Indianapolis Times, Indianapolis, Marion County, 17 April 1942 — Page 1
The Indianapolis Times
VOLUME 54—NUMBER 32
Offensive Near, S
FORECAST: Cooler tonight and Saturday morning.
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FRIDAY, APRIL 17, 1942
timson Says;
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Entered as Second-Class Matter at Postoifine, Indianapolis, Ind. Issued daily except Sunday.
Burma
FINAL HOME
PRICE THREE CENTS
Oil Burned
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U.S. REPUDIATES LAVAL'S RULE
AFFIDAVITS ON SHELF" SNARL COURT POLICY
Niblack Hopes for Solution In Court and Prosecutor Conflict.
By NOBLE REED More than 200 “unapproved” affidavits, piling up in the “dead” files of municipal court, have precipitated a major conflict in law enforcement policies here, it was disclosed today. The affidavits, made on evidence brought in by police officers, were not approved by Prosecutor Sherwood Blue and thus were left “out of court,” permitting defendants to go free without trials. The prosecutor's new policy has precipitated several lively clashes between Judge John Niblack of municipal court and deputy prosecutors over the latters’ refusals to go to trial in some cases.
Three Instances Cited In three instances, Judge Niblack took over the prosecution himself and conducted trials without the aid of deputy prosecutors. the cases, a deputy
walked out of the court room during |
the proceedings. The latest clash occurred last Wednesday when an affidavit came into court charging a man with driving while drunk. The prosecutor had refused to approve it on the ground that the evidence was not sufficient to obtain a conviction and thus there was no case before the court technically. However, Judge Niblack ordered a preliminary hearing anyway and ruled that there was sufficient
for April 29. The judge will have to act as both prosecutor and judge at the trial.
Question of Authority
Prosecutor Blue and his deputies have insisted that in every insane of the 200 “dead” affidavits, they investigated and Foun Sg SVs was not sufficient for “It all boils down ® the. ation] of whether the prosecutor or the judge should determine whether the evidence is sufficient for trial,” Judge Niblack said. The judge said one section of the law gives the prosecutor authority to determine whether affidavits
should be filed and the municipal
(Continued on Page Three) = =
On the War Fronts
(April 17, 1942)
BURMA: British destrov €000 Burmese oil wells in “scorched earth”
retreat.
KUIBYSHEV: Russians drive Ger-| mans back on Leningrad and central fronts: Soviet planes de-| feat Luftwaffe in south: report; sinking of German U-boat. transport and merchant ship in| ar gH total mobilization ordered.
VICHY: Laval presents cabinet list To Petain after Darlan cabinet re- | signs en masse; London diplo-
In one of; prosecutor |
Twe U. S. army nurses and American transport somewhere in South Pacific battlefields.
|
Bound for Pacific War
a soldier are pictured aboard an the Pacific in a convey bound for
The girls are Second Lieutenants Eleanor Kent and Therese Kieselbach, both of Cleveland, O. Note the life rafts piled on deck at the right, and the lines and ladders on the left to get to the water in case of a torpedoing.
Overhead is a lifeboat.
High Wire Drama
act. August and Franz
a third brother William Hustrei their Sister- in- law, Mrs. Alphonse
TROOP TRAIN IN CRASH, 22 HURT
Ft. Hartison Rushes Aid to Victims of Collision Near Yorktown, Ind.
A troop train en route to Jefferson Barracks, Mo. from Camp Perry, O., crashed head-on with a freight train outside of Yorktown, Ind., today injuring 22 soldiers, two of them critically. The brakeman {and fireman on the troop train also were reported seriously injured. Col. W. S. Drysdale, commandant at Ft. Harrison, immediately dis- | patched Maj. R. C. Crockett to tne |scene to represent him. He also sent three doctors. two nurses, eight {enlisted men in the medical corps. two ambulances and two trucks to the wreck.
309 Selectees Aboard | The accident occurred, it was reported, when the freight train failed to clear the main track in
mats believe Laval may become, yorktown to allow the fast troop
Hitler's peace emissary if Nazi: spring-summer offensives fail; U. S. calls home Ambassador William H. Leahy
LONDON: R. A F. carries aerial offensive against western Europe into sixth day; British believe] Hitler - may be forced to recall planes from Mediterranean and Russian fronts to mee: challenge.
AUSTRALIA: Japanese raid Port Moresby for 25th time, but inflict no military demage.
CHECK “SOCIAL JUSTICE” WASHINGTON, April 17 (U. P).
—Attorney General Francis Biddle,
disclosed today that evidence now in the hands of the justice depart-
ment concerning the Coughlinite! magazine will be!
“Social Justice” placed before a federal grand jury here next week,
Oh, Horsie! «
Mrs. Mary A. McIntire, (R. R. 10. Box 90) ran a want ad in The Times. It went like this:
1 BROWN PONY. 10. TIR-8608 Thirty-six cents. Thats right—36 cents . Results: “At least 75 calls,” said Mrs. Mcin- 3 tire. “Some of them were jong-distance. too. Whew!”
The cost?
| train, pulling five coaches, through. Witnesses said the freight backed { some distance down the track in an attempt to prevent the crash but we troop train caught up with it before it had gone far. | Officials at Ft. that the troop | selectees. The injured were immediately taken to the Ball Memorial Hospital in Muncie. It was reported that 20 of the soldiers received minor cuts and bruises.
Harrison reported train carried 309
Rival Performers Save
Bike Riders in Mid-Air
ST. LOUIS, April 17 (U. P.).—The crowd of 7000 was spell-bound when the Hustrei troupe of high wire performers came out for their Hustrei,
evidence for a trial and set the case! their shoulders they carried a long board. On top of the board rode
brothers, rode bicycles and on
and on William's shoulders rode
Hustrei. In the other end of the big arena another high wire troupe, the Gretonas brothers, were putting on a similar act in the big two ring police circus.
= 2 n SUDDENLY, WOMEN screamed and strong men quailed at what they saw. August on the front bicycle lost his balance and plunged 50 feet to the floor. William tumbled off the plank and
the bicycle and board crashed
downward but he grabbed the wire with one arm, getting a scissors grip on Mrs. Hustrei and holding her in mid-air while he gripped the tight wire which literally tore the flesh from his hands. Franz, retrieving his bicycle hung on while police rushed into the arena with a blanket—the only thing they could find. Meanwhile Mrs. Hustrei had fainted from the shock and hung limp on William's legs. = 2 = THEN CAME THE Gretonas— rival performers who terminated their act instantaneously. Stealthily, with the steadiness of years of experience the three of them crept out on the wire. As calmly as if they were flat on the ground, they reached down and retrieved
the limp body of Mrs. Husirei. |
Two of them carried her back, then returned to assist William, who was in great pain. Finally when all of the Hustrei’'s and the Gretona’s were safe on the platform, the crowd roared. Veteran arena employees said they had never heard such cheering. The injured performer, August, suffered a fractured wrist and other injuries.
LOCAL TEMPERATURES Ca. m.....
Army Fears 60,000 Americans and Filipinos
RAPS DISPUTE
Berlin's Boy
ON AUTHORITY OF WARTHUR
General in Full Command In Southwest Pacific,
Secretary Says.
WASHINGTON, April 17 (U.P), —Secretary of War Henry L. Stimson, describing as a “tempest in a teapot” the controversy over the extent of Gen. Douglas MacArthur's! command, said the army is “pretty | near to the stage of being ready for an offensive, however difficult it may be.” “I am now more than ever con-
vinced that we are going to get on . the offensive and do so at the Saddle in Vichy, he's tightening
earliest practicable moment” Mr.| the reins to guide France accord-
" | ing to the dictates of der fuehrer, imso a press conference, Shing So he a oe don Hints jittery because of allied threats to
Pierre Laval , , . Firmly in the
| his rear as the axis war machine His statement lent strength to faces its greatest test in the East. ‘reports in London that Gen. George |C. Marshall, U. S. army chief of staff, and Harry L. Hopkins, were urging British officials there to take strong offensive measures on the European continent this spring. An army spokesman at Gen, Mac"Arthur's Australian headquarters told newsmen on Wednesday that lack of instructions from Washington had prevented the American, { general from setting up his supreme {command and that as a result he| {was still only in charge of U. S.! forces in Australia and the south-| west Pacific. MacArthur Supreme Mr. Stimson said he questione whether the spokesman had been, | authorized to make the statement.
RUSSIA CALLS ALL MANPOWER
Mobilizes 193, 000, 000 for War and Farm Work; Nazi Attacks Repulsed.
KUIBYSHEV, Russia, April 17 (U. d | P.).—Total mobilization of Russia's 193,000,000 people against Ger- | many’s anticipated spring offensive
'He repeated that Gen. MacArthur | ordered today in official de- |
| was in supreme strategic command! £ jof all united nations forces in his *'®°S mustering all manpower for | specified war theater, Mr, Stimson added that he had | The decrees providing for a] Leon a et Tununishl ion) swesiiup of agricultural production latter had never raised any ques. | 2PPLY to all men and women and {children as young as 12 years.
tion of jurisdiction with him. | Two decrees mobilized all availa-| “He (MacArthur) has over- allie urban and rural populations for strategic command,” Mr. Stimson!
said, “and while the administration | VOIX oh Sieur and ae Saris and tactical leaderships of the | 28Ticy Surah Stations an Yacior troops and fleets, of the various in- geniers. terested nations are retained by| { them. the practical co-ordination of |
Embraces All Citizens
City populations previously had
effort and its strategic direction is a matter for Gen, MacArthur, and dustries and today’s orders meant | gories of citizens. The council of peoples commisjoy of ae Communist party issued increasing the annual CRASH NEAR BRAZIL re of work days on the collecfor failure to carry out the production speedup. Three Others pers Badly Hurt; Claim Nazi Attacks Fail The decrees were issued as disBRAZIL, Ind., April 17 (U. Besheavy but unsuccessful German Two persons were Killed and three|land and air attacks apparently deothers were injured seriously early signed to regain strong points and today when one car crashed into air superiority for a new offensive 40 two miles west of here. The! Severe Soviet attacks were said parked car caught fire. to have cut into German lines on Miss Sue Burke, 23-year-old Bra- the central front and on the south{zil stenographer who was in the, ern’ front the Red air force broke ly, and Clade Easter, 30, Terre was reported. Hause cab driver, occupant of the, (The British broadcasting comparked car, died a short time later pany, quoting the Moscow radio, of burns. said the Russians had sunk a Ger-| Terre Haute, companion of Mr. “another enemy vessel of 11 000 Easter, suffering from severe burns; tons” and damaged a German de- | Ray Parsons, 27, of Carbon, Sut. stioves and two escort ships in the fering from chest and internal in-|Arctic ocean. mond, who suffered a fractured Kenien estimated, B. B. C. said, skull. that the Germans had lost a total of State police said Mr. Parsons and 13,000 planes on the Russian front, Mr. Major were riding in Miss 1000 in April and more than 500 in
Gen. MacArthur alone.” [the total mobilization of all catetive farms. It stipulated penalties One Car Catches Fire. patches from the front told of the rear of a car parked along U. S. | attempt. moving mach ne, was killed instant- (up large-scale luftwaffe attacks, it Injured were Bill Williams, 28, man submarine, a transport and! juries, and Mike Majork, 30, Dia-! (The Soviet aviation expert Eren Burke's car. {the first 10 days of April)
| duty for life. | industrial and farm production.
been mobilized to work in war in-|
Laval Is Supreme in France; Darlan to Head Fleet.
By RALPH HEINZEN United Press Staff Correspondent VICHY, France, April 17.—Pierre Laval, restored to power in a dramatic political coup, presented his
self-chosen cabinet to Marshal Henri Philippe Petain today, assuming full executive power, with personal control over foreign and interior affairs and propaganda, on a program of collaboration with Germany. The new minister of war was understood to be Gen. Henri Dentz, who fought a bitter campaign against allied forces in Syria. Laval presented the names of his ministers to Petain at 1 p. m. (6 a. m. Indianapolis Time) immediately after the ministry of Admiral
had collectively resigned. Darlan Heads Fleet
Darlan, resigning separately as vice premier, minister of national defense and secretary of state for foreign affairs, war and navy, at once assumed, on Petain’s invitation, the new post of commander |in chief of land, sea and air forces with the rank of admiral of the | fleet, and the right to be on active
(The British radio, quoting a | Free French news agency, said that it appeared Admiral Darlan, as head |of the land and sea forces, would |
|be directly responsible to Petain |rather than to Laval,
thus apparently leaving disposition of the French fleet in Petain’s hands.)
Laval Heavily Guarded
It took but half an hour for the Darlan cabinet, at a meeting under 'Petain, to write its resignation and retire in favor of Laval, who now has greater power than any French leader, except 85-year-old Petain, has held since the collapse of France. Back in power after 16 months of political eclipse after his summary dismissal as vice premier in December, 1940, Laval came to Vichy this morning from his nearby Chateldon chateau to resume consultations. - Laval was heavily guarded by police, who were mindful of the serious wound he had received at the hand of an assassin at Paris last summer. Well-informed quarters said that under the new regime Petain, retaining his rank of chief of state, would abandon the auxiliary title of premier and Laval would assume the new title of chief of the govern(Continued on Page Seven)
THE QUESTION 18: IF ITWASN'T, WHY NOT?
Tokyo Radio Denies ‘Report’ City Was Bombed.
SAN FRANCISCO, April 17 (U. P.) —The Japanese radio strangely | denied today that three American planes had bombed Tokyo. It was strange, because Radio Tokyo went to great lengths to deny something that apparently nobody had reported.
Vice Premier Jean Francois Darlan |
TIMES FEATURES ON INSIDE PAGES
WASHINGTON, April 17 (U. P). —The army estimated today that more than 60,000 American and 13 Filipino soldiers and civilians were 5 captured, killed or wounded by the jenemy when Bataan fell April 9. | Secretary of War Henry L. Stim21 son said that, so far as he knows, - 22 the Japanese are giving prisoners of - 15 war the humane treatment pre18 scribed by the Geneva convention. 22 Mrs. Roosevelt 21 gow many were kiiled or wounded 31 Schools 17 is not known. 22 Serial Story.. 30 Casualties were believed heavy on 21 Side Glances. 22 both sides, a war department com25 Society ... 24,25 phynique said. It said that about 3 Sports 26,27 35,000 American and Filipino com- { Inside Indpls. 21 State Deaths 14 patant troops were on the peninsula | Jane Jordan . 25 War Quiz. ... 21/at the last. | Men in Service 16 Al Williams. . 22 In addition, the communique said, ‘Movies ....e0 18] there were “several thousand” non-
. 26 Obituaries .. 31 Organizations
Eddie Ash
David Dietz . | Editorials | Peter Edson. . | Mrs. Ferguson - | Financial ....
Hold Ev'thing | Homemaking |In Indpis.
combatant and supply troops, and 25,000 civilians. Among those presumably captured were 5536 sick or wounded patients in various hospitals on Bataan. The enemy's latest invasion attempt yesterday, on sugar-pro-ducing Panay island, was against a tiny force of Americans and Filipinos. Although greatly outnumbered, the defenders were understood to be resisting valiantly. Some military observers believed the new Japanese offensive was a result of the sensational long-dis-tance bombing raid by American bombers early this week. They interpreted the move on Panay to mean that the enemy has decided to try to bring the remain-
Fell or Were Captured by Japs in Bataan
tion to forestall future raids from Australia. The Japanese struck at Panay yesterday, landing probably 8000 troops from eight transports under protective . cover of warships and planes. Meantime, Lieut. Gen. Jonathan M. Wainwright's besieged garrison on Corregidor island, key to the Manila bay defenses, was blasting back with considerable luck at its tormentors. The fortress’ big guns pounded Japanese batteries to the north on Bataan peninsula, and fo the south in Cavite province. They smashed Japanese troop and truck concentrations on Bataan, blew up ammunition dumps, and inflicted heavy casualties on thé
ing major islands under its subjec-|
enemy,
“A Reuters (British) dispatch that three American planes bombed Tokyo was again the center of a joke among Japanese nationals today,” a broadcast recorded by the Columbia Broadcasting system said. “Just to turn the eyes of the public, the Chungking government, through Reuters, has been desperately spreading the most laughable false propaganda that the Japanese capital was bombed.” As far as could be determined, Reuters had never reported the bombing of Tokyo. The people of Tokyo “are pleasantly enjoying the quiet, peaceful and delightful spring days, observing beautiful cherry blossoms,” Radio Tokyo said. Another broadcast, along the same theme, said residents of Tokyo “are now celebrating the
Called Home
Ambassador William D. Leahy + + + called home from Vichy “for consultations.”
BRITISH BURN OIL IN BURMA
In Far East as Jap
Gains Continue. By JOE ALEX MORRIS
United Press Foreign Editor The British robbed Japan of the richest prize of the fight for Burma | today, burning thousands of oil wells in a “scorched earth” retreat before reinforced Japanese armies driving northward along a 240-mile front. The British acknowledged the situation was desperate, with the Japanese hurling their full strength into the battle. It appeared the stubborn British and Chinese defenders might soon be overwhelmed. It was reported reliably in London that 40 additional Japanese transport ships had arrived off Rangoon. It was believed Japan intended to use these reinforcements to drive as far north toward’ China and west toward India as possible before the rains start.
Fierce Fighting in Russia
Destroy Last Allied Supply
SUMMONS LEAHY HOME, REBUKES VICHY ENVOY FOR LINKS WITH AXIS
Honty-Have. ‘Dressed Down’ Over Protest
On Africa.
WASHINGTON, April 17 *(U. P.).—The United States today officially repudiated Pierre Laval as-the leader of France by recalling the American ambassador from Vichy and charging the Vichy ree gime with pro-German active ities. Ambassador William D, Leahy | will return to the United States for |consultations as soon as Mrs, Leahy’s health permits her to travel, He may never return to France—
{certainly not while Laval is the {dominating force in the French
.. government.
Acting Secretary of State Sumner Welles, who revealed that President Roosevelt had instructed Admiral |Leahy to return, also said that he had rebuked Vichy Ambassador Gaston Henry-Haye for the*subser« vience of his government to Gere man authorities.
Reprimands Envoy
Mr. Welles’ reprimand was dee livered late yesterday when HenryHaye called at the state department in connection with what, Mr. Welles | described as one of the most amazling incidents in the 150 years of friendly Franco-American relations,
Henry-Haye brought a communication which he had been instructed to deliver. Mr. Welles told him jt was notorious that the document— a French rejection of the American note of April 13 recognizing Free French control of Equatorial Africa —had been submitted to, and received the approval of, German authorities before it was sent. Inquiries at the French embassy here brought the information that Henry-Haye had not received any recall instructions thus far but diplomatic sources considered such a4 move as a distinct possibility,
Other Steps Expected The recall of Admiral Leahy showed that the United States will not accord to the Laval-dominated government the same relations which were maintained with the government of Marshal Henri Philippe Petain. It was indicated that the United States was prepared to take other measures expressing disapproval of Laval’s pro-German activities. Admiral Leahy’s recall for cone sultation does not in itself constie tute a complete breaking of U. S.e
While the Japanese surged northward on the Far Eastern front their Neat Biss were having trouble in|
Bs royal air force, carrying | its non-stop offensive into the| | sixth day, swept across the English {channel in a series of attacks after | wide- ranging night assaults in| | which tons of bombs were dropped ‘upon Nazi objectives in northern France, the Nazi submarine base at | Lorient, the port of Le Havre and |objectives in Holland. | On the Russian front Adolf Hit{ler's armies around Leningrad ‘and the sectors west of Moscow were reported. suffering thousands of (Continued on Page Seven)
Vichy relations. It was indicated that future {developments would determine whether such a break would fole low. For the present, Pinckney Tuck, counsellor of embassy, has been directed to remain in Vichy as U, S. charge d'affaires.
Welles’ Return Delayed
Mr. Welles was asked at his noon vress conference whether further announcements could be expected on our policy toward Vichy after the consultations with Adriral Leahy. He replied that there might oe announcements even ovefore then, Mr. Welles also said there had (Continued on Page Seven)
Today’
s War Moves
By LOUIS F. KEEMLE United Press War Analyst The chief obstacle to Hitler as he seeks to turn
~ France into an
instrument of war to further his
- 1942 campaign against the allies is likely to prove the bulk of the French people themselves. Dislike and distrust of Laval plainly is manifest.
: Laval is under close guard against personal violence
* as he takes the reins of power from the hands of the aging Marshal Petain. Terrérism and sabotage have broken out. Laval, it appears likely, will have absolute control of the government and Petain
will not even attend the cabinet m But Laval will have to proceed cautiously. It is not probable that any precipitate action such as wrning over the French fleet or colonies to German use is in the cards for the immediate future. A great handicap to Laval is that the United States will have none of him. He is openly a tool of the enemy.
glorious victories under very bright
He will not be able to delude
eetings.
has done anything but turn the United States against the French government. Patriotic Frenchmen who still dream of regaining their freedom and dignity as a nation look to the United States as their chief hope. However, Laval will have to do Berlin’s bidding. Hitler will take any risks to serve his ends. : (Continued on Page Seven)
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