Indianapolis Times, Indianapolis, Marion County, 7 February 1945 — Page 1

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8-4 » mus hull ~By Martin

1. Hamiim

comzmmy VOLUME 55—NUMBER 285

By ERNIE PYLE Times War Correspondent

SAN FRANCISCO.—These first half dozen columns or so are being written in San Francisco before taking

oft for the Pacific.

They are a very sketchy report on

my doings on the home front, 7 If you can bear a little reminiscing I'd dike to go 5 back over these past four months of furlough, and bring you up to date on the-Prodigal Son's recent: activities.

| SHOWDOWN NEAR

Police Keep Vigil in Park Pigeon War

By VICTOR PETERSON

OMMANDERS' of the opposing forces in’ the battle of Pigeon Paradise; University park, squared off verbally today as- General Mud took the field with rain. Front line reports, however, indicate that mud will not block the determined offense of Generalissimo Dortha L. Hunter, who was scheduled to lead her legion to the fray de--pri-t-8--t-h-e. |

‘weathers Lolli

Meanwhile Chief of Staff Paul Brown, . park department head, stated’ administration forces’ war aims, “We want to give University, park back to the public,” he said.

> x »

“ACCORDING to health Te~ ports, pigeons are disease car~ riers—principally-of a pneumonia virus. Besides they are a general nuisance. “We have no intention of liguidating the entire species in In- ° dianapolis. - But we do mean. to bring them under control. “With a good, healthy flock in University park they can become a source of joy to all. There would be no objection to children feeding them under supervision,” he said. °

Mr. Brown

) .- » 2 MEANWHILE, city T0Fcés have thrown a legal block in the path of Gen. Hunter, hauling out+an interpretattion on feeding in public parks. Police today were told to keep a watchful eye on the battleground. Gen. Hunter remained at her headquarters, 2045 Park ave, while Lt. Gen. Pouter Pigeon held forth on: the field of battle.

» » »

“WE ARE not going brought under control.

to be We will

not be a subject nation,” the gen-

eral stormed. An umbrella of P- (for pigeon) . 38's hovered overhead protecting the field headquarters of “OI Beak apd Feathers” as his P I's affectionately call him. : “Our campaign is proceeding

{Continued on Page 4—Column 4)

FIGHT LOOMS OVER LEGION'S FUND BIL

Doubted if Present Measure

Will Reach House Floor.

By SHERLEY UHL A house ways and means. .com-

mittee battle was shaping up today]

over the American Legion bill seeking 2% million dojlars from the state for post-war construction of three new legion buildings.

It appeared doubtful whether the measure in its present form will ever be reported out-of committee to the house floor,

Chief contenders of the legion ap-|

propriation issue are a pair of provocative, straight~-talking Republican representatives: Jess C. Andrew of West Point, house ways and means chairman, and Robert, Hoover of Goshen, author of the bill, Long known ag a state pursestring tightener, Mr. Andrew believes the huge legion request should

(Continued on Page 8—Column 3)

LOCAL TEMPERATURES gE

TIMES INDEX -

Amusements.. 12|Charles Lucey 10 Barnaby .... 17(Mauldin .... 9 Bell 9| Ruth Millett. .9 Business . 7{Obituaries ...” §

ORDNANCE UNIT ON FALL CREEK T0 OPEN AGAIN

Fall Creek Ordnance Depot To Be Reconverted and Employ 2000.

By ROGER BUDROW Times Business Editor The army ordnance department is going to reopen its Fall Creek ordnance plant here to make heavy ‘artillery shells, it was learned today. The $4,000,000 war plant at Northwestern ave, and Fall Creek, operated for a time by E. C. Atkins & Co. to make armor plate, has heen

Tone 4 TIALS New WAY “Foie 1 wi

& Pump Co. of Ft. Wayne. Byrnes Gives Verdict

Opening of the plant was opposed by some government war production and manpower officials several months ago on the grounds that manpower ‘was not available to run it. Z The disagreement was carried to Mobilization Director James F. Byrnes who first riled that the plant should not be reopened but later, on appeal by ordnance department officials, reversed his decision. He _ The plant will be operated by a special Tokheim subsidiary, Tokheim Engineering Co. It is to make 105 mm. shells, forging and machining them from bar stock. Several months will be needed to install new équipment. It is expected that approximately 2000 production workers will ‘be needed when the plant is ready to operate, with one-fourth: or more of them women.

WITH PATTON— German Prisoner Tells Local G. I. Berlin in Ruins

ONE OF THE members of an ~ American division of the 3d army which captured at least 200 Germans at Brandscheid was T. 5th’ Gr. John E. Harness Jr., son of Mr. and Mrs. John Harness Sr., 1513 Carrollton ave. A United Press . report today from the 3d army quoted a’ con-

T. 5th Gr. John E. Harness.

versation which the Indianapolis soldier had with a captured German. ” ¥ »

“l TALKED to one wounded Heinie ‘who spoke a little Eng“lish,” he sald. “I asked him if he knew the Russians were threatening Berlin.” “‘yah, I know this’ he answered:™ ‘But. the Russians get nothing. Our poor Berlin is in ruins.’ »

HARNESS’ parents received a letter from him yesterday, dated Jan. 18, Luxembqurg. He told of participating in four major battles and of serving in the spearhead of Patton's battles in France. Tech. Harness, who is 24, formerly was employed at the Indianapolis Gas Co. here. He has been in service twé years and overseas since February, 1044.

CLAIMS NAZIS ‘ESCAPE ON FAKED PASSPORTS

- LONDON, Feb. 7 (U. P).~—Lord Vansittart told: the house of lords today that he had the names of

used only as A. %grehouse ‘in recent|

opérated by the Tokheim Oil Tank

: FORECAST : Light rain or snow and colder tonight.

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 1945

Ernie Pyle is with the navy in the Pacific. Pending receipt ‘of his

dispatches from that war theater

we are publishing a few articles

he wrote before his take-off from San Francisco, of which the follow-

ing is ene.

Well, since leaving France and returning to America, I have—Spent my first Christmas with “That Girl” since the war started. ‘Mowed the lawn once.

Wabash st. servicemen’s center. Pei. Joseph Allen, Alexandria, Va.,

CITY SLUM BILL

Passage Is Held Up After Opposition Voiced by Taxpayer Group.

By NOBLE REED

Scheduled passage of Indianapolis’ slum clearance bill that would ecreate a commission to promote redevelopment of - the eity’s * Biighted areas today was to be postponed following opposition voiced by the Indignapolis Taxpayers association. In an open letter to legislators, the association charged that it was denied a hearing on the bill by the house committee on Indianapolis affairs,

“Therefore, we are appealing directly to you, believing you will not indorse the steam-roller tactics that proponents of this bill are attempting to use,” the letter stated. Called ‘Vicious’

Asserting that the taxpayers association is sympathetic to the general purpose of the measure, the letter, however, deseribed the bill in , its present form as ‘vicious, dangerous and unjust.” The bill, sponsored by the Marion county delegation in the house, pro-. vides for a tax levy to raise funds for the purchase of slum areas which would be resold to private home builders for redevelopment. The taxpayers association charged

1 (Continued on Page 83—Column 4)

FOES DEFEAT BILL ON CHILD ADOPTION

Assembly Measure Killed in

Committee.

The hotly contested child adoption measure was killed suddenly by the house social security committee today after civic leaders and social agencies denounced the bill as a backward step to “scarlet-letter-branding days.” Rep. Ear] B. Teckemeyer (R. Indianapolis) author of the bill and chairman of the social security committee, said the measure “will not be reported out for passage.” The committee, however, said the child adoption abuses which the bill purported to correct, would be referred to the state welfare depart-

(Continued on “Page 4—Column 2)

By NED BROOKS Seripps-Howard Staff Writer MIAMI, Feb. 7~The American, Federation of Labor today pledged its membership ‘to meet war production schedules. “on time and ahead of time,” if the armed serv-

ACTION DELAYED,

munches as he watches.

Returned Vaforons Are Hungry for Tasties So 'Home-Like.'

“MOM” BUSCHMANN'S cookie cupboard is empty. And many a soldier in town— intent on munching ‘on a delicious homemade tollhouse—has been disappointed. . “Mom” is Mrs. Dorothy F. Buschmann, executive secretary of the Servicemen’s Centers, Inc.

NO SMALL AMOUNT of credit for the fame .of “Mom's centers ‘has been the thousands of cookies handed out to the sailors, soldiers and marines who have come to Indianapolis for a visit—or who are just passing through—or who are back home on well-deserved furloughs. But of all her visitors, the returned veteran from overseas eats the most cookies, “It’s like a bit of home to these boys,” Mrs. Buschmann declared. “They stuff themselves on them— cookies and milk.” » » » AND THAT'S why “Mom’s” cup“board is empty. So many soldiers —men who are waiting separation from the service at Camp Atterbury or returned veterans on furloughs—are visiting the five branches of the centers these days that the cookie demand far exceeds the supply. “We've just got to have more cookies,” Mrs. Buschmann pleaded. LN “INDIVIDUALS and clubs who are not now contributing to our cookie jars must help us. We need, dozens of more cookies every day.” She explained that persons who bake cookies are compensated for the sugar they use through a special OPA point system.

HYNES LISTED LOST BY RAINBOW DIVISION

Pvt. Walter E. Hynes of the Rainbow division has been missing in action since Jan. 15 in France. Yesterday was the first time the war department revealed: the division was in combat: The husband ‘of Opal, 1318 W. Washington st, the 23-year-old soldier had been overseas since November. He enfered service in April of last year, leaving his position as machinist. with the Basca Manufaciuring Co, * A native of this city, he is a graduate = of Washington high school. He has ong son, Jérry, who is 3. Pvt. Hynes is the son of Mrs, Ethel Morris, 1323 W, Market st.

I've been photographed

president of the Rio Grande Steamship & Navigation Co.

I've been kissed by Paulette Goddard, Olivia DeHaviland and Jinx Falkenberg all in one after- |

(blubber division).

noon—Hallelujah!

Six" people sent me oil paintings they'd done from Photographs, I've sat up all night three nights on trains,

(Continued on Page 9—Cotum 1y -

Help Needed to Refill Mom's Popular Cookie Jar

“Istiffening resistance.

Almost empty—Pfc. Howard Sasse, Cleveland, O.,' pours out the last of the day's cookie supply at the Pfc. Andrew Scarborough, Northeast, Md, is on the receiving end, while

MANILA TOURED BY MAGARTHUR

General Braves § Shellfire in’

~ Triumphal Return to Burning City.

MANILA, Feb. T (U.P.).— Gen. Douglas MacArthur returned to liberated Manila today, touring .the city under bursting mortar and shellfire, lov Even as MacArthur carried out his pledge to. return fp Manila,

| 86, raven polls. \ nf er heavy - rifle and e gun

| American troops fought fire and

the Japanese through the streets. It was the fina] tragic act of the capital's liberation. (Radio Tokyo said American warships joined in the battle Monday and Tuesday with a violent twoday bombardment of the island fortress of Corregidor, at the mouth of Manila bay. (The report followed speculation that a landing on Corregidor might be’ undertaken to unlock Manila bay to American shipping. (Tokyo suggested also #hat the warships might be planning to force the strajt north of Corregidor to reach Manila itself where, the enemy said, American troops have fallen into a “most clever and wellprepared trap.” (The New Delhi radio quoted Tokyo as saying that American troops have landed on Bohol island, midway between Leyte and Cebu in the south<central Philippines.) MacArthur visited both the Santo

(Continued on Page 8—Column 1)

Belgian Premier Ready fo Resign . » - In Relief Crisis BRUSSELS, Feb, 7T (U. P).— Premier Hubert Pierlot announced In the chamber of deputies today that his government could not continue under present conditions. He said he would submit his resignation to regent Prince Charles, Inferrupting a debate. in the chamber, the premier said: “I shall go to see the regent and he can reach his own conelusio Thus Pierlot’'s government, "which came to power shortly before the German invasion in May, 1940, pre-

pared for a formal fall—-five months after it returned to the Belgian

| capital,

It falls from power amid criticism (Continued on Page §~Column 2)

Well-known ‘ Scripps-Howard newsmen are covering important Iabor union meetings at widely separated points. In London, Fred W. Perkins is. reporting the creation of the new world trade union congress in which the C. L oO. is representing

Afnerican labor.

support the offensive.

Tomorrow mostly cloudy and colder,

Entered as Second-Class Matter at Postotfice Indianapolis 9, Ind. Issued daily except Sunday

Ernie: It's Almost imecssible To Talk About The War To Civilians’

1000 times, and was made

PATTON GAINS IN NEW SMASH

INTO GERMANY

Yanks Oeznen Fo Fonesalions After Hurdling Border |

From Luxembourg.

By BOYD D. LEWIS United Press Staff Corresp t PARIS, Feb. 7—Four divisions of |

thee American 3d army late today, were reported making “good prog-| ress” in a new offensive layncred across the German frontier. The Yanks struck from Luxem-| bourg on a 22-mile front. | After plunging across the Our and Sure rivers, reported steadily deepening their | netrizlins” Ge NV Ag ET

North of the new offensive front other units of the 3d army captured three towns. °* They drove through the eastern crust of the "Siegfried line on a 1000-yard front three miles northwest of Pruem. Veteran shock: troops opened the push from Luxembourg between 1 and 3 a. m. this morning (between

LONDON; =Feb~%-(U.P.)~The Moscow radio said today that Adolf Hitler had appointed Marshal Walther von Model commander in chief of the Eastern front.

7 p. m. and 9 p. m. Tuesday, Indianapolis time). The Yanks crossed the Our and Sure rivers in rubber assault boats

Line Rucrios Mzi troops holding the river lines that form Germanys frontier with Luxembourg were ‘overwhelméd in the first onrush. Field dispatches indicated that American tanks were moving across behind the infantry spearheads to

The new drive brought Germany's buckling Siegfried line under direct

HOME

FINAL

PRICE FIVE CENTS

ODER FORCED

NEAR BERLIN,

SOVIETS SAY

‘Germany’s Destruction Is Very Near,” Rus- -

sians Assert; Peace Outbreaks Reportad In Burning Nazi Capital.

By ROBER

T MUSEL

United Press Staff Correspondent

LONDON, Feb.

7.—Russian troops were reported un-

officially from Moscow today to have broken 2 across the Oder

river before Berlin.

The Red army's official organ meanwhile said the “com-

iplete destruction of Nazi Germany is very near.”

The German high command reported that Marshal

the”.Yanks were!

: Tived home. ‘since he was shot down

/GOOD NEWS HERE— Captive Gunner

' Is Coming Home On Gripsholm

ONLY ONE LETTER from 8S. Sgt, Robert C. C. Sponsel nas ar-

‘over Germany and captured Nov. 2, 1944, 3 But that long-awaited letter brought good news to his wife, Anita Maxine, and his parents, Mr. and Mrs. R. C. Sponsel, all of 5165 S. Hardegan st.

Gregory K. Zhukov’s army had expanded its bridgehead across the Oder in the Kuestrin area 30-odd miles east of Ber~ lin. Pa This foothold is one of a number the Nazis said the Soviets had seized across the last. natural barrier before the capital.

' Hint Oder Crossed

Moscow dispatches and various broadcasts from the Russian capital contained guarded but unmis-

takable reports that Zhukov ‘had stormed beyond the Oder. It was hinted that he achieved at least {emporary successes in

‘ |nailing down bridgeheads.

SGT. SPONSEL is on his-way home on the exchange ship Gripsholm and will arrive around the last of the month. “I'm-{ree.again. and I'm being repatriated,” he wrote, adding that he would see his family very soon. - A waist gunner on a B-17 bomber, he lost his left arm when

8S. Sgt. Robert C. Spomsel '.

assault by the American 3d and 1st armies all along a 70-mile front. It extended northward from the] Echternach area to the headwaters of the Roer river. The attack came as German mniilitary spokesmen were trumpeting! anxious warnings of an Jinan full-scale offensive by the American| 9th and British 2d armies massed! along the Roer east and northeast of Aachen. Lt. Gen. George S. Patton's 3d army already had breached the Siegfried wall at one point above the new attack front. | Farther to the north the 1st army

(Continued on ined on Page 4—Column 1)

HINT ‘BIG 3' PLANS PSYCHOLOGICAL PLEA

expected to \-Amedl tothe

German People.

By EDWARD P, MORGAN Times Foreign Correspondent LONDON, Feb, 7.—The “Big Three” conferénce may make one final “attack” in psychological war-| fare in an effort to hasten Ger*imany’s internal collapse, but there will be no retreat from the prin. | ciple of unconditional surrender, | informed observels believed today. | When the official declaration on the meeting of President Roosevelt, Prime Minister Churchill and Marshal Stalin in made, it is ex- | a J

(Continued on Page 3—Column 6)

By FRED W. PERKINS Scripps-Howard Staff Writer LONDON, Feb. 7—Unless Sidney Hillman and R. J. Thomas, C. 1. O. leaders delayed by slow wartime transportation, show up in London

| -was forced down on a fission. = . | Ratibor, at Brieg, and at Kuestrin.”

he’s coming home.

he was wounded after his plane

a a 5 = HE ENTERED the army in June, 1943, and has been overseas -since July, 1944. He was

One broadcast from Moscow by an American correspondent said two Red armies stood : “poised to leap upon Berlin, The last natural

Nazi Transocean News agency quoted the Nazi military spokesman today as revealing the Red army has established another small Oder bridgehead south of Kuestrin, east of Berlin.

barrier before Berlin Germany, the Oder,

and central

ed and captured. 4 e situation this morning is altogether too wildly promising for speculation.” ‘ Another said the ‘position of the Germans had “really become seri-

“it now looks as thoggh the drive

Nazi Report The German high command's

{only reference to the situation be-

fore Berlin in its daily war communigue said: that “on the Oder front the enemy was able to widen %lightly his bridgeheads north of

Fed Star, ‘the Soviet army organ, published dispatches deéscribing the Battle of the Oder and said editorially:

graduated from Manual * high school and worked for the Allison division of General Motors

i- Corp, in civilian life.

«For meritorious achievement on missions over Europe he wears the “| air medal with Ivo oak leaf clusters. x He has a 2-year- -old daughter, Marjorie. + His wife is an Allison employee.

‘HOOSIER HEROES— 6 Dead, 3 Missing, ne Over Japan,

And 5 Wounded

Fighting in ‘Europe and in the | Pacific has cost the lives of six {more local servicemen.

In addition 1¢ Of them over rs have been

{three are missing; o Japan, and five ot wounded. DEAD Sgt. Robert Herbig, 2166 Webb st. jon Moroti. Second Lt. 30 Lee st., in Belgium, rst Lt. Philip A. Levy Marott hotel, in France. y T. Sgt. William FP. Lee, Shelbyville, in Belgium. Sgt. Robert F. McConnell: Jr.

James A. Bennett,

(Continued on Page 18—Column 3

Brooks: A. F. of L. Blames Production Problem on Poor Mil itary Planning Perkins: "Russians. Overshadow C.1 0. Tu World Trode Union Conference

one of the three co-chairmen of the conference. The others are Vassily Kuznetsov, of Russia, and George! Isaacs of the British trade ig congress.

Mr. Kuznetsov and Arthur Deakin, |

“Surpassing all precedents possibilities in modern campaigns,

{the Red army’s pressure not only is

not . weakening, but is gaining

| strength daily. “Its objective, the complete de~ °

| struction of Nazi Germany, is very near.”

Soviet. dispaiches said Zhukov's (Continued on Page 4—Column 3)

YANKS WRECK BASES IN PATH OF JAP DRIVE

has been

ous to the point of desperation”apd ~- - for the German capital is really on.”

and

oop ale BE 4

EE nats

LONDON, Feb. 7 (U, P)—The

Enemy Plish Hel Held Menace S

To" East China Fields.

HEADQUARTERS, 14TH A AIR FORCE, China, Feb. 7 (U. P).—

American airmep=—threateried by

Japanese columns converging from three directions — have abandoned and demolished the last of their | secret East China bases from which they had been fighting a desperate ‘guerrilla air war 400 miles east of the battle lines.

» Menaced by enemy troops advancing from Hankow, Hengyang | and Canton, Maj. Gen. Claire Chen- | nault’s fliers and ground crewmen destroyed bases at Namyung and Kanchow, it was disclosed today. From these bases our air power has reached out over vital Japa: nese supply and combat lines, Chennault announced at a press | conference the end of this dra[latie episode in the 14th’s opera-

The air flelds had been supplied

my by “transport planes °

|Jeapfrogging from the Kunming | area over enemy lines and Japas nese-held American bases.

| REVOLT FLARES UP

In Miami, Ned Brooks is- covering the annual meeting of the

. Comics’ ..... 17|Radio ....... 17 today the U. S. delegation to the|of the British transport workers, MEXICO GFPY, Feb. T (UP)

Max Cook ... 9|Reflections .. 10 Crossword ... 17| Mrs. Roosevelt 9 ++. 10| Side Glances. 10 « 10 Wm. P. Simms 10

have been getting out lately with false passports” and knows the identity “of the creatures they conceal” '

“certain very sinister Germans who ices will overcome “poor planning’

and lack of foresight.” The A.'F. of L. council made this promise as it intensified its cam:

A. F. of L executive copndil.

ing to “convinces the publié that 108 A. F. of L. unions, 1000 central lack of manpower was at the root| bodies and all state councils to in

world

continue to have its style cramped

e union conference will gave reviews of their countries’ war

efforts, industrial and military, with

in competition with the much larger. ‘sald directly for the Uni Russian group and the British trade |rrin i ay

Airline passengers Central America

a “wide-open

paign ‘to defeat the May work-or- However “James Carey, C. 1. O. Jost

3 secre ~treasurer and acting deleMr. Hillman is the real leader of | gation oh announced that the. C. I. O. internationalists, but it Mr, Thomas is sttil missing Mr, Thomas is the titular ¢hairman

unionists, old hands at international of production difficulties and thit|tercede with their senators to vote| dealings p the only solution was compulsory against the house-approved bill. national service,” Federation witnesses, he said, will resident WIAS Green glsions) he nag wired —