The Bakersfield Californian from Bakersfield, California • Page 1

NAZI COBLENZ DEFENSE COLLAPSES BEFORE RATION LIGHTNING DRIVE Showdown Berlin Push on, Report Nazis THE WEATHER Temperature Hltrh yesterday 58 Low today 34 Rainfall 84-Hour Total (Airport). Season Tear ago (Airport) Season (Land Company) ........6.20 Year ago (Land Forecant Clear today and tonight with light local frost; partly cloudy Thursday. Two In jure'd in Plane Crash See Page 7 Vol. 57 TWO SECTIONS BAKERSFIELD, CALIFORNIA, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 7, 1945 14 PAGES No. 188 Powerful Red Attacks Open Zhukov's Forces Shove Off in Giant Offensive 30 Miles East of German Capital LONDON, March 7.

(U.E)—The German radio reported tonight that Russian shock troops were making strong efforts to storm across the Oder river near Kuestrin, 38 miles east of Berlin, in a powerful new offensive aimed at the menaced Reich capital. The German high command reported and Moscow dispatches partially confirmed that Marshal Gregory K. Zhu- kov's First While Russian Army had launched the showdown push against Berlin with powerful attacks on both sides of Kuestrin and north of Frankfurt, twin citadels of the Oder river line before the capital. Several hours later Nazi broadcasts said Red army forces in bat- F. D.

R. SHUFFLES WAGE CHIEFTAINS DAVIS GETS VINSON'S STABILIZATION JOB WASHINGTON, March 7. President Roosevelt today reshuffled -his top wage-labor policy makers. Chairman William H. Davis of the War Labor Board was made economic stabilization director, succeed- ingtFred M.

Vinson. Vinson becomes administrator of the $40,000,000,000 RFC and associated lending agencies which the ousted Jesse Jones formerly directed. Taylor WLB Head George W. Taylor, vice-chairman of the War Labor Board since ita formation in 1942 and author of the "Little Steel" wage formula, moved up into post as chairman. The President cleared the way for an early settlement of the dispute over "fringe" wage adjustments, a dispute which had locked Tinso snarl.

t'inson and Davis in a tight policy Both Davis and Taylor had submitted their resignations last fall but were persuaded by Mr. Roosevelt to remain with the WLB through the war emergency. Davis, who was 65 last August, pleaded he wanted rest, and urged the President to release him so he could return to the University of Pennsylvania, where he is on leave as a professor of industry. "I think perhaps it is jumping out of thtfrying pan into the fire," Davis smiled today when informed of Continued on Page Two Men Trying to Burn Jap Home Hunted SAN JOSE, March 7. Intensive search was under way today for a group of unidentified men who unsuccessfully attempted to burn down the farmhouse of a returned Japanese-American family and fled in an automobile after firing several shots.

Victims of the attack were Sam 60; his wife, Misao, 51; their children, Joe, 25, Bill, 20, Herbert, 16, Edward, 14, and Beverley, 12, and Sue and her husband, Philip Matsumara. The fire was discovered early Tuesday morning when Mrs. Mat- sumara, sleeping in a side room of tfce six-room house, was awakened by the smell of gasoline. Index to Advertisers Page Abrams, Dr. R.

Arvin Theater Atz-Smlth Furnlutre 9 Bakersfleld Beauty College 9 Booth's 6, 8, 9 Boynton Bros 10 Brock's 3 Citizens Laundry Coffee, Harry 2 Laboratories 3 Cullitou, John 8 Ellington, Duke 10 Flickinger-Digier 3 Fox Theaters .......10 tiranada Theater 10 Furniture 8 Imperial Floor Service 3, 6, 8 Karpe, Elmer 4 Krupa, Gene Lalsne, Eugene 4 Lim, T. 8 Montgomery Ward 5 New Lincoln 2 Parks, Sidney 6 Phillips Music Co 2, 6 Rialto Theater 10 River Theater 10 Safeway tl 3 Sears Roebuck 9 Siemon, Alfred 4 State of Calif. Estray 3 Stiern, Richard, Dr 10 Union Cemetery 13 Urner's 9 Virginia Theater 12 Welll's ft Western Oilfields Supply Wills, Bob Williams, Cal 2 talion strength made repeated efforts to storm across the Oder in the Kuestrin sector. Victories Announced Marshal Stalin issued orders of the day announcing victories at both ends of the eastern front, which now was Btirrtng InJiSc most widespread activity since the slowdown in the grand scale offensive starting early this year. Marshal IConstantin K.

Rokossov- sky's Second White Russian Army captured Starogard, rail town 26 miles southwest of Danzig, and Gniew, on the Vistula 15 miles to the southeast. In Slovakia, Marshal Radion T. Malinovsky's Second Ukrainian Army captured Banska Stiavnica, 13 miles southwest of the big rail junction of Svolen on the Hron river. Bridgehead Hinted The high command said the Soviet attacks failed against determined defenses and counterblows. But signs from both Berlin and Moscow hinted that Zhukov might already have a more or less solid bridgehead across the river.

He won several after reaching the Odor a month ago, but their status was blacked out later. Moscow gave tacit confirmation to the Nazi reports that the big push against Berlin was on. The government newspaper Izvestia said that "On all roads leading to Berlin there is visible evidence of the furious battles our troops now are waging." Other Soviet dispatches said that in an unidentified sector the Russians forced a the Oder east of the Continued on Two Actress Exonerated in Marijuana Case LOS ANGELES, March 7. Lorna Gray, 23, film actress booked Sunday on suspicion of possessing marijuana, has been exonerated ot any connection in the case on the testimony of Ruel Taylor, movie stunt man. Taylor, with whom Miss Gray was arrested, testified the marijuana found in his apartment belonged to him.

"Miss Gray knew nothing of It and never used it," he declared at his preliminary hearing. Taylor was held for trial. JAP DEAD ON marines, hi the grim battle for Iwo Jima, have tost 2050 dead, as reported Sunday by Secretary of the Navy James Forrestal. the Japs' hopeless battle to hold the volcanic island have in death for at least defenders, whose'bodies-have been counted. Photograph shows a United States Marine looking at dead Japs sprawled amidst their.

wrecked pillbox. THOUSANDS FLEE HOMES, 9 DEAD AS OHIO RIVER FLOODS LOWLANDS RIVER SPILLING OVER BANKS FROM PITTSBURGH TO CAIRO, WORST THREAT AT PORTSMOUTH By United Preu Flood waters of the Ohio river spilled over lowlands from Pittsburgh to Cairo, 111., today. Thousands of families fled from their homes along the twisting course of the river nearly'1000 miles long. The most critical point along the Ohio was at Portsmouth, Ohio, where the swollen river threatened to sweep aside an emergency barricade of sandbags. The barricade at one point, and officials 'eared the turbulent river might sweep over the Industrial city of 40,000 populatlop.

All available state guardsmen were ordered to oin the brigade working on the lood wall. Million-Dollar Damage Damage from the flood was estimated at $1,000,000 in Cincinnati alone. Western Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Ohio and Kentucky were the lardest hit. Other flood waters rolled across the river valleys of southern Indiana and Illinois, and Mississippi and Arkansas, Nine persons were known dead. Iigh waters lapped around war forcing them into idleness.

Thousands of schools were closed. About 6000 families were homeless between Pittsburgh and Louisville. Another 1000 persons fled from their homes in Indiana and 1700 evacuated river bottom sections in Illinois. The high water forced coal mines Continued on Pue Two Italy Communists Demand Sweeping Political Changes By REYNOLDS PACKARD ROME, March 7. mob attack on Reginia Coeli prison, two more bombings and other scattered violence heightened the political crisis threatening to overthrow the Bonomi government today.

The executive committee of the Communist party issued, a formal warning that all Communist ministers and undersecretaries will resign unless Premier. Ivanoe Bonomi immediately effects wide-sweeping changes in Italy's internal politics. Cabinet Meets Bonomi presided at an extraordinary cabinet meeting starting at 8 a. m. The meeting was called to discuss the crisis, which was touched off by the escape of General Mario of Italy's principal war criminals, from a military hospital Sunday night.

No deaths were reported in the new outbreaks of rioting, but a second victim of bombs thrown during yesterday's anti-royalist demonstration in front, of the Quirinale palace, home of acting King Umberto, died during the night. At least seven other persons were wounded in that incident. Crowds of tattered, hungry-looking men and women stormed the thieves' quarters of the Reginia Coeli prison from the outside during the night in an attempt to free nonpolitical prisoners and at the same time reach' political inmates in another section. Bomb Thrown Police inside the prison fired rifles over the beads of the crowd. Hastily summoned firemen 1 directed water hoses against demonstrators who had broken out of their cells and were assaulting the exits.

A bomb was thrown at the Cara- blnlerl station on Borgo Vlttorio near Vatican City. The Carabinierl rushed out and shot their rifles into the air. The second bomb was thrown against the Carabinierl station in Largo Toniolo square in the center of Rome. No casualties were reported in either incident. Numerous cases of individual Car- abinieri being beaten during tbe night were reported to police headquarters.

Antl-Bonomi elements have blamed the Carablnieri for Ro- atta's escape. Home City of Isolationist JOrfNSON SOLE SURVIVOR OF GROUP DEFEATING LEAGUE OF NATIONS SAN FRANCISCO. March T. coincidences, of history have brought the April 25 world security conference to the home city of United States Senator Hiram W. Johnson, Republican dean of the upper House and sole survivor of the isolationist group which defeated the League of Nations and Versailles Treaty 25 years ago.

Johnson, who was elected to the Senate in 1916 from the California governorship and has been reelected four times, remains stalwart in his opposition to American intervention In world affairs. Continued on Pave Four FLASHES MANILA FUND SPONSORED SAN FRANCISCO, March 7. Roger Lapham today approved a resolution creating a city-sponsored trust fund for the rebuilding of Manila, and called upon residents of San Francisco and other communities to contribute through a "Parade of Dimes." NURSE DRAFT PASSES HOUSE WASHINGTON, March 7. House passage sent to the Senate today legislation requiring the registration of all women nurses over 19 and under 45 and making liable for induction all those not married before March 15, 1945. JAIL AMENDMENT REJECTED WASHINGTON, March 7.

Tbe Senate today overwhelmingly rejected a "work-or-jail" amendment to pending manpower legislation. The vote, 60 to 23, came on a proposal to require every man from IS to 45 not qualified for military service to take an essential war job under threat of 910,000 fine and five years imprisonment. Marines Open Big Iwo J)rive Americans on Luzon Regroup for Finish; Chinese Take Airfield By LEONARD M1LL1MAN Associated Frees War Editor Marines launched an all-out offensive to push Japanese off the northern cliffs of Iwo island while 10 divisions of American soldiers in the Philippines reorganized today for the final phases of the Luzon campaign." Tokyo radio reported at least eight Superfortresses harassed Japan during the night, including Tokyo, while another reconnoitered Korea for three hours today. Chinese driving down into north Burma captured the Lashio air field and the old town of Lashion, 2 miles from the main town. Lashio is the junction of the old Burma road and the Burma railway.

Japanese radios cautioned Cantonese not to get BO excited about rumors of an impending Allied invasion of the south China coast and babbled about a forthcoming Nipponese offensive in which isolated Japanese island garrisons and the disappearing imperial navy would play major roles. Anything can happen in the Pacific now, cautioned Vice-Admiral Marc A. Mitscher, commander of fast carrier forces which have sailed unchallenged through Japanese waters. Artillery Barrage After a two-day lull marines launched their all-out offensive on Iwo yesterday behind the heaviest artillery barrage to hammer the volcanic little island in 16.days of fighting. Japanese fought back so fiercely with mortars, automatic weapons, rifles and grenades that the Yanks were held to only local gains despite the support of land and naval Continued on Pace Four Hopes for Civilian Tire Increase Slim WASHINGTON, March 7.

Increased production of civilian passenger car tires lias been put off Indefinitely. Production will be limited to 5,000,000 a quarter "pending clarification of the impact of the shortages of carbon black and tire cord on future passenger tire output," the War Production Board announced today. This is the same production rate as for the first quarter of this year. The tire Industry was freed today from its pledge of seven-day-a-week operation because its soaring production has outrun the supply of the essential ingredient, carbon black. Bodies of Six Men Sought in Explosion VANCOUVER, B.

March The scorched hull of an ammunition freighter was searched today in an effort to recover the bodies of six crewmen killed when the ship exploded and burned yesterday. Twenty-four of the 30 men aboard the 10.000-ton Greenhill Park were rescued from the waters of Vancouver harbor after four explosions set the ship afire. The blasts broke windows in homes and office buildings away from the water front. Many persons were cut by flying glass in the streets. Twelve of the rescued men suffered serious injuries.

Lady Mountbatten Attends China Fete CHUNGKING, March 7. Lady Louise Mountbatten, wife of the southeast Asia commander, arrived today to attend the International Women's Day observance. was greeted at the Nine Dragons airport-by Foreign Minister T. V. Soong, War Minister Chen Cheng and Dr.

Wellington Koo, Chinese ambassador to Britain. Tclepholo RHINE BATTLE NEAR The powerful United States Third Army, in a mlle-a-minute advance, today drove routed Germans to within 10 miles of the middle Rhine, outflanking the Saar due trial basin from the north. The First Army fought within 3 miles of Bonn, 15 miles south of fallen Cologne and key Rhine communications center. Yanks Rescue 1000 Soldiers in Nazi Camp TOMMYGUNS SIGNAL FOR CRIPPLED MEN TO ATTACK GUARDS By ROBERT VERMILLION WITH U. S.

SEVENTH ARMT, Alsace, March 6. tommyguns chattered a few hundred yards from the German hell camp at Stlringwendel. It was the signal more than 1000 ragged, diseased, crippled and starving soldiers had been awaiting. The men attack-ad their remaining guards and burst out ward their liberators, babbling thanks in five languages. Effected by Infantrymen The group included 800 Russian soldiers, 140 Yugoslavs, 100 Italians, 25 Frenchmen and 20 Poles.

Some had been prisoners since the German invasion of Poland in 1939. The liberation was effected yesterday by the Two Hundred Seventy-fourth Infantry Regiment commanded by Colonel Samuel (Shooting Sam) Conly of Van Wert, Ohio, after bitter house to house fighting in driving the Germans from Stirnwendel. Conly had learned from prevl- Continued on Page Four Early Rhineland Cleanout Looms Third Army Makes Spectacular Dash Through Eifel Mountains; Germans Flee on Wide Front PARIS, March 7. George S. Pa lion's lightning thrust toward the middle Rhine carried within 10 miles of Coblenz today, and front reports indicated German resistance before that Rhineland citadel had ceased.

Licutenant-Geiieral Courtney II. Hodges' First Army, triumphant at Cologne, struck into the outskirts of Bonn, 12 miles to the south, in ad- in vanccs up lo 7 miles through some 30 German towns and villages. The virtually unimpeded march of the First and Patton's Third Army promised an early cleimout of all the rich Rhineland west of the Rhine and north of the Moselle. The two rivers flow together nt Coblenz. Late dispntches from the Third Army front said Major-General Hugh J.

Gaffey's Fourth Armored Division, pacemaker of Patton's sweep, had pushed to Polch, 10 miles short of Coblenz. Polch, a vital transport center, is on one of Adolf Hitler's superhigh ways leading straight to Coblenz. It Is 4 miles southeast of Mayen. against which the Americans had been reported closing, and 17 miles east of the advanced positions reported 24 hours ago. 13-Mile Advance Today's maximum gains on the Third Army front were 13 miles.

A dispatch said the Fourth Division's penetration since the takeoff Monday had reached 37 miles. The advance was retarded by bad roads and detours today, the dispatch said, indicating that German resistance was hardly a factor with which to be reckoned. In a lightning thrust that apparently caught the Germans In the process of pulling their Eifel mountain line back to the Rhine, tanks and motorized infantry columns of Patton's Fourth Armored Division broke loose in the Nazi rear and turned an orderly enemy withdrawal into a near rout. Vanguards of the Fourth Division were closing on Mayen, 15 miles west-southwest of Coblenz and only about 10 miles west of the Rhine city of Andernach. Resistance Breaks German resistance broke under the American armored drive, and field dispatches said Patten's hard-riding tankmen swept up vast quantities of German arms and supplies and hundreds of prisoners in their path.

The Nazis still were fighting hard on either flank of the Fourth Armored Division, but Berlin broadcasts indicated they were beginning pull out of the entire Eifel mountain region in an attempt to escape envelopments. Vanguards of the American First Army, barely 25 miles to the north, already were at the outskirts of the Rhine city of Bonn, la miles aouth of captured Cologne, in position to wheel southward along the Continued on Page Two Warren Praises Demo Chief for Non-Party Health Stand By ARCHIE WELLS SACRAMENTO, March 7. Governor Warren put compulsory health insurance on a nonpartinan basin today, with pral.se for Democratic State Chairman William B. Malone and a general invitation to make public service the approach to all important legislation rather than party politics. "It was very generous of him," Warren said at a press conference, in commenting on Alalone'a demand voiced at a Democratic caucus last night that the governor be supported in his fight for compulsory health insurance.

"No Partisanship" "It is just 1000 per cent right. There should be no more partisanship in an attempt to raise the public health than there should be in tbe efforts of all of us to win the war." The governor however expressed dissent with the advice given the Democratic leaders by Attorney- General Robert Kenny that the $116,000.000 of tax cuts made by the 1943 Legislature be wiped out by not continuing the rates another two years. "I feel very earnestly," he said, "it would be wrong to raise our taxes at this time. Big as our budget is, we can finance it adequately on present tax levels. Any increase now would just be an Incentive to extravagant spending, to mt it mildly.

"We saved the people of the state $115,000,000 by reducing taxes. We will save them another $100,000,000 in the next biennium if we leave tux rates where they are. It just doesn't seem right to me to saddle additional taxes on the people when there is no real need." The Senate finance committee named five two-men subcommittees to start consideration of the governor's $683,000,000 budget bill. Fred Links, finance department budget superintendent, told the committee $27,000,000 will be saved from the current budget and returned to the treasury. Tho committee received from Legislative Auditor Holland A.

Vandegrift the same recommendation he made to an Assembly committee, that $10,000,000 be arbitrarily cut from the new budget because of unexpended appropriations. State Democratic Chairman Willlam B. Malone told a party caucus last night that "just because Warren had a health insurance bill introduced is no sign why we should be against it. After alt It is part of the Democratic national program and we should support it." Fight Tux Program What pqjitlcal comfort Warren received from the health insurance endorsement was dispelled, however, by Democratic Attorney-General Continued os Two 1200 GERMANS NABBED IN ITALY FIFTH ARMY SEIZES THREE APENNINE HEIGHTS ROME, March 7. mountain troops the Fifth Army have seized three more important Apennlno heights in a three-day drive while supporting Brazilian troops to the right captured ths key town of Castelnuovo, 13 mites southwest of Bologna, said today.

Heavy casualties inflicted on the Germans and 1200 prisoners were taken, including a battalion commander and bin staff. The drive, described an a "limited objective attack," was reported accomplished with "relatively few" casualties. Mountains Captured The Tenth Mountain Division, with tank and air support, launched the drive northeast of Mount Delta Torraccia Saturday morning, ing the enemy front dominating sltions. Headquarters announced -that the: Continued on Argentina Invitation Into Fold Drafted MEXICO CITY, March T. Twenty American republics are about to invite Argentina back Into the fold today provided she ates and takes the necessary steps to become a United Nation.

Chief delegates have drafted the invitation and they said it would be adopted late today. This presumably would Include a declaration of war against the Axis and would apparently carry with. it a ticket to the San Francisco conference if Argentina compiles. Argentina has been isolated from the hemisphere nations and was left out of this conference. The resolution to be put before the steering committee expresses the hope that Argentina "may find herself in a position to express her agreement and adherence to the principles and declarations" of the Mexico conference.

Colonel Acquitted for Mercy Killing KUNMING, March (Delayed). officer at a forward can air base who fired two mercy bullets into the head of a flier lessly trapped in a wrecked and burning plane was acquitted today of voluntary manslaughter. A gunerai courtinartial of seven colonela drawn from the United States Fourteenth Air Force and associated service organizations returned the verdict after hearing 10 witnesses pieco together one of the most soul-searing episodes of the war. The defendant was a 31-year-old lieutenant-colonel, commander of a fighter group, veteran of 80 air missions anct ranking officer at the base. The accident victim was a 20-year-old sergeant gunner in a B-35 bomber.

"Brownout" Exempts Entrance Lighting WASHINGTON. March T. The War Production -Board today amended "brownout" regulations to limit outdoor entrance lighting "to the minimum required for public health and safety." In no case, may lighting exceed 60 watts per entrance. Tho action, the agency ssJd. suited from "widespread standing" about entrance Already prohibited show dow lighting and lighting locations and public pasBAimnuni I display, promotional, I advertising purposes.

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