Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 43, Number 185, Decatur, Adams County, 7 August 1945 — Page 1

3/ Else Is Chores!

XLIII. No. 185.

ATOMIC BOMB CAUSES GREAT DEVASTATION

wal Arsenal Jo|Honshu Hi! bfSuperforts iigSLyokawa Arsenal I WBlasted Hard By jHHr) Tons Os Bombs Aug. 7—(UP)—A fleet J superfortresses hit the naval arsenal with 880 high-explosive bombs [oH|Kj|jH|hil(' smoke still belched 'tiffnJKtoiii bombed Hiroshima, 300 ' the west. ' -Iw l Tokyo saili 40 'wo-based Mustang fighter-bomb-by a lone B-29 almost siI muMjftously bombed and strafed t udlltwy installations and “cities” |tn Iw Tok vo-Yokohama area for lan Sir for the fourth time in I five l»ys. British planes particirp l patejSin the Tokyo raid, Tokyo ii||tt||3t marked the first time land-based planes have ifMbeeiißeported in action over the capital. its I I]® Okinawa came a belated grepw|r that 400 bombers and - of ’ llc Far Ea 3 tern Air had utterly demolished sifeMStpl'eared to be robot plan'* , .nS&ng installations and other |&aßWy targets at Taramizu in Kyushu. The city itself ■weawt a sea of flames, airmen M pilots said they saw ground a number of small resembling the V-l or V-2 ! 'i- and rocket robot •n.bgl used by the Germans I!lilain - 11 was theorized — Japanese might have beMßplotting a robot bombardthe American invasion Okinawa, 350 miles to the n Kest ent ' thundered over the» u! arsenal at Toyokawa, 53 miflKouiheas[ of Nagoya, at the S BB®fcneh hour today in their fifwßiylight raid on the enemy m recent weeks. Iwoil b^® fi K , ‘ters escorted the big i| reports Indicated exa j®t results were achieved in ' ,om hing of the main surof Japan’s naval an SB tioll, Tlie arsenal also lurnwout machine-guns, aircraft, % anti-aircraft guns and I t J®| arH ' i “ | l was situated on a I coastal plain northwest of At S|| lla y. I damage” was caused dur “■j® ;iH minute raid, radio To■m it ted. iLWb''"' 1 A- s P aa,z - coinman- ; strategic air forces, al- '' '' that final reports on B-29 raid on five j, oa !n< ' usflaa ' cities showed ' B? bombers hit the primary - s dropped mines and I at targets of opport- '/ crew of the only B-29 '■s les cued. U of the mining J® 11 - already credited with ■ '',' i ®} r cutting off Japan from r &3® r ‘ PS of raw materials, ft/ J a P ane se cabinet to I K«® lay ful the second time in I days. .Jg® Tokyo said (he main sub- '/ was [he transporf m aterials from the ChiJ Other internal and , matters also were taken ffi broadcast added. / i 3i s ews P Q P ers / Bomb Story p «»”■ Aus ‘ 7 ~ (up) — Radio _'*' f ”■ s aid all Moscow newspap®lished President Truman's ® n » 0 nthe Atomic bomb tof newspapers in London front P a o es w >*h de- * 6 ’ de '‘ g bts on the new wea- ,. j B’torials praised the work f,l> but expressed grave * civilization unless dras(B’o**3 W6re exercised. g °^B cra T thermometer I ® perature READING 1 i®B a * m - - 65 I B a ‘ m - —- 66 I - - 69 I <--Bp. m 71 weat her JjIBBI tonight and Wednesday, t° ni 3ht. Continued cool UIIB®r ,da y-

DECATUR DAILY DEMOCRAT

Air Ace Dies \ Hr <A- v i 4 f A' -X- J i.; -f : ' - WL- ■&» Maj. Richard I. Bong, America’s greatest ace, was killed Monday in the crash of a jet plane he was testing in California. Fuelling Memorial Service On Sunday Plan Services For Japan War Victim Memorial services for Staff Sgt. Harold F. Fuelling, 26, son of Mr. and Mrs. Henry Fuelling of Root township, who was killed in action on Luzon, P. I. on May 18, will be held at 2 o’clock Sunday afternoon at St. Peter’s Lutberan church in the Fuelling settlement, Rev. Karl E. Hofmann officiating. Sgt. Fuelling was buried in the U. S. armed forces cemetery No. two, in Manila, capital of Luzon. Chaplain Cullen B. Jones has written to Sgt. Fuelling’s parents, describing how their son met instant death when a mortar shell exploded near the fox hole in which he. was standing.

He was in the company's perimeter atop Twin Peak Mt., in the vicinity of Baranka Rizal Province, Luzon. A heavy enemy barCTurn To Page 6. Column 4) 0 Mathias Thomas Dies Monday Afternoon Funeral Services Thursday Morning Mathias Thomas, 80, prominent retired farmer, who lived all lite life on 'his parental farm in Washington township, died at about 4 o’clock Monday afternoon at his home; following a stroke and infirmities. Mr Thomas had been critically ill for 10 days. He had suffered a stroke and was confined to his ihome. A resident of this county all hte life, Mr. Thomas was born December 2, 1564, a son of the late Nicholas and Barbara Myers Thomas, who settled on a farm which had been in the family possession nearly a century. Mr. Thomas was married to Mtes Josephine Spangler on October 25, 1'894, in St. Mary’s Catholic church in this city. The couple celebrated their golden wedding anniversary in October, 1944. Besides the widow he is survived by four daughters, Sister M. Hildegarde of St. Agnes Convent, Fon du Lac, Wis., Mrs. Francte R. Costello and Mrs. Richard Tonnelier of this city, and Miss Helen Thomas at home. One son, Clement, is deceased. Two grandchildren, Thomas and Joseph Costello, survive. A sister, Mrs. Joseph Grothouse of Fort Wayne and a brother, John Thomas of Monroe, also survive. Funeral services will be held Thursday morning at 9 o’clock at St. Mary’s church with the Very Rev. Msgr. J. J. Seimetz officiating. .Burial will be in the Catholic cemetery. The body will be moved from the Gillig and Doan funeral home to the Thomas residence, southeast of Decatur this evening, and friends may call after 7 o’clock. Members of the Holy Name society will go to the home Wednesday evening at « o’clock to recite the rosary.

Richard Bong, Greatest Air Ace, Killed America's Greatest Ace Is Killed As Jet Plane Crashes Burbank, Calif., Aug. 7 —(UP) —Maj. Richard I. Bong, America's greatest ace, was killed in the flaming crash of a je[ plane from which he desperately tried to jump clear, investigators said today. Bong, 24-year-old Congressional medal of honor holder, died yesterday as he struggled to free his heavy clothing from the narrow escape hatch of the P-80 shooting star he was testing. He had almost bailed out when the. crippled aircraft exploded. The force of the blast, which shattered the plane into pieces less than three feet square, shot Bong's body clear of the plane. He had pulled the ripcord of his parachute, and its silken folds swirled about the crumpled body as flames swept over if. - Bong was brought home for “safe" duty after he became America’s all time air ace by shooting down 40 of the enemy without a scratch. “Safe” duty was testing the jet-propelled P-80, the army's newest fighter model. Witnesses did not agree on the cause of the crash. One army flier said Bong overshot the Lockheed landing field. Another said something appeared to fall out of the tail of the rocket-like ship. A Lockheed mechanic said he saw a puff of black smoke come out of the plane. Then the escape hatch flew off, he said, and the plane nosed over straight down. Bong contacted the control tower at the field almost as soon as he was airborne, officials said, and reported he was having trouble. “He was dipping first one wing, then the ofher,” said one witness. “The motor was making a muffled popping. He flew over some telephone wires and under high tension wires making for a vacant lot.” Then with a roaring sigh like a giant blowtorch the ship lurched over a clump of trees and exploded in the field. Smoke and flames bellied up 400 feet and brought crowds running from the airport, a mile away. By the time the wreckage was

(Turn To Page 5. Column 5) School City's Cash Balance Increased Annual Report Made By Decatur Schools Expenditures in operating the Decatur school city for the final year ending July 31 totaled $116,227.51, including $6,115.48 for payment of bonds and interest, the annual report of Gregg McFarland, treasurer, reveals. The school city ended the year with larger cash balance than in 1944. The special fund had a balance of $11,280.53, compared to $10,408.40, and the tuition fund had a balance of $44,484.74, an increase of $11,348.06 compared to the $33,136.68 balance a year ago. Receipts in the special fund during the fiscal year were $56,415.07 and expenditures, $45,134.54. The tuition fund had receipts of $109,462.23 and disbursements of $64,977.49. Payments on bonds and interest amounted to- $6,115.48, total receipts being $7,524.07. The schools received $44,748.30 from the gross income tax toward the payment of teachers’ salaries, the largest income except that from local taxation. Transfer fees paid by township amounted to $6,045.76 for the fiscal year. During the fiscal year the teachers and other employes of the school paid $9,771.52 in withholding taxes to the federal government, the report shows.

ONLY DAILY NEWSPAPER IN ADAMS COUNTY

Decatur, Indiana, Tueesday, August 7, 1945.

WACS MASQUERADE IN MANILA Lib o ■ JL ®|>! • < : MB J ! wmHB/ j h- .■■■< hv* ft u AS A CHANGE from their routine of duty. WACS stationed at headquarters of the Far East Air Forces in Manila doffed their khaki and donned the most unusual costumes they could find to stage a masquerade ball. Finalists in the costume contest are, left to right, Pfc. Dorothy Ferris, East Alton, Ill.; Cpl. Christine Smith, Smithfield, Pa.; Pfc. Inez Smith, Paris, Ky.; Pfc. Elsie Coveyaw, Lancaster, Pa.: Sgt. Helen Watson (winner), Glendale, L. 1.; Sgt. Dotty Voos, Flushing, L. I.; and Cpl. Adelaide Swett, Saxonville, Mass.

Three-Cent Increase In Budget For City Submit Budget To Council Tonight Decatur’s civil city budget, providing for a levy of 42 cents on each SIOO of taxable property, an increase of three cents over this year’s rate, will be submitted to the council this evening for consideration and order to publish, H. Vernon Aurand, clerk-treasur-er, announced today. The 42-cent levy, based on the city's net taxable valuation, will produce approximately $27,450.87, compared to the $25,538.62 expected from this year's 39-cent rate. The total budget for 1946 is $65,129.11. The proposed 42-cent rate will produce only 42 percent of the amount needed to run the city government, the balance coming from gas and liquor taxes, income and donations from the electric and water departments and other revenue, other than taxation, which the civil city receives. No appropriation is listed for a new fire truck, but plans are being made by the city officials to receive bids either this fall or after the first of the year on a new bumper. The financing of the truck will then come before the, council, and either the electric department will provide the necessary funds or an emergency ap(Turn To Page 4. Column 7)

Atomic Bomb Is Most Terrible Weapon Os War Ever Conceived

Washington, Aug. 7—(UP)—For good or ill. man has unlocked the incalculable power of the atom. He has entered upon the atomic age. His first use of this power — the same that energizes the sun, the stars, afid the far galaxies—has been to make a bomb. It is the most terrible engine or destruction ever conceived. It may end the Japanese war soon. If the Japanese decide to fight on, it will demolish their homeland. But when the bomb’s work is done, its makers hope to convert its power to the arts of peace, and to the enforcement of peace. Upon realization of this hope hangs the fate of humanity. Atomic power could remake the world; it also could destroy it. Its power to destroy has been made manifest to the Japanese. An atomic bomb more devastating than 20,000 tong of TNT was dropped on the Japanese army base of Hiroshima on Sunday. The next day — yesterday — President Truman gave, the enemy another chance to accept the surrender-or-be-destroyed ultimatum of Potsdam.

BULLETIN Fort Arthur, Ont., Aug. 7— At least 13 persons were killed by an explosion at No. 5 pool elevator shortly after 11 a.m. today, according to police. Airport Dedication Here Next Sunday Ask Local Citizens Show Hospitality Appealing Io the hospitality of local persons, Robert McComb, manager of the flying field that will be dedicated in his name Sunday morning, asked that citizens walk to the airport, located northwest of the intersection of U. S. highways 27 and 224, so that the limited parking space on the field may be reserved for visitors. Mr. McComb said it was only a 15-minute walk from the court house to the airport, he advanced the thought that Decatur’s hospitality should be shown by leaving the area for out of town guests. A number of airmen from surrounding cities will be here for the breakfast, which will be served at a local restaurant. The breakfast, donated by local merchants, precedes the dedicatory ceremony. Mr. McComb stated that entrance to the airport was from highway 224 only, and that pedes-

(Tti.rn To Page 2, Column 8)

“If they do not accept our terms,” he said, “they may expect a rain of ruin from the air, the like of which has never been seen on this earth.”

Observers here, frankly awed by the bomb's implications, believed the Japanese this time —if they have any reason left —might see the light. But it may be that many more bombs will have to be dropped upon' Japan. Invasion troops may have to follow the bombs. The United States takes no chances. Size of the army will not be reduced now because the new weapon is in use. The announcements on the atomic bomb by President Truman; Secretary of War Henry L. Stimson, Prime Minister Clement Attlee, and former Prime Minister Winston Churchill signalized what the War Department called “man’s” entrance into a new physical world.” The new bomb, the War Department said, may be “the instrumentality to end all major wars.” The present trustees of this power are the Anglo-American Allies. Their pooled science and $2,(Turn To Pagie 4, Column #).

Japanese Report Great Devastation Is Wrought By New American Weapon

Truman Is Jubilant On Success Os Bomb Expected To Reach Capita! Wednesday Aboard USS Augusta with President Truman, Aug. 7 —(UP) — President Truman, jubilant over the development of the powerful atomic bomb, expects to arrive in Washington tomorrow to begin preparing his report to the nation on the Big Three meeting at Potsdam. No definite date has been set as yet for the President’s radio address but it undoubtedly will be made within a few days after his return. Mr. Truman is expected to take occasion in his report to warn the Japanese again that destruction from a new source awaits them if they stay in the war. The President himself broke the news of the awesome atomic bomb to officers and men aboard this cruiser during the “chow" hour. “We have just dropped a bomb on Japan that is more powerful than -20,000 tons of TNT,” he said. "The experiment has been an overwhelming success." The president said the announcement was the happiest he ever made because it meant a quicker end to the war, a saving of American lives. The men cheered. Mr. Truman paid particular tribute to secretary of war Henry L. Stimson for .his part in development of the new weapon. “If ever a man worked on a thing heroically, it was secretary Stimson,” -he said. “He deserved great credit.” . Stimson went to Potsdam, site, of the Big Three meeting, to discuss atomic bombing with the President and transmit final approval of plans back to Washington. Q Destroyer Strikes Mine, 21 Are Killed Washington, Aug. 7 — (UP) Twenty one men were killed and four wounded when the 2,100 ton destroyer Lavallette struck a mine off Luzon last February, the navy revealed today. The three-year old destroyer is now at Hunter’s Point naval drydocks, San Francisco for permanent repairs. She had been damaged once previously when a Japanese torpedo .hit her off Guadalcanal in January, 1943. Matthew Ripberger Is Taken By Death Native Os County Dies In Michigan Matthew Ripberger, 23, native of Adams county, died Monday at St. Joseph’s hospital in Flint, Mich. Death was caused by carcinoma. He was born in Adams county November 2, 1921, the son of Matthew and Anna Smith-Ripberger. He attended the Catholic schools here until his junior year in high school, when the family moved to Fort Wayne where he graduated from Central Catholic. The youth entered army service in December, 1942, and was given a medical discharge June 7, 1944. He was employed by the Buick agency in Flint when he became ill. Surviving are the mother, who lives at Fort Wayne; one brother, Paul, at home, and four sisters, Lt. Genevieve Ripberger, a nurse stationed in the Philippines: Mrs. Ed Hess of Fort Wayne, Margaret and Mary Ann, both at home. Funeral services will be held at 9 o'clock Wednesday morning at St. Matthew’s Catholic church at Flint, with burial in the church cemetery.

Atomic Bomb Is Strong Weapon In U.S. Hands Great Responsibility For Nation, May Be Peace Instrument Washington. Aug. 7—(UP)—The advent of the atomic bomb today made imperative the demands of peace-loving peoples that there must be no more wars. And it placed in the hands of the United States an instrument the threat of which alone, may deter any future would-be aggressors. With it go great responsibility for the United States and immense problems of how this weapon of utter destruction can be used to keep the peace. Scientists the world over know a lot about the theory of atomic energy. Sooner or later they are ■certain to make the same discovery American-Britteh scientists have. But the United States and Britain now know the most about it and the United States has a monopolistic head start in facilities for its production. Misused, the atomic bomb could probably destroy civilization. Well used, it should enable the great English-speaking nations to assure a world of peace. The threat of the bomb alone might be enough to prevent any saber-rattling. That is the hope of President Truman, Winston Churchill, secretary of war Henry L. Stimson and other ‘officials who are aware of the awesomeness of the new military weapon. The war department described it as “a revolutionary weapon destined to change war as we know it, or which may even be the instrumentality to end all major wars.” One of the first questions raised was: Will the United States make (Tun To Page 6, Column 2) Melvin Mallonee Is Attendance Officer Retired Teacher Is Named By Trustee Melvin Mallonee, a retired school teacher of Washington township, has been elected county attendance officer by the county board of education, which is composed of the township trustees. The trustees voted that he should take office on August 16, as provided under the new law. The office is for nine months of the year, covering the school term from the middle of August to May 15. Two weeks ago the county council voted down a request for the attendance officer's salary and members of the board said they would not approve the appropriation unless they were mandated. Lyman L. Hann, superintendent of schools, in whose office the new attendance officer will be located, stated that the law provides that the council “shall appropriate funds for bis salary” and that unless the request was approved, mandamus proceedings would follow. Mr. Hann has included the attendance officer's salary in the budget for 1946, but no provision has yet* been made for compensation from the school term from August 16 to January 1, 1946. Mr. Mallonee taught school for 16 years, beginning in 1899. For several years he operated a private ear in hauling children to school, retiring from that job when a bus was placed on the route.

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Price Four Cents.

Jap Propagandists Assail Use Os New Bomb As Proof Os American Barbarism Guam, Aug. 7 —(UP) —Tokyo said today that American atomic bombs descended on Hiroshima by parachute yesterday, exploded before reaching the ground and caused such great devastation that authorities still have not ascertained its full extent. Japanese propagandists said that the use of the new weapon was “sufficient to brand the enemy for ages to come as the destroyer of . . . mankind” and “public enemy number one of social justice." An investigation was under way into the extent of the destruction in the world's first atomic bombing. Tokyo said. First reports showed that a “considerable number" of houses had been demolished and fires broke out at several places, the broadcast added. The broadcast, coming almost 36 hours after the raid, said the destructive power of the new weapon "cannot be slighted," but claimed that Japanese authorities already were working out "effective counter-measures.” “The history of war shows that the new weapon, however effective, will eventually lose its power, as the opponent is bound to find methods to nullify its effects," Tokyo said hopefully. The enemy version of [he attack said a small number of American planes dropped a "few" of the new-type bombs It was announced officially at Washington that only one bomb was dropped. It was apparent that the Japanese could not believe a single plane and a single bomb could cause so much destruction. Tokyo attributed the American use of the atomic bomb to impatience over the “slow progress of the enemy's much-vaunted invasion of Japan's mainland." “in view of the gallant resistance of the Japanese forces as exemplified by the hatties of Iwo Jitna and Okinawa, the enemy's hope of a quick baffle and a quick decision in the forthcoming battle of Japan's homeland has been well-nigh frustrated,” the broadcast said. “in these circumstances, the enemy began to employ a barbaric method at a last and desperate resorf. By employing a new weapon designed to massacre innocent civilians, the Americans have opened the eyes of the world to their sadistic nature." A Japanese Imperial headquarters communique also conceded that “new-type bombs” had caused “considerable damage.” An earlier Japanese broadcast had reported the cancellation of trains in the Hiroshima area as result of air raid damage without. mentioning the possibility that a new-type bomb had been used. First photograph planes to reach the Hiroshima area after the raid were unable to penetrate the dense dust and smoke rising from the stricken area. The fext of the Japanese Imperial headquarters communique on the raid, as issued at 3:30 p.m. (2:30 a.m., EWT), was as follows: (Turn To Page 3, Column 7) Ohio City Resident Is Killed By Train Funeral services were held yesterday at the Church of God in Ohio City, 0., for Mrs. Manda Jane Little. 66. sister of Jacon Keipper of this city. Mrs. Little was instantly killed Saturday when she was etruck by a Chicago & Erie train at a crossing in Ohio City. She was >hard of hearing and stepped directly in front of the train. Coroner E. 11. Alspaugh has returned a verdict of accidental death. The deceased is survived by the husband, William Little, and two brothers and a sister.

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