The Tennessean from Nashville, Tennessee · Page 1

THE TENNESSEANi associated veee mm VJLLE tennesbean -mi Wide World In fh toner Cifadel of Nafion VOL.SS-No.337 NASHVILLE, TENN, FRIDAY MORNING. APRIL IS, 1945 HOME DEUYERED '" - SUBSCRIPTIONS THIRTY-TWO PAGES 30c A WEEK OS) fil IL i) S T d Cvl Cvl H 1 HV DHATTlfli Q H?- fnl fnl r? M Iq1 11 W T0 (ft fc1 fnl fo) I?1 fl A w IM!J v Is IL U LI uvJ 1 TO la UM: ' Truman Sworn In Pledged t Policies . : . ' . -... I . MW I II " I I M .1-111 Mil III I 1 1 " I As Truman Takes Oath 4 V - V .; - : i : Y " i' . -J i Hill I w-WiAl - VTASmrnjlun, April i .rnt npriia, njrry Truman takes the Presidential oath af office today In the Whita Mouse to succeed Franklin D. Reeaavalt aa wartlma ehlf executive at Mr. Truman (cantar) and their daughter, Mjry Margaret (right) ' look an. . 'On To Berlin' Order Is Awaited By Yanks 57 Miles of Capital Frisco Peace Meet Still On ; i WASHINGTON, April 13 President Harry 8. Truman t- nouncad tonlrht that tha UnPfd Natlona Conference called for April 2 will go on aa acheduled. White Houaa Secretary Jonathan Daniels said President Truman, whoVaa aworn In lata today had authorised Secretary of SUte Edward R. Stettlnlua, Jr, to make a atatamant that tha United Nations meeting; will be Mid aa planned. I Several delegations already hare arrived In thla country. President Roosevelt had planned to addreaa the meeting. It waa not known immediately whether Preeident Truman will travel to San Franclaco to apeak. Tha immediate Indlcatlona were, however, that If tha conference (Continued on Page 2. Column 7) (Contlnuad on Papa 2. Column t) Bv AUSTIN BEALMEAR PARIS, Friday, April 13 (AP) United States Ninth Army tanks smashed across the Elbe Kiver on a six-mile front Just 57 miles from Berlin yesterday and United Spates First and Third armies in sweeps of nearly 50 miles thundered at the gates of the great eity of Leipzig:, 75 miles southwest ox the caDital. A field disnatch said only orders from IX. Gen. Wil liam H. Simpson were needed to send the Second Armored Division dashing: on into Berlin, which could possbly be reached today. Unconfirmed French reports aald Allied parachute troop bad baen dropped at Brandenburg;, barely 30 miles from Greater Ber lin. Tha electrifying croaaing- of the Kibe, last hig river barrier before tha devastated capital, came with such speed that auprema headquarters was unable to confirm it, a pokesman saying SHEAF waa completely -out of touch with Ninth Army apearheada. Tha United States First and Third Armies, after their long gain, were under a security blackout, but field report said It was possible that one of them would reach lalps1g by today. They last were reported 33 to 34 miles from tha city with nothing ia front of them. From out of the blackout came tha nawa that the First , Army's Third Armored Division had reeled ff 3-m!le gain on the Firat's north flank and had driven mora than two miles beyond 8anger-hausen, 84 miles southwest of Berlin. The advances of these two Former Judge Takes Oath As 32nd President Mistourian Requests Cabinet To Stay, Will Press Victory Efforts ' WASHINGTON. April 12 (AP) Harry S. Truman, who ll years agro was i Missouri county judge, be came the' 32nd President of the United States at 7:09 d. m. (E. W. T.) tonight and solemnly pledged himself to the policies of Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Tha office of vice eresldent will remain vacant until tha IMS nreeidential election and subse quent Inaugural of the winners In that campaign. Quick Announcements SVom In two hours and 34 min utes after Mr. Roosevelt's death la Warm Springs, Ga., as a shocked capital aought to weigh the Import of the audden change, Truman an nounced In quick succession: 1. He will trv to carry on as he believes President Roosevelt would have done. 3. The Ban Francisco United Na tions conference will go on scheduled ADril 25. . . He has asked th RmimwU cabinet to stay on With him... 4. The war will he pressed to a successful conclusion." Issuss Ststement The new chief executive Issued this statement: "The world may ho aura that we will prosecute the war on both fronts, eaat and weat, with all tha vigor we possess, to a successful conclusion." A short time earlier Truman had announced that the United Nations conference would open as acheduled on April 39 to draft a plan tor world organization. Thus Truman acted Immediately to carry out the twin objectives of winning the war ana seemng a lasting peace. Will Carry On" White House Secretary Stephen Early told reporters that the new President "wants to say tost n will be his effort to carry on as he believes the President would have done, and to that end he has asked the cabinet to stay on with mnr Crowds stood silently outside the White House. Flaga on embassies and other public buildings dipped to half starr. It waa Mrs. Eleanor Roosevelt Who summoned Mr. Truman from hia capitol office to the White House and told mm ner nuioana waa dead. While waiting she sent mesaagea to the four Roosevelt sons in tna armed forces Jamea. Elliott, Franklin. Jr- and John telling them of their father's passing. 'Slant Awav Thla Afternoen' "He slept away thla afternoon," aha told them. "He did his job to the end, as he would want to do. Bless you all and all-our love." She signed it mother. Funeral services will be held Saturdav afternoon In the East Room or the White House, uunai will be in the family plot at Hyde Park Sundav afternoon. The Jate preaiaenra oooy wui not lie in atate, and the funeral la expected to be as private aa poaaible. Mr. Roosevelt's death, was an nounced to the press at 6:50 o'clock by Stephen Early, former presidential secretary. It waa Early who also gave out the stunning newa of the Pearl Harbor attack. An emergency cabinet meeting waa called Immediately and ar rangements made to elevate Mr. (Continued en Page Z, Column ) Believed Last Picture of President 1 J 1 I 4 ...... ; -.vV lk atliaT'M- 1ft TiaT ' - 1 Disbelief, Shock, Solemnity Mark Reaction Of Hoshvillians to Death of President rkiuf shack and then so I em n- I That's the way NashvUle met the ! . vaatardiv afternoon that President Franklin Delano Roosevelt was dead. - Ik whan tha first "flash' came yea- rjT terday afternoon, virtually every i.u.kMia in tha eltv was busv aa two questions raced along the lines: , Is It truaT" and "Have you beard r Cloudy irvMHit ead inrrrrXT! 9jmm sjeaeiam aa auie hwwii ...... OrXXT TfkVtBATCmSI tl I PA Jt- ,!vv XSTVUSJ: tana "At first there was a noisy busx In the lobby, and than when the news was confirmed, a hash --fell over the place like a wave and you could aee heada bow," commented an assistant manager at one of the largest downtown hotels. By nightfall the n ewe bad spread throughout the city aa the people burled their , faces behind newspapers. And a strange silence seemed to grip Church Street. The death of tha President waa the entire conversation, and a Tennee-sean symposium among tha men on the street found the populace aflll stunned. Mayor Thomas I Cummin who said city offices would closed Saturday, made hla statement: , "Our President Is dead. 'Ia fbe dark daya of 1933 the people of Amarioa put their tract la tun end he did not fall them. During the awful days of tha depression his efforts were directed towards not only the care of those who could not helo themselves, but alao to tha development of the treat natural resources such as the Tennessee VaUey Authority here In the South. , "In 1941 when we were murder ously attacked by aa enemy, the people again looked to him and be did not rail them. Now aa we see victory, not only the people of this country but also the liberty loving peoples of the world were looking to him In peace. His place at the peace con ference will be hard to f UL" . When the hews of death had been absorbed those who had "lost the bast friend we ever had" Included (Continued an Peg Z Column I) UlCUINr.TnM A.nl 19 UP) Tki. .ih. of Priil.l Fn.lrlm n Du.. ,f araW tllli Va era fsa aa em s aaaew wa wenswua m a aw vwe7 - elt, made at the White Houm on March 29, 1945, is believed to have been his last picture. ' . . , President's Death Stuns Capita From Diplomats to Cab Drivers WASHINGTON, April 13 JP I From diplomats to cab drivers, capitol reaidents took first news of the President's death today with a shocked unbelief wnJch left them literally atunned Into mo mentary speechlessness. News of the Chief Executive's passing came to, the British embassy by a phone call, as an As sociated Press reporter was stand ing by. Tha entire office froce Into various positions of lncredu- loua Immobility. For a full 10 seconds not a soul spoke Then one attache simply blurted, "My uod: ana tne tension broke. Someone else said. "He hasn't looked at all well lately," and still another Englishman added, "It's Death Cancels Jefferson Day Fhtes in State Because of the President's death. the annual Jefferson Day dinners in Tennessee acheduled for tonight were called off last night by Frank Hobbs, state chairman. Gov. Jim Nance McCord had been slated to speak at the Democratic rally here; Sen. K. D. McKellar In Knoxvilla and Sen. A. Tom Stewart In Jackson, the beastly changeable weather," but it aU obviously waa email talk. Finally the attache voiced the thoughta of the others: "i won der what It will mean to tha war.' Nobody answered him. When another reporter rushing downtown told a Negro cab-driver the aewa. ha refused to believe it at first Then he said slowly: Tm sorrv to hear that Man. but Tm sorry to hear that!" He added, "I wonder what it will mean to us If anything. I wonder. ' An Amerioan army major on a downtown corner shook his head unbelievingly and naked: "It's really truer Assured that It was, he said: "Wen. now he's next to Lincoln In more ways than one." He walked on down the street at ill looking dased. In front- of the White House the crowd was assembling fast clvil- lana and servicemen and women Soma had their hats off, others stood holding the Iron grill fence, staring up at the porch, where the doors stood open and newcomers, riding up In various official cars walked sort-rootedly inside. There was little talking any where, at first, and people on the street stared questioningly at each newcomer to the group, as though still expecting someone might deny that It had really happened. Everywhere the acene waa much the same. Little groups gathered on street corners throughout the city proper to stand about aimless ly and a little dlsbetievingiy. Workers going home at the end of the day to their suburban homes were hailed by neighbors aa they (Continued en Page Z Column 3) Four Roosevelt Sons Get Word in Battle Zones Today's Tennessean . Page 30 Page 23 Page 33 Page 30 Page 14 Page 2 . Page 20 Page 27 Pages 37, 28 ' page 141 .Amusements , Crossword Puxsie Death Notices. Editorials Market Newa Radio Raymond Johnson Sports Tom Little Cartooa War Caiiialttaa ' WASHINOTON. April 13 INS President Roosevelt's three navy officer sons wsre in the racirio to day and his fourth son, Brig. uen. Elliott Roosevelt was with the armv air forces in the European theater, . when they received word of their fathers aeatn. Marina Corps Co I. James Roose velt la a member of the stair of sn amphibious group of the Pa- clflo fleet LL Cm dr. Franklin D. Roosevelt Jr, la ia command of a destroyer escort Lt Joha Roosevelt la supply officer of aa aircraft carrier. Whether or not the Roosevelt sons wUl be able to attend their father's funeral could not be learned tonight It was pointed out that naval officers are permitted to ask for emergency leave ia the event of death In their families. This is Page 22j normal fraaiaf aj their com manding officers in cases where lt would be possible for them to re turn home. Franklin, Jr., Gets News After Big Jap Attack GUAM. Friday. April 13 UP Word of Presldsnt Roosevelt's death reached his son. Lt Comdr. Franklin Roosevelt Jr, off Oki nawa this morning after a suicidal Japanese air attack on American Invasion forces. Young Roosevelt commands a destroyer escort on a screening as signment with the Okinawa Force and was on the bridge directing nis ship's antiaircraft fire In a hot battle In which 118 Japanese planes were destroyed. Another Roosevelt son, Lt John Roosevelt, Is supply officer on sn aircraft carrier with the Pacific Fleet Hia exact whereabouts was not knows here. Wife With Body On Sad Return . . ., To Capita I Today Funeral on Saturday in Washington; Dies From a Cerebral Hemorrhage; Vacation Ends in Sudden Tragedy By D. HAROLD OLIVER WARM SPRINGS. Ga., April 13 (Friday) (AP) Plans were completed early today for a simple' funeral for Franklin Delano Roosevelt as Mrs. Roosevelt arrived to join her beloved dead and begin the journey back to Washington. The President's wife was flown from Washington in an army plane and was taken immediately to the Warm Springs Foundation where Mr. Roosevelt died of cerebral hemorrhage at 4:35 p. m. (E.W.T.). : Only Highest Officials To Attend It was made known that the funeral train would start for Washington during the day, arriving Saturday for the funeral at 4 p. m., in the east room of the White House The room seats only 200 and only highest .United States , and foreign officials will attend. ;W His strength sapped by leadership in America's great-est war, Mr. Roosevelt's unejteected death today stunned the 'World. - !t7-' . His duties fell on Vice President Harry S. Truman", who, sworn in as the 32nd president in a White House ceremony at Washington, issued this statement: "The world may be sure that we will prosecute this war on both fronts, east and west, with all the vigor we 1 possess, to a successful conclusion." Takes Up Honor of the President It was at 4 :35 p. m., Eastern war time, that Mr. Roosevelt died of a cerebral hemorrhage. It was at 7:09 p.-mv mat a solemn-faced Truman took up the burden and the honor of President. Mr. Roosevelt's last words were: " "I have a terrific headache." He spoke them to Comdr. Harold Bruenn. naval Dhv- sician. Burial will be at the Roosevelt ancestral home at Hyde Park, N. Y., Sunday, the exact time not being set The body will not lie in state. 22-Hour Run to Washington Presidential Secretary William D. Hassett said Mr. Roosevelt's body would leave here around 9 a. m. (E. W. T.) tomorrow for the approximately 22-hour run to Washington. Mr. Roosevelt, 63, was sitting in front of a fireplace in the Little White House here atoD Pine Mountain when the attack struck him. , Bruenn described it as a massive cerebral hemorrhage. ' The President's Negro valet, Arthur Prettyman, and a Filipino messboy carried him to his bedroom. , He was unconscious at the end. It came without pain. . if Tl IA. J 1 a i m m . a mr. Kooseven, in me inira montn or nis lourtn term -as President, came here three weeks ago to rest. , Mrs. Roosevelt planned to flv here this evening. She, left the White House at 7:15 after informin their four uniformed sons by wire of their father's death. Removes One of 'Big Three' The death removed from- world councils one -of the Big Three" Roosevelt. Stalin and Churchill who. worked together to win the war and laid joint plans for ' keeping the peace. Truman likewise has stressed the' need for international cooperation. . Dr. Bruenn said he saw the President this.mornlno; and he was in excellent spirits at 9:30 a. m. ' "At 1 o'clock," Bruenn added, "he was sitting In v chair while sketches were being made of him by an architect. He suddenly complained of a very severe occipital headache (back of the head). "Within avery few minutes he lost consciousness. 7 He was seen by me at 1:30 p. m., 15 minutes after the episode had started. ' r ' Never Regained Consciousness "He did not regain consciousness and he died at 3:35 p.m." K Jv Only others present in the cottage were Comdr. George Fox, White House pharmacist and long, an at , tendant on the President r Hassett, Miss Grace-Tully, confidential secretary, and two cousins. Miss Laura Delano and Miss Margaret Suckley. . ; Bruenn said he called Vice Admiral Ross T. Mclntyre, navy surgeon general and White House physician in , Washington, and that Mclntyre In turn called Dr. James E. Paullin of Atlanta, an internal medicine practitioner, and honorary consultant to the navy surgeon general. ; Paullin was present when Bruenn gave the statement of the cause of death to reporters of the three national J news services. . . Hassett gave newsmen the first announcement : In response to a question. Dr. Bruenn said the Presi dent' died without pain. ': ,.- News of the President s death spread quickly and : (Continued an Page 3. Column 1 VJ