Indianapolis Times, Indianapolis, Marion County, 30 December 1944 — Page 1
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VOLUME 55—NUMBER 252
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apolis
FORECAST: "Mild today and tonight with occasional drizzle; cloudy tomorrow.
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SATURDAY, DECPMBER 30, 1944
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Entered as Second-Class Matter at Postoffice Indianapolis 9, Ind. Issued daily except Sunday
ime
| HOME
FINAL
PRICE FIVE CENTS
‘ COLUMBUS, Ind., Dec.
30 (U. P.).—Eight persons
burned to death today when flames destroyed the home of
Mr. and Mrs. Kay England section.
in a North side residential
Firemen recovered all eight bodies.
None was identified im
mediately, according to. Dr.
Marvin R. Davis, Bartholomew county coroner.
Those dead were:
’ Mrs, Opal England, 30, and her four children, Bennie,
ight Dead in Fire at Columbus
8; Willie, 9; Dale, 4, and Norma Jane, aged 1; Mrs, England’s brother-in-law, Joe England, 18, and his wife, Ruth, 19, and their 4-months-old son, Roger.
Kay England, a Columbus foundry worker, was absent"
from home when the ‘fire was had gone to Kentucky to ta visited his family.
discovered at 6 a. m. He ke home a niece who had
Firemen said that the four-room frame house was a mass of flames when they arrived. Three ambulances were called to the scene to remove the bodies.
"1945 QUESTION MARK: WILL WE WIN THE PEACE?’
Swiss Paper Points to Allied Dissension—And It
Wonders.
By PAUL GHALI ’ Tires Foreign Correspondent BERNE, Switzerland. Dec. 30. . «~One giant question mark looms through the gloom and war weariness which cloaks Europe as 1944 draws the curtain 0fi a’year of tremendous allied victories, Who will win the peace?
+= Observers here view wih incrzas-
ing anxiety: 1. The conflicts between internal resistance movements and exiled
governments, which have shaken almost all the liberated countries.
+~ 2. Prime Minister Winston Churchill's courageous, almost .pa-
thetic efforts, to “cut th n knot. ‘ 3. The symptoms of diyergency between the united nations. The great optimism that reigied among neutral countries until last September concerning a quick end to the war has faded, No one any longer dares predict when the war will end ana the impossibility of: making plans for “when it is all over” weighs heavily on the dawn of the sixth war year.
Roundup of 1944
i In its. roundup-of 1044 the 00n={ 1 1apalize ft." ~~ The marine is Pvt. Carl Nebblett Bagby of 612 N, Delaware st. He was to report to Baltimore, Md. tomorrow after a month's . Tne here with his. parents, >
servative Swiss newspaper Courrier . De Geneve describes it as a year of - “liberations, volte faces and . . agitations.” It concludes by pinning & huge questiori mark on 1945. Here in ‘Switzerland the tricky problem concerned with RussoSwiss relations shadows the prospects for 1945. The federation’s new president is| Edouard Von Steiger. As chief of federal police in the ministry of Justice he had the job of sup- | pressing Communist activity in this | eountry and with the handling of Russian refugees. » 1t.1s foreseen that the coming year will see the troops of Soviet + Marshal Rodion Y. Malinovsky, now fighting in Budapest, on the Swiss border. Sometimes .the Russians are tough with neighbors they accuse of being “Fascists.” Von Sterger will have no easy task. As for the Soripans, the efforts of Goebbels to persuade the world that Field Marshal Karl von Rundstedt’s counter-offensive has boost-
rin 3 (Continued on Page 2—Column 6)
-2 PASSENGERS ROB, STRIP CAB DRIVER
Two passengers, taking command of a taxicab, ejected the driver near Michigan st. and State ave., robbed him of $7 aiid drove off in the cab early today, * The driver, Robert Headley, 722 N. Alabama st., told police his passengers, after ejecting him, made him take off about half his clothes and sit down in the snow until they left, The cab was recovered about seven hours later at 10th st. and Highland ave,
-
-
"JOYCE REYNOLDS WEDS
py HOLLYWOOD, Dec. 30 (U. P.).~|
The old and the new help out ‘retiring Judge Earl R, Cox watch Marine Pvt, Carl Nebblett ashy sign his petition for a change of
By JOE
of “Lucky” has brought him luck in
I
REPORT KING OF
GREECE YIELDS:
‘Believed to Have hve.
To Demands for a Regency.
BULLETIN
ATHENS, Dec. 30 (U. P.).— John Georgakis, secretary to Archbishop Damaskines, announced today that the archbishop had received a cable from King George appointing Damaskinos as regent of Greece.
LONDON, Dec. 30 (U. P.)—Reliable sources said today that King George of Greece had acceded to a. blunt demand by Prime Minister Winston Churchill to establish a Greek regency in a bid to end his country’s civil’ war. An announcement of the Greek king's reported decision to yield to the demands drafted at the peace
Wounded Veteran of Pacific Applies Here to Change Name
A 23-year-old Indianapolis marine who feels his adopted surname
+|CCC might keep me from qualifying
a marine:
name in a Sin Jearing yesterday.
Judges Helping Marine to Become Permanently ‘Lucky’
Circuit Court Judge-elect Lloyd D, Claycombe, left, and
JAP RADIO SAYS 20 YANK CRAFT ISUNK IN BATTLE
Convoy Puts In-at Mindoro After Big Sea Fight, Enemy Says.
By UNITED PRESS
The Tokyo radio said today that an American convoy had put in at Mindoro after sailing westward through the Philippines to the Sulu sea. Air attacks sank T0 per cent of the ships before they reached port, Tokyo claimed. Japanese broadcasts said thy reported convoy—the existence of which has not been confirmed by any American source-was bent on supplying and reinforcing the Mindoro garrison rather than making a new invasion venture. -A° Tokyo broadcast in Italian, beamed to Europe, said the convoy had reached Mindoro. “Only eight or 10” transports of an original “about 30” made port, Tokyo said. A Japanese communique claimed 17 ships, including a cruiser and a destroyer, had been sunk in attacks Wednesday through Satur day.
More Hits Claimed
Japanese planes intensified their attacks on the convoy Thursday night and all day Friday, the enemy communique said. Four more large transports and a torpedo boat was sunk. Two other large transports, a cruiser and a destroyer, were damaged, the Japanese claimed. The convoy wag originally reported by the Japanese to include at least 30 transports and 20 escorting cruisers and destroyers. It apparently was traveling" the same| 600-mile route from Leyte as the 150-ship armada which landed in-
JARVIS
combat has asked the Circuit our
is ge
and Mrs. Henry Lee Bagby. Because .a change of name requires a minimum of 51 days under Indiana law, Pvt. Bagby's testimony was heard by Judge Earl R. Cox, (who certified it for presentation March 1 when the petition somes betore Jags: elect Lloyd P. Clay-|
32 Months Overseas
“I was lucky once . . . and I' want to be lucky again,” was the marine’s explanation for his petition. He said he thought his name contributed to his luck. Twice wounded during his 32 months overseas in the South Pacific, Pvt. Bagby said he joined the corps at Evansville Oct. 8, 1941,
under the fictitious name of “Lucky.” Although the name had no significance then, "he said he
didn't use his right name necause he was “afraid a discharge from the
for the service.” i All of his marine -records carry the name of “Lucky,” he tod the court, and now he has a wife, Margie, and daughter, Judith Patricia, who also have the assumed name. _ His wife is an Australian girl whom he married in Sydney last July 7 She and their child expect
(Continued on Page 2—Column 1)
‘BYRNES REFUSES
War Mobilization Director James F. Byrnes today rejected requests that he modify his call for the closing of all horse and dog tracks by Jan. 3. Byrnes said it. was “unfortunate that more advance notice could not have been given” to track operators,
Warner Bros. star Joyce Reynolds | {He added in a statement issued by and 1st ‘Lt. Robert Lewis, marine the White House that “the changing fighter pilot here on leave, will be requirements of war, which are now
married - Jan. 11, her studio announced today.
most pressing, do not always permit advance notice.”
Goering Warns Home Front
Of "Tough,
By UNITED PRESS
Reichsmarshal Hermann Goering ,. sald in a New Year's prociamation R today that 1945 would bring dough
Terrible' Future
victory and also the peace for which we long with all our hearts.” Goering said ‘the slogan for next
TO EASE TRACK BAN
WASHINGTON, Dec. 30 (U. P.) — |
to reach the United States in about | six months.
Struck by Shrapnel
The marine wears the American istene ribbon, the South Pacific ibbon, a Presidential unit citation and the purple heart, He participated in the battles for Guadalcanal, New Guinea, Cape Gloucester and Peleliu. “The toughest going by far was on Peleliu,” he recalled. “I waded | ashore in the first wave and stayed | on the beach for about three hours before a burst of Jap shrapnel hit me in the back.” f
nine shrapnel bits from his body after his evacuation to an island hospital, The marine also was struck in the leg by a Jap sniper on Guadalcanal but a first aid man dug out the slug and no record was made of the wound.
Pvt. Bagby said surgeons removed Pp
REDS BATTER TOWARD VIENNA
ry Hurdle River After Savage
Battle; Budapest Suicide Struggle Rages.
By BRUCE W. MUNN United Press Staff Correspondent
LONDON, Dec. 30.—Russian ar-
mored divisions broke across "TO MARK YEAR'S EXIT!
| Hron river and drove west through the Danube valley toward Bratis-
lava and Vienna today.
In Budapest thousands of Nazi and Hungarian troops fought on for the fifth straight day in a suicidal battle to delay the Red army
invasion of Austria.
With major elements of two armies still pinned down in Budapest, The Soviet advance south of the Danube appeared to have been stalled momentarily about 90 miles
from Vienna.
Berlin said the Russians were reinforcing their lines after being stopped by, strong German counter-
attacks. 100 Miles from Vienna
To the north, however, the Russians hurdled the Hron barrier near: sd) confluence with the Dan-
ube,
They shook their armor loose on the Bratislava plain after a savage, two-day battle that cost the Germans 11,000 casualties and 45
tanks.
The Hron was forced by units
vasion troops on Mindoro Dec. 18.. -Earlier Japanese broadcasts had reported that the American fqrees) on Mindoro were making no attempt to enlarge their bridgehead, The enemy suggested that Gen. Douglas MacArthur may be “contemplating an imminent invasion of Luzon, site of the capital city of Manila, American-airfields-on Mindoro He only 145 ‘miles south of Manila. The northern coast of Mindoro ex-: tends to within nine miles of Lu-
(Continued on Page 2—Column 7)
‘MILD WEATHER NOTE
LOCAL TEMPERATURES
6am.... 29 9am... 3 Tam .20 10am 31 8am... 30 11am 31
Mild weather for the last bow of 1944 was predicted by the weather bureau . today but Indianapolis streets remained ice-covered, Occasional drizzles of rain today and cloudy tomorrow were predicted.
POLICE TO PROTECT NEW YEAR DRIVERS
Police details will be assigned to taverns over the holiday to prevent traffic accidents before they happen, Police Chief Clifford F. Beeker announced today. A plea that drivers observe safety rules and use public transportation -—if the circumstances warrant—
WAR CRIME—
was issued jointly by Chief Beeker and the Chamber of Oummerce) safety council, There were no traffic deaths in) the city last: New Year's in spite| of ice glazed streets and that rec-
(Continued on “Page 2—Column 7) ord is again sought this year,
WASHINGTON
A Weekly Sizeup by the Washington Staff of the Scripps-Howard Newspapers
WASHINGTON, Bold souls that we are.
others.
CHURCHILL SEES END OF HITLERISM SOON
LONDON, Dec. 30 (U. P.) —Prime Minister Winston Churchill, referring to the war in Europe, said to-
|day that “before many months have
passed the evil gang that has long
““Throug tremendous TIMES INDEX strength the German people, dominated that ‘unhappy sontinent gr— which he has unifed, reaches its Will be wibed out.” . Amusements . 4(Jane Jordan 9|supreme pitch. Ui the end has bee chev, Eddie Ash ... 8|Daniel Kidney’ 6| “We know what we must expect| Churchill said, “there can be no reJack Bell.:... 7 Ruth Millett. 7|from our enemies should we flag|turn to normal habits. It would be Mness .... 3|Movies ...... 4|and weaken. In that case, Ger.|'ragic folly to prolong “by any Music ........ 4|many fare still worse than slackening in the last phase the .. 3|those which, confiding in| agony that Eégajomaniag ambition | T|the ‘empty promises, laid | 100sed upon the world.” dow el me ee aes| WIRE WILLING IF YOU ARE 1 RR ; . By UNITED PRESS | 6 : Radia Toko. mij todey tet 8 | would take from 15 to 20 years to H burn T
Dec.
30.—~Here's a look at 1945—
We're not bold enough to predict the end of the European war. We did that once a year ago, and were wrong —along with Gen. Eisenhower, Winston Churchill and
You might note the fact that WPB is planning construction of new factories to manufacture trench mortars and heavy duty tires.
Neither can get into production for eight.or nine months.
Strategic bombing of Japan will be stepped up. By the end of 1945, production of B-20's will be twice as great as it is now, and
in the Pacific.
B-36’s will be ready for action early in new year. Also we'll have the benefit of bases closer to the Japanese homeland. Look for greatly increased use of rockets by our forces, especially Navy has an immense building program under way, although accurate rocket aiming problem has not been solved-—yet, We look for no shake-up in the military high command. Nor
(Continued on Page 2-~Column. 1)
This edition of your Saturday . "Indianapolis Times is
Complete In One Section
U. S. Awaits Nazi Reply on 115 Murders
By R. H. SHACKFORD United Press Staff Correspondent WASHINGTON, Dec. 30.—The United States today chalked up another war crime against Germany. It. waited for ‘the Nazi
reply to its “strongest possible pidtest” for the execution of about 115 unarmed American prisoners on the 1st army front. It was the first major reported violation of the prisoners of war convention by Germany against American soldiers. The record being compiled by the allies as a whole, however, is replete with atrocities and violations of the rules of war against civilians and other allied soldiers, especially on the Eastern front. . ~ »
THERE WAS great doubt here that anything the Nazis would say could explain what an official U.S. 1st army report revealed to be a deliberate mass assassination of helpless. prisoners of war. The state department announced last night that it was forwarding to the German government through neutral Swiss authorities “the strongest possible protest , . . with regard to the killing by German forces near Malmedy, Belgium, of all but 15 of a group of.about 130 American soldiers and officers who had been taken prisoners by a German tank corps and stripped of their equipment.” » » . THE GENEVA convention for the treatment of prisoners of war, to which Germany was a signatory, provides that .prisoners “must at all times be humanely treated - and protected, particularly against acts of violence. . ; . Measures of reprisal against them are prohibited,” The executions n protested by the United States occurred on Dec. 17, shortly after the German counter-offensive started in Belgium. ' wu 8 THE 15 MEN who escaped. told the following story: A group of Americans was captured by 8. 8. and panzer men of a
ny
arets, valuables and armaments, the Germans lined them up in a field with their hands behind their heads. Then they shot them with machine guns on the tanks. The official report said that the men who were not killed fell to
the ground, but. that the Ger- |
mans continued to shoot into the mass of dead and dying men. Those who escaped decided to run for it, but several of them were badly wounded. Even after the tanks ceased shooting, the report said, Germans went through the pilé¢ of bodies and fired rifles at any who appeared to be alive, ” » . ALTHOUGH this was the first major incident reported of mass violence against American troops, the United States has sent many protests to Germany since 1941
(Continued on Page 2—Column 4)
Hoosier Heroes—
TWO LISTED AMONG
MISSING IN GERMANY
‘Moore and French Are|
Reported ‘Wounded.
German tank column, After | W stripping the Americans. of cig-
+ | ployee at Burbank, Cal, who com-
A B-17 gunner is missing over
WAR FRONTS
(Dec. 30, 1944)
WESTERN FRONT-—Patton hurls 100,000 troops and hundreds of tanks against south wall of Ardennes - salient. Tanks punch wedge half way across German pocket to within 12 miles of 1st’ army spearheads in north,
EASTERN FRONT — Russian ar-' mored forces cross Hron river and drive through Danube valley toward Bratislava and Vienna.
PACIFIC — Tokyo reports 50-ship U. 8. convoy has entered Sulu sea and is approaching Mindoro to supply and reinforce American beachhead.
ITALY—Germans renew attacks in Serchio valley. Whole 5th army front is alerted for possible enemy attempt to launch major drive.
AIR WAR-—British hombers hit rail junction near Bonn.behind West- . ern front and synthetic oil plant in Ruhr valley.
‘| DIDN'T WORRY AT BASTOGNE...
‘We Were Just To Too Busy to Feel Sorry for Ourselves,’ G. I. Says.
‘ By ROBERT W. RICHARDS United Press Staff Correspondent
BASTOGNE, Belgium, Dec. 20 (De layed).—~The boys did not keep diaries inside Bastogne “on account of we were too busy.” But events of the 10 days—during which the trapped 101st airborne division gallantly backed up their commander's now famous, answer of “Nuts” to the German demand for surrender—were etched . unforgettable in memories. I sought yesterday for a dough{boy who might. have kept a diary during the battle, I was introduced to curly-haired Platoon Sgt. Vernon M. Christopherson of Beldenville, Wis., former Lockheed Aircraft em-
manded a light machine company, This is Christopherson's story:
I can tell you day by day. It all started Dec. 19. That's when it began to get tough. We were cut off that day from the outside but we didn’t really realize it. We went into Novelle three miles northeast of Bastogne that day. I remember it was stinking weather
IERICAN FORCES IN| ©
I didn’t keep any exact diary but!
PATTON CUTS NAZI ESCAPE GAP T0 12 ML
100,000 Men, Scores Of Tanks Hurled Into Drive.
By J. EDWARD MURRAY United Press Stall Correspondent
PARIS, Dec. 30.—Lt. Gen.
George S. Patton hurled more
than 100,000 troops and hundreds of tanks into his‘y spreading counter - offensive’ against the southern wall of the Ardennes salient today, In the north, “Old Blood and Guts” drove an armored wedge half-way across the Nazi pocket to within 123 miles of the U. S. 1st army spearheads. Third army troops rolled notthward with increasing speed all along their 45-mile attack front. Armored columns hammered out gains of one to six miles in 24 hours, They drove the Nazis back across the Luxembourg border into Gere
many on a six-mile stretch of their right flank.
Most Dangerous Thurst
Patton’s most dangerous thrust, however, was ripping across the walst of the extended German salient northwest of Bastogne. The drive threatened tens of thousands of Nazi troops stalled in the western end of the bulge. Field dispatches, admittedly lagging 24 hours or more behind the battle, said Patton's troops early esterday had driven five miles be yond Bastegne.
than 12 mlles from 4 | the 1st army forces nt against the enemy’s northern flank.
Nazis Within Range
At the same time, the Americans broadened both sides of their Bastogne wedge against furious German resistance, particularly to the southwest. There they extended their front by another 10 miles in a direct threat to the southwestern shoule ders of the ‘Nazi salient at Libra. mont -and St. Hubert. The new advances brought the entire western section of the Ger-
(Continued on “Page 2—~Column 4)
‘OCCUPY JAPAN"-—-NIMITZ SAIPAN, Dec. 20 (U. P.) (Via | Navy Radio) (Delayed). — Fleet Adm. Chester W. Nimitz, returning from an inspectiol tour of Pacific forward areas, said today that Japan definitely will have to be occupied by U. 8. forces to win the
(Continued on Page 2—Column 3)
peace. He warned “we should he. prepared to invade Japan by assault.”
Under Am
"By B. J. McQUAID® Times Foreign Correspondent
man has been wounded on Guam. $F é MISSING 8. 8gt. Harold E. Kellermeyer, 1838 Holloway st., over Germany. Pfc. Ralph H. Askren, 6500 E. 16th st, in Germany.
WOUNDED
E. washington st., on Guam.
New Jersey st., in Germany, —— (Details, Page Three)
‘FILIPINO TRAITORS
ippines, Dec. 30
for the duration of the war,
whole has been important, at least the Japanese and battled Filipinos
|who sought to aid the American
forces. Fiiivine Shllans also have officers
Germany and an Indianapolis soldier has been reported missing] THE ARDENNES, Dec. after serving with the 3d army in Germany. In addition another local | (elite guard) men playing a Shock- | yng man has been wounded while fight- {troop role in Field Marshal Von! ling contained along its northern | Rundstedt's desperate bid, have no| flank. more stomach for massed Amer-
ican artillery than the wehrmacht's/ yon the Germans used captured
ing on German soil and one local |
Marine Pfc. Morris L. Moore, 5309
Pfc, Thomas M. Prench, 5235 N.
TO BE INTERNED
ALLIED HEADQUARTERS, Phil(U, P.).-Gen. Douglas MacArthur proclaimed today that all Filipino collaborationists would be interned by his forces They will be turned over to the Philippine government for disposition, he said. ~
The proclamation applied to all persons holding® “any position of political and economic influence” while the Japanese were in control, as well as to hostile guerrilla bands. While guerrilla assistance on the
one fairly large band has sided with’
29 (De-
|1ayed)—The fanatical young 8. 8.
hedgerow defenders back in Normandy. At least, so. reports Capt. Mal- | colm O. Allen of Newport, Tenn. He is back today with what is
WITH AMERICAN FORCES IN
left of his tank company, after
'Fearless’ SS Troops Quake
erican Artillery
having been caught in a tricky German attack which temporarily wrested the small village of Mane {hay out of our possession. This, for a time, threatened a serious penetration of our “seal-off where the Nazi bulge is bes
Allen's company was decimated
American medium tanks to spear{head a surprise thrust into Manhay (by a score of Tiger Royals. His own tank was hit and knocked
(Continued on “Page 2-Column 4)
|
WASHINGTON, Dec. '30. — Chairman William H. Davis, of the war labor board, specifically recognizes the power of organ ized labér to force government action, such as the widespread seizures of Montgofnery Ward properties. And he concedes that the example in the Ward case is likely sto encourage strikes and sym-
"elites cases of labor unions calling for discipline of employees re fusing to comply with war labor board orders, The board's powers are official-
ly “ labeled as only advisory. to “the President. There has not yet a clear-cut court test of the board's or the: Pres. instances
pathy strikes over wide areas. He
LABOR... By FRED L. PERKINS
WLB Head Admits Power Of Labor to Force Action
The Ward seizures - may be chalked up, as the year ends, as the second 1944 demonstration of new power and efficiency in organized labor. The first was the part takén by the C. IL O. Political Action Committee in the re-election sof President Roosevelt. . Mr. Davis left no doubt in a formal statement that he and presumably other board mem= bers feared that without strong action against the merc ing firm there would be stoppages of production in. war plants supplying the Americen armies. Tug _strike against a as large as Montgomery Wi in a highly explosive yi nr Lot Detroit definitely has