Indianapolis Times, Indianapolis, Marion County, 18 April 1944 — Page 1
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FORECAST: Cloudy tonight with thundershowers and slightly colder; to morrow, decreasing cloudiness.
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scurrs owas VOLUME 55—NUMBER 32
‘By EVERETT VILANDER United Press Staff Correspondent
LONDON, April 18.—Torpedoes. straddled by twoman crews encased in diving suits have been used successSully by the British navy in the Mediterranean, the admiralty revealed today. Like characters out of a comic strip fantasy, the men wrap their legs around the long, slim explosive projectile and ride it underwater until it reaches its target. Thenthey attach its explosive charge with a time fuse to the
ss
TUESDAY, APRIL 18, 1944
hull of a ship or whatever the objective is and ride the propulsive part of the torpedo to safety, leaving only a trail of bubbles before the explosion.
The use of the strange announcement of the award
device was disclosed by the of two distinguished service
orders and two conspicuous gallantry medils to men who
took part in a successful attack on the base at Palermo, Sicily, in January, 19483.
enemy-held naval
Several “human torpedoes” stole through the anti-
submarine nets guarding the Palermo harbor and edged in undetected across its full length. One torpedo sank the 8362-ton Italian cruiser Ulpio Traiano as she was being completed for service, and another wrought such damage to an 8500-ton transport that -she sank after being towed away for repairs. As described officially, the “human torpedoes” are not suicide devices for the men who pilot them. All four men decorated now are prisoners of war, as are some others who. took part in the operation.
~ Entered as Second-Class Matter at Postoffice Indianapolis 9, Ind. Issued daily except Sunday
| British Crews Ride T orpedoes Under Water, Sink 2 Shi.
PRICE FOUR CENTS
The weapons were described as about the same
and shape as ordinary torpedoes. The explosive charge is’ attached to the nose. The torpedo is powered by electric
batteries. When the target is reach
ed, the men dive beneath the
torpedo, set time fuses and get away as fast as they can. Lt. Richard Thomas Goodwin and Sub. Lt. Rodney George Dove were awarded D. S. 0.’s for the Palermo attack and conspicuous gallantry medals went to Signalman Alexander Ferrier and Leading Seaman James Freel,
AV, HEX— Jiving Coal, Book Afire Just Pranks
BISMARCK, N. D,, April 18 (U. P). ~The “jitterburg coal” mystery, which had mystified the farmers of the Wild Plum school district at the edge of the Dako-
ta bad- lands for more than a week, was a hoax perpetrated by four and possibly six of the school’s nine pupils, it
END OF STATE DRAFT ROSTER SEEN BY JULY
Heavy Calls Draining Pool Of Eligibles Under Age of 38.
By EARL RICHERT .
BLUE-NIBLACK RACE “MAIN GO
T0G.0.P. AIDS
Judge’s Victory Would Give
City Hall Republicans
Sweeping Control.
By SHERLEY UHL As far as the average G. O. P.
If draft calls continue at their present rate, Indiana's pool of ,draft-available men under 38 will be completely drained dry by the first of July, Col. Robinson Hitchcock, state draft director, said today. The calls of the past few months (mostly filled with fathers) have been very heavy and, despite recurring reports that the calls will be reduced, the Indiana call for May is only slightly below the April.call, “It really isn't enough lower to make any difference,” said Col. Hitchcock. (Exact figures are with-
held) Centers to Close
That the end of the big mobilization job for selective service is in sight is shown by the fact that the Sth service command (this area) is
was disclosed today. ? Special Assistant Attorney General James W. Austin, who spent four days in the district questioning nearly 75 residents, said the pupils fabricated the story and created the optical illusion of the leaping lignite to “fool their teacher,” Mrs. Pauline Rebel, 22. » ” ” The whole illusion, according to Austin, hinged upon the fact that Mrs. Rebel is nearsighted and in need of glasses stronger than those she normally wears. The tall, “masked stranger,” the burning dictionary, and threatening notes were part of the illusion” Austin said. : “After we questioned nearly 75 persons,” Austin said, “one of our investigators: asked one more question and the children broke down. One by one, they said they were tired of the mystery and wanted to get it cleancd uv.”
(Continued on Page 5—Column 3)
The men in the latter catagory are “very few,” sald the state di-
Conference Called
Col. Hitchcock sald that a conference of state draft directors will be held in Washington early next month, when “we hope to find out how long we will be in operation as we now are” The new order to induct men under 26 at first postponed te
ARMY CONTRACT
Marmon-Herrington to Start
Work at Once on
Special Trucks. Marmon-Herrington, Inc. today
ily in some boards the induction of [Announced the receipt of a new war
men over that age, but in many
contract for a “large number” of
boards there are so few men left |specially-designed army trucks and under 26 that it has made no ap- sald that “full-scale production will preciable difference in the board's be resumed immediately.”
induction schedule. 18-Year-Old Group One job left for selective service, of course, after the present avallable men are gone will be the processing of the 18-year-olds. : There are between 2000 and 2500
The plant, at W. Washington and | Harding sts., has been operating at a considerably curtailed rate in the past two months became its tank contract was canceled, as were the contracts of many other tank manufacturers.
Marmon-Herrington has built
youths who become 18 every month many trucks, before and after Pearl
in Indiana, but the task of process-
Harbor, both for this country and
ing them will be but a drop in the/Several foreign countries. ———————————
bucket compared to the present job of selective service. While anticipating a great slack-! ing off in their mobilization work, selective service officials expect a continual increase in demobilization work, the finding of jobs for returning veterans, ete.
Classifications Shifted
Rev. Hall Dies After 55 Years Serving Pulpits
THE REV THOMAS A. HALL,
ward and precinct captains are concerned, the fight between Prosecutor Sherwood Blue and Municipal Court Judge John L. Niblack for the office of county prosecutor is the main go in the coming primary. The prosecutor's race is locally important because should Judge Niblack defeat Mr. Blue, the in-
«{ cumbent, and also emerge victorious
in the general election, it would give | the city hall Republican faction supreme control over city-county law enforcement. For this reason, the Republican Victory committee, Mayor Tyndall's political master-minding society, is promoting Judge Niblack's candidacy with the utmost fervor, says William E. (Billy) Hamilton, the administration's chief electioneer.
Chief Bugaboo Prosecutor Blue, a stalwart of the iregular G. O. P. county organizaition, has been city hall's chief buga- | boo in its widely-publicized drive against vice. He's detracted from the (exploits of Safety Board President Will H. Remy and Police Chief
won as much public acclaim as it might have otherwise. A “co-operative” prosecutor like Judge Niblack, opines Mr. Hamilton, “would do more than anything else to relieve the police department of its many law enforcement woes.” A glance at the list of G. O. P. candidates for state delegates and precinct committeemen indicates i that the Victory committee left no | stone unturned in prodding city workers into filing for these “partycontrol” posts. Many Employees A good percentage of city hall's choices for committeemen and delegates are city employees, some of them political amateurs withoyt too much experience in the earthy ways of ward electioneering. This is viewed with considerable delight by realistic ringleaders of the regular G. O. P. organization, whose handling of the election machinery, they boast, will definitely be of “professional” caliber. And both city hall and regular
(Continued on Page 5—Column 2)
OUR TOWN— PLAY BALL
AN WE CAN OUT AN PICK
Draft boards are now beginning the reclassification of men in limited service and 4-F classifications into 2-A and 2-B, thus giving them deferred occupational classifications. . This is in line with the national program to try to force as many as possible of the limited service and 4-F men into essential work. “By reclassifying these men, we can keep a finger on them,” Col Hitchcock said. “We will report to national headquarters the cases of men who refuse to get into essential work. The decision on what to do in these cases will be up to national headquarters.” ———————— HINT NAZI ‘PEACE FEELER’ LONDON, April 18 (U. P.).—The Press association today quoted reports from an unidentified source that Reichsmarshal Hermann Goering is “likely” to go to Madrid for a conference with Generalissimo y . Rrntinn Franco with the idea of Smiley N. Chambers, Democratic , trying to arrange a. compromise|memper of the safety board, got Jesse eiween Germany and Great some first hand information about - | Indianapolis’ current crime wave last night. Mr. Chambers, whose main business is to see that Indianapolis citizens are kept safe from bandits, was held up himself but bluffed
a Christian church minister for more than 55 years and oldtime Butler university football player, died last night at St. Vincent's hospital after a short illness. The 83-year-old minister, who held pastorates in Indiana, Illinois and Canada, retired in 1927 after four years at the Bethany Christian church here. He lived at 519 E 54th st. Born in Pittsburgh, Pa. he and his two brothers came to Indianapolis te attend Butler university in 1888." The three played football
(Continued on Page 3—Column 4)
TIMES FEATURES ON INSIDE PAGES
® “Take Me Out to the Ball Game,” has been the summer theme song around Indianapolis for a good many years. Anton Scherrer, author of “Our Town,” “has gone back to the days of “Way Back When" to tell how baseball started in Indianapolis and its ups and downs for 70 years. Read the first of two articles. oe Ball,” today on Page
Bandit Holds Up Chambers, Member of
Safety Board
[2d Lt. Joseph E. McIntyre, son of
‘Amusements. 14] Ruth Millett. 12|the gunman out of taking his |
‘Eddie Ash ,.. 16{ Movies ....... 14 Comics ...... 19{ Music ....... 14 Crossword eee 19 bituaries vee 4 L. Denny..... 12 ler .
money, The safety board member, Mrs. Chambers and Miss Gertrude Wey« erbacher, 663 E. 27th st. stopped to Editorials .., 12|Ernie Pyle ,., 11|park their car at 16th and PennFinancial ... 8] Radio sylvania sts. about midnight last Forum ....... 12| Mrs. Roosevelt 11 ning ... 13| Side Glances. 12
i
dered them out of "The
night when a masked bandit or
sore cp rene
WOMAN IN PLOT TRIAL REBUKED
Nose-Thumbing and Missing Defendants Cause
Stir in Courtroom.
BULLETIN WASHINGTON, April 18 (U. P.).—The biggest sedition trial of this war was suspended today to permit G-men to search the country for Edward James Smythe, mysteriously-missing defendant.
WASHINGTON, April 18 (U. P.). —The biggest sedition trial of this {war went into its second day today | jwith defendant No, 30—Edward James Smythe of New York—still missing. The day's session opened with Judge Edward C. Eicher formally inquiring, “Is Edward J. Smythe in court?” Lack of an answer signified that he wasn't, Then the proceedings boiled down to speeches by various attorneys. Prosecutor O. John Rogge asked if James J. Laughlin, Smythe’s attorney, had heard from the missing defendant. Laughlin replied that he had not heard from him since
when Smythe said he would be here April 24—next Monday, Laughlin also read a letter he had written to Smythe advising him that the trial was scheduled to start April 17—yesterday—and counseling
(Continued on Page 5—Column 3)
Hoosier Heroes—
JOSEPH M'INTYRE MISSING IN ACTION
Local Soldier in Europe on
Casualty List.
CONFIRMATION was made today by the war department that Mrs. Lucy M. McIntyre, 3031 Nowland ave. is missing in the European war gone, : : s o » THREE HOOSIERS outside Indianapolls today were on a list of 441 U. 8. soldiers missing in action,
(Continued on Page 3—Column 3) LOCAL TEMPERATURES 6am... 45 10 46
Tam { Sam
Indiana
a telephone conversation last week#$
FA “ LP Ea . . SO 5% 3 Z si
Acme Telephoto.
Rescue workers fight the blafing wreckage of a B-26 army bomber which the pilot apparently ¢rashed in a south Minneapolis vacant lot, killing its crew of six, rather than endanger a crowded district,
Man Dies o« Plot HINTS KURILES
Heroically Crashes B-26 Bomber
MINNEAPOLIS, April 18 (U. P).| : ‘ —Army authorities sald today that Knox Reports on Strategy 2d Lt. Thomas J. Resch, 22, Chicago, nN pilot of a twin-engined B-26 bomb- In Pacific; Secret er, apparently dived his plané de- - liberately into a vacant_lot- killing Weapon Due. all six crew members, including one from Indiana, to avoid crashing in| WASHINGTON, April 18" (U.P.). a south Minneapolis residential dis- | —Secretary of Navy Frank Knox said trict yesterday. j today that America’s growing aerial The plane developed motor trou- offensive against the Kuriles is the ble shortly after taking off and; prelude to ultimate landing operacircled at 100 feet as if the pilot tions there, and at the same time were seeking some place to land. another high navy spokesman reA few seconds later, the plane dived vealed that this country has new into the vacant lot and exploded, secret weapons in process of develwitnesses said. Another explosion opment. followed immediately, setting fire; The navy also has established a to two nearby garages. | special test station for rocket guns, The Indiana victim was S. Sgt. it was disclosed at Knox's news con-
{Leo G. Wantuck, husband of Mrs.| ference, and has recruited the best
Irene A. Wantuck, 123 Fogarty, | scientific brains in the country to Michigan City, Ind. develop this kind of weapon further.
Neighborhood residents and stu-| As for other new weapons, they still thd
dents at Morris Park school, play- are too secret to talk about.
(Continued on Page 5—Column 5) Cites Improvement
Rear Adm. George Hussey, chief of ordinance, said that the navy is now using rocket guns, especially on landing craft. He said he doubted that rocket guns would replace present types of rifles on warships, however, because of the difficulty of attaining accuracy of fire, Discussing the high state of im{provement in naval ordnance ma{teriel, he said that it now takes only one-third as much anti-aircraft ammunition to bring a plane down as It did at the time of the Pearl Harbor attack. He said that
Freak Squeak May Be Worth Money to You
THREE SAFETY-WISE Indianapolis citizens ware looking over the first entries in the Freak Squeak contest which opened yesterday under the jcint sponsorship of The Indianapolis Times and the Chamber of Commerce Safety Council. The judges, who have freak squeaks of their own to.use as a
another reason (Continued on Page 3—Column 1)
BOMB FOR INVASION INVENTED BY YANKS
New Weapon Blankets Target With Fire,
By UNITED PRESS The British radio said today that the Americans had developed a’ secret weapon for use in the coming invasion of Europe. The broadcast, recorded by CBS in New York, described-the weapon
yardstick test winner, are Mrs. Frederick Balz, chairman of the home safety division of the safety council;
special tank filled with an incendiary li pa “When the plane arrives over its - {target,” the broadcast added, “The {tank is drépped and the objective is immediately covered with flames.”
—— » WASHINGTON, D. C., April 18
Jitters Increase as British ‘Intern’
2000 U.S. PLANES BLAST BERLIN: NAZIS
Fighters Over
T0 BE INVADED
Diplomats. Capital.
By LOUIS F. KEEMLE LONDON, April 18 (U. P.), _ {United Press Foreign Editor) —About 2000 A mer i can
Germany tensely watched | a6 renewed the aerial
mounting signs of allied inva- | sage of Berlin today, smash-
sion intentions today while jo through 200 fighters
the air offensive against her| which rose to defend the city,
European stronghold contin-|and hammered other targets in ued unabated and the Rus-| Germany and along the French in-
sians stormed the last defenses of | Vasion coast. 9 Vi for, Sev 1 in the Cri ery strong ces of Plying
Fortresses and Liberators with an Axis radio broadcasts, predicting
equally powerful escort of Amerthe imminence of invasion, betrayed ican fighters smashed at Berlin for
nervousness over the possibility that|the first time since March 22, fight it might come at an unexpected Ing a "heavy battle with Nazi time or place, despite utmost Ger- Squadrons as they shuttled over the: man efforts against surprise. capital. : That feeling was shown in a Clouds Obscure Results broadcast by Martin Hallensleben, Focke Wulf 190s and Messer-
Diitary sonmentator of te mclall schmitt, 100's slashed for 15 minutes any. . Pre- at the United States formations ate cautions were being taken to antici- |, xing Berlin through heavy pate any possible allied move, since | clouds. - : So Jan essential 1 the Sue The raiding fleet battled almost
cess of an amphibious landing, unfiyable weather over parts of
Warn Time Is Short Europe as well as the Nasi fighters Warning that “time ig" getting goaded into defending the capital, short,” a French spokesman broad- |and ground gunners threw a heavy cast an appeal from London today barrage through the clouds at the
» [for all Frenchmen to store up food | Americans.
supplies and memorize their in- | Returning U. S. fighters said they structions for co-operation with the [arrived over Berlin to see the heavy allied invasion armies, bombers converging from several di“Memorize everything we say in|rections. One formation spotted detail,” the spokesman said. “At | about 75 German fighters rising to any moment your sets may be taken | intercept the Forts and Liberators, | from you.” "y |but because of the clouds was un | (Radio Algiers quoted a Stock-|able to bring the enemy to grips. { holm report that German troops in| The cloud cover obscured the ree occupied Denmark have mined a sults of the bombing, but some wide area off the southwest coast/crewmen saw fires on the outskirts (of Jutland. The broadcast was re- of Berlin,
al by U. 8. government moni- Clouds Impede Efforts
Hint Leaders to Meet Clouds also impeded the efforts of ithe fighter escort to maintain conCar o Cergan: Tanga ee tact with the bombers, and enabled Lisbon that another meeting of the German airmen to ambush the President Roosevelt and Prime Fortresses and Liberators. | Minister Churchill was impending.| The staggering assault may be Air passengers from England, the| the first of a new campaign to give {agency said, told of an area being| the heart of Nazidom its death blow (fenced off with barbed wire in| as Hitler's defense hub. {Britain similar to the Roosevelt-| While Lt. Gen. Carl A. Spaatz’ | Churchill conference area at Casa- | Main striking force was hammering | blanca, | Berlin, a small formation of Lib- | German uneasiness undoubtedly erators attacked the Pas de Calais (was heightened by the unprece- |c0astal strip of France. |dented British move in sealing py The daylight attacks followed a all possible diplomatic leaks by im- |tWO-Way night bombardment of |muring foreign diplomats behind a | Europe by Royal Air Force bombers {wall of secrecy in the British Isles. | {rom Italy and Britain. They hit | The. air offensive meanwhile gave COl0Bne, Germany's third largest
Germans more tangible evi-| (Continued on Page 3—Column 3) ————————
|dence of allied intentions as it|
{smashed from two sides at the Nazi |
as a “speedy plane fitted with al
{(U. P).~The seqret. weapon de-
| stronghold. | German invasion apprehensions {appear to be centering on the possi'bility that the “military idiots”
(Continued on Page 3—Column 6)
‘HOUSE GROUP VOTES
‘WASHINGTON, April 18 (U. P). |—=The house military affairs com‘mittee today voted against proposing any legislation at this time to (force 4-Fs into esSential war work. | The decision was reached at a (closed session at which Rep, John {M. Costello ID. Cal), chairman of {a special subcommittee on draft {deferments, made an informal report on the manpower situation. {Costello a few weeks ago had pro-
|
{posed new legislation on the 4-Fs.
MOSCOW, April 18 (U. P).— Gen. Andrei Yeremenko’s maritime army forced the last mountain passes in the southern Crimea and poured into the plain behind burning Sevastopol today for the perhaps decisive assault on the Black sea citadel. . While other Soviet forces methodically reduced long-prepared defenses in a tedious advance through
the northeastern and eastern sub!
urbs, Yeremenko's tanks and mech-
' AGAINST 4-F CHANGE.
BRITISH ADOPT RIGID CURB ON STRIKES
‘Agitators’ of Walkout May
Get 5-Year Term.
LONDON, April 18 (U. P.).—The government assumed drastic powers today to crack down on strike agitators by providing penalties up to five years’ imprisonment and fines of 500 pounds sterling for anyone convicted of provoking a strike. Principal author of the new defense regulation was Ernest Bevin, minister of labor and national service, who indicated that the se-
(Continued on Page 3—Column 3)
Russ Pour Into Plains Behind Sevastopol for Final Attack
1 Balaklava, eight miles southeast of Sevastopol and immortalized in the charge of the Light Brigade in the Crimean war in 1854, was exe pected to be engulfed almost mow mentarily by a maritime army cole umn that yesterday
S
‘Battle 200 German