibut authorized a three member committee to explore conditions and seek possible remedies in cooperation with federal officials. The state chief executives were pledged to go back home and evangelize for public support of United States leadership in the international peace organization. The July Fourth endorsement of the United Nations charter was the first foreign policy commitment by the states, in concert, since the Declaration of Independence in 1776. Gov. Edward Martin of Pennsylvania was elected new conference chairman. He succeeds Gov. Herbert 18. Maw of Utah. iNew members of the executive committee are Harry F. Kelly, Michigan; Ellis Arnall, Georgia, and J. Howard McGarth, Rhode Island. Continuing members are Raymond E. Baldwin, Connecticut, Robert S. Gerr, Oklahoma; Chauncey Sparks, Alabama, and Earl Warren, California. In six resolutions, the conference advocated broader powers for the states in administrative functions (Turn To Page 8, Column 5).

Entire Area Os Philippines Is Now Liberated MacArthur Indicates Islands Major Base For Japan Invasion Manila, July s.—(UP)—Australian troops pressed ahead from the ! captured center of Balikpapan to 1 clean up the entire oil port today, while Gen. Douglas MacArthur in- ’ dicated the Philippines might be ’ the major base for the invasion of ’ Japan. The Australians had taken most ! of Balikpapan town, and now were 1 pushing toward the Pandansari oil ’ refinery area to the northeast. 1 They fought against moderate opposition through streets filled with 1 rubble from Sunday’s pre-invasion ! bombardment, which was estimated to have destroyed 60 percent of ' Balikpapan. 1 MacArthur’s communique today ' announced the end of the Philip--3 pines campaign with the destruc--1 tiou of 23 Japanese divisions. Only 1 30,000 enemy troops remained to * wage guerrilla warfare from a ' force once numbering 450,000. In weighing the results of the victory, MacArthur said significant--3 ly that they included: 3 “The acquisition of a great land. 1 sea and air base for future opera--1 tions both to the north and to the ’ south comparable to the British islands in its use for Allied operations from the west against Germany. ’ The implication was that the Philippines now would be the scene of a tremendous build-up of American armed strength just as England was in the few months preceding the invasion of western Europe. MacArthur said that American ground, air and naval forces in the Philippines had “inflicted the greatest disaster ever sustained by Japanese arms.” The communique disclosed that the Japanese had 18 divisions in the Philippines at the time of the Leyte landing. They stripped 1 (Turn To Page 6, Column 5) o • Combat Casualties ! - Increased 6,258 ■ 239,533 Killed Are Included In Total r Washington. July 5. —(UP) —An- * nounced U. S. combat casualties in this war reached 1,036,937 today, an 1 increase of 6.258 in the past week. The total includes 239,533 kilted. 1 The army listed 911.397 of the over- - al! figure, with navy, marine corps and coast guard casualties totalling 3 125?540. Undersecretary of war Robert P. 1 Patterson, announcing the army ‘ figures to a press conference, also revealed that Japanese casualties f in Okinawa and other Ryukyus 3 islands to June 28 were estimated f at 118,000. He said they included :- 107,046 killed and 10,578 prisoners. American ground casualties in the [.■] same islands to June 27 totaled B 8,252 killed, 34,165 wounded and ■■ 1,781 missing. “A significant indication of mope ping up operations in an area far ’, behind the present theater of war,” ~ Patterson added, “comes in a rei- port that 318 Japanese have been ■ captured during the first six months of this year and 1.500 nai- fives evacuated from the Marshall 1 islands. “During June, 54 Japanese were e killed and 145 were captured on e Saipan.” s The overall U. S. casualty table: (Turn To Page 2 Column 3)

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Tokyo Reports U.S. Battle Fleet Now Menacing Northern Coast Os Homeland Guam, July 5. —(UP) —The Japanese radio said two powerful American air fleets totaling some 300 superforts, Liberators and fighters attacked Tokyo area, the port of Nagasaki and other targets on Honshu and Kyushu today. The pre-invasion softening up of the Japanese homeland roared through Its 30th straight day with morning and afternoon assaults paced by superforts and Liberators with a strong fighter screen, Tokyo broadcasts reported. The raiding forces were reported ranging widely over the main Japanese islands in what had become virtually a non-stop offensive by daylight. The first enemy accounts of today's attacks said nine superfortt and about 100 long range Mustang fighters hit Honshu. They cortcentrated on the Chiba. Ibaraka and Tockigi prefectures in the Tokyo area. A few hours later about 200 Liberators and fighters attacked objectives in Kyushu. The heaviest blow was struck at Nagasaki and nearby Omura, the Japanese said. Other targets in Miyazaki, Oita, Saga and Nagasaki prefectures were attacked. Thundering in across the Japanese coast in three formations, tha raiders bombed and shot up ground targets in eastern Honshu for a full hour between 11 a.m. and noon (9 to 10 p.m. CWT), according to the enemy version. Tlie attackers centered their lira on Japanese airfields in Chiba, Ibaraki and Tochigi prefectures east and north of Tokyo proper. Tha same general area was pounded by a similar superfortress-fighter team yesterday. Meanwhile, Tokyo reported that an American battle fleet was menacing the northern coast of Japan after a surprise bombardment Tuesday against Japanese-held Sakhalin island in the sea of Ohotskv. The strike on Sakhalin carried. American naval power almost within sight of Russian Siberia for the fleet’s deepest penetration of Japanese waters since the war began. It came as hundreds of American warplanes ranged at will over central and southern Japan with bombs and gunfire, finding Tokyo itself virtually stripped of defending airpower. First word of the fleet attack on Sakhalin and the presence of American battle units off northern Japan came from the Tokyo radio and there was no immediate confirmation from Admiral Chester W. Nimitz headquarters. Tokyo said American surface units had broken through the Kurile island barrier and steamed more than 500 miles westward across the sea of Okhotsk to attack Sakhalin Tuesday. Five warships of unidentified types steamed into Tarakai bay and opened a heavy bombardment of shore Installations at Shikukaw. American submarines, which shelled and machinegunned Kaihyo island south of the bay Monday, surfaced off Shikuka to join the attack, Tokyo said. Tokyo spokesmen added the usual claim that no damage resulted, but their alarm over the United (Turn To Page 6, Column 3) O ★ *★**★** Honorable Discharge ******** T/5 Heber R. Tinkham, son of Harvey Tinkham of Monroe. Ho was in the army about four years and served more than 28 months overseas. Staff Sgt. Paul E. Herderhorst, of Monroeville. Sgt. John R. Logue of Hoagland. Pfc. Howard K. Teeter of route two, Berne. The four veterans were discharged on the army point system at Camp Atterbury.